Samsung and LG have long been bitter rivals in the electronics market. And if, say, the smartphone segment clearly remained with Samsung, then in the production of televisions not everything is so simple. In this article we will look at the 10 best TVs from Samsung and LG and help you make the right choice.
- A Brief History of the LG and Samsung Brands
- What is the difference between LG and Samsung TVs?
- Which TV is best for playing console games?
- How to choose and what to look for when buying a TV from LG or Samsung?
- FAQ
A Brief History of the LG and Samsung Brands
The LG Electronics company appeared almost simultaneously with the formation of South Korea - two years after the end of the Second World War. True, it was called differently then - Lak Hui Chemical - and did all sorts of nonsense: it produced toothpaste and face cream.
History is silent about which of the company members and why came up with the idea to start producing electronics. But in 1958, they began designing their own devices, and a year later they released Korea's first transistor receiver. The idea turned out to be excellent, and LG Electronics began churning out electrical equipment, releasing one after another the first fans, refrigerators, and so on, until finally it came to the first TV (1966). In general, LG has been accustomed to being first from the very beginning.
It is possible that Samsung Electronics appeared solely out of envy of LG's success, although no one will ever know the details. But this company, part of the Samsung Group, which was previously engaged exclusively in the production of food products, was organized three years after the release of the first South Korean TV (LG, of course), and it began producing televisions, and calculators to boot.
Samsung Electronics has recruited such good designers and developers that within a few years of entering the world market, it began to outperform its competitors one after another. It’s just that they still have parity with LG - while some release something excellent, others surpass their opponents in a different direction.
What is the difference between LG and Samsung TVs?
The range of production activities of both brands is approximately the same. Both produce various electrical appliances, from the simplest hair dryers to sophisticated computers, and for many products they are each other’s main competitors. If Samsung was ahead in smartphones, then LG was ahead of its competitor in the production of refrigerators.
But there’s a problem with TVs from LG and Samsung: well, they are no different from each other! Both brands are approximately the same in terms of quality and price of TVs. Even their design differed only in the era of CRT technology. And Samsung is ahead of LG in terms of sales only because it produces and sells more inexpensive TVs. But with the same set of options, Samsung TVs are more expensive. Therefore, in the premium class, most people prefer to buy LG devices. And that is why they are given preference in choice when they are going to use TVs to play on the console.
Advantages of LG TVs
- OLED and NanoCell . LG was the first to begin mass production of TVs with an OLED matrix based on organic light-emitting diodes, and is actively developing this technology in our time. Thanks to the use of various phosphors, LEDs of different colors are provided with a bright glow, respectively, a wide range of shades. But new LCD devices in the middle and upper price segments are represented by “NanoCell” models. The fine nanoparticle filter significantly improves color rendering on the LCD panel. When compared with competitors, LG TVs often receive additional points from experts for the naturalness of the picture.
- WRGB technology . Unlike standard RGB color reproduction, WRGB technology has a 4th white color subpixel. This allows you to achieve better clarity and contrast of various colors and shades, increase resolution and save on this (that's why 4K models from LG sometimes have “full” only 2.8K!).
- WebOS features . The functionality of LG's own operating system in versions 3.0 and 4.0 (continuously updated) has only improved. Thus, it supports splitting the screen into two parts, the ability for mobile gadgets to work directly with the TV’s sound system, and the MagicZoom function allows you to enlarge any part of the picture without losing its quality. Moreover, TV devices based on this OS are able to stream content from third-party signal sources, for example, from an LG smartphone.
- Style . A little subjective, but Elgie’s “TV boxes” have their own unique, recognizable style that can emphasize the luxury of a home interior.
- Price flexibility . The brand does not abuse the popularity of its name for personal gain. For many years, the company has adhered to a moderate pricing policy and offers a wide range of models in all price segments. LG is certainly not worth blaming for excessive greed.
Features of choosing LG TVs:
Which TV is best for playing console games?
In order to comfortably use a game console, the screen diagonal on a TV is not the most important thing, as many people think. For high-quality images and comfortable gaming, the parameters of response time, frame rate, viewing angle and resolution are much more important.
If we take the price/quality ratio of LG and Samsung TVs, the former usually win. At the maximum value of the listed parameters, LG TVs will simply be cheaper, which is why they prefer to buy them. However, not everyone can afford premium TVs, so Samsung also has plenty of buyers!
How to choose and what to look for when buying a TV from LG or Samsung?
Appearance
The design of modern TVs does not matter at all, since LG devices can be distinguished from Samsung only by indirect signs. It’s not worth talking about labels, but we can mention the stand. For the most part, LG's is semicircular and rotatable, while Samsung's is square or oval and fixed. This does not apply to LED TVs. Here you can distinguish LG from Samsung only by the inscription on the case.
LG 32LM6390
Inexpensive but stylish TV in a white case. The resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels no longer amazes the imagination, but for a 32-inch display diagonal this is quite enough - at least if you don’t look very closely. Modern features include support for HDR10 and the now ubiquitous Smart TV. The only thing the device lacks is a slightly higher display refresh rate, although the standard 50 hertz is enough for television and movies.
In any case, the issue price is only 21,000 rubles, so any shortcomings can be called insignificant.
Price: RUB 21,989
Samsung UE32N5000AU
The Samsung UE32N5000AU TV is larger than its competitor (31.5 inches) and, naturally, more expensive (about 17,000 rubles).
There is no smart TV on this model, as well as the ability to directly connect to the Internet. But there are two HDMI connectors. Forget about the declared Dolby Digital right away. The sound will be flat, no matter how hard you try. But the 1080p Full HD picture quality is truly excellent.
Price: RUB 16,990
Picture quality
If you put two LG TVs from Samsung with the same technical specifications next to each other, you will not see any difference in image quality. There are no complaints about either the first or the second in this regard. Of course, Samsung can be proud that their plasma TVs are significantly better than their competitors. But both companies stopped producing them about five years ago. So if you prefer plasma LCD, you'll have to look elsewhere.
Samsung UE43TU7090U
A very stylish Samsung TV in a thin black and silver casing. Thanks to the extremely narrow bezels around the display, the device looks sleeker than most of its classmates with a 43-inch screen diagonal. Despite the relatively low price of around 27,000 rubles, the device is equipped with most modern technologies. These include support for 4K UHD and HDR10 resolution, as well as a hardware display refresh rate of 100 hertz.
An excellent choice for a small modern living room.
Price: RUB 29,990
LG 43UK6750
Compared to its competitor, the LG 43UK6750 TV is simply short (42.5 inches). Moreover, not on two legs, like Samsung, but on a large semicircular stand. Fi! Why should I pay 30,000 rubles?
As usual, LG surpasses its competitor with a set of features, and therefore boldly boasts of Smart TV. Even with one HDMI connector it outdid its rival. Oh yes! There is Bluetooth here, and the remote control is quite convenient, and it’s multi-brand. But the device let us down in terms of refresh rate - only 50 Hz. And the fact that the picture quality of the models is not visually different, who cares?
Price: ₽ 29,300
Smart TV
For some reason, Samsung developers don’t really like this feature, and don’t equip their Smart TV models as often as some would like. But if it is in the list of device capabilities, then such TVs are distinguished by high-quality color saturation and colorful graphics. In addition, they have a high speed of operation without glitches or freezes.
Smart TVs from Samsung have many free widgets for IPTV, which is rare on TVs from LG. An interface of five segments makes managing Smart TV on Samsung devices more convenient, and a large selection of third-party applications allows you to fully use this option.
It would seem that if you need a Smart TV, then the choice in favor of Samsung is obvious, but that’s not the case! LED TVs with this option from LG have simply unparalleled color reproduction. In addition, Smart TV for LG has become almost a mandatory program. Well, once again it needs to be mentioned that in the price/quality category, LG is undoubtedly superior to Samsung.
Samsung UE65NU7100U
Samsung is persistently striving to increase the diagonal (64.5 inches) and expand the capabilities of TVs with 4K UHD HDR. In the Samsung UE65NU7100U TV they achieved this by increasing the weight. Not every bedside table will support a 25-kilogram device, and if you hang it on the wall, it is better to choose stronger mounts and dowels.
Of course, there are no complaints about the image quality, but Dolby Digital is again clumsy, and besides, this device does not read half of the codecs at all. I am glad that the receiver of this model supports absolutely all signal formats existing in Russia, and the price is not critical for such a diagonal - about 72,000 rubles.
Price: RUB 72,080
LG 65UN73006
In terms of price-quality ratio, this LG TV can be called one of the best deals on the market. Judge for yourself: for 50,000 rubles (including a discount, however), we are offered a unit with a solid 65-inch diagonal, support for 4K UHD resolution (3840 by 2160 pixels) and HDR 10 Pro. The IPS matrix with Direct LED backlight does not have a high refresh rate (only 50 hertz), but it can boast excellent viewing angles, high brightness and rich, natural colors.
There is no shame in putting such a device even in the largest and most fashionable living room - it will definitely be out of place there.
Price: RUB 52,989
Remote control
The TV can be remotely controlled not only from the remote control, but also from devices connected via Wi-Fi. Samsung's remote controls always cause fewer complaints. After a bad experience in 2013, when the company released a flawed smart touch control, Samsung is very careful about making remote controls.
Samsung UE50TU8500U
50-inch Samsung TV from the 85th series, current at the end of 2021. Like all devices in the line, it has an ultra-thin frameless design, which makes it look even more compact than many of last year’s models with 40-45-inch displays. The display resolution is 3840 by 2160 pixels. In addition to 4K support, the device can be praised for its support for HDR10+ and a dynamic scene index of 2800, which provides a vibrant, natural picture even in the most dynamic scenes. A pair of 10-watt speakers produces good surround sound, which is enough for the first time even without additional acoustics.
One of the best ways to spend 59,000 rubles.
Price: ₽ 59,000
LG 43UM7600
Far from being the newest, but still relevant, the 2021 LG TV model. Over the time since its release, the device has lost value, but has retained its excellent consumer qualities. The 43-inch display with thin frames has a high resolution of 3840 by 2160 pixels, rich colors of the IPS matrix, wide viewing angles and support for HDR10 technology. Of course, we can’t talk about natural black color here, but the Direct LED backlight gives an even result without flare and good dynamic contrast.
With a price of less than 39,000 rubles, this device, by and large, is devoid of serious shortcomings.
Price: RUB 37,999
Price
In this parameter it is difficult to give preference to one of the competitors. In the budget option, Samsung is often the leader, but in terms of the set of options, LG almost always wins. True, they sometimes have excesses with cost, as in the previous example, but most often both manufacturers behave quite adequately in the price category.
The cost, of course, is affected by dimensions, technical characteristics, set of options and even weight, but in the same price category you can almost always find equivalent models from LG and Samsung. However, if we take into account the price/quality criterion, “skiers” have few equals. And Samsung definitely loses in this regard.
LG 32LM570B
One of the most affordable LG TV models on the market: for a device with a display diagonal of 32 inches they ask for only 16,500 rubles. Of course, it couldn’t do without wide viewing angles (thanks to the IPS matrix), good built-in 10-watt speakers with surround sound support, Smart TV and HDR10.
Perhaps the only serious drawback of this model is that it only supports a resolution of 1366 by 720 pixels - by 2021 standards this is not at all impressive. However, already from a couple of meters no grain will be noticeable. An excellent option for the kitchen or garden.
Price: RUB 16,850
Samsung UE43T5300AU
An inexpensive Samsung TV that combines a classic appearance (a black body with fairly wide frames around the screen) with very modern hardware that will not lose its relevance for at least the next couple of years. The 43-inch diagonal display has a good resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels, which will remain the industry standard for a long time, wide viewing angles, high brightness and good, vibrant colors. The native refresh rate of the matrix is 50 hertz, however, thanks to software “improvers”, the index of dynamic scenes is 1000, that is, even in the hottest moments the picture will not be blurred, remaining clear and natural.
Without any discounts, you will have to pay about 26,500 rubles for the device - a very interesting offer.
Price: RUB 27,990
Design
The issue of design is a subjective matter, but in general, without comparing the lines of expensive devices, LG is more massive: thick frames, large legs. Samsung has gone for a more minimalistic design with thin bezels and legs that are often designed to make the screen appear to float.
Separately, Samsung’s Frame series is worth noting - these are TVs with wooden side panels that have a “pictures” mode and display works of art while waiting.
Samsung Frame TV looks like a work of art
If we touch on expensive series, then LG looks more interesting here - with a design approach not only to the legs, but also to the TV body. Thus, in the premium line there are very expensive TVs with a body thickness less than the diameter of a coin, which, in principle, do not have legs and are hung on the wall using magnetic fastenings.
Comparison table of the best Samsung and LG TVs
| Name | Main characteristics | Price |
| LG 32LM6390 | Two USB ports, a 32-inch model with Smart TV, the internal receiver accepts not only digital, but also cable television. | ₽ 21 989 |
| Samsung UE32N5000AU | The diagonal is 31.5 inches, there is no Smart TV, there are two HDMI connectors, the 1080p Full HD picture quality is truly excellent. | ₽ 16 990 |
| Samsung UE43TU7090U | 43-inch, 4K UHD, HDR, resolution 3840x2160, refresh rate 100 Hz, HDMI x2, USB x1, Ethernet (RJ-45), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi 802.11n, Miracast). | ₽ 29 990 |
| LG 43UK6750 | The diagonal is 42.5 inches, there is a Smart TV, there is Bluetooth, the remote control is quite convenient, and also multi-brand. | ₽ 29 300 |
| Samsung UE65NU7100U | Diagonal 64.5 inches, 4K UHD HDR, weight 25 kg, the receiver supports absolutely all signal formats existing in Russia. | ₽ 72 080 |
| LG 65UN73006 | 65-inch diagonal, AV, component, HDMI x3, USB x2, Ethernet (RJ-45), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Miracast. | ₽ 52 989 |
| Samsung UE50TU8500U | Diagonal 50 inches, AV interface, component, HDMI x3, USB x2, Ethernet (RJ-45), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Miracast. | ₽ 59 000 |
| LG 43UM7600 | Diagonal 43 inches, AV, component, HDMI x4, USB x2, Ethernet (RJ-45), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Miracast. | ₽ 37 999 |
| LG 32LM570B | Diagonal 32 inches, CI+ support, resolution 1366×768, AV, component, HDMI x2, USB, Ethernet (RJ-45), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi 802.11ac. | ₽ 16 850 |
| Samsung UE43T5300AU | Screen refresh rate 50 Hz, weight 8 kg, AV, component, HDMI x2, USB, Ethernet (RJ-45), Wi-Fi, Miracast. | ₽ 27 990 |
Reviews
TVs from both manufacturers have positive reviews, as well as negative ones. It happens that a defective batch comes out and people who bought one of these TVs, even after replacing it with a new one, leave angry comments. If you are buying a TV with a Smart TV, then it is better to give preference to Samsung, since their operating system is of higher quality than that of LG. But it’s best to buy a TV without a Smart TV, and then separately buy an Android TV, Apple TV or many others of your choice.
FAQ
Which brand of TV is best for PS4? The LG 42LF650V suddenly encountered problems with this console. A flashing is needed for the PS4 to work without glitches. But they have corrected themselves, and the LG 43UK6750 is simply perfect for this gaming console.
Which brand of TV should you choose under 30,000 rubles? Here it is undoubtedly worth paying attention to Samsung. Inexpensive models from this manufacturer are steadily popular, and deservedly so. Samsung UE32N5000AU is worth buying if you don’t want to spend more than 30,000 rubles or can’t spend it.
