If you’ve been in the market for an OLED TV or have recently purchased one, you’re keenly aware that OLED commands a decent chunk of change from your pocket compared to non-OLED options on the market. Buyers of OLED are looking for the most vibrant and crisp images. Otherwise, 4K TVs that are a third of the cost and 30–40% larger would be the more economical choice for any prospective buyer.

About a year ago, I joined the ranks of OLED owners with the purchase of my own LG OLED. After tearing through the box and mounting the TV on the wall, the first thing I did with my shiny new toy was jump straight to the picture mode options. To the uninitiated, figuring out the optimal settings can feel overwhelming. But if you know where your personal preferences lie, then it’s just a matter of aligning with the mode(s) that most accentuate your favored elements. So, if you’re a prospective or new LG OLED buyer, let’s break down these modes so you understand what each does.

Dimensions

56.7″ x 32.5″ x 1.8″

Display Technology

OLED

Connectivity Technology

Bluetooth 5.1, WiFi 5

What’s Included

Remote

Picture mode options available on most LG OLEDs

While the exact selection may vary, most of these are fairly standard

I’m going to cover the most talked about modes that many users find themselves switching between. Collectively, these modes offer the best view of LG’s picture mode ranges and capabilities. Keep in mind, that all of these modes except for Filmmaker mode utilize a technology called TruMotion. This feature artificially smooths motion to remove motion blur, and creates sharper edges during movement sequences. It also inserts fake frames to seem like the picture is getting a better frame rate. Some might enjoy TruMotion and feel that images move smoother and faster. However, there is also a term called the “Soap Opera Effect” where excessive TruMotion can give movies and shows a cheap cinematic quality, much like Soap Operas that are filmed on video with actual high frame rates.

• Vivid mode is often used on in-store displays. As you peruse the OLEDs available at your local Best Buy, it’s likely that TVs being shown are using modes like Vivid. This is not because Vivid is the best mode generally, but it works well on the sales floor. It presents a brighter picture with saturated colors that truly pop. While this sounds great, its coloring can subsequently feel artificial, sacrificing accuracy and detail. Some of that detail includes textures. Stores often use this setting, because it offers a great initial impression of what the TV can do. It’s also the best setting for brightly-lit rooms such as a sales floor.
• Standard mode also presents a level of artifical processing, but not as extreme as Vivid mode. It finds a middle ground between the natural, accurate colors you’ll find in Filmmaker or Cinema modes and the heavily saturated colors that Vivid presents. Standard mode is a preset that is best used in a more typical living room with artificial lighting.
• Sports mode significantly boosts brightness and dynamic contrast. This is to present well in a heavily-lit room. It also artificially sharpens the image and enhances TruMotion beyond other modes to create more fluid movements on screen that are optimal for sports settings.
• Cinema mode largely sticks to accurate colors as presented by the piece of media with some slight saturation. By default, colors are warmer with Cinema mode. It also presents images with a higher sharpness setting. TruMotion can be used or disabled on this setting if you so choose. The key difference between this mode and Filmmaker mode is that it boosts brightness.
• Filmmaker mode maximizes the accuracy of colors by not using any form of processing over the media that is being presented. Filmmaker mode is not artificially sharpened, and TruMotion is disabled completely. Think of this mode as a presentation of a film the way the studio intended. As such, there are heavy shades and darkness “feels” more emphasized since we’re all used to artificial brightness settings.

Filmmaker mode versus Cinematic mode

Which one is more conducive to the movie connoisseur?

While the Sports mode is the obvious choice for Monday-night football, watching movies might not be so apparent. After all, there are two modes specifically named to align with movie watching: Cinema and Filmmaker. These are the two settings that often give most LG OLED owners plenty of room for debate on the better setting. In a darkened room, Filmmaker might actually take the cake. The mode presents colors 100% accurately without any degree of processing or manipulation of the contrast and saturation dials. This includes a lower grade of sharpness and absolutely no TruMotion smoothing throughout. This is likely the ideal setting for movie lovers wanting to see the picture exactly as the studio wanted it presented.

But I’ll be honest, Filmmaker isn’t always the best option. How often are you watching a movie or TV show in a darkened room versus having ambient lighting or daytime light gleaming through the windows? My guess, is that there is at least a healthy balance of both daytime and nighttime viewing for most average consumers. For a long time, I had Filmmaker mode set to automatically engage when movies were played. Recently, I watched Annabelle Creation with my son as we are currently working through all the Conjuring Universe movies for spooky season. Many of the darkened areas and shadows were so pronounced that we couldn’t see the creepy figures that I knew were in the background. Granted, we watched the movie in the evening while there was still some daylight trickling through our windows. However, switching to Cinema mode largely retained the accurate colors I loved but presented the picture in a more optimized setting for our living room. Rewinding the film, we could instantly see the details we missed with Filmmaker mode’s deep shades.

At the end of the day, picture mode all boils down to user preference. I know some folks who prefer the visual pop of Vivid despite its ultra-artificial processing. Filmmaker is truly an exquisite mode, but I can only recommend it in a truly dark room akin to a movie theater. Cinema, for me, feels like the right balance between image accuracy and enough optimization for my entertainment to be completely enjoyable in an average living room setting.