LG 65EF9500 OLED TV Review

HIGHS

• Perfect blacks, stunning contrast
• Excellent color accuracy
• HDR support via HDMI and streaming
• Top-notch WebOS 2.0 smart TV system
• Improved remote control

LOWS

• Only 3 HDMI ports
• Judder requires smoothing
• Slight dimming at extreme edges
• Requires specialized wall mount

I have never wanted to own a TV so badly in my life.

When I was 10 I wanted a TV for my bedroom more than I wanted a waterbed. When I picked my family’s new TV at 16, I wanted a new Toshiba 36-inch more than a car. When I was 26, a Sony Grand Wega took priority over finding a girlfriend – I got neither, by the way. And just 8 short years ago, I lusted after a 60-inch Pioneer Elite Kuro signature series plasma almost as much as I needed the house I ultimately put a down payment on instead.

If you’ve not seen an OLED TV in action, prepare yourself for a revelatory experience.

That’s four times over four decades I was prepared to put a TV ahead of, shall we say, more practical life possessions. Now I find myself in that same position, lusting after an expensive, state-of-the-art TV when I should probably be thinking of my kids’ college education fund. Will this be the TV that finally seduces me to pull the trigger?

LG’s new EF9500 series flat OLED TV is almost exactly like its curved predecessor (the EG9600) save the curve and the fact that it can handle HDR content, both streamed and delivered via HDMI. So it would be fair to ask why I am so moved by this particular LG OLED when the last one failed to get a perfect 10. The answer, I believe, lay in the fact that I evaluated the EF9500 in my home among family and friends for nearly a month, and now that there’s a big gaping hole in my living room (and heart) where it once stood, all I can think about is getting it back. Here’s why.

The look

As the first flat 4K OLED, I think the EF9500 is going to appeal to a wider audience than the curved version. You’d think the curved TV would turn more heads, but, for me, the curve has lost its shine over the past couple of years, and, besides, this flat TV shows off its thin figure far better. I had the curved EG9600 in my home for a short time and the reaction was generally along the lines of “huh … what’s with the curve?” whereas with this flat version, the TV’s super slim profile caught far more attention – at least until I turned it on.

LG 65EF9500 OLED TV review

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When you stare head-on at the TV, its ultra-thin bezel adds to that sense of slim and allows the TV to give the impression that it is “all picture.” I think this TV’s stand is really well designed, too. It doesn’t call undue attention to itself and helps the TV appear to float above your media stand. The EF9500 will look great wall-mounted as well, but I think bringing the TV out from the wall on a stand really sells its aesthetic.

THE LOOK

As the first flat 4K OLED, I think the EF9500 is going to appeal to a wider audience than the curved version. You’d think the curved TV would turn more heads, but, for me, the curve has lost its shine over the past couple of years, and, besides, this flat TV shows off its thin figure far better. I had the curved EG9600 in my home for a short time and the reaction was generally along the lines of “huh … what’s with the curve?” whereas with this flat version, the TV’s super slim profile caught far more attention – at least until I turned it on.