When talking about Smart TVs, it is common to immediately associate the Samsung brand. At least for me, I automatically associate Smart TVs with Samsung. However, there are other companies that are making rapid progress in this field and developing their own technologies. One of them is LG, which has pleasantly surprised me in recent years with some of its models. Today I want to share with you two outstanding LG technologies: LG QNED vs Nanocell. Are you ready to discover them? Let’s get started right away!
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LG QNED vs Nanocell: Analysing each technology
Admittedly, it’s not very common to see QNED and Nanocell TVs, and that’s because these are technologies that LG has developed over the years. Moreover, as the brand itself has indicated, QNED technology is a natural evolution of Nanocell. More specifically, QNED stands for “quantum nano-emitting diode”.
This type of technology is based on the same technology as Nanocell, only with a brighter light that makes the finishes even better. The reason is that it combines Quantum Dot and Nanocell technologies, which enhance colours that are more sensitive to the human eye, plus Mini LED technology to achieve a greater variety of accurate colours.
In fact, one of the most noticeable differences in the change in technology is in the intensity of the black colour. On the other hand, it uses artificial intelligence to boost the sound without you having to do it manually.
Differences with OLED and QLED
In reality, QNED TVs are equivalent to QLEDs, a terminology that Samsung has taken over with its models based on the same system as LG’s QNEDs. However, they are not exactly the same, as QNED technology incorporates Nanocell, which is not the case with QLED. This makes the colour accuracy even more accurate even at different viewing angles.
On the other hand, the main difference compared to OLED technology is that OLED is based on individual pixels, rather than the Mini LEDs that QNED is based on. So, as you can see, QNED technology is the most accurate, but it is also the one that has been on the market for the shortest time.
LG QNED vs Nanocell: Which Smart TV do I like better?
In order for you to see first-hand which smart TV is best suited to your needs, it is interesting to get to know, first-hand, the most outstanding models. In this case, we have selected the two we like best. It’s worth noting that both are available in different screen sizes, although we’ve focused on the 55-inch ones, because that’s the standard size for most homes:
LG 55QNED816RE: Sharper, more accurate colour
The first model we have chosen, with QNED technology, is characterised by the combination of Quantum Dot and Nanocell Plus technologies plus 6 backlight blocks, which is why it can display more than 1 billion colours. Among the most important colour technologies are Precision Dimming, Dynamic Tone Mapping and Ultra Contrast. Thanks to the use of Mini LEDs, brightness and colour control is much more precise, resulting in higher contrast.
LG’s TV supports HDR Dolby Vision/ATMOS, HDR 10 pro, HDR HLG and HDR HGiG which, in addition to the above features, improves picture quality. And when it comes to sound, it supports Dolby Digital Plus.
It has the α7 4K Gen6 processor, based on artificial intelligence, with which it can push picture quality and sound to their full potential. And as for the operating system, this model is based on webOS23, which is compatible with Google Home, Alexa, Apple Home Kit, Airplay and ThinQ. So you can sync the TV with virtually any voice assistant.
Among other tech features, I really liked AI Concierge, a system that recommends different content based on your search history and what you’ve watched before. And, as usual, it has MultiView, a perfect feature for making video calls with several people at the same time.
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LG 55NANO766QA: A more interesting price point
Now, we turn our attention to another LG model, in this case, Nanocell. The most characteristic feature of this technology is that it uses nanoparticles to filter out the less pure colours of the RGB wavelengths, providing sharper colours and therefore higher picture quality. This TV also supports HDR 10, HDR HLG, HDR HGiG and HDR HGiG.
The processor it has is 4K a5 Gen 5, a simpler version of the processor that the QNED TV has, although the results are also of very good quality. In fact, it is also based on artificial intelligence, only the accuracy is somewhat lower. Proof of this is that the operating system on which it is based is webOS22, an earlier version of the QNED system.
The audio output is 20 watts in total, slightly less than the 40 watts of the previous model, but enough to go along with the rest of the features. On the other hand, there is something they have in common, and that is the possibility of synchronising with various platforms and voice assistants, which greatly increases their versatility and their ability to be integrated into your home automation system.
Finally, it is worth highlighting the good performance of this TV for gamers. Nanocell TVs have a latency of less than 19ms, and have a dedicated menu so you can choose between various settings and options quickly and easily.
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LG QNED vs Nanocell: My final conclusion
Having analysed the similarities and differences, as well as the most interesting Smart TVs, we have to choose between the two. It is clear that the LG QNED is more technologically advanced than the Nanocell, and this is demonstrated by its price, which is almost twice as high. However, the picture technology and audio-visual quality is generally more sophisticated as well.
Therefore, the decision you make will be based on the extent to which you want to enjoy higher picture and sound quality. In other words, you’ll be able to watch your favourite series and movies just fine with either, but the experience will be even more realistic with LG QNED, due to the higher colour accuracy, sharpness and contrast.
On the other hand, if you prefer to cut back on the budget but don’t want to give up quality viewing, LG Nanocell is a good alternative, cheaper and, although not as sophisticated, with a good ratio between picture quality and sound technology. So, think about your preferences and it will be easier for you to choose.