LG 55LE5400

Black Level (5.28)

LG has shown a consistent problem with black level. Every LG we’ve tested produced a black level far brighter than the average LCD display. The LG 55LE5400, in particular, had a black level of 0.35 cd/m². As you can see from the chart below, the competition smoked that score. Note that the LG 60PK750 is a plasma display – and that’s not even a good score for a plasma. More on how we test black level.

Read Reviews of Comparison Products
LG 60PK750	Sony Bravia KDL-52EX700	Samsung UN55C7000

Peak Brightness (9.71)

The LG 55LE5400 produced a very bright white, brighter than any of the TVs in the comparison pool. The 60PK750 was the worst, by far, but it’s a plasma display. More on how we test peak brightness.

Contrast (6.43)

With a tested contrast of only 1281:1, the LG 55LE5400 was clearly hurt by its poor black level. Even with the very bright white, the contrast ratio is just not great. Only the Sony KDL-52EX700 had a really good contrast ratio in this group. More on how we test contrast.

Tunnel Contrast (7.46)

The LG 55LE5400 has no problem maintaining a consistent black level, regardless of whether the black is taking up most of the screen or only a little. Typically, we expected similar results from LCDs. Only plasmas tend to have problems. More on how we test tunnel contrast.

White Falloff (9.81)

The LG 55LE5400 had no problem maintaining consistent white levels, regardless of how much white is on the screen. More on how we test white falloff.

Uniformity (4.50)

The LG 55LE5400 has readily apparent problems with screen uniformity. It’s noticeable, even to casual viewers, and arguably more problematic than the poor black level. On this particular model in our labs, we saw brighter hot spots in the bottom center. When the screen was all-white, the corners were darker and yellowed. On an all-black screen, the corners were brighter. If screen uniformity is a crucial factor for you, move on, friend. Move on. More on how we test white falloff.

Greyscale Gamma (7.21)

The LG 55LE5400 showed a good greyscale gamma, overall. Put simply, this test measures how well the TV transitions from shadows to highlights. First, we’re looking for a smooth transition. The curve in the graph below indicates that the LG did indeed do this well. Secondly, we’re looking for flat spots in the curve. The lower-left portion of the line – the shadows – goes horizontal for a stretch, which indicates that the TV simply can’t differentiate any detail in the darkest parts of the shadows. Finally, we look at the slope of the curve. An ideal curve is somewhere between 2.1 and 2.2. The LG 55LE5400 has a curve of 2.67, a bit steeper than we like, but still decent. More on how we test greyscale gamma.

Other Models in the xxLE5400 Series
For more information on other models in this series, check our Series Comparison Page.
LG 32LE5400 32 in.	LG 42LE5400 42 in.	LG 47LE5400 47 in.