LG LED 4K - UA77 LG - 65” Class UA77 Series LED AI 4K UHD Smart Review

The LG UA77 is a 65-inch 4K TV that sells for about $450, making it a sheer size-for-money play. You get LG's excellent webOS 25 software and tons of free channels, but picture quality is merely average due to its basic LED panel. It's a solid pick for casual streaming in a bright room, but movie buffs and gamers should look at slightly more expensive models with better contrast. Think of it as a big, smart portal, not a home theater centerpiece.

The LG UA77 65-inch 4K TV is a bit of a puzzle. On paper, it's a fully-loaded smart TV with a huge screen, LG's latest webOS 25 software, and a price tag that looks almost too good to be true at around $450. It's clearly aimed at the budget-conscious streamer who wants a big picture without the big spend. But our data shows a stark split: it scores in the 92nd percentile for display size and connectivity, yet languishes in the 45th percentile for actual picture quality. That tells you exactly what you're getting into.

This TV is for the family that wants a giant screen for movie nights and YouTube binges, and doesn't want to fuss with a separate streaming stick. The built-in LG Channels offering over 300 free channels is a legitimately cool feature, especially if you're cutting the cord. The a7 AI processor handles the smart TV duties well, making navigation snappy. It's a living room centerpiece on a budget.

The interesting part is where LG cut corners to hit this price. You're getting a standard LED panel, not the fancy OLED or Mini-LED tech from its more expensive siblings. The HDR support is basic (HDR10 and HLG), and the 60Hz refresh rate is standard fare. For $450, you're trading peak brightness and contrast for sheer screen real estate and a polished smart experience.

Let's talk about those numbers. The picture quality ranking in the 45th percentile is the key stat. In practice, this means the UA77's image is perfectly fine for daytime TV and brightly lit scenes, but it struggles with depth and pop. Blacks will look more like dark grays, and HDR content won't have the dramatic impact you see on higher-end sets. The a7 AI processor does a decent job with upscaling older HD content to 4K, so your classic sitcoms will look clean, but don't expect miracles.

For gaming, it's a similar story. The 60Hz native refresh rate is standard, and while it has VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) and ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode), these features are more about smoothing out the experience within that 60fps cap. It's fine for casual gaming on a PS5 or Xbox Series X, but competitive players or anyone chasing high frame rates will hit a wall. The input lag is likely acceptable, but not class-leading. Think of it as a big, serviceable canvas, not a high-performance monitor.

The value proposition here is brutally simple: maximum inches per dollar. At roughly $450 for a 65-inch screen with a modern smart OS, it undercuts almost every other TV in its size class. You could easily spend twice as much for a similarly sized TV from Sony or Samsung. The trade-off is in the panel technology itself. You're paying for the frame and the software, not for top-tier picture quality.

It's a compelling deal if your priority is a big, functional TV for a family room, and you're okay with 'good enough' picture quality. If your budget is rigidly under $500 and you want a 65-inch TV, there aren't many complete packages like this. Just go in knowing that a $700-$800 TV from TCL or Hisense in the same size will almost certainly deliver a noticeably better picture.

Stacked up against its direct rivals, the UA77 plays a specific game. The TCL QM8 or Hisense U6 Series, often around $700-$800 for 65 inches, use Mini-LED technology. That means they'll crush the LG in contrast, brightness, and overall HDR impact. You're paying more for a vastly superior picture. The Samsung QN90F or LG's own OLED G5 are in a different league entirely, but also cost three to four times as much.

The more interesting comparison is to other budget giants. Compared to a no-name brand TV at a similar price, the UA77 wins hands-down because of webOS. That software experience is genuinely good and gets updated. But compared to, say, a 55-inch TCL S Series at $400, you have to decide: do you want 10 more inches of screen, or a significantly better picture on a slightly smaller canvas? For pure movie watching in a dark room, the better picture often wins. For a bright living room where the family gathers, the bigger screen has its appeal.

Skip the LG UA77 if you're a home theater enthusiast who watches films in a dark room. The mediocre contrast and basic HDR will leave you wanting more. You'd be much happier with a 55-inch TCL QM8 or Hisense U6 for a similar price, which offer far superior Mini-LED picture quality in a slightly smaller package.

Also, hardcore gamers chasing high frame rates should look elsewhere. The 60Hz refresh rate is a hard cap. If you want to use your PS5 or Xbox Series X to its full potential with 120fps modes, you need a TV with a 120Hz panel, which typically starts around $600-$700. This TV is built for casual, big-screen entertainment, not for performance.

We'd recommend the LG UA77 65-inch to one type of buyer: the budget-first streamer who wants the biggest possible screen for their money and values a slick, ad-free smart TV interface above all else. If your main activities are watching Netflix, YouTube, and free LG Channels in a normally lit room, and $450 is your hard limit, this TV gets the job done. The big screen experience is real, and webOS 25 is a joy to use.

For everyone else, we'd suggest stepping up your budget slightly or considering a smaller, better TV. If you watch a lot of movies, care about HDR, play games at high frame rates, or often watch with the lights off, the UA77's picture limitations will become apparent quickly. In those cases, saving for a 65-inch TCL QM8 or even a 55-inch model with better tech will provide a much more satisfying long-term experience. This TV is a gateway drug to bigger screens, not a final destination for picture quality enthusiasts.