LG C3 OLED TV
MSRP $1,600.00
“The LG C3 is a stellar TV — however it has some stiff pageant.”
Professionals
Pleasant distinction
Superb shade efficiency
Superb processing
Killer gaming options
5-year guaranty
Cons
Low-level shade shift
Too-frequent updates
LG will quickly announce the successor to the TV I’m about to study for you. (That’s any such factor it does every January at CES.) I’ve by no means sooner than reviewed a TV so overdue within the yr. However because it seems, I feel at this time is the easiest time to speak about the LG C3 OLED TV.
It’s been one heck of a yr for TVs. We’ve spent a large number of time speaking about the most efficient OLED TVs you’ll purchase, in addition to the most efficient LED TVs you’ll purchase, together with the most efficient bang-for-your-buck fashions in the marketplace.
The LG C3 roughly sits in the course of all that dialogue, with the Sony A80L and the Samsung S90C flanking it.
The LG C3 is a top class TV — without a doubt among the finest seven TVs launched in 2023. And as top class TVs move, it’s a extra smart purchase than some of the tippy-top-tier OLEDs we mentioned in our OLED shootout, which targeted at the super-premium Sony A95L, Samsung S95C, and LG’s personal G3 gallery collection OLED.
The LG C3 provides kind of 93% (that’s an estimate, in fact) of the efficiency of the ones super-premium, super-expensive TVs, however at a a lot more approachable value. Once more, inside the top class TV sphere.
On this overview, we’re going to speak about why you will have to or in all probability will have to no longer purchase the LG C3. And stick round to the top as a result of we’re going to speak about why the LG C3 is itself a logo for what LG must do in 2024 — in particular with the type that can ultimately exchange this TV, the C4 OLED.
Video overview
Out of the field
The LG C3 delivers a large number of wow issue out of the field. It’s designed in order that many of the electronics are tucked right into a small bump-out towards the decrease 3rd of the TV’s bottom. This leaves the impossibly skinny panel up height, sitting proudly to provoke your folks.
Not like the step-up G3 OLED, which comes with a wall mount within the field, the C3 comes with a tabletop stand. So if you wish to mount it, you’ll want to purchase a mount one at a time. Additionally within the field is LG’s magic movement far off, along side some product literature, and that’s about it.
Attaching the TV’s stand is a work of cake, and whilst you’ll be tempted to hoist the object up onto your media cupboard on my own, I beg you to get assist since you’re going to spend an excellent chew of exchange in this factor and, , injuries occur.
Setup and operation
When you weren’t already mindful, LG televisions send with LG’s webOS device working the display. When you’ve by no means owned a sensible TV sooner than, I feel you’ll get along side webOS simply positive. It’s roughly a laugh, however it additionally could also be very tough and loaded with options — too many options, in the event you inquire from me. There’s such a lot stuff right here that it may really feel overwhelming, particularly for any person simply transitioning from an older TV.
The setup is a cinch — on-screen activates stroll you all over it. However after that, there’s so much to find. And you’ll in finding your self having to approve updates at all times. It kind of feels like each and every time I open Netflix, there’s an replace to put in. I’m focused on having the most recent and largest model of an app or running gadget — that’s higher than no longer supporting the TV and letting issues get outdated, old-fashioned, and crusty. And to LG’s credit score, those updates are lightning speedy. I will’t even get mad about ready on an replace to look at content material when the wait is so brief. However it’s simply such a lot of updates!
Zeke Jones / Virtual Developments
Zeke Jones / Virtual Developments
Zeke Jones / Virtual Developments
Zeke Jones / Virtual Developments
Whilst you let LG’s webOS wizard stroll you throughout the procedure, it is going to ask you about AI Image this and AI sound that. Give those a check out. However since I’m roughly a purist, I favor to go away those choices disabled. I’ve no longer had the most efficient good fortune with the AI sound. It frequently creates a wash of pretend encompass sound that I don’t handle, which has the accidental outcome of washing over the discussion every now and then. And as for AI image, I don’t individually handle the effects as a rule. However that doesn’t imply you gained’t find it irresistible. So, play with it. You’ll be able to flip it off and on as you wish to have.
Something you completely want to do, then again, is disable the eco settings as a result of in the event you don’t, you aren’t getting the entire brightness and distinction you paid for. The TV will send in an auto power-saving mode. You’ll be able to disable this by means of deciding on some other image preset. For SDR, I like to recommend Cinema or Filmmaker mode. In HDR, Cinema Mode is my desire. Cinema House is a bit of brighter, however simply know that you simply’ll want to disable movement smoothing in the event you don’t find it irresistible as a result of it’s became on by means of default in Cinema House.
Zeke Jones / Virtual Developments
Then you wish to have to enter Settings > Basic >and Power Financial savings. Right here, you’ll flip this off to liberate the brightness doable of the TV.
Whilst fundamental get-up-and-running setup is a breeze, I’m nonetheless annoyed with how lengthy it takes to get your most popular image settings applied throughout apps and HDMI inputs. There’s an “observe atmosphere to all inputs” possibility that makes you assume your SDR, HDR, and Dolby Imaginative and prescient image modes shall be applied throughout apps and the entire HDMI inputs, however they’re no longer. It simply implies that your custom designed model of any given image mode shall be to be had to you. You continue to have to choose the image mode you wish to have for SDR, HDR, and Dolby Imaginative and prescient on every of the 4 HDMI inputs. So, although I made the ones 3 picks on HDMI 1, I needed to move in and do it once more for HDMI 2, 3, and four. That implies I needed to make 12 image mode picks for the HDMI inputs on my own. And you have got to do it for apps, too.
Zeke Jones / Virtual Developments
Fortunately, you don’t must make picks for every person app – for instance, when you customise Dolby Imaginative and prescient for Netflix, that very same Dolby Imaginative and prescient image mode shall be used for Max and Disney+. However you continue to must do SDR, HDR, and Dolby Imaginative and prescient picks for apps, which means that you need to do a complete of 15 person image preset picks throughout all resources for this TV. And whilst that permits extra customization, I feel it’s an enormous trouble. Different TV platforms reproduction your personal tastes throughout HDMI inputs and apps, and I a great deal favor that.
Getting people to regulate their image mode is already tough sufficient. Telling them they’ve to do it 15 occasions? That’s simply no just right.
Image high quality
Brightness
Anyway, after I were given the C3 all arrange and let it run some content material for some time, I dove into measuring it. This brings us to a piece I really like to name “Numbers for Nit Nerds.”
Beginning with height brightness, I maxed out all the brightness settings for SDR — that suggests atmosphere the brightness at 100 and height brightness to prime — and I used to be certainly not shocked to measure height brightness at 400 nits in SDR with a ten% window and 150 nits complete display. In HDR, I were given 800 nits from a ten% window, and once more 800 nits the use of the real-life HDR height spotlight take a look at at the Spears and Munsil Disc.
Colour and white stability
SDR shade measurements got here in searching very good, however no longer once I had the brightness settings maxed out. I noticed simply a few shade mistakes up within the Delta E of 8 community with brightness maxed out. However once I restored Filmmaker mode to its default settings, shade measurements have been very good. In HDR, shade measurements have been additionally very good — with mistakes simplest within the absolute brightest and darkest colours. That confirmed me what I already find out about W-RGB OLED, which is that low luminance colours stray from absolute accuracy, and the brightest colours don’t stay as natural as we’d see from a QD-OLED. Stay that during thoughts for later.
Zeke Jones / Virtual Developments
On the subject of the two-point white stability, in SDR, it was once with reference to highest out of the field. In HDR, regardless that, the mistakes slightly tipped over into the technically visual community, however no longer by means of a lot. I needed to knock the golf green down within the two-point white stability to get to highest D65, as you’ll see right here. I don’t suggest you mimic those settings by yourself C3 as it’s fully conceivable those settings may just do extra hurt than just right in your TV, for the reason that any two TVs are hardly ever the similar.
Movement
Our movement exams confirmed the LG C3 doing an overly admirable task with movement answer, with just a little of stutter obvious in 24 frames-per-second (fps) content material because of the OLED panel’s immediate reaction time. That is completely commonplace. I do assume that Sony’s deft and lighter-handed movement smoothing for cinematic content material is preferable, regardless that, as LG’s Actual Cinema atmosphere introduces extra cleaning soap opera impact than I’m individually prepared to tolerate. It’s possible you’ll really feel in a different way, regardless that.
Tone mapping seemed very good the use of each 1,000-nit and four,000-nit patterns, and not using a over the top clipping within the brightest spaces. It is a just right signal for protecting spotlight element, however we’ll take a look at that momentarily in real-world content material.
The LG C3 is a stellar performer — without a doubt what you will have to be expecting from a top class TV.
So, as a recap, by means of the measurements, the LG C3 is a stellar performer — without a doubt what you will have to be expecting from a top class TV. The excellent news is that the measurements are a very good indication of what you’d be expecting when gazing genuine content material.
The LG C3 is an outstanding-looking OLED TV. Its 800 nits height brightness is greater than sufficient in reasonably lit to darkish rooms. If truth be told, in case you are placing your TV in a devoted media room, I feel the C3 is a more sensible choice over the brighter micro lens array (MLA)-equipped G3 TV. You don’t want the super-juiced brightness of the G3 in the event you’re development a media room or house theater.
All the demo content material I considered regarded excellent. LG’s processing has come a ways previously few years and is dangerously as regards to Sony’s processing. Sony will generally tend to keep shade accuracy over brightness punch, so whilst the LG C3 will not be as color-accurate as a Sony OLED, it’s were given a brighter, punchier vibe, but it stops wanting over-brightening the image.
Zeke Jones / Virtual Developments
Its vibrant spotlight element preservation was once forged, and its shadow element preservation is stellar, particularly in comparison to LED TVs, the place shadow element is occasionally sacrificed with the intention to get the in point of fact inky blacks that OLED TVs pull off naturally.
This TV is an absolute deal with to look at, and I haven’t any drawback recommending it to any person. Hell, this TV changed the Sony A95L as my day-to-day TV, and I don’t pass over that a lot more costly Sony QD-OLED just about up to I assumed I might. I like the LG C3 – it seems superb. Make no mistake. It does with reference to the entirety proper. It’s virtually a slam dunk.
Virtually.
There’s only one giant drawback. LG has had genuine pageant this yr. So, let’s discuss that.
The contest
Let’s take a look at the pricing of the C3 amongst its closest pageant. Remember the costs are matter to modify, particularly heading into 2024: The 65-inch C3 type reviewed right here is available in at $1,600. The Samsung S90C, which is a QD-OLED TV, additionally is available in at $1,600. And the Sony A80L, which makes use of the similar panel because the C3, however has Sony’s processing and Google TV in-built, is available in at simply $100 extra at $1,700.
Two to a few years in the past, the LG C collection stood on my own. It was once considerably more economical than the Sony pageant, and QD-OLED didn’t exist but. So it was once only a slam dunk selection for any person in need of an OLED TV, however no longer desiring to visit absolutely the height of the road, just like the LG G collection.
However the LG C collection doesn’t stand on my own anymore. If you wish to have the most efficient shade brightness and shade purity, the Samsung S90C delivers that. If you wish to have probably the most cinematic glance with the most efficient movement answer and rather higher upscaling, that’s what the Sony A80L provides.
Zeke Jones / Virtual Developments
I nonetheless assume the LG C3 is in all probability the most efficient gaming TV you’ll purchase. I consider WRGB OLED TVs a bit of greater than QD-OLEDs in terms of long-term burn-in chance, and the truth that LG’s TVs be offering 4 HDMI 2.1 inputs approach it is going to be preferred over the Sony A80L by means of some players.
Greenbacks and sense
What I’m getting at is that I feel LG must imagine losing the cost of the C collection. If Samsung and Sony are coming to the marketplace with aggressive TVs that experience their very own benefits on the similar value, then for the C collection to regain its no-brainer, just-buy-it standing, it is going to to want to undercut the contest on value.
And I believe like LG will have to be capable to do this by means of now. LG ruled the OLED TV marketplace for nearly 10 years. It’s sister corporate, LG Show, makes the panels, because of this that it will have to be saving a bit of on panel price and feature a bit of extra margin to mess around with. LG has additionally been making those OLED TVs for over 10 years now, and I believe like its potency and scalability when it comes to manufacturing will have to give a contribution towards with the ability to decrease the associated fee a bit of.
Zeke Jones / Virtual Developments
Plus, with a lot more economical mini-LED TVs now providing upper brightness and black ranges which might be dangerously as regards to OLED, the LG C-series OLEDs want to make a extra compelling case.
Something we will have to no longer disregard, regardless that, is LG’s five-year panel guaranty. When you’re in any respect nervous about burn-in, don’t be. LG isn’t. If the rest is going fallacious in 5 years, you’re coated. So far as I’m mindful, that may be a best-in-industry guaranty
I feel LG may just make the C4 extra compelling if its value is available in a bit of less than the C3 did when it was once presented and if the C4 can are available meaningfully less than the Sony and Samsung pageant. I don’t assume the C4 goes to provide MLA – that simply wouldn’t make any sense.
But when the C4 does release at a cheaper price, then the C3’s value must drop much more because the 2024 fashions roll out. And that would make the C3 the no-brainer acquire I truly need it to be.
The LG C3 is a stellar TV, and if you purchase one, you’re going to completely find it irresistible – particularly the ones of you who don’t watch TV with daylight simply drenching your room. The C3 provides the most efficient image high quality you’ll get at a extra affordable value than brighter, pricier ultra-premium OLEDs.
However in the event you’re doing all of your analysis and weighing your choices, you’ll need to imagine whether or not the Sony A80L or the Samsung S90C could be a greater are compatible. That’s simply no longer one thing I’ve needed to say within the years previous.
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