LG, with their ‘Life’s Good’ mantra, certainly isn’t afraid to create products across a number of technical and electronic markets including laundry, mobile, and even solar panels. In this review, however, it is one of their Blu-ray players we will cast an eye over, and in particular, their UBK80 player which is one of six that they have produced.
LG UBK80 Ultra-HD Blu-Ray Player with Remote Control
We mentioned that LG has 6 Blue-ray players on the market, and they have a tendency to release some of them at the same time. In the case of the UBK80, it was launched in 2018 along with their UBK90 model and they were both seen as updated versions of LG’s previous model, the UP970.
The main differences between the UBK80 and UBK90 are that the latter has enhanced connectivity options and the fact that it had Dolby Vision. Those extras take the UBK90 into a higher price bracket so the UBK80 fills a space within what might be described as the ‘value for money’ market.
Who is this product for?
The LG UBK80 is a Blue-ray player that is going to tick a number of boxes for most potential buyers but is unlikely to tick them all. The question then is does it tick enough?
Where it will be popular is among those who do not see any need to pay top dollar for a decent Blu-ray player and are not necessarily going to looking to see whether any specific color on their screen is as vivid as it might be.
While it may lack some of the very top technologies you might find in Blu-ray players that cost $200 more, it certainly holds its own for the quality of its sound and vision. For these reasons, it fills a perfect niche for quality versus price, and for those who like to balance the two.
What’s included?
When your LG UBK80 Blu-ray player is delivered to you, the delivery carton should contain the Blu-ray player, the remote control, one AA battery for the remote control, and the user’s instruction manual.
The player does not come with any of the audio/video cables that you may need to connect it to other equipment. The one you will certainly need to have is an HDMI cable to connect the player to your television.
Overview of features
This player is capable of playing a broad range of media including Ultra HD and standard Blu-ray, DVDs, and CDs. As well as these options, thanks to its USB connectivity you can play other sources through the player, meaning any movies, videos or music stored on your laptop or computer can be seen and heard at a level experienced by you before,
In terms of its visual quality, it utilizes full 4k resolution and is HDR10 playback compatible for even greater vibrancy and contrast on the screen. As well as clear images, the LG UBK80 also produces stunningly clear audio too, thanks to Dolby Digital sound technology. This means whether it is a movie soundtrack or a CD of your favorite band.
One feature that often doesn’t get mentioned enough is how easy a product is to use, but we have to flag that here. The UBK80 has one of the easiest systems to select options and adjust settings that we have encountered. This is helped enormously by the very clear on-screen display.
How to use it
As with all electronic equipment of this type, there is a user’s guide, which we have to say is a lot more comprehensive than some of the guides we have come across. It includes full written explanations of how to set up your player, along with diagrams that are very easy to follow.
The first job should be to get the player connected to your TV which will require the HDMI cable we previously mentioned. Other equipment you could connect includes an amplifier, and a computer or laptop.
To use the player, including settings and selecting options there will be an on-screen display on your TV which makes all the processes much easier to follow. Also, look out for notifications on the display for software updates.
Pros
- Very easy to set up
- Good visual quality
- Has 4k upscaling capability
- Can play multiple formats
- Great value for money
Cons
- Lacks Dolby Vision
Alternative
LG UBK90
We mentioned the LG UBK90 earlier in our review and it is certainly a worthy alternative to the UBK80 should you want the additional features it has to offer.
The first of these is Wi-Fi capability meaning you can connect the UBK90 wirelessly to the internet. When you do, you will be able to access streaming services such as Netflix, which you cannot do with UBK80.
The other main advantage of the UBK90 is that it incorporates Dolby Vision to produce even greater visual clarity when watching movies with the player.
Conclusion
LG’s UBK80 Blue-ray player is excellent value for its price. It provides users with a respectable number of features that produce excellent audio and video quality, whether that be for movies or for music.