TVs
LG 50NU800B6LC NU80 review: a sensible 50 inch 4K telly for a normal living room
LG's 2026 NanoCell range is the step below its QNED sets. The NU80 gets the α7 Gen9 processor, webOS, Filmmaker Mode and AirPlay, but stays at 60 Hz. This is the 50 inch set in my living room, and for the way I use a telly the trade-offs are the right ones.
7/10
A very easy TV to live with. Gamers chasing 120 Hz should look one rung up.
Where it sits in LG's range
LG sells OLED at the top, QNED in the middle and NanoCell underneath. NanoCell is a normal LCD panel with a filter layer that cleans up colour. It is not a quantum dot set and it will not get as bright as the QNED models. My living room has curtains and faces north, and it is plenty. In a conservatory it would not be.
The α7 Gen9 chip does upscaling, and that matters more than people think on a 50 inch set, because most of what I watch is still 1080p or worse. Broadcast telly, older box sets and most YouTube look noticeably cleaner on this than on the bargain set it replaced.
The 60 Hz question
This is a 60 Hz panel. LG lists VRR and a Game Optimiser, which help with tearing and input lag, but my PS5 is capped at 60 frames per second on it. I play mostly single-player games at 4K and it is fine. If you play shooters and care about 120 Hz, you want a QNED or an OLED and you already know it.
For films and TV, 60 Hz is a non-issue. Filmmaker Mode turns off the motion smoothing and sets the picture the way the director graded it. I leave it on for everything except sport.
Software and casting
webOS has every UK streaming service, including the catch-up apps. It carries adverts on the home screen, as every smart TV does now, and I have not found a way to turn them off. Google Cast and AirPlay 2 both being built in is the useful part. There is an iPhone and an Android in my house and both can throw a video at it without arguing over a dongle.
The bezels are thin enough that the set looks more expensive than it is on a wall. At 9.6 kg I mounted it on my own, which I would not have tried with a 55.
Images from the Amazon listing.
Good
- LG's α7 upscaling on an affordable panel
- Filmmaker Mode, HDR10, and both Cast and AirPlay
- Thin bezels, light enough to wall mount alone
- VRR and Game Optimiser for lag
Not so good
- 60 Hz caps current consoles at 60 fps
- Not as bright as QNED or quantum dot sets
- webOS home screen has adverts
Should you buy it?
Buy it if you want a good all-round 50 inch set for streaming and films and are not chasing 120 Hz gaming.
Skip it if your living room is very bright or you want a high refresh rate. Look at LG's QNED sets.