Expert review of the LG A1 OLED TV

Thanks to the OLED screen, the A1 has a high contrast and deep black levels. The millions of pixels in the OLED screen light up individually and dim when necessary. This way, the screen displays images very precisely and black is really black. This in combination with the large HDR color gamut ensures a realistic color representation. For example, I can see many different tones of brown and orange in a glass of coke, but also the really deep shadows.

Until now, most OLED TVs had a refresh rate of 100Hz, but the A1 has 50Hz. Fast-moving objects, like cars in a race, are displayed slightly less smoothly. As a result, some parts of a sports game will look shaky. Especially when you play many games with the newest console, like the PlayStation 5, the refresh rate is a loss. Especially because the newest consoles support the 100Hz refresh rate. Yet, you don't notice much of a difference with most images.

The viewing angle of this TV is excellent, because the pixels of the OLED TV are closely to the surface of the screen. When I sit across from the TV, I notice that the contrast and colors barely change. Because the OLED TV often has a low brightness, lights sometimes reflect on the screen. This is also the case with the A1. For example, when you're watching TV in a brightly lit room or during the day with the curtains open, you might be bothered by reflections.

The LG A1 has a low-profile design. Instead of the stylish wide stand of the C1, this television has 2 small leg stands. The slim screen stands firmly on these leg stands, but the TV looks less stylish because of this. Thanks to the OLED technique, the screen is only a few millimeter thick. The back of the TV has a plastic casing with connectors. This part of the TV is a little deeper, it's 4.7cm at the thickest point.

The sound of the A1 is less qualitative as well. In contrast to the C1 and G1, this LG OLED television doesn't have subwoofers. So the sound is less rich and powerful. The 2 speakers sound clear and the sound doesn't get distorted when I turn up the volume. So when you mostly watch live television, like the news or talkshows, the audio is nice. If you like to watch movies and series and want to enjoy a soccer game, for example, I recommend to use a soundbar.

The smart menu of the LG has a new look. The webOS 6.0 version is full-screen size instead of a row of apps at the bottom of the screen, like with previous versions. When I open the menu, I see a clear row of apps right away. I see a row with recommended content above, which has series you like to watch or movies you might like. All the way at the bottom of the screen, I see all the connected appliances. If one of the inputs of the TV isn't used, it's not shown in the menu.

The Magic Remote has gotten a new appearance too. The remote looks slightly more luxurious than previous versions. In addition, the Remote now has an NFC chip. When you place your smartphone on this chip, you connect it with the television. That way, you can stream your favorite videos on YouTube from your phone in no time. The Magic Remote works with a cursor on the screen. If you move the remote, the cursor moves along. That way, you can easily navigate though all the menus of the TV.