LG QNED85A 65"

The LG QNED85A has a genuinely great Mini-LED display that ranks in the top 20% of TVs we track, and the bundled Dolby Atmos soundbar sweetens the deal. But the smart platform is near the bottom of our database and gaming performance is weak. Worth buying if you use an external streamer and don't game much.

The Mini-LED backlight does the heavy lifting here. You get strong contrast and brightness that make sports and bright content look genuinely impressive, which explains the 56/100 sports score. Movies land at 48.3/100, which is fine but not spectacular, and streaming sits at 40.6/100, dragged down by that weak smart platform. The bundled S70TY soundbar with its 3.1.1 channel setup and Dolby Atmos is a nice bonus, and the audio score of 69th percentile means it's above average for a TV package. Gaming is where things get rough. A 17th percentile gaming score means serious gamers should look elsewhere. Input lag and feature support just aren't there.

Against the Sony BRAVIA 8, the LG loses on processing and smart features but likely wins on price. The Samsung QN990F is in a different league entirely, so no real contest there. The TCL QM8K and Hisense U8 are the real threats. Both of those tend to offer better smart platforms and stronger gaming performance at similar prices. The LG's Mini-LED display holds its own against them, but the software gap is hard to ignore. The Roku Pro Series is the budget alternative that actually beats the LG on smart features, though its picture quality won't match the QNED85A.

At $994 USD with a soundbar included, this is a decent deal if you care about picture quality first and software second. You're getting a top-20% display and a capable audio setup for under a grand. But the weak smart platform and mediocre HDR mean you're not getting the full package. If you already own a streaming stick and don't game much, the value proposition gets a lot stronger.

The LG QNED85A is a 65-inch Mini-LED TV that tries to punch above its weight, and for the most part, it lands a solid hit. The display sits in the 80th percentile in our database, which means it's genuinely good, not just good for the price. Picture quality follows close behind at the 78th percentile, so you're getting a screen that handles bright rooms and dark scenes better than most of the competition at this size.

But here's the thing. The smart features are rough. The smart score lands in the 14th percentile, which is near the bottom of what we track. That's a big deal in 2025 when the TV interface is half the experience. If you're planning to plug in an Apple TV or a Roku and ignore LG's software entirely, this is a much easier recommendation.

Skip this if you're a gamer. The 17th percentile gaming score means you'll feel the lag and miss out on features that cheaper TVs handle better. Also skip it if you want a seamless all-in-one smart TV experience. The built-in software will frustrate you, and you'll end up buying a streaming stick anyway. If HDR performance matters to you, the 50th percentile HDR score means there are better options at this price.

Buy this if you want a big, bright Mini-LED TV with a decent soundbar included and you don't care about the built-in smart platform. It's a solid living room TV for sports fans and casual movie watchers who already have a streaming device they like. The display quality is the star here, and it earns its keep.