LG OLED B8, test and analysis with characteristics, opinion and price

When we think of buying an OLED TV one of the first brands that appears in our minds is LG. The Korean manufacturer has been launching televisions with this technology for many years, so it has the widest catalog of televisions with OLED panel. And among them we have a somewhat cheaper model than the rest. The LG OLED B8 became the entry-level model to LG's OLED range last year . And, until the new ones arrive, the model remains the most accessible OLED TV of the Koreans.

Does being the cheapest model mean being much worse than your older brothers? This is what we have wanted to find out during the more than 15 days in which we have been able to test the LG OLED55B8, a 55-inch model with 4K resolution. A model that maintains the vast majority of features of the top models, but that changes the image processor. We don't want to give you too many spoilers, but we already told you that the LG OLED B8 may be one of the OLED televisions with the best value for money on the market .

LG OLED55B8 datasheet

Without many design changes

The LG OLED B8 is a stylish TV, but it doesn't have a groundbreaking design. In fact, I can tell you that I have the LG OLED C7 at home and the design of the B8 is practically identical to the 2017 model. Still, the design is really good .

It has a metallic support that in this model is a dark lead gray . It is a very useful support, as it is quite narrow and will surely fit in most furniture. It is a fairly stable support with the LG OLED logo on the front, so that we know as soon as we see the TV what type of technology it includes.

Otherwise, the front of the TV is practically all screen. It has very thin frames on all four sides , almost invisible when it is turned on.

The back is also quite plain and looks a lot like the back of other models from the manufacturer. We have a very fine upper area, with a really nice glossy finish . The lower zone, however, is not so "fine". It includes a black plastic part where the electronics of the TV, the speakers and the connectors are hidden.

The connectors are divided into two areas. Most of the HDMI inputs are on the side, which makes it easier to access them if we decide to hang the TV. However, other connections such as Ethernet or USB are facing outwards. And since we are talking about mounting it on the wall, you should know that the LG OLED B8 is compatible with VESA 300 × 200 .

The overall build quality of the LG OLED B8 is excellent . There are no strange gaps between components and the feeling is that we are dealing with a solid device. Of course, when we mount it we must be careful of the thinnest part, since that area is much more fragile as it only has a panel.

Good image quality

4K image

LG's top 2018 models (W8, G8, E8, and C8) include the Alpha 9 Image Processor, offering improvements in noise reduction, sharpness, depth, and color reproduction. For its part, the LG OLED B8 has the same panel as its more expensive brothers, but it has the Alpha 7 processor to achieve a more competitive price.

Still, the Alpha 7 is a powerful 12-bit processor that incorporates a processing technology capable of obtaining sharp and deep colors thanks to double image cleaning. The Alpha 9 processor performs quadruple image cleaning, so it should deliver somewhat sharper images. However, we have not been able to test any superior models this year, so we cannot assure you that this is the case.

4K image

Returning to the television of the analysis, we can tell you that the image of the LG OLED B8 is more than remarkable . Using the OLED panel gives it an almost infinite contrast ratio and perfect blacks . The maximum brightness is very good, although it is not as bright as some proposals with LED technology.

On the other hand, we have a very good gray uniformity and an excellent viewing angle , something innate in OLED models. Also, the LG OLED B8 handles reflections very well . Its panel has a glossy finish that makes the intensity of reflections very low.

DTT image

The image quality of both DTT SD and any other HD source is good. The TV does a great job of scaling, and lower resolution sources look pretty good.

Of course, the image quality when we use material with Full HD or 4K quality improves significantly. Images are sharp, with excellent color gamut and pretty decent HDR. Perhaps I have missed a bit more maximum brightness for the treatment of HDR images, but it is something that is only appreciated in specific moments. Also, we can always play around with the image settings. We recommend starting in Cinema mode or Expert mode and then adjust it to your liking.

Full HD Blu-Ray Image

And in terms of retentions, one of the problems that seems to worry potential buyers of OLED televisions the most, we have not had any type of problem. It is true that in a test of a few days it is very rare that they appear, but the LG OLED B8 has three systems designed to reduce the risk of permanent burns . That is, with normal use of the television we should not have problems.

Finally comment that the LG OLED B8 has an excellent handling of movement . It has a superb response time, making it ideal for gaming and viewing fast-moving images. On the other hand, I have not detected any kind of "judder" in 24p movies, as long as we have the "Real Cinema" option activated.

4K image

Despite having a different processor than its older brothers, the LG OLED B8 is also capable of playing almost all HDR formats on the market. It supports HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision . It also has the Technicolor format, a special mode that is quite well calibrated.

Above average sound

I was surprised by the sound quality of the LG OLED B8 . Not that can be compared with models that have built -in sound bar, but I would say it has improved over the LG OLED C7 .

It is equipped with a 2.2 channel sound system that achieves a total power of 40W . In addition, like the rest of OLED models, the B8 has Dolby Atmos technology . It is also capable of decoding and transmitting DTS sound to external equipment.

As I said, the sound performance is good. It has a maximum volume strong enough a good bass reproduction and clear dialogue . Perhaps it lacks some "punch" by lacking a subwoofer, so we will lose some spectacularity in movies. However, as I always say, to enjoy good sound we almost always have to invest in an external system.

Complete Smart TV system

The LG OLED B8 is equipped with the webOS operating system in version 4.0 . This new version maintains its essence and ease of use, with a main bar at the bottom from where we can launch the applications.

The system moves really smoothly and runs the apps without performance problems. We have available the vast majority of applications that any user is looking for , such as YouTube, Netflix, Amazon Video, Mi Tele, A3 Player, Movistar +, Orange TV or Plex. In addition, we have a complete application store with which to expand the available services.

We will do a special article explaining how the new LG Smart TV works, but I did want to give you some touches of what I liked the most. Of course we have the possibility of playing from Netflix with 4K resolution, Dolby Vision HDR system and Dolby Atmos sound . In addition, the use of the Smart TV system with the Magic Remote control is still a joy and, perhaps, the best on the market.

This year all of this is complemented by LG's ThinQ Artificial Intelligence system . Thanks to LG's artificial intelligence system, we can easily access the content and services offered by the television. This system goes far beyond a simple voice control like the one we have been seeing for years. It is a very similar system to that offered by voice assistants such as Alexa or Google Home.

In fact, the LG OLED B8 combines the ThinQ system with the Google Assistant to deliver results of all kinds . We can ask him from what is the next game of our favorite football team to what time is it in a city in the world. We can also control the television, being able to change the image modes, the inputs, the volume or even control some external devices.

Conclusions and price

The LG OLED B8 is a great all-rounder TV . It offers a very good image quality with all kinds of content, from DTT to 4K movies to video games.

It has an elegant and discreet design, in which all the prominence goes to the panel. Its base allows it to be easily placed almost anywhere in the house and its premium materials do not clash with any decoration.

LG's Smart TV system remains one of the most intuitive and visually appealing . Its remote control with pointer once again offers us an easy way to control the television. We have available practically all the applications that we may need and an Artificial Intelligence system that will allow us to control almost everything with our voice.

In short, a great TV for those looking for a very complete model with a more adjusted price. Currently we can get the LG OLED B8 in 55 inches with a price of around 1,300 - 1,400 euros . The 65-inch model sells for around 2,200 - 2,300 euros .