LG LG UA77 43" 4K HDR Smart LED TV Review

The LG UA77 43-inch 4K TV is a great streaming companion for bedrooms and small spaces. You get LG's excellent webOS 25 platform, decent gaming features, and a sharp 4K picture, all for around $239. Just don't expect groundbreaking HDR or contrast from this basic LED panel.

If you're looking for a solid 43-inch 4K TV for a bedroom or small living room, the LG UA77 is probably on your list. For around $239, you get a native 4K LED panel, LG's latest webOS 25 smart platform, and support for HDR10 and HLG. It's a TV designed for streaming, with over 300 free channels on LG Channels and all the major apps built right in. The a7 AI Processor 4K Gen8 handles upscaling, and you get three HDMI ports, which is generous for a TV this size. People often search for 'good 43-inch TV for streaming' or 'affordable LG smart TV,' and this model fits both bills nicely.

The picture quality lands in the 45th percentile in our database, which tells you what you need to know: it's fine for the price, but don't expect miracles. The 4K resolution is sharp, and the a7 processor does a decent job upscaling HD content. But this is a basic LED panel, so contrast and black levels are just okay. For gaming, the 60Hz refresh rate with VRR and ALLM is a nice touch that helps reduce screen tearing, putting its gaming performance in the 79th percentile. That's solid for casual console gaming, but serious gamers will want a 120Hz panel. Where it really shines is in smart features and connectivity, scoring in the 85th and 89th percentiles respectively. webOS 25 is fast, intuitive, and one of the best smart TV systems out there.

At $239, the LG UA77 sits in the budget-to-midrange zone for 43-inch 4K TVs. You're paying a bit of a premium for the LG brand name and the excellent webOS experience. If your top priority is the absolute best picture for the money, you might find better value in a TCL or Hisense model. But if you want a reliable, easy-to-use smart TV from a known brand that won't frustrate you, the UA77 offers fair value, especially when it's on sale.

The most direct competitor is probably the TCL 4-Series, which often undercuts this on price. The TCL might have slightly better contrast, but it runs Google TV, which some find clunkier than webOS. Stepping up a bit, the Hisense U6 series offers mini-LED technology for much better contrast and brightness at a similar price point, though its smart platform isn't as polished. If you're an LG fan and love webOS, the step-up model would be an LG OLED, but that's a completely different price league. Against the Sony BRAVIA 5 or Samsung Neo QLED, the UA77 can't compete on picture quality, but it costs a fraction of the price. It's a classic trade-off: you're choosing the smart experience and brand reliability over peak picture performance.

Skip the LG UA77 if you're setting up a home theater in your main living room. The average picture quality and basic HDR won't do justice to movies. Hardcore gamers who need high frame rates should also look elsewhere, as the 60Hz panel is a limitation. In both cases, consider spending a bit more on a Hisense U6 series mini-LED or a TCL Q-series TV for a significantly better picture.

Should you buy the LG UA77 43-inch TV? Yes, but with clear expectations. Buy this if you want a no-fuss, great-for-streaming TV for a secondary room. The webOS system is a joy to use, the size is convenient, and the gaming features are a nice bonus. Don't buy this if you're a videophile or your main living room TV needs to have stunning HDR and perfect blacks. For a bedroom, guest room, or small apartment where ease of use matters most, the UA77 is a solid pick. Just pair it with a soundbar if you care about audio.