Haier M80F vs LG G5: Which TV reigns supreme?

It’s an exciting time to be a TV consumer, as different types of OLED, QLED, Mini-LED, and others have made significant strides in picture quality. The LG G5 is the first 4-layer 'Primary RGB Tandem' OLED TV. On the other hand, the Haier M80F Mini LED TV is positioning itself as the budget king of Mini LED TVs. With both of their ‘flagship’ TVs vying for a slice of the pie, let’s dive in to see which one is for you, and what the alternatives are.

Haier Mini LED M80F Series TV

Let’s start with the Haier M80F. Once you unbox and set up the TV, the first thing that’ll stand out is the remote. Yes, some thought has gone into the TV's design, but the remote is unlike any other. It’s compact, with flat edges, and very easy to use one-handed. It comes with a trick up its sleeve. It can be charged either via a Type-C charger or through sunlight. Yes, the remote (the bottom portion) of the Haier Mini LED M80F TV includes a solar panel to recharge it in an eco-friendly way.

Yes, I have rarely taken the remote into the sun to charge it via natural sunlight, but it is a thoughtful addition. The remote itself isn’t too shabby. I quite like the sleek look of it, despite the bottom portion (where the solar panel lies) being black and feeling like a waste of space. The buttons up top are closely packed, and the whole rectangular shape has a good grip.

My only complaint with the remote is the home button. It’s tiny, takes a bit of figuring out, and you’ll almost never find it when the lights are off. Otherwise, the remote is fine, despite the tightly positioned buttons. It is a plastic build, but I would have rather it have an aluminium body.

There’s a lot to like about the design of the Haier Mini LED M80F. This 4K TV comes in four screen sizes: 55-inch, 65-inch, 75-inch and 85-inch. They feature mini-LED backlighting technology for deeper blacks and higher brightness. There’s 800 nits of peak brightness. The back panel is very clean and uniform, and doesn’t seem bulky at all. The edges blend into the rear panel. There’s a textured back that, if you’re looking at the TV from the rear, will give you a premium feel.

With razor-thin bezels (except the bottom), the visual appeal is solid. Since mini LEDs are better for daytime (bright rooms), I mostly used the TV there (other than late-night sports matches), and the M80F didn’t disappoint. There are also precise dimming zones for darker blacks that shine brightly during the day. There’s also support for Dolby Vision, which adds to the experience. Then there is MEMC technology, which provides a smoother visual experience. The viewing angles are quite solid. There are two USB-A ports, an HDMI port, and an antenna port on the side. On the bottom are a plethora of other ports (including a LAN port).

The Haier Mini LED M80F runs on Google TV (based on Android 14). It’s got a 50-watt speaker output and ‘sound by KEF’.

My only real complaint is the lag. Opening apps and finding content took much longer than on other TVs I’ve recently reviewed. If only a software update were to fix it, I’d be much happier recommending this TV.

The Haier Mini LED M80F is one TV to watch out for, especially when it's on sale. The 85-inch variant is currently selling for ₹1,89,990, while the 65-inch model is selling for just ₹83,990.

LG G5 OLED

There’s no doubting that LG has been the king of OLED TVs for quite some time. Yes, Sony is hot on its heels, but with a much higher selling price every year, it just can’t match the might of LG TVs. At launch, I was able to snag the LG G5 55-inch model for just ₹1,50,000. In my mind, that’s a huge steal.

For 2025, the LG G5 took a step up in brightness thanks to new panel tech and even gained new image-processing chops. Yes, the AI processor has been updated. The crowning jewel of the LG G5 is the new panel. It’s a four-layer tandem OLED stack that has a peak brightness of 4000 nits. Whether you’re watching a film and want vibrant HDR or that creamy contrast, the LG G5 is the TV for you. It’ll blow you away with its deep blacks and vibrant colours. Every detail (especially with 4K content) will stand out on its own.

The LG G5 comes with four (yes, four!) HDMI ports, all supporting 2.1 (4K at 120Hz), Wi-Fi 6E, three USB ports, optical audio, ethernet, and more.

The other change comes in the form of the new Magic Remote (with an AI button front and centre). You still get the floating cursor and a slimmed-down variant with fewer buttons. Yes, it's reverted back to being a flat rectangle, and that’s alright. It’s not as comfortable to hold as before, but it's lighter and functional. The “AI” button will display content recommendations that the software thinks you’d want to see. Up top, on the right, is an accessibility button (who asked for this)? There’s even a TV guide button, which in 2026 is totally unnecessary. Curiously, the input button is missing. I don’t know who made that design choice, but it's one I’m sure LG will come to regret.

I quite like WebOS, but I also have to acknowledge that the interface is cluttered. One of the first things I did was turn off “Content Recommendation” and “Home Promotion” in the settings.

Let’s turn our attention back to the picture quality, because quite frankly, that’s top-notch. Brightness has improved, with a better, higher sustained average than previous models. I put on some Top Gun: Maverick, some Dune, and even Severance. With Filmmaker Mode enabled, the TV excelled like no other. Colour accuracy was bar none, and motion was smooth and clean (nothing artificial) ,and dynamic range was like it came from another planet. The whites (scenes with white in them) can get particularly bright, but even so, it doesn’t compromise on colour integrity. There’s the company’s Brightness Boosting Ultimate Tech that’s involved here to magnify each individual pixel. Furthermore, there’s a new four-layer design (with two blue filter layers) and an anti-reflective treatment for a glare-free viewing experience.

The LG G5 had great viewing angles and no colour shift even at the widest of angles.

What I was most in awe of, while using the LG G5, was how it handled the darkest of scenes and their shadows. I know gaming is an area where the LG G5 shines, but I didn’t get much time to fully test it.

One thing to note is that the speaker system was underwhelming, as is the case with most TVs. The LG G5 features a 60W 4.2-channel system with Dolby Atmos support, but almost immediately after unboxing and setting it up, I switched to my Samsung soundbar.

Overall, though, the LG G5 OLED might be one of the best TVs in the business. Yes, we don’t have Panasonic’s flagship TV here in India that everyone is raving about, but the LG G5, especially at the ₹1,50,000 I got it for, is jaw-droppingly good value. If picture quality alone is your criterion, then look no further than the LG G5. It handles HDR with aplomb, smooths motion, upscales with utmost precision, and does much more.

Buy the LG G5 if you’re looking for an OLED TV with top-notch picture quality, and invest in a soundbar to complete the viewing experience.

The competition

If you look at the industry as a whole, especially within the OLED category, there is one major player that warrants mention every time. That is Sony. The Sony Bravia 8 II is one of the best TVs you can buy, but it is much more expensive, coming in at ₹3,67,900 (as per the official Sony website). What the Bravia 8 II gets right is its out-of-the-box tuning. It’s one of the best TVs to just leave as it is. Unbox it, set it up, and you can start watching movies straight away without fiddling with the settings to fine-tune it. It lacks ports and can’t get as bright as some other TVs, but don’t count Sony out just because of those two drawbacks.

If you’re after a Mini-LED, check out the Sony Bravia 9 or the Samsung Neo QLED QN90F. These models offer local dimming, excellent brightness and excellent handling of the reflections (it’s got a matte coating). It’s good for those bright rooms. With colour accuracy and a wide range of colours being displayed, HDR content is at its best. The Sony Bravia 9 retails for ₹5,98,900. On the other hand, the Samsung Neo QLED QN90F starts at ₹1,20,690 for the 55-inch variant.