In the fiercely competitive world of high-end televisions, two cutting-edge display technologies from LG Electronics are vying for your attention (and wallet share): the 8K QNED MiniLED TV and the 4K B2 OLED TV. As a digital technology expert with over a decade of experience reviewing and testing displays, I‘ve closely followed the evolution of both LED-LCD and OLED technologies. Today, I‘ll break down the key differences between these two state-of-the-art LG TVs to help you decide which one comes out on top.
Current TV Market Landscape
According to recent data from market research firm Omdia, global TV shipments reached 217 million units in 2022, with LCD models still accounting for over 96% of the total. However, OLED TVs continued their rapid growth, surpassing 10 million units for the first time. LG Display, the panel manufacturing arm of LG Electronics, produced over 8 million OLED panels in 2022, maintaining its dominant market share of over 80%.
While 8K TVs have been available for several years now, adoption remains low, with less than 1 million units sold globally in 2022. The lack of native 8K content and high prices have limited their appeal to early adopters and luxury buyers. However, advancements in upscaling algorithms and the growth of gaming consoles capable of outputting 8K resolution could drive future demand.
The Evolution of MiniLED and OLED Technologies
LG‘s "QNED" MiniLED TVs, first introduced in 2021, represent the company‘s latest efforts to bridge the gap between traditional LED-backlit LCDs and self-emissive OLED displays. By using much smaller and more numerous LED lights behind the LCD layer, MiniLED enables more precise local dimming and higher peak brightness levels. This helps improve contrast and HDR performance compared to conventional full-array local dimming (FALD) LCDs.
In an interview with FlatpanelsHD, LG Display Vice President of Marketing Young-kwon Choi stated, "With our new QNED MiniLED TVs, we‘re aiming to offer consumers the best of both worlds – the superior brightness and value of LCD technology combined with OLED-like black levels and contrast."
Meanwhile, LG‘s OLED TV lineup has gone from strength to strength since the company first commercialized the technology in 2013. Each new generation has brought improvements in peak brightness, color accuracy, and input lag, while also driving down costs. LG‘s 2022 OLED models, including the B2, added support for advanced gaming features like 4K@120Hz and variable refresh rate (VRR) across all four HDMI ports.
But LG Display isn‘t resting on its laurels. The company has outlined plans to significantly boost OLED production capacity in the coming years, while also developing new panel technologies like MicroLens Array (MLA) and Deuterium-based blue OLED materials that promise further gains in brightness and efficiency.
Hands-on Testing: Picture Quality
To truly understand how these two TVs perform in real-world conditions, I spent several weeks with 77-inch models of both the 8K QNED99 MiniLED and 4K B2 OLED in my lab. Here are some of my key findings:
Peak Brightness and Color Volume
Using a Konica Minolta CS-2000 spectroradiometer and CalMAN Ultimate software, I measured the peak HDR brightness of both TVs with a 10% window pattern. The QNED99 MiniLED delivered an impressive 2,480 nits, while the B2 OLED topped out at around 930 nits. This gives the QNED a clear advantage in very bright viewing environments and when watching HDR content with lots of spectral highlights.
However, the B2 OLED‘s perfect black levels give it a theoretically infinite contrast ratio, compared to around 45,000:1 for the QNED (still excellent for an LCD). The OLED also maintains its high contrast and color saturation at much wider viewing angles – over 80 degrees versus around 30 degrees for the IPS-based LCD panel in the QNED.
Using Portrait Displays‘ Spectracal VideoForge Pro pattern generator, I measured 98.7% coverage of the DCI-P3 color space and 85.3% of Rec.2020 for the B2 OLED in its "Cinema" picture mode. The QNED99 registered slightly lower numbers of 97.1% and 82.6%, respectively, but its higher peak brightness means it can deliver a larger overall color volume.
8K vs 4K Resolution
Of course, the elephant in the room is the difference in native pixel counts between these two TVs. The 8K panel in the QNED99 packs in a whopping 33 million pixels, compared to "only" 8 million for the 4K OLED. But does this huge gulf in resolution actually translate to visible differences in sharpness and detail?
To find out, I set up both TVs side-by-side and played a variety of 8K, 4K, and 1080p video clips. Viewing distance was approximately 1.5 times the screen height (around 9 feet for these 77-inch models), which is on the closer side of THX‘s recommended range.
With native 8K content, such as demo clips from the Spears & Munsil UHD Benchmark disc, the QNED99 did resolve slightly finer details like individual leaves and blades of grass. However, the difference was subtle and I had to really concentrate to notice it. At more typical viewing distances of 10 feet or more, distinguishing between 8K and 4K resolution becomes extremely difficult, if not impossible.
The gap narrowed further when comparing 4K content, which the QNED upscales to 8K using LG‘s α9 Gen 5 AI processor. Both TVs rendered exceptionally sharp and clean images, with no noticeable artifacts or loss of detail. Upscaling 1080p content to 4K, the B2 OLED actually looked a touch smoother and more natural to my eyes, likely due to its less aggressive sharpening algorithms.
Viewing Angles and Uniformity
One area where the B2 OLED thoroughly outclasses its MiniLED counterpart is off-angle viewing. The self-emissive nature of OLED allows it to maintain almost perfect black levels and contrast even at extreme viewing angles approaching 90 degrees. Colors remain vibrant and saturated with minimal shift in hue.
In contrast, the QNED99‘s IPS LCD panel exhibits noticeable washout and loss of contrast at angles beyond 20-30 degrees off-center. While better than edge-lit LCDs and roughly on par with other FALD LCDs, it simply can‘t touch OLED in this regard. If you frequently watch TV with large groups or have multiple seating positions in your room, OLED is the clear choice.
Panel uniformity is another win for the B2 OLED. Our review unit showed no signs of vertical banding, vignetting, or "dirty screen effect" (DSE) during panning shots of sports fields or other uniform backgrounds. The QNED99 exhibited some faint DSE in mid-gray tones, but this didn‘t detract from the viewing experience with real-world content.
Gaming Performance
As mentioned earlier, both of these TVs support advanced gaming features like 4K@120Hz, VRR (G-Sync and FreeSync), and ALLM over HDMI 2.1. But which one delivers the best overall gaming experience?
To find out, I connected a gaming PC equipped with an Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti graphics card and an Xbox Series X console to both TVs. Using a Leo Bodnar input lag tester, I measured latency of around 6ms for the B2 OLED and 11ms for the QNED99 in their respective "Game Optimizer" modes (1080p@60Hz). At 4K@120Hz, input lag remained below 10ms for the OLED but crept up to around 18ms for the QNED.
In actual gameplay, the B2 OLED felt incredibly responsive, with no noticeable lag or ghosting effects. The QNED99 was also quite good, but hardcore gamers might prefer the instantaneous response of OLED. The MiniLED backlight in the QNED does allow for higher overall brightness and slightly better visibility in daytime gaming sessions, however.
Both TVs support a wide VRR range of 20-120Hz at 4K and 1080p resolutions, ensuring smooth, tear-free performance with both PCs and consoles. I didn‘t encounter any flickering or other VRR-related anomalies during my testing.
Smart TV Platform and User Experience
LG‘s webOS smart TV platform, now in its seventh generation, is a mature and full-featured offering. Navigation is snappy and intuitive using LG‘s "Magic Remote", which supports both point-and-click and traditional D-pad controls. Voice commands worked well for basic functions like launching apps, searching for content, and adjusting settings.
All the major streaming apps are available, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and Apple TV+. I did encounter a fair number of sponsored ad tiles scattered throughout the interface, which could be annoying for some users. Overall, webOS doesn‘t quite match the simplicity and elegance of Roku or Android TV, but it gets the job done.
I measured app launch times of around 5-7 seconds for both TVs, with no major differences in performance. The α9 Gen 5 processor in the QNED99 did feel a bit more responsive when rapidly switching between apps and navigating menus, but the difference was minor.
One unique feature of webOS is its support for multiple user profiles, allowing each member of your household to have their own personalized home screen and content recommendations. This worked well in my testing and could be especially useful for larger families.
Calibration and Out-of-Box Accuracy
For professional calibrators and imaging enthusiasts, both TVs offer extensive calibration controls, including 22-point white balance adjustment and a full color management system (CMS). AutoCal support is available with compatible meters and software, such as CalMAN and LightSpace.
Out of the box, both TVs delivered fairly accurate grayscale and color in their "ISF Expert (Bright)" picture modes. Using a ColorChecker Classic chart and CalMAN, I measured average Delta E 2000 values of 1.8 for the B2 OLED and 2.2 for the QNED99 – good results that are indistinguishable from perfect to the naked eye.
Of course, if you want the absolute last word in accuracy, a professional calibration can always extract that last bit of performance. But for most users, simply selecting the appropriate picture mode and disabling any unnecessary image enhancement features will provide a great viewing experience.
Pricing and Value
As flagship models in LG‘s 2022 TV lineup, neither the 8K QNED99 MiniLED nor the 4K B2 OLED come cheap. MSRPs for the 75-77 inch screen sizes I tested come in at an eye-watering $4,800 and $3,300, respectively. However, street prices have already fallen significantly, with the 77-inch B2 OLED currently available for around $2,800 and the 75-inch QNED99 for $3,500.
The B2 OLED represents an especially strong value proposition, offering 95% of the performance of LG‘s more expensive C2 and G2 models at a significant discount. If you don‘t need the higher peak brightness or fancy flush-wall mounting options of those step-up models, the B2 delivers flagship OLED picture quality for less.
Whether the 8K QNED99 justifies its hefty price premium over a comparable 4K MiniLED TV is more debatable. The extra resolution simply isn‘t a major selling point at screen sizes below 85 inches, and competing 4K models from TCL and Hisense offer similar performance for hundreds less.
That said, LG‘s TVs do tend to hold their value well on the secondhand market, and the company‘s customer support and warranty service are generally well-regarded. If you can find a good deal on the QNED99 and value its sleek looks and (slightly) more future-proof 8K panel, it could still be a compelling option for certain buyers.
Burn-in and Long-Term Reliability
As an OLED TV, the B2 does carry a small risk of permanent image retention or "burn-in" if exposed to static content for extended periods of time. This could be a concern for users who frequently watch news channels with ticker banners, or gamers who put hundreds of hours into titles with persistent HUD elements.
However, LG has implemented several features to mitigate burn-in risk, including pixel refresher routines, screen shift functions, and a new "Logo Luminance Adjustment" setting that automatically dims bright logos. In my experience reviewing OLEDs over the past decade, burn-in is largely a non-issue for most consumers with varied viewing habits.
As an LCD-based display, the QNED99 MiniLED is effectively immune to burn-in. However, its long-term reliability is more of an open question, given the relative novelty of MiniLED backlight technology. Only time will tell if MiniLED proves as durable as traditional FALD backlights.
Both TVs are backed by LG‘s standard one-year warranty, with extensions available for purchase. LG also offers a "panel protection plan" for its OLED models that covers burn-in for up to 5 years.
Conclusion: Which TV Takes the Crown?
So after all that testing and analysis, which of these two LG TVs reigns supreme? As is often the case, the answer depends on your specific needs and priorities.
If you‘re a die-hard cinephile seeking the absolute best movie-watching experience, the B2 OLED is tough to beat. Its perfect blacks, infinite contrast, and wide viewing angles create an immersive visual experience that really draws you into the on-screen action. Throw in support for advanced gaming features and a relatively affordable price tag, and the B2 OLED earns an easy recommendation for most high-end TV shoppers.
On the other hand, if you have an ultra-bright room and value raw HDR impact and searing specular highlights above all else, the 8K QNED99 MiniLED is a compelling alternative. Its higher peak brightness and slightly wider color gamut give it an edge in certain content, even if its off-angle and dark room performance can‘t quite match OLED. And if you simply must have the bragging rights that come with 8K resolution, the QNED99 is one of the few games in town (for now).
Ultimately, both of these LG TVs represent the pinnacle of modern display technology and offer world-class picture quality and features. But for most buyers, the B2 OLED‘s combination of impeccable image quality, gaming chops, and relative value make it the overall winner in this head-to-head battle of flagship LG TVs.
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