[Review] LG E6 TV: 65-inch OLED 4K, Super Slim Design, Harman Kardon Speakers, Price 129 Million VND

The LG E6 offers nearly everything you could expect from a TV in 2016: a luxurious super slim design, UHD Premium image quality from a 4K OLED panel, the ability to display HDR content in Dolby Vision standard, and more.

1. [Review] LG E6 TV: 65-inch OLED 4K, Super Slim Design, Harman Kardon Speakers, Price 129 Million VND

The LG E6 offers nearly everything you could expect from a TV in 2016: a luxurious super slim design, UHD Premium image quality from a 4K OLED panel, the ability to display HDR content in Dolby Vision standard,... And because of that, it also comes with a corresponding price: 129 million VND, the highest price among all 65-inch TVs in Vietnam at this time.

Information about LG E6

The LG E6 belongs to the latest generation of OLED TVs introduced by the South Korean electronics company in Vietnam. This product has 2 versions: 55 inches and 65 inches, but in Vietnam, LG only distributes the 65-inch version with a reference price of 129 million VND.

Despite being one step below, the E6 shares many similarities with the G6 Signature, LG's flagship TV series this year (but not yet available in Vietnam). Essentially, the image quality of these two product lines is the same, synonymous with the best quality OLED technology can offer. The E6 only makes slight changes in design and integrates modest speakers to make the price more appealing compared to its flagship sibling.

Specifications of LG E6

• Product Name: LG E6 65 inch
• Panel Technology: OLED
• Resolution: 4K (3840x2160)
• 3D: Yes (passive, with 2 glasses included)
• Integrated Speakers: 2.2/ 40W
• HDMI Ports: 4 (2.0a)
• USB Ports: 3 (1 USB 3.0, 2 USB 2.0)

Impressive Design in both Aesthetic and Technical Aspects

2016 continues to mark a significant change in the design language of OLED TV series. While last year's models like the EG920T and EG965T used many curved lines in their designs to bring softness and elegance to their appearance; this year, the South Korean electronics company employs only straight lines in the new 'Picture on Glass' design language. This helps the E6 exude strength, luxury, very different from its predecessors. LG also returns to flat screens this year, instead of curved screens like last year.

Not long ago, I also reviewed the 2015 OLED TV series EG920T, although its design was beautiful, LG somewhat overused plastic materials, making it not as luxurious as expected. However, with the E6, the main material used by the company is glass. This makes it easy for you to feel at first glance that the E6 is an extremely expensive TV series (and the truth is it is extremely expensive).

The highlight of LG's 'Picture on Glass' design style is the integration of the OLED panel between two layers of glass, impressive not only aesthetically but also technically. Besides OLED, currently there is no display technology capable of achieving this on TVs. The thickness of the OLED panel used by LG E6 is only 2.57 mm according to the company's announcement. However, because OLED is a flexible material (the inherent nature of OLED panels can be bent), LG adds an extra layer of glass behind to bear the load and help the panel stand upright. Instead of just fitting, the company shows great ingenuity by allowing the glass on the back to extend on all four sides. This makes you feel like the image is floating on the glass, very impressive. Moreover, because it is transparent, it will not be distracting when you focus on watching TV.

Looking from the back, the E6 still looks very beautiful thanks to the glass back. The OLED panel is designed with triangular patterns, which, when light shines on them, reflect dazzlingly, looking extremely luxurious. Beautiful as it is, this glass back is also extremely prone to fingerprints and dust. So if you want it to always be shiny, you should be prepared to clean it regularly. But basically, from a distance, dust or fingerprints are quite hard to see.

Similar to OLED TV series last year, after showing off the thinness of the panel, the bottom of the TV will expand to accommodate other components. The E6 is no exception, but this year it seems that by moving the speakers down to the base, the bottom part is a bit slimmer. With its sharp design, the transition between the thick and thin parts of the TV is quite abrupt rather than smooth like last year. Overall, it's still quite okay and doesn't affect the overall aesthetics much. A small downside is that LG uses plastic for the thicker part, but thanks to the black color, it still gives a luxurious feel when viewed from a distance (compared to the high-tech feel, like from the future, of the white models last year). If only LG always used metal, it would be much more perfect.

LG concentrates all connections on the right side, behind the LG TV. Common connections include 4 HDMI 2.0a ports and 3 USB ports (2 USB 2.0 and 1 USB 3.0), designed to face the side, making it easy for you to operate when connecting. Meanwhile, traditional ports that are less used nowadays such as optical, LAN, A/V,... are directed towards the back. Further down, you will find the power button, along with the joystick that controls all TV functions.

In terms of sound, the South Korean electronics company has made significant investments in its new TV lines in recent years, especially in the OLED TV segment. The E6 comes with a soundbar cum stand designed by Harman Kardon. The design is not only beautiful but also seems very 'standard' in terms of acoustics, with horizontal grooves running throughout the body of the speaker. Moreover, its size is similar to external soundbars available in the market today. For the E6, LG uses a common 2.2 channel 40 W setup found in premium TV series. The company also equips a large octagonal metal plate to fix the TV if you want to place it on a table (this metal plate will protrude forward and backward as you can see in the picture, to increase the contact area). In case you want to wall-mount it, you don't need to use this metal plate. The South Korean electronics company is also quite sophisticated in designing a hook at the back, making it easier for you to manage the cables.

Personally, I highly appreciate this change. OLED TVs are always famous for their impressive thinness, beautiful as it is, but when integrating speakers directly on the TV, the sound quality will not be really good (early OLED models used crystal speakers) or make the TV thicker (2015 models). Bringing the speakers down to the base will make the overall appearance of the TV slimmer and allows the company to comfortably design high-quality speakers without worrying too much about saving space. However, in my personal opinion, if someone has invested 129 million to buy a TV, they should also invest in a multi-channel speaker system to match it.

Accompanying the E6 are 2 new Magic Remotes from LG. In terms of functionality, the larger remote is identical to the Magic Remote that LG includes with its 2016 LED TVs, as you can learn more in my review of the UH950T not long ago. Meanwhile, the smaller remote is a compact version with fewer buttons, convenient for those with small hands and prefer using a cursor rather than traditional quick buttons. Overall, both new remotes feature a rather luxurious design with a dominant silver tone, and a black anti-slip layer on the back. Personally, I find its design a bit angular (perhaps to match the design language of the TV), so the larger one doesn't feel as comfortable to hold as the Magic Remote of the UH950T. The smaller one is fine, compact and fits well in the hand.

While the design of LED TVs in recent years is gradually becoming saturated with the minimalist trend, the design of OLED TVs continues to evolve. Through each generation of OLED TVs, it can be seen that LG is increasingly perfecting their product designs, not only in terms of aesthetics but also in showcasing technology. The E6 is the latest version, although there are still aspects that can be improved, but it cannot be denied that this is one of the most beautiful TV series at the moment.

Superb Image Quality Thanks to OLED Technology

129 million dong is a very large amount for a 65-inch TV, however, in my opinion, the image quality that the E6 possesses is totally worth it. LG's WRGB OLED technology this year has been greatly improved, if not superior to the previous generation. This is the best TV series I've ever tried, even more impressive than the highest-end LED TV series from LG this year, the UH950T. You can learn more about the differences between OLED TVs and LCD TVs in the article: [Understanding TVs] Common Panel Technology Types

The advantage of OLED technology lies in its ability to display extremely deep black due to its ability to control brightness at the pixel level. And this advantage has been excellently demonstrated by the E6 with its outstanding deep black levels. Moreover, despite the deep black color, details in dark areas are still displayed clearly. This is something that current LCD/LED TVs cannot achieve due to technological limitations. Current LED TVs can use local dimming technology to turn off an entire backlight zone to reproduce optimal deep black levels. However, details (if any) in the turned-off backlight zone cannot be displayed.

Although OLED TVs from previous years have effectively utilized OLED's ability to display black, enhancing contrast and overall image quality compared to LCD TVs, they, specifically the EG920T series that I reviewed not long ago, suffered from the drawback of relatively modest maximum brightness. This makes OLED TVs unable to demonstrate superior image quality in bright scenes with vibrant colors. And in fact, if you are not overly demanding about color, you may even lean towards LCD because it is brighter. In the new OLED TV series, LG has overcome this drawback. The brightness of the E6 can be very high. It may not reach 1000 nits, but it's bright enough so that no matter what scene, whether bright or dark, it can outperform the UH950T, LG's highest-end LED TV series.

This year's high brightness, combined with deep black and the ability to control light at the pixel level, which is characteristic of OLED technology, make the LG E6 perfectly equipped to showcase HDR content. The TV itself has achieved UHD Premium certification and supports both Dolby Vision and HDR10 standards. Unfortunately, I haven't had any HDR content to try yet, but even with regular 4K content, the E6 demonstrates complete superiority over the UH950T, not only in terms of deep black, contrast but also in color saturation and vibrancy.

In addition to the familiar default color settings options for TV users, the LG E6 also has a new setting called HDR Effect. This setting allows you to adjust the level of HDR effect according to your taste. As mentioned above, I haven't had HDR standard content to try this setting yet. I've tried it with regular 4K content but didn't notice any effect. As a premium OLED TV, the LG E6 integrates many basic to advanced features. If you have experience or are willing to explore, you can completely adjust the color expression of the TV to suit your taste.

In theory, all TV models can adjust colors according to user preferences, especially in high-end models where manufacturers integrate advanced options. However, in reality, we will be limited by contrast, color gamut, and the ability to display details of each TV. Among them, contrast and detail will offset each other. For example, when you increase the contrast to a certain level beyond the capabilities of the panel, not only will the colors become unnatural but also details will be lost, especially in dark areas. As for the color gamut, good TVs will be able to display more colors, such as a 10-bit panel allowing to display more colors than an 8-bit one.

With the E6, we have the native contrast of the panel is extremely high (theoretically infinite, but our eyes perceive contrast as a balance between brightness and darkness so you won't feel truly 'infinite' like in advertisements) so the limit when increasing its contrast is also higher, details in dark areas are also better displayed. Besides, the OLED screen is also a standard 10-bit panel with the best color representation capability today, covering 99% of the DCI color gamut. I will have a detailed article on color calibration as well as the determining factors for TV calibration ability in the coming time, please stay tuned.

WebOS 3.0 Meets Entertainment Needs Adequately

Like LG's 2016 Smart TV series, the E6 is also equipped with the WebOS 3.0 operating system and its features are no different from LED TV series. You can learn more in the article: Experience WebOS 3.0 operating system on LG Smart TV

Overall, while WebOS may not excel in the richness of apps (just enough to meet common entertainment needs), it compensates with a user-friendly and easy-to-use interface. Moreover, its experience is very smooth, especially on models using quad-core chips like the E6. If you're not too demanding, the E6 can still meet the requirements of being a home entertainment center without the need for other devices like set-top boxes or HD Players.

Conclusion

Summarizing the pros and cons of the LG E6 65-inch

Advantages

• Excellent picture quality
• Impressive 'Picture on Glass' design in both aesthetics and technology
• Soundbar-designed stand by Harman Kardon
• Good investment in sound quality
• Many advanced color calibration options

Disadvantages

• In Vietnam, there's only the option of the 65-inch model.
• High price tag.
• WebOS applications only meet basic entertainment needs.
• The back glass surface easily collects dust and fingerprints.

So who is the target audience for the LG E6 TV?

The LG E6 is a top-tier TV aimed at those who want the best viewing experience without concern for high costs. At 129 million VND, it may be a steep price for a 65-inch TV for many. However, if you have the means to invest in such a high-end TV segment, picture quality is the most important factor to consider. And in that regard, the E6 is sure not to disappoint. Whether its very high price compared to LED TVs in the same segment is justified or not depends on each person's perception. But considering its superiority over LED TVs in both picture quality and design, the higher price tag is entirely reasonable.

And finally, remember that despite being a TV, image quality always takes precedence. Although there has been investment, to get the most complete experience, my advice is that you still invest in a corresponding multi-channel sound system.