LG NU700B Series 85NU700BPUA 85.2"

The LG NU700B is an 85-inch 4K TV for around $700, and that's the whole story. Picture quality is middle-of-the-road with no local dimming and basic HDR, but the α7 processor does solid upscaling work. It's perfect for bright-room casual viewing and terrible for dark-room cinephiles. Factor in the cost of a soundbar and enjoy the massive screen.

The picture quality scores land in the 37th percentile overall, which tells you this isn't a chart-topper. But numbers don't always tell the whole story. The α7 processor's 4K Super Upscaling is the real hero here, cleaning up cable TV and HD streams so they don't look like a blurry mess on the 85-inch screen. The Nano Detail Enhancer also does a decent job sharpening textures, though it can occasionally look a bit artificial if you push the settings too high. For SDR content in a well-lit room, the NU700B is a solid performer that gets bright enough to fight glare.

HDR performance is where things get a little rough. With a 50th percentile HDR score and no Dolby Vision, you're missing out on the dynamic metadata that makes HDR pop on competing sets from TCL and Hisense. Bright highlights can look a bit flat, and dark scenes lack the punch and shadow detail you'd get from a TV with full-array local dimming. The 60Hz panel also means motion isn't as buttery smooth as a 120Hz set, but for most movies and TV, it's perfectly acceptable. Just don't expect sports to look as crisp as they would on a set with better motion handling.

The most direct competitor is the TCL QM7K Series, which in a 98-inch size is a different beast but in smaller sizes directly challenges this LG on price. The TCL packs mini-LED backlighting, a 144Hz panel, and Dolby Vision, making it a dramatically better choice for movie fans and gamers. You'll pay more for it, but the jump in picture quality is significant. If you can stretch your budget or find a sale, the TCL is the smarter buy for performance.

Another rival is the Hisense U8 Series, which also brings mini-LED and quantum dot colors to the table, often at aggressive prices. The Hisense will give you brighter highlights and better black levels. On the other end, the Roku Pro Series is a simpler, more streamlined smart TV experience that some people prefer over webOS. The LG's main advantage over these is its brand reputation and the polish of its processing and smart platform. It's the safe, reliable choice in a sea of spec-sheet warriors, but it definitively loses the numbers game on contrast and gaming features.

Let's be real: you're buying this for the size-to-price ratio, and on that front, the NU700B is a knockout. Finding an 85-inch TV from a tier-one brand for around $700 is almost unheard of. You'd normally be looking at off-brand projectors or much smaller screens at this price point. The trade-off is that you're getting a very basic panel with no advanced backlighting tricks. Competitors like the TCL QM7K Series offer mini-LED and far superior HDR for a bit more money, but you might have to drop down in size to stay in budget. If raw square footage is your main metric, this LG delivers incredible value.

The included webOS 26 platform and LG Channels also add real value, giving you hundreds of free channels and a smooth streaming experience without needing to buy an external streamer. Just factor another $150-$200 into your budget for a decent soundbar, because the built-in 2.0 channel speakers are pretty weak. Even with that added cost, the total package is still a compelling deal for a screen that dominates a wall.

LG's NU700B is the TV you buy when you want to go big without emptying your bank account. At 85 inches, this thing is a statement piece, and the price hovers around $700, which is frankly absurd for a screen this size from a major brand. It's aimed squarely at people who prioritize sheer scale and a clean smart TV experience over cutting-edge picture quality. Think of it as the perfect centerpiece for a bright living room where you mostly stream shows, watch sports, or host movie nights with the lights on.

The brains of the operation is LG's α7 AI Processor 4K Gen9, which does a lot of heavy lifting to make sub-4K content look presentable on this massive canvas. You also get the latest webOS 26, which is a genuinely smooth and friendly smart platform. For gamers, there's a 60Hz panel with ALLM and a Game Optimizer dashboard, but don't expect the high refresh rate wizardry you'd find on pricier OLEDs. This is a casual gaming TV, and that's perfectly fine.

Where the NU700B makes its compromises is in the panel tech. It's a Direct LED backlight with no local dimming, which means deep blacks are more of a suggestion than a reality. HDR support is basic, covering HDR10 and HLG but skipping Dolby Vision entirely. If you're a cinephile who watches in a dark room, this isn't your set. But for everyone else who just wants a gigantic, easy-to-use 4K screen for daily life, the value proposition here is hard to ignore.

Home theater enthusiasts and serious gamers should absolutely skip this TV. If you watch movies in a dark room, the lack of local dimming and Dolby Vision will leave you with milky, grayish blacks that ruin the immersion of darker films. You'd be much happier with a slightly smaller TV that has full-array local dimming or even an entry-level OLED if you can swing it. Look at the TCL QM7K Series or a Hisense U8 for a dramatically better dark-room picture.

Also, if you have a PS5 or Xbox Series X and play a lot of competitive shooters or racing games, the 60Hz panel will be a bottleneck. You're leaving frame rates on the table that those consoles can deliver. A 120Hz TV with VRR support would be a much better match for your setup, even if it means sacrificing some screen size to stay within budget.

If you're a casual viewer who wants to turn a big blank wall into a home theater on a budget, the LG NU700B is an easy recommendation. It's perfect for bright family rooms where you're mostly watching cable, streaming sitcoms, or letting the kids watch cartoons. The upscaling is good enough that HD content won't look terrible, and the smart TV software is some of the best in the business. You'll be happy every time you walk into the room and see that massive screen.

However, if you're even a little bit serious about movie nights in a darkened room or want to take advantage of a PS5 or Xbox Series X, you should look elsewhere. The lack of local dimming and a 120Hz panel will feel limiting pretty quickly. A smaller but better-specced TV like a TCL QM7K or Hisense U8 will give you a much more cinematic and responsive experience. This LG is a one-trick pony, but that trick, being huge and affordable, is a really good one for the right person.