TechRadar Verdict
It doesn't have class-leading performance, but at its price point you won't get much better
Pros
- +
Good overall hi-def performance
Impressive value for money
Cons
- -
Disappointing standard-def images
Unexceptional sound
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Plenty of its rivals have their charms, admittedly, but this LG is the supermodel of the pack. It's partly because of the glamour of its high-gloss finish, partly because of the eye-catching 'block' stand connection, and partly because of the way a row of LEDs along the top of the block light up to show you what input you're watching. Cute.
The 37LB1DB continues to impress with its connections, sporting twin HDMIs despite its reasonable price. These are supported by component video jacks, a PC interface, three Scarts, and even a digital audio output and CI slot to support a built-in digital tuner.
Engine room
Aside from the digital tuner and the fact that a native resolution of 1366 x 768 joins the set's connectivity, ensuring it HD Ready status, the 37LB1DB's biggest claim to fame is its XD Engine processing. This applies six sets of algorithms to boost colour tone and saturation, motion handling, black levels, fine detailing and black level response.
It also gives the user options to tweak separately the set's skin, green and blue tones, or call in different levels of MPEG and standard noise reduction.
With our Face/Off Sky HD transmission, the 37LB1DB doesn't trouble the finest sets around, but at the same time it comfortably outperforms its price point.
Fine detailing is superb, for instance, allowing it to present with authority every last dot of image information during heavily textured scenes like the shootout at Dietrich's warehouse flat.
Colours, meanwhile, benefit from some startlingly vivid, bright and engaging saturations, reproducing the speedboat climax with eye-catching vibrancy and panache. Less aggressive scenes, though, such as those round Archer's home, also prove that this LG can do natural as well as rich tones.
The 37LB1DB also handles the motion of the countless action set-pieces pretty well, with only very gentle smearing. The night-time assault on Dietrich's apartment shows off some solid black levels that combine above-average shadow detailing with less grey/blue undertones than we'd expect for this money.
There isn't actually too much to complain about with the 37LB1BD with HD, but it fares far less well with standard-def. Colours lose their naturalism, motion smearing increases, sharpness levels decrease, and noise levels are much higher.
Punch drunk
Sonically the set lacks the bass extension to make Face/Off actually sound cinematic, but it does at least deliver plenty of punch, clarity and sheer volume.
If you can afford it, there are certainly better options further up the price scale. But if £1,000 is your limit, and provided you've got some sort of high definition source, LG's sumptuous-looking 37LB1DB represents really excellent value.
