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The LG QNED85 was LG’s attempt to take on Samsung’s Neo QLED TVs without the price of an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) TV, and today the 2022 model makes sense only as a discounted or used buy for a bright room with wide seating. The 2022 model (QNED85UQA) paired a Mini light-emitting diode (Mini-LED) backlight with quantum dots, LG’s NanoCell color filter, and a 120Hz panel, all running LG’s webOS smart platform. This LG QNED85 review explains how the TV performs according to major reviewers, where its in-plane switching (IPS) panel helps and hurts, and which current LG QNED and rival Mini-LED TVs are worth buying in 2026.
Quick verdict: The QNED85 delivers bright, colorful high dynamic range (HDR), wide viewing angles, and a strong gaming feature set with two High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) 2.1 ports. Its weak native contrast, noticeable blooming, and gray blacks in a dark room hold it back against rivals with vertical alignment (VA) panels. It makes sense today as a discounted or used buy for a bright living room with wide seating. Check the LG QNED85 price on Amazon.
Key takeaways
- What it is: A discontinued 2022 4K Mini-LED TV (QNED85UQA) sold in 55-, 65-, 75-, and 86-inch sizes, with an IPS panel, quantum dots, NanoCell color filtering, and a 120Hz refresh rate.
- Who it’s for: Bright living rooms with wide seating, plus gamers who want 4K at 120Hz with variable refresh rate (VRR) and Dolby Vision gaming on an LG set.
- Main strength: Bright HDR and wide viewing angles, and RTINGS found the 2022 model brighter in some scenes than the 2025 TCL QM6K.
- Main weaknesses: Weak native contrast, noticeable blooming, gray blacks in a dark room, and no HDR10+ support.
- Status: LG reuses the QNED85 name every year, so check the model number: the 2024 QNED85T dropped Mini-LED, and the 2025 QNED85A brought it back at a lower price.
LG QNED85 at a glance
| Spec | LG QNED85 (2022, QNED85UQA) |
|---|---|
| Sizes | 55, 65, 75, and 86 inches |
| Display | 4K liquid crystal display (LCD) with an IPS panel, quantum dots, and NanoCell color filtering |
| Backlight | Full-array Mini-LED with local dimming (LG calls it Precision Dimming) |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz native |
| Processor | α7 Gen 5 artificial intelligence (AI) Processor 4K |
| HDR formats | Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10, and Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG); no HDR10+ |
| Gaming | Variable refresh rate (VRR), AMD FreeSync Premium, Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), and HDR Gaming Interest Group (HGiG) tone mapping |
| Inputs | Four HDMI ports (two HDMI 2.1 ports for 4K at 120Hz, one with enhanced Audio Return Channel, or eARC), Universal Serial Bus (USB), Ethernet, optical audio, and an antenna input |
| Audio | 2.2-channel, 40-watt speakers with Dolby Atmos |
| Smart platform | webOS 22 with LG ThinQ AI, Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple AirPlay |
| Depth | About 1.8 inches without the stand |
Specs come from TVReviews.net’s QNED85 spec sheet and B&H Photo’s 55-inch listing, with performance context from RTINGS’ QNED85 review.
Which LG QNED85 is this, and is it discontinued?
LG has reused the QNED85 name every year, so the model number matters. This review covers the 2022 QNED85UQA, which LG has discontinued. Here’s how the name has changed since:
- QNED85 (2022, QNED85UQA): Mini-LED backlight, 120Hz, two HDMI 2.1 ports. The model in this review.
- QNED85 (2023, QNED85URA): A yearly refresh that kept the QNED branding.
- QNED85T (2024): LG dropped the Mini-LED backlight from this tier. RTINGS’ QNED85T comparison rates the 2022 QNED85 better for contrast, blooming, HDR brightness, color, and viewing angles.
- QNED85A (2025, QNED evo): Brought Mini-LED back at a lower price. RTINGS’ QNED85 vs. QNED85A comparison still rates the 2022 model better at local dimming, with deeper blacks and less haloing, although the QNED85A has better native contrast. Slickdeals logged the 65-inch QNED85A at about $697 on Amazon.
- 2026 QNED evo Mini LED range: According to Man of Many, LG’s 2026 lineup spans QNED90, QNED85, QNED82, QNED80, and QNED70 tiers, all with Mini-LED backlights, VRR up to 165Hz, and AMD FreeSync Premium. North American model numbers end in B, such as the QNED82BUA.
If you find a 2022 QNED85 for sale today, it’s likely open-box, refurbished, or used. Check the model number on the box or the back label, since a 2024 QNED85T looks similar but performs worse. Best Buy’s LG QNED listings show which current QNED models are in stock if you prefer to buy new.
How QNED works
QNED is LG’s name for an LCD TV that combines two color technologies. A blue backlight shines through a layer of quantum dots, tiny particles that convert some of that light into pure red and green. The light then passes through the LCD layer and the usual red, green, and blue color filters. LG’s NanoCell layer adds particles that absorb muddy in-between wavelengths, which helps separate colors more cleanly.
Quantum dots don’t replace the color filter; they make the light hitting it purer, so the TV can show more saturated colors at higher brightness. The result is a wide color gamut similar to Samsung’s quantum-dot LED (QLED) TVs. Picture quality still depends mostly on the panel and backlight, which is where the QNED85’s strengths and weaknesses come from.
Design and build
The QNED85 measures about 1.8 inches deep, so it sits close to the wall when mounted, and its side-facing ports stay easy to reach. It uses two feet near the edges, so a tabletop or stand needs to be close to the full width of the TV. The 65-inch stand depth is about 11.6 inches, while the 75- and 86-inch models need about 14 inches. The 55-inch uses a 300 by 300 millimeter Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) pattern; our guide to the best TV wall mounts for a 65-inch TV covers mounts for the popular 65-inch size.
Picture quality
Brightness and HDR
Brightness is the QNED85’s biggest strength. The Mini-LED backlight gets bright enough to make HDR highlights pop and to fight glare in a sunny room. RTINGS found the 2022 model brighter in some scenes than the 2025 TCL QM6K, and it rated the QNED85 ahead of LG’s own 2024 QNED85T on HDR peak brightness and color range. Note that LG doesn’t support HDR10+, so streaming content mastered in that format plays back as standard HDR10; Dolby Vision is supported.
Contrast and blooming
IPS panels let more light leak through than VA panels, so the QNED85 has weak native contrast. Local dimming helps a lot, and it makes the TV look far better than an edge-lit IPS set, but blacks still look gray in a dark room, and bright objects on dark backgrounds show visible blooming, a glow around them. Owners and reviewers also report uneven uniformity, with some clouding along the edges. Our explainer on local dimming covers why zone count and panel type matter so much.
That trade-off shows up in head-to-head tests. RTINGS’ QNED85 vs. TCL QM6K comparison rates the cheaper QM6K somewhat better overall thanks to much deeper blacks, while the QNED85 wins on viewing angle.
Color and viewing angles
Quantum dots and NanoCell give the QNED85 wide color coverage, and colors look rich and accurate in Filmmaker Mode, with a slightly cool tint in some default modes. The IPS panel’s big advantage is viewing angle: colors and contrast hold up much better from the side than on VA-panel TVs. If your couch spreads across the room, that matters.
Motion
The 120Hz panel handles fast sports and games with less blur than 60Hz budget TVs, and motion looks clean overall. Darker transitions on IPS panels can show a little smearing, but most viewers won’t notice in normal content.
Gaming performance
The QNED85 is a capable gaming TV. Two HDMI 2.1 ports (HDMI 3 and 4) accept 4K at 120Hz from a PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, or gaming personal computer (PC), with VRR, AMD FreeSync Premium, and ALLM to keep play smooth and responsive. RTINGS measured low input lag in Game Optimizer mode, and Dolby Vision gaming support is a bonus for Xbox owners. If you need more than two 4K at 120Hz devices, though, you’ll run out of HDMI 2.1 ports.
Newer TVs push further: LG’s 2026 QNED lineup supports VRR up to 165Hz, and many rivals now run at 144Hz. Our list of the best gaming TVs for PS5 and Xbox compares current options, and our 60Hz vs 120Hz TV guide explains why the refresh rate matters.
webOS and smart features
webOS 22 gives you every major streaming app, LG’s Magic Remote with point-and-click control, built-in Alexa and Google Assistant, and Apple AirPlay and HomeKit support. It runs smoothly on the α7 Gen 5 processor. The downside is the busy home screen, which gives a lot of space to ads and recommended content and pushes your apps lower. If you prefer a different interface, our smart TV vs Roku TV guide compares the main platforms.
Sound
The 2.2-channel, 40-watt speaker system sounds fuller than most TVs, and it decodes Dolby Atmos. A dedicated soundbar still adds more bass and clearer dialogue, and the eARC port can pass lossless Dolby Atmos to a compatible one. Browse Dolby Atmos soundbars on Amazon.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Bright Mini-LED backlight with punchy HDR
- Wide color gamut from quantum dots and NanoCell
- Much wider viewing angles than VA-panel rivals
- 120Hz panel with two HDMI 2.1 ports, VRR, and FreeSync Premium
- Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support
- Slim design that mounts close to the wall
Cons
- Weak native contrast and gray blacks in a dark room
- Noticeable blooming and uneven uniformity
- No HDR10+ support
- Only two HDMI 2.1 ports
- Ad-heavy webOS home screen
- Discontinued, and later QNED85 models perform differently
LG QNED85 vs. current Mini-LED and QLED TVs
Amazon is our main affiliate partner, and it carries LG’s current QNED models along with the leading Mini-LED rivals. Prices change often, so check current listings before you buy.
Compare similar Mini-LED and QLED TVs on Amazon
| TV | Panel and backlight | Refresh rate | Smart platform | Best for | Shop |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LG QNED85 (2022) | IPS with Mini-LED, quantum dots, and NanoCell | 120Hz | webOS | Wide seating on a budget, used or open-box | Check price |
| LG QNED85A (2025) | Mini-LED QNED evo | 120Hz | webOS | A cheaper new LG Mini-LED | Check price |
| Samsung QN90F or QN90H | VA-type Neo QLED with Mini-LED | Up to 165Hz, depending on size | Samsung Tizen | Bright rooms and glare control | Check price |
| TCL QM7K (2025) | Quantum-dot Mini-LED | 144Hz | Google TV | Most brightness for the money | Check price |
| Hisense U7 (2026 U7SG) | Mini-LED with quantum dots | 165Hz | Google TV | Sports and gaming | Check price |
| Sony Bravia 7 | Mini-LED with quantum dots | 120Hz | Google TV | Movie-accurate processing | Check price |
- LG QNED85A: The current QNED85 in the 2025 lineup restores Mini-LED at a lower price, though RTINGS rates the 2022 model’s local dimming better. See the LG QNED85A on Amazon.
- Samsung QN90F or QN90H: Samsung’s QN90 class pairs Mini-LED with a VA-type panel and an anti-glare screen for much deeper blacks than the QNED85; our Samsung QN90C review covers an earlier version. See Samsung QN90 models on Amazon.
- TCL QM7K: A brighter, higher-contrast Mini-LED TV with 144Hz gaming for less money than LG’s QNED models. See the TCL QM7K on Amazon.
- Hisense U7SG: Hisense’s 2026 U7 replaces the U8 series with a 165Hz panel and four HDMI 2.1 ports. See the Hisense U7SG on Amazon.
- Sony Bravia 7: Sony’s midrange Mini-LED TV focuses on accurate, natural processing; note that Sony’s TV business is moving to BRAVIA Inc., a joint venture majority owned by TCL. See the Sony Bravia 7 on Amazon.
For more choices at this level, see our list of the best 65-inch TVs under $1,000. If deep blacks matter more than brightness, LG’s OLEDs are the alternative; our LG B3 review covers an entry-level OLED, and our LG UQ8000 review covers LG’s cheaper non-QNED 4K TV.
Who should buy the LG QNED85?
Buy a 2022 QNED85 if you find one discounted, open-box, or used at a clear saving over a new QNED85A or TCL QM7K, your room is bright, and people watch from wide angles. It’s also a good fit for gamers who want 4K at 120Hz with VRR and Dolby Vision gaming on an LG set.
Skip it if you mostly watch movies in a dark room. A VA-panel Mini-LED TV such as the TCL QM7K or a Samsung QN90 model delivers much deeper blacks, and an LG OLED goes further still.
Frequently asked questions
What year is the LG QNED85?
The LG QNED85 comes in several model years, because LG uses the QNED85 name every year. The QNED85UQA is the 2022 model, the QNED85URA is from 2023, the QNED85T is from 2024, and the QNED85A is from 2025.
Is the LG QNED85 a Mini-LED TV?
Yes, the 2022 LG QNED85 is a Mini-LED TV. It uses a full-array Mini-LED backlight with local dimming. The 2024 QNED85T dropped Mini-LED, and the 2025 QNED85A brought it back.
Is the LG QNED85 good for gaming?
Yes, the LG QNED85 is good for gaming. It has a 120Hz panel, two HDMI 2.1 ports for 4K at 120Hz, VRR, AMD FreeSync Premium, ALLM, and low input lag in Game Optimizer mode.
Is QNED better than QLED?
No, QNED isn’t inherently better than QLED. Both use quantum dots for color. LG’s QNED TVs often use IPS panels with wider viewing angles, while many Samsung QLED and Mini-LED rivals use VA panels with deeper blacks and higher contrast.
Final verdict
The 2022 LG QNED85 earned its place as a bright, colorful Mini-LED TV with excellent viewing angles and strong gaming features. Its IPS panel limits contrast and causes visible blooming, and newer VA-panel Mini-LED TVs now deliver deeper blacks for similar or less money. Buy it at a good discount for a bright, wide room, or consider LG’s current QNED evo models and the rivals above. Check the current LG QNED85 price on Amazon, or compare the LG QNED85A on Amazon.