LG QNED - 70A series 43" Class 70A Series QNED AI 43.1" 2025 Review
The LG 43-inch QNED AI TV offers a fantastic smart TV experience in a compact size, but its 60Hz panel and mid-range picture mean it's best for casual viewers, not gamers or cinephiles.
The 30-Second Version
The 2025 LG 43-inch QNED AI 4K TV is a solid choice for a small room where you want a great smart TV experience. It runs LG's excellent webOS, has helpful AI features, and is priced around $280. Just don't expect top-tier gaming performance or the best picture quality in its class.
Overview
If you're looking for a 43-inch 4K TV for a bedroom or office that's smart and easy to use, the 2025 LG 70A Series QNED AI TV is a solid contender. It's a mid-range model that focuses on LG's smart features and AI processing rather than being a top-tier performer. You're getting a 4K panel with HDR10 support, LG's webOS platform, and the Alpha 7 AI Processor Gen8, all wrapped up in a compact 43-inch size that's harder to find these days. For the current price of around $280, it's positioned as a value-focused smart TV.
Performance
The picture quality lands in the 43rd percentile in our database, which tells you it's a decent mid-pack performer for the price. The Alpha 7 AI processor does a good job with 4K upscaling and managing brightness, so your HD content will look sharp. For gaming, it's important to know this is a 60Hz panel, not 120Hz or higher. It supports FreeSync and VRR, which helps, but the gaming performance percentile is only 25th. That means it's fine for casual gaming, but competitive players will want something faster. The audio is also on the weaker side, sitting in the 31st percentile, so you'll likely want a soundbar for a better experience.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Compact 43-inch size is great for smaller rooms 95th
- LG's webOS is one of the best and easiest smart TV platforms 91th
- Includes useful AI features like personalized recommendations 86th
- Good connectivity with 3 HDMI ports and built-in gaming features 83th
- Solid value for a smart TV at this price point
Cons
- Only a 60Hz refresh rate, limiting gaming performance 18th
- Audio quality is below average, as shown by the 31st percentile score
- Picture quality is mid-range, not class-leading
- HDR performance is decent but not spectacular
- Smaller screen size means it's not ideal for a main living room TV
Specifications
Full Specifications
Display
| Size | 43" |
| Resolution | 4K (2160p) |
| Panel Type | QLED |
| Backlight | Direct-Lit |
| Curved | No |
| Year | 2025 |
Picture Quality
| Processor | Dynamic Tone Mapping |
HDR
| HDR Formats | HDR10, HLG |
| Dolby Vision | No |
| HDR10+ | No |
| HLG | Yes |
Gaming
| Refresh Rate | 60 Hz |
| VRR | FreeSync |
Smart TV
| Platform | webOS |
| Voice Assistant | Alexa |
| Screen Mirroring | Apple AirPlay 2, Google Cast |
| Works With | Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Apple Home |
Audio
| eARC | Yes |
Connectivity
| HDMI Ports | 3 |
| HDMI Version | 2 |
| USB Ports | 1 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi |
| Bluetooth | 5.1 |
| Ethernet | Yes |
| Optical Audio | Yes |
| VESA Mount | 200x200 |
Power & Size
| Energy Star | No |
| Annual Energy | 163 |
| Weight | 7.5 kg / 16.5 lbs |
Value & Pricing
At $280, this TV sits in an interesting spot. You're paying for LG's reliable smart platform and AI features more than you are for top-tier picture quality. For a secondary TV or a first 4K set, it's a fair deal. If pure picture quality is your main goal, you might find better-performing budget models from brands like Hisense or TCL at similar sizes, though they often lack the polish of webOS.
Price History
vs Competition
This LG faces stiff competition. The Hisense U6 Series often offers better local dimming and brightness for similar money, though its smart TV interface isn't as slick. The TCL S4 Series is another direct competitor with Roku TV, which many people prefer for its simplicity. Stepping up in price, the LG OLED C5 series is in a completely different league for picture quality, but it costs significantly more. For a 43-inch TV specifically, your options are limited, which actually works in this LG's favor. Most competitors in this size are basic 60Hz models, so the LG's AI features and webOS give it an edge in usability.
| Spec | LG QNED - 70A series 43" Class 70A Series QNED AI 43.1" | Sony Bravia Sony BRAVIA 5 65" 4K HDR Smart Mini-LED TV | Hisense U65QF Mini-LED Hisense - 75" Class U6 Series MiniLED QLED UHD 4K | Samsung Neo QLED Samsung QN90F 50" 4K HDR Smart Neo QLED Mini-LED | TCL QD Mini LED - QM6K TCL - 65" Class QM6K Series 4K UHD HDR QD Mini LED | Roku Mini-LED QLED 4K - Pro Roku - 55" Class Pro Series 4K QLED Mini-LED Smart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen Size | 43 | 65 | 75 | 50 | 65 | 55 |
| Resolution | 4K (2160p) | 3840x2160 | 3840x2160 | 3840x2160 | 3840x2160 | 3840x2160 |
| Panel Type | QLED | MiniLED | MiniLED | MiniLED | MiniLED | MiniLED |
| Refresh Rate | 60 | 120 | 144 | 120 | 144 | 120 |
| Hdr | HDR10, HLG | Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG | Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HLG | HDR10+, HLG | Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HLG | Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HLG |
| Smart Platform | webOS | Google TV | Fire TV | Tizen | Google TV | Roku TV |
| Dolby Vision | false | true | true | false | true | true |
| Dolby Atmos | - | false | true | false | true | true |
| Hdmi Version | 2.0 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 2.1 |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
| Product | Hdr | Audio | Smart | Gaming | Display | User Sentiment | Connectivity | Social Proof | Picture Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LG QNED - 70A series 43" Class 70A Series QNED AI 43.1" | 81.7 | 62.2 | 95.3 | 50.7 | 18.3 | 82.8 | 85.8 | 90.7 | 43 |
| Sony Bravia 5 65" Compare | 97.6 | 67.6 | 91.6 | 94.9 | 62.4 | 0 | 99 | 94.3 | 97.1 |
| Hisense U65QF Mini-LED 75" Class U6 Series MiniLED Compare | 98.8 | 90.4 | 93.8 | 96.5 | 69.1 | 0 | 97.2 | 97.6 | 97.1 |
| Samsung Neo QLED QN90F 50" Compare | 89.9 | 67 | 99.4 | 96.9 | 53.8 | 0 | 98.2 | 99.5 | 86.1 |
| TCL QD Mini LED - QM6K 65" Class QM6K Series Compare | 96.5 | 90.4 | 98.6 | 98.4 | 62.4 | 0 | 96 | 97.6 | 86.1 |
| Roku Mini-LED QLED 4K - Pro 55" Class Pro Series Compare | 96.5 | 90.4 | 92.5 | 97.4 | 56.8 | 0 | 97.2 | 98.8 | 86.1 |
Common Questions
Q: Is the LG 70A Series good for gaming?
It's okay for casual gaming. It has a 60Hz refresh rate with FreeSync and VRR support, which helps reduce screen tearing, but its gaming performance score is in the 25th percentile. For fast-paced competitive games, you'll want a TV with a 120Hz panel.
Q: How is the picture quality on this LG QNED TV?
The picture quality is decent for the price, ranking in the 43rd percentile. The Alpha 7 AI processor does a good job with upscaling and color, but it's not as bright or contrast-rich as more expensive Mini-LED or OLED TVs.
Q: Does this TV have good smart features?
Yes, that's one of its strengths. It uses LG's webOS, which is one of the best and most intuitive smart TV platforms. It also includes AI-powered recommendations and voice search via the Magic Remote.
Q: What's the difference between this QNED TV and an LG OLED?
QNED is LG's LCD-based technology, while OLED has self-emissive pixels for perfect blacks. The OLED, like the C5 series, offers vastly superior contrast and picture quality but costs much more. This QNED model is a budget-friendly alternative with good smart features.
Who Should Skip This
Skip this TV if you're a serious gamer who needs high frame rates, as the 60Hz panel will feel limiting. Also, home theater enthusiasts looking for the best possible picture and sound should look at higher-end Mini-LED or OLED models. If you're furnishing a large living room, the 43-inch size is probably too small; aim for 55 inches or larger. For those use cases, consider the Hisense U6 series for better picture on a budget or the LG OLED C5 for a premium experience.
Verdict
Should you buy this? If you need a 43-inch TV and value a great smart TV experience over absolute picture perfection, yes. The webOS platform is a joy to use, the AI features are genuinely helpful for finding content, and the price is reasonable. But if you're a serious gamer who needs high refresh rates, or if you're setting up a home theater where picture and sound quality are paramount, you should look elsewhere. This is a TV for convenient, everyday viewing, not for blowing your socks off.