LG 55EG960V review

Surprisingly, for such an expensive, high-end TV, the 55EG960V is saddled with an operating system that takes a long time to get comfortable with.

The first problem is the Magic Remote, a mouse-cum-pointer-style affair that you'll either love or hate. The second problem is Web OS, here in its latest 2.0 guise. This, the latest in LG's smart TV platform that encompasses almost the entire TV's operating system, is as colourful and dynamic as it is unpredictable and confusing.

Like Samsung's Smart Hub, it's all about joining apps to core TV functions, and supplying everything as pop-up icons along the bottom of the screen.

The main pop-up task-bar is a carousel of colourful tabs that starts on the left with a pile of screen-grabs from the live input or current live app that can be flicked-through. Next to that is a Today tab; press it and up pops a panel across the centre of the screen that includes a couple of thumbnails from four random TV programmes on that day, and cover art for two or three random movies (all from Rakuten's Wuaki.tv online movies app); scroll up or down for a never-ending brief look at what's on.

It's a dynamic and great-looking content carousel, but I'm not convinced it's ideally suited to how people actually want to browse content – it's too random. Also on the carousel are links to the Premium apps grid and LG's Content Store (see below).

Back on the main pop-up task-bar, there's also a My Programmes tab that, when pressed, expands to show the last eight TV channels you watched. With a good use of space, that's probably the highlight of WebOS.

Also on the task-bar are a string of apps including Now TV, BBC iPlayer, Netflix, Amazon Instant, YouTube and Wuaki.tv, plus a Freeview TV Guide. Click a right-hand tab and it brings up smaller icons for all of those apps plus a few of the TVs internal options, such as live TV, a connected Blu-ray player, LG's Content Store, or whatever you've recently been watching.

On LG's Content Store are a mix of apps and direct links to movies regardless of their home.

A Premium apps screen holds a grid of the key apps, which include Now TV (exclusive to LG), the BBC iPlayer, Netflix, Amazon Instant. Demand 5, YouTube, Wuaki.tv, the underrated Blinkbox, BBC News, BBC Sport, Napster, vTuner, Goalcom, Eurosport Player and Spotify.

So no ITV Player or 4OD.

A Movies tab is really a brand-less advert for Rakuten's Wuaki.tv online movies app, which presents cover art for dozens of titles, though I'm unsure why titles from Now TV and Blinkbox are not included. Wuaki.tv offers new top-line films for £9.99 each.

Ouch.

Meanwhile, a a 3D section within LG's Content Store groups together various 3D short films that are nothing more than showcase clips for a dying format; 3D thrills from Storm Surfers, PureCountry Fiji and the 2002 Busan Asian Games won't keep anyone entertained for long. There's also an Apps & Games section, which features far more of the former than the latter within a 50-strong collection that ranges from Red Bull TV, The Karaoke Channel and FilmBox Live to Crackle, Heart FM and GoPro.

From the main task-bar, shift left and there are four fixed tabs for ScreenShare (Miracast or Intel WiDi), a TV Guide, SmartShare (access to digital media) and Netflix, but by now we've seen about five separate designs and pages; webOS is a bit of a hotchpotch.

As well as lacking content and some key apps, basic commands (such as finding a specific HDMI input) can be tricky. Few apps or services stay in one place for long; despite being dynamic and colourful, webOS has a learning curve that's certainly not unsurmountable, but will put-off a lot of people; all but the tech-savvy could find themselves initially baffled by WebOS.

Sound quality

There's not much bass or mid-range coming from the 55EG960V's down-firing speakers, but there is a lot of volume.

There's a lot of steps in the volume (it's necessary to leave your thumb on the volume + button for a good few seconds each time you play a film), but it gets really loud without any distortion. Vocals and dialogue sound crisp and clear.

However, so brilliant are the onscreen antics that the 55EG960V really deserves being partnered with something more serious.

Value

That's a hard one to judge. Production problems and low yields aside, OLED TVs are premium products and presumably come with healthy profit margins for LG.

That said, this 55-inch 55EG960V is considerably cheaper than the 65-inch 55EG960V – it's less than two-thirds of the price, in fact – so if there is a sweet-spot for OLED, this is it.