LG QNED evo AI 86QNED85AUA 86.4"

The LG QNED evo AI 86QNED85AUA is an 86-inch Mini-LED TV with a native 120Hz panel, VRR, FreeSync Premium, and excellent connectivity. It lacks Dolby Vision and the built-in audio is weak, but the picture quality and gaming features are strong. Prices range from $382 to $2,300, so shop carefully. If you find it under $1,500, it's a great buy for a big-screen living room setup.

The display itself sits in the 95th percentile across all TVs we track. That's top of the charts territory. The Mini-LED backlight with local dimming is the star here, giving you deep blacks and bright highlights that edge-lit sets just can't match. The a8 AI Processor 4K Gen2 handles upscaling well, so even older 1080p content looks respectable on the big panel. Motion Pro helps with fast action, and the native 120Hz panel means sports and gaming stay smooth without the soap opera effect if you dial settings in right.

Gaming performance lands in the 86th percentile, which is a standout. You get HDMI 2.1, VRR, FreeSync Premium, ALLM, and a dedicated Game Mode. That means low input lag and tear-free gameplay on current-gen consoles. The 120Hz refresh rate is native, not simulated, so you're getting real high-frame-rate support. Connectivity is even better, sitting in the 97th percentile. Four HDMI ports, two USB, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and Ethernet cover pretty much any setup you can imagine.

Against the Sony BRAVIA XR XR77A95L, you're trading Sony's superior processing and QD-OLED contrast for LG's larger screen and Mini-LED brightness. The Sony is a 77-inch OLED, so it'll have perfect blacks, but the LG gives you 9 more inches of screen real estate and better gaming features at a potentially lower price. If you're a cinephile who wants the best picture, Sony wins. If you want a huge screen for mixed use, LG makes a strong case.

The Samsung Neo QLED QN70F and TCL QM8K Series 75QM8K are closer competitors. Samsung's Neo QLED uses Mini-LED too, but Samsung's processing and HDR support tend to be more aggressive. TCL's QM8K is often the value king, with similar Mini-LED tech at lower prices. The Hisense U8 Series 65U8QG is smaller at 65 inches but packs excellent HDR support including Dolby Vision, which the LG lacks. The Roku Plus Series 55R6C7 is a budget option that doesn't really compete on specs but wins on simplicity and price.

Pricing on this set is all over the place. US listings range from $382 to $2,300 across seven vendors, which is a spread of $1,918. That's not a typo. If you find this at the low end, it's an absolute steal for an 86-inch Mini-LED TV. At the high end, you're paying OLED money for a set that doesn't quite reach OLED contrast. The CAD listing sits at $2,237, which is a single data point but suggests Canadian buyers are paying near the top of the US range.

The value proposition really depends on where you buy. At $382, this is a no-brainer. At $2,300, you should be looking at OLED alternatives or waiting for a sale. Our advice: shop around, check the retailer ratings, and don't pay full price. The specs are solid, but the price spread means some vendors are charging way more than others for the exact same panel.

The LG QNED evo AI 86QNED85AUA is one of those TVs that makes you realize just how far big-screen tech has come. You're getting an 86-inch Mini-LED panel with a native 120Hz refresh rate, the a8 AI Processor 4K Gen2, and a smart platform that plays nice with basically every assistant you can throw at it. This is a living room centerpiece, not a bedroom TV. At 50kg, you'll want a friend or two for the wall mount, and a VESA 600x400 pattern means you need a serious bracket.

Who's this for? Families who want a huge screen for movie nights, streamers who live in webOS, and gamers who want VRR, FreeSync Premium, and ALLM without buying a dedicated gaming monitor. The smart home crowd gets a lot here too, with Alexa built in, Google Assistant support, and Apple AirPlay. Our database puts smart home fit at 93.6 out of 100, which is about as good as it gets for a TV.

What makes this interesting is the Mini-LED backlight with hundreds of local dimming zones. That's the tech that gets you closer to OLED-style contrast without the OLED price tag. LG claims 100% color volume, and while HDR support is limited to HDR10 and HLG, the bright Mini-LED panel does a lot of heavy lifting for punchy highlights. It's not perfect, but for an 86-inch screen, it's a compelling package.

If you're a home theater enthusiast who wants the absolute best HDR experience, skip this one. The lack of Dolby Vision and the 2.0 channel audio mean you'll need to invest in a soundbar and accept HDR10 limitations. OLED TVs like the Sony BRAVIA XR XR77A95L will give you better contrast and more complete HDR support, though at a smaller screen size for the same money.

Also skip this if you're putting it in a small room. An 86-inch TV needs viewing distance, and the 50kg weight limits mounting options. If you're in an apartment or bedroom, the Hisense U8 Series 65U8QG or TCL QM8K Series 75QM8K are more practical sizes with better HDR support. And if you're on a strict budget, the Roku Plus Series 55R6C7 gets you a decent smart TV experience for a fraction of the price.

For most people, the LG QNED evo AI 86QNED85AUA is a fantastic big-screen TV if you can find it at a reasonable price. The Mini-LED panel delivers impressive contrast and brightness, the 120Hz panel with VRR makes it a legit gaming display, and the smart features cover every major ecosystem. The lack of Dolby Vision stings a bit, and the built-in audio is mediocre, but a soundbar fixes the latter easily.

If you're a serious gamer with a current-gen console, this TV is an excellent choice. The combination of HDMI 2.1, VRR, FreeSync Premium, and ALLM at this screen size is hard to beat. If you're a movie purist who wants the absolute best HDR, look at OLED options or something with Dolby Vision. And if you're on a tight budget, wait for a sale or check the TCL QM8K. But for a big, bright, feature-packed living room TV, this LG delivers.