Last month, Netflix unveiled the first few entries for its Recommended TV list, which is made up of models that meet certain criteria, like the ability to quickly turn on and quickly resume what users were viewing last. The list was small at the time, and was sure to continue to grow, and now LG has cleared the waters on exactly which TVs made the cut, and it’s not a small number.
LG announced today that after intense testing, a total of 25 individual models across 10 different series of its televisions made the list. The company says it hasn’t yet quit either, with more models expected to be added to the list once they have been properly evaluated.
“Complementing their superior picture quality, LG 4K TVs offer an exceptional smart TV performance, which is especially important for the exploding number of consumers whose viewing habits include streaming content from providers like Netflix,” LG Electronics USA VP of Marketing David VanderWaal said. “That’s why the Netflix Recommended TV designation is so meaningful. With a simple and fast Smart TV platform and now more 4K and HDR Netflix content available globally, choosing a TV from LG has become the obvious choice”
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the list includes the current crown jewel of the LG lineup, its massive OLED G6 Signature series, available in 65-inch and 77-inch sizes. We had the chance to take a look at the TV ourselves, and were wowed by the color, contrast, and black levels. The only negative was the price, but if you’re looking at spending $8,000 or more on a TV for Netflix viewing, it’s good to know that Netflix agrees on the quality.
LG’s other OLED models — the E6 and C6 series, both available in 55-inch and 65-inch sizes — also made the cut, as did its Super UHD models, making up the UH9500 and UH8500 series, which are available in a wide range of sizes from the 49-inch class 49UH8500 to the 89-inch class 86UH9500. The company’s “standard” UHD models, comprised of the UH6550, UH6500, UH6350, UH6300 and UH6100 series, also made the lineup, making for the bulk of the TVs on the list.
The common thread through all of these models is that they run LG’s latest webOS 3.0 operating system, and offer 4K resolution. If you’re looking for the absolutely best picture quality, the OLED and Super UHD models offer HDR as well, offering better color and contrast, as long as the content is available in HDR, which Netflix is making big strides toward.
“LG has continued to lead the way in making streaming services, including Netflix, easier and faster to use,” said Scott Miner, Netflix’s device partner ecosystem VP. “We are pleased to designate LG’s latest 4K UHD TVs with webOS 3.0 as Netflix Recommended TVs, offering a superior experience for Netflix members all over the world.”
Netflix already offers content in HDR, with the first season of Marco Polo currently streaming with HDR support, and Marvel’s Daredevil coming soon. That’s just the beginning though, with more HDR programming on the way, not to mention upcoming content that will likely be available with HDR from the start.
