LG has made some huge adjustments to its well-liked C-series OLED TVs for 2022, and the outcomes are spectacular making it top-of-the-line TVs of the 12 months up to now.
The C2 is an Evo class display, which basically means it combines the most recent panel expertise from LG Show with the facility of LG’s all-new Alpha 9 Gen 5 processor, aka the silicon that permits Brightness Boosting (extra on which later).
The result’s a 4K flatscreen able to fairly attractive imagery, plus the flexibility to convey out the most effective in next-gen video games consoles just like the PS5. There’s additionally a brand new 42in dimension for individuals wanting a smaller OLED TV.
There are of course some caveats… however that’s what makes life attention-grabbing, proper?
Design & Construct
LG has made a delicate change to the construct and aesthetics of the C2, in comparison with its predecessor, the LG C1. A brand new light-weight composite materials has decreased the general weight of the mannequin, and made it a little bit thinner.
The glass sits in an ultra-thin body, upon a central pedestal stand making it simpler to park on customary AV furnishings.
This replaces final 12 months’s huge lip pedestal and appears a complete lot extra elegant, though be aware that the 48- and 83in fashions nonetheless have this whereas the 42in choice has two ft very similar to Samsung’s The Body (2021).
LG has additionally slimmed down the distant management. It’s nonetheless a Magic Distant so directs an onscreen cursor, but it surely feels a little bit extra typical to wield. The handset has devoted buttons for Netflix, Disney+, Rakuten TV and Prime Video.
Specs & Options
Connectivity is great as all 4 HDMI ports are 4K 120fps appropriate (HDMI 2.1), with considered one of them appropriate with eARC/ARC enabled soundbars. In case you want it, there’s an optical digital audio output, plus Ethernet to help Wi-Fi.
The set has each a terrestrial aerial enter, which is Freeview Play powered within the UK, and a satellite tv for pc tuner.
Need to stream some TV? You’ve come to the correct place. LG’s webOS has one greatest collections of streaming apps on any sensible TV platform.
Along with each headline streaming service (ie Netflix, Disney+ et al), there’s Britbox, Now (previously Now TV), Rakuten TV and Sky Retailer, whereas Freeview Play contributes all mainstream catch-up gamers (BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All 4, My5, UKTV Play and sundries).
The C2 can also be appropriate with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa sensible programs and helps voice content material search. It additionally has sensible residence gadget management in partnership with LG’s ThinQ sensible platform.
Image & Sound High quality
The C2 outperforms its predecessor, the C1, in terms of general panel brightness, HDR precision and color depth. Given how good the C1 was/is, that is fairly a trick.
The set’s brightness bump is most blatant utilizing the Customary and Eco image defaults. There’s extra punch to its footage, with demonstrably brighter whites and lighter hues.
The Brightness Booster employed right here is completely different to that discovered within the flagship G2 set, in that there’s no {hardware} aspect. Right here it’s powered purely by algorithms, courtesy of the mighty Alpha 9 Gen 5 processor.
Capable of intelligently analyse photos in actual time, this new chipset can prioritise brighter areas of a body for an influence increase. LG quotes a 20 per cent uplift in common image stage, in comparison with the model’s A- and B- collection fashions. Subjectively the display has extra presence in a room with increased ambient gentle.
It ought to be identified that this further luminosity doesn’t apply to the 42- and 48-inch C2 fashions. The pixel pitch on these fashions is simply too small for a comparable impact so you possibly can count on them to be much like the C1.
The Alpha 9 Gen 5 chipset additionally does a exceptional job upscaling, making even grotty SD channels watchable.
The C2 OLED will get loads proper with its picture presets. LG’s Cinema mode strikes a convincing filmic stability between common image ranges, color saturation and dynamic impression. Couple it with the Cinematic Motion TruMotion preset and the outcomes would befit a West Finish cinema.
The Customary and Eco image settings (there’s not a lot between them) are additionally very best for basic TV content material.
Sadly, the Sports activities and Vivid settings are fairly horrible. The previous grossly oversaturated greens, whereas the latter overcooks every little thing. They’re each unwatchable with stay motion materials.
The C2’s HDR efficiency, although, is great. I measured HDR peaks upwards of 810 nits, utilizing the Pure picture preset, straight from the field. HDR help covers Dolby Imaginative and prescient IQ, HDR10 and HLG, however there’s no HDR10+ dynamic metadata help as favoured by Prime Video, which is disappointing.
Enter lag is sweet. I measured latency at 13.1ms with 1080p/60fps content material, with the Sport mode switched on. If you wish to tweak, there’s a devoted Sport Optimizer interface which lets you set completely different Sport Style presets, and toggle most well-liked VRR choices (AMD Freesync Premium or Nvidia G-Sync).
In terms of audio, the C2 places ahead argument, regardless of an absence of devoted audio {hardware}. The trick is to pick out AI Sound Professional, which employs sonic wizardry to present the impression that noises are coming towards you, although the speaker drivers point out in any other case.
There’s additionally help for Dolby Atmos, so the final word plan ought to be to couple the display to an Atmos soundbar or audio system.
Worth & Availability
The LG C2 is obtainable in all kinds of display sizes, greater than every other C vary earlier than it. You’ve the selection of 42-, 48-, 55-, 65-, 77-, and 83-inch fashions (OLED42C2, OLED48C2, OLED55C2, OLED65C2, OLED77C2, OLED83C2).
The 42- and 48in fashions each promote for £1,399, whereas the 55in is £1,899 and the 65-inch mannequin (the one now we have on our check bench) is £2,699. You probably have room for much more glass, then the 77-inch C2 is £3,698 and the 83inmodel £5,499.
Oddly, LG’s official retailer solely sells the 55-, 65- and 77in fashions however you possibly can profit from member costs. Currys and John Lewis inventory the complete vary however you can too head to Amazon and Argos, too.
Stateside, the 42-, 48-, 55-, 65-, 77- and 83in C2 TVs are listed at US$1,399, US1,499, US$1,799, US$2,499, US$3,499 and US$5,499 respectively.
You should buy it immediately from LG in all sizes in addition to retailers like BestBuy and Walmart.
Expensive? Definitely, however these units aren’t constructed for the cut price aisle and it is cheaper than the LG G2.
Verdict
The LG C2 is a chic set that makes use of next-gen panel expertise and film processing to ship a stage of efficiency we’ve not seen from LG earlier than.
Whereas this set’s EVO badge warrants severe consideration, it’s not the entire story. LG has refined the general look of the C2, with new panel backing materials that’s considerably lighter than we’ve seen earlier than. Excellent news if you wish to wall hold.
The set additionally affords greatest in school 4K 120fps connectivity, making the C2 of explicit curiosity to avid gamers.
General, we price the LG C2 as an excellent 4K TV. Our niggles don’t add as much as a lot, leaving us to conclude it is a nice choice for film followers and avid gamers alike.
Specs
LG C2 OLED (2022): Specs
Sizes: 42/48/55/65/77/83in
Mannequin examined: 65in
Show expertise: OLED
Decision: 3840 x 2160 4K
Refresh price: 120Hz
HDR help: Dolby Imaginative and prescient IQ, HDR10, HLG
HDMI: x4 (2.1)
Tuner: Freeview Play
OS: webOS 22 Good Platform
Dimensions:1441(w) x 826(h) x 45.1(d)mm
Weight: 14.8kg
