South Korea has brought us two of the biggest names in smart TVs: LG and Samsung. Both brands produce a wide range of sets that have an array of features, but is LG TV better than Samsung or vice versa?
This LG TV vs Samsung TV guide will give you all the information you need to understand the features and benefits of devices produced by each manufacturer so that you can make the best choice when buying your next smart TV.
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LG TV vs. Samsung TV
When deciding between an LG TV vs. Samsung TV, specs will be the most important thing to consider. From what you’ll see on screen to the sounds you’ll hear while watching, we’re weighing the differences between these manufacturers’ smart TVs.
Picture Quality
Arguably the most important of all the things to consider when choosing a smart TV is picture quality. The difference in what you see when you’re watching an LG TV vs Samsung TV is mostly driven by the type of screen your smart TV has: QLED or OLED.
Overall, OLED (organic LED) beats QLED (quantum dot LED) every time. While Samsung uses mostly QLED displays, LG prefers OLED. Based on this, LG smart TVs usually come out tops for picture quality when compared to the equivalent Samsung sets.
QLED is a variation of liquid crystal display (LCD) technology, which is the most popular type of screen used in modern TVs. It relies on an LED backlight to illuminate quantum dots to create color and contrast. This means that these screens can get much brighter than their ‘organic’ counterparts.
OLED screens, on the other hand, are packed with millions of tiny light-emitting pixels that can be turned on and off individually. This enables them to display a broader spectrum of colors, provide better contrast, and offer a higher refresh rate, which gives you a better picture across a range of viewing conditions and angles. It also allows them to be super thin.
Audio Performance
The number of built-in speakers and wattage (or power) are the two main factors you’ll want to consider when assessing audio performance of your potential smart TV. Of course, the size of your TV has a lot to do with this — the bigger the screen, the more space there is to fit speakers. For the best TV sound, you’ll want to go for a 55-inch display or larger.
When comparing LG vs Samsung TV, sound quality is pretty much the same when you’re buying in a particular price range. You’ll usually get between two and four sound channels, along with two subwoofers (i.e. 2.2ch or more).
The same goes for wattage. The power output on these sets ranges from 40W on the low end to 70W on the high end. LG and Samsung’s latest – and most premium – smart TV models sport 60W and 70W output, respectively.
Both manufacturers equip their sets with codecs that allow you to play a range of audio formats. They’ve also built their devices to support Dolby Atmos, the most popular immersive sound technology, which is super important if you’re looking to feed your sound through an external speaker or surround sound setup.
That all said, for mid-range sets, LG tends to give you more bang for your buck when it comes to sound. Its TVs generally have more speaker channels and wattage in proportion to the price you’ll pay for a set.
Features
A smart TV’s operating system, app ecosystem, and device compatibility will make a big difference to how capable your screen is. As with many of the other attributes, there is an array of features to consider when comparing a Samsung TV vs LG TV. Which is better will ultimately depend on your preferences and viewing habits.
LG smart TVs operate on webOS, the manufacturer’s proprietary technology. It’s paired with the LG Content Store, which offers a wide variety of apps, including popular streaming services and games.
Samsung, on the other hand, uses Tizen OS to power its TVs. The Smart Hub will give you access to a range of popular apps and services. It also offers integration with Samsung’s SmartThings ecosystem, which allows you to run various automations on your device.
Both LG and Samsung smart TVs support Wi-Fi. This not only lets you stream the latest content, but can also allow you to mirror your smartphone or laptop’s screen. For wired connections, these TVs have multiple HDMI ports that allow you to connect external devices like game consoles, soundbars, and media players without losing sound or picture quality.
They’re also equipped with USB ports, which open up the opportunity to connect external streaming devices like the Amazon Fire Stick, Roku, and Google Chromecast. This is great if you don’t particularly like the OS used by either Samsung or LG, because you can simply plug your streaming device in to get a more agreeable interface.
Price and Warranty
Pricing is one place where LG clearly wins over Samsung. Although prices of low-end and mid-range models are comparable, the LG TVs generally have better features as well as sound and picture quality at their price points. In the premium range, LG devices are usually cheaper too.
Both South Korean companies provide standard one-year warranty and both offer options for extended coverage at an additional fee (usually only for higher-end models). They also have global reach, so they’re able to provide reliable support and service coverage in most regions.
If it’s value for money that you’re after, you’ll probably prefer LG to Samsung. That said, if you’re into cutting-edge tech and want to invest in your entertainment, Samsung has loads of devices you might be interested in.
Eco-Friendliness
Unfortunately, because of the materials and processes used in manufacturing the units, smart TVs aren’t very eco-friendly. That said, these two South Korean manufacturers have taken steps to green their devices and ensure they have less of an impact on the environment.
Each has developed energy-efficient technologies to optimize their devices’ power usage. Features like automatic brightness adjusters help you to save energy by dimming your screen when the ambient light is bright. Units also have energy-saving modes that, when activated, will turn the screen off after a period of inactivity.
Both companies use recycled and recyclable plastics to manufacture their smart TVs. LG’s units have mercury-free display panels, while Samsung has achieved a zero-waste-to-landfill certification for its semiconductor manufacturing sites around the world.
The electronics giants have also focused on creating recycling-friendly designs and processing programs. When you’re ready to replace your TV, you can simply contact the manufacturer to find out where you can take your TV to have it responsibly recycled.
LG TV vs. Samsung TV: Which Is Better for You?
Samsung and LG TVs are pretty evenly matched when it comes to picture quality, audio performance, functionality, additional features, and even eco-friendliness. This can make it tough to decide which manufacturer’s sets are a better choice for you.
Ultimately, it will come down to your viewing habits and preferences. It’s likely that LG will be a better choice for you if you’re looking for an excellent-value-for-money mid-range model. If you’re more of a tech enthusiast and you’re not afraid to spend a little more on your TV, Samsung could be the answer.
When comparing models, it’s good to keep in mind that most broadcasters and streaming services limit the quality of their streams to provide the best picture and sound without buffering. This means that it might be unnecessary to spend more to get capabilities like 4K playback or Dolby Atmos.
Why CyberGhost Is the Best VPN for Smart TVs
One of the biggest benefits of having a smart TV is being able to connect to the internet and stream your favorite shows and movies directly from your device. On the downside, that connectivity can make you vulnerable to cyber attacks. Plus, your ISP might deliberately slow your connection when it sees that you’re streaming.
CyberGhost VPN uses military-grade encryption to keep you protected while you’re online. Our protocols scramble your data to prevent anyone who might want to snoop on your activity from doing so. This keeps your information out of the hands of bad actors and prevents your ISP from implementing content-based throttling.
We have ultra-fast servers all around the globe, including 10-Gbps servers in busy locations. Our network includes a fleet of streaming-optimized servers for the most popular streaming services, so you can be sure that you’ll be able to access your favorite streaming platforms securely.
Although Samsung and LG don’t support VPNs, CyberGhost VPN makes it easy to use these smart TVs with our tech. You can configure CyberGhost on your router to protect all of your devices or you can set up a Smart DNS to quickly change your IP address without the added layer of security.
FAQs
A VPN can open up a whole new world of entertainment on your smart TV. It can also improve your streaming experience in other ways: many ISPs will deliberately slow your connection speed when they see that you’re streaming. CyberGhost VPN uses military-grade encryption that secures your data. This prevents your ISP from seeing what you’re doing online, which means it can’t slow your speeds based on your activity.
CyberGhost is the best VPN for smart TVs. We have blazing-fast streaming-optimized servers and use military-grade encryption to ensure that you can watch all of your favorite content without any interruptions.
Whether LG or Samsung TVs are better will depend on your individual needs and viewing habits. Samsung is usually a favorite of tech-savvy consumers, while LG is known for its great value for money.
If you’re looking for reliability, then LG and Samsung TVs should be at the top of your wishlist. Both brands’ sets rank highly in customer satisfaction surveys, plus they offer excellent post-sale support.
Samsung and LG are quite evenly matched when it comes to quality. These South Korean companies both manufacture their TVs to last, using a range of metals and recycled plastics that balance durability and style.
Although LG’s OLED TVs feature some of the best displays on the market, the manufacturer doesn’t use this tech for all of its screens. Products that don’t have OLED displays don’t offer great contrast, which means pictures can become washed out quite quickly.
Samsung makes excellent TVs, but that comes at a cost. When comparing specs, the electronics manufacturer’s sets are often far more expensive than equivalent TVs produced by other companies — even though they use tech developed by Samsung.
There are few things that all tech enthusiasts can agree on, but this is one of them. Overall, an OLED display is superior to a QLED screen for picture quality.
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