The LG NANO81ANA is a 2020 NanoCell TV series designed for the North American market. The series includes 49-, 55-, and 65-inch models: 49NANO81ANA, 55NANO81ANA, and 65NANO81ANA.
The NANO81 is positioned as an entry-level model in LG’s 2020 NanoCell lineup. It combines a 4K IPS display with NanoCell color technology, webOS 5.0, LG’s Magic Remote, HDR support, and several gaming features. At the same time, the TV uses a 60 Hz panel and HDMI 2.0, so it does not provide the higher refresh rates and bandwidth associated with newer HDMI 2.1 models.
LG NANO81ANA specifications
| Specification | LG NANO81ANA |
|---|---|
| Year | 2020 |
| Market | North America |
| Screen sizes | 49, 55, 65 inches |
| Resolution | 3840 × 2160 |
| Panel type | IPS |
| Color depth | 8-bit + FRC |
| Backlight | EDGE LED |
| Local dimming | Yes |
| Native refresh rate | 60 Hz |
| TruMotion | 120 |
| HDR | HDR10, HLG |
| HDR technology | Active HDR, Dynamic Tone Mapping Pro |
| Processor | Quad Core Processor 4K |
| Operating system | webOS 5.0 |
| Remote | Magic Remote |
| Audio | 2.0-channel, 20 W |
| Dolby | Dolby Digital |
| DTS | No |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 5 |
| HDMI | 4 × HDMI 2.0 |
| USB | 2 |
| ARC | Yes |
| Ethernet | Yes |
| Optical audio output | Yes |
| ATSC/ClearQAM | Yes |
| ATSC 3.0 | No |
LG NANO81ANA screen
The NANO81 features an IPS panel with a resolution of 3840 × 2160 pixels. The display has an 8-bit color depth with FRC technology, which helps simulate additional color shades and create smoother color transitions.
The TV uses EDGE LED backlighting, which limits the effectiveness of local dimming. As a result, the NANO81 should not be considered a high-end TV for HDR content. The 60 Hz refresh rate and entry-level display hardware limit the TV’s ability to reproduce bright HDR highlights and deep blacks.
The use of NanoCell technology does not make the NANO81 a premium display. It is an entry-level NanoCell model that uses additional color filtering to improve color reproduction compared with conventional LCD TVs.
Image processing and HDR
The NANO81 supports 4K upscaling, allowing lower-resolution content to be processed and displayed at the panel’s native 4K resolution.
The TV supports HDR10 and HLG formats. LG also uses Active HDR and Dynamic Tone Mapping Pro to process HDR content and adjust the image according to the characteristics of the source.
The panel has a native refresh rate of 60 Hz. The TruMotion 120 designation refers to LG’s motion-processing technology and does not mean that the physical panel has a 120 Hz refresh rate. The technology uses image-processing algorithms to improve the appearance of content with lower frame rates.
Smart TV features
The LG NANO81 runs on webOS 5.0. The operating system provides access to the LG Content Store, web browser, streaming applications, and other Smart TV functions.
The TV comes with an LG Magic Remote, which allows the user to control the on-screen pointer and use voice commands. ThinQ support is included, along with Google Assistant and Alexa.
The NANO81 also supports Apple AirPlay 2 and Apple HomeKit. These features allow compatible Apple devices to connect to the TV and control supported functions.
The Home Dashboard provides a central interface for connected devices and compatible smart-home equipment, allowing them to be accessed directly from the TV.
LG NANO81ANA audio
The built-in audio system consists of two speakers with a combined output of 20 W in a 2.0-channel configuration. The TV does not have a separate subwoofer.
The NANO81 supports Dolby Digital but does not support DTS. Bluetooth 5.0 is available for connecting compatible wireless audio devices.
The built-in speakers are sufficient for regular TV viewing, but their capabilities are limited by the compact 2.0-channel system. A soundbar or external audio system can be connected when more powerful sound or better audio quality is required.
Gaming Features
The NANO81 is not designed as a high-refresh-rate gaming TV. Its panel operates at 60 Hz, and the TV does not support VRR, FreeSync, or G-SYNC.
However, LG included several gaming features for use with compatible game consoles. ALLM is supported, allowing the TV to automatically switch to a low-latency mode when a compatible gaming device is detected.
The four HDMI inputs use the HDMI 2.0 standard. Therefore, the NANO81 does not offer the bandwidth or gaming capabilities associated with HDMI 2.1, such as 4K resolution at 120 Hz.
For an entry-level 2020 NanoCell TV, the gaming feature set is adequate for standard console gaming. However, the 60 Hz panel is the main limitation for users looking for higher frame rates and more advanced gaming features.
