The G2 collection is the top of LG’s 2022 4K OLED providing – you’ll be able to solely spend extra by leaping to the 8K Z2 line.
Designed for wall-mounting (stands are offered individually) that is an ultra-thin set, with a skinny bezel across the show and a construct designed to sit down flush in opposition to the wall.
With giant display screen choices, LG’s newest show tech and TV processor, and a full suite of HDMI 2.1 ports to drive 120fps gameplay from the most recent video games consoles, there’s lots to love within the G2. However does it do sufficient to justify the additional price in comparison with the superb C2 OLED?
Design and construct
Extraordinarily skinny – simply 2.4cm
Slender 0.6cm bezel
Ships with wall mount – however no stand
Wonderful cable routing
As LG’s ‘Gallery’ TVs, the G2 fashions – accessible in 55-, 65- (the mannequin I’ve reviewed), 77-, and 83in – are designed to look their finest when hanging on a wall. I’ve solely been testing it for a couple of weeks although, so did not fancy drilling into my wall for the event.
With mounting in thoughts, LG has labored to make the fashions as skinny as potential – lower than two and a half centimetres thick. Mix that with the skinny bezel across the display screen itself – 0.6cm for probably the most half, although a bit thicker on the chin – and the image will simply barely cling off the wall itself.
The draw back to that is that whereas the G2 ships with a wall mount, it doesn’t ship with a stand. So should you’d reasonably put this on a standard TV stand, you’ll must pay further for one among LG’s varied stand or mount choices – or simply go for the marginally cheaper C2 fashions, which include a stand included and provide few compromises on high quality elsewhere.
There would not appear to be a G2 stand accessible within the UK on the time of writing however the one used right here is $149 within the US. Final yr, LG provides a Gallery Stand for varied 2019-2021 fashions which can properly match this yr’s too and prices £249.
Nonetheless, the G2 packs a degree of polish that helps justify its price ticket. Whilst you hopefully received’t see it a lot, the TV’s rear is completed in brushed metallic, although pop-out plastic panels are used to cowl the wall-mounting fixings and ports, that are unfold out throughout the TV’s rear to maintain the majority evenly distributed.
The included Magic Distant can also be slender, with a motion-controlled onscreen cursor – or the choice to navigate with extra conventional buttons. Constructed-in shortcuts go to Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and Rakuten TV, together with fast activation of both Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa.
Specs and options
Good house help
HDMI 2.1 with 120Hz help
New α 9 Gen 5 processor
Connectivity right here is fairly laborious to fault. All 4 HDMI ports use the most recent 2.1 commonplace and so can help 4K 120fps content material from the most recent video games consoles, and the TV is able to routinely recognising and naming every enter based mostly on what’s related, even differentiating particular video games consoles. One of many HDMI sockets additionally contains help for eARC/ARC enabled soundbars.
You additionally get three USB-A ports, an Ethernet socket, an optical out for audio, and naturally each Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, together with help for each terrestrial and satellite tv for pc TV enter.
On the software program aspect, LG’s new webOS 22 comes absolutely geared up with a variety of main streaming apps pre-installed, and lots of extra are downloadable from the app retailer.
New options for this yr’s model embody a number of profiles for various relations, parental controls to restrict display screen time and the like, and an ‘At all times Prepared’ mode which principally provides glorified screensavers if you wish to depart the TV on always exhibiting some paintings or the time – much like Samsung’s The Body.
It’s fast and easy to navigate, with no stutter or lag when diving between menus or apps, little doubt helped by the brand new α 9 Gen 5 processor – although on one event Netflix did crash, and the TV merely refused to re-open the app till it had been cleared from RAM.
Like most TV interfaces, there’s slightly an excessive amount of emphasis on promoting content material to you on the default homepage, although you’ll be able to re-arrange issues barely to enhance issues. It’s additionally notable that whereas the interface pulls out suggestions and new content material from throughout the main streamers, Netflix shouldn’t be included in that.
As hinted at by the distant, each Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa are supported right here, and you can even use the TV itself as a hub to regulate different good house tech. Due to a microphone within the distant, voice search can also be accessible, pulling content material from varied sources together with your apps.
The distant additionally contains an NFC chip, and so with a faucet you’ll be able to hyperlink your telephone to your TV. That permits you to use your telephone itself as a distant, solid your telephone display screen to your TV, and even solid TV audio again to your telephone – the best factor should you don’t wish to undergo the effort of pairing Bluetooth headphones to the TV itself.
Image and sound high quality
4K HDR Evo OLED panel
Dolby Imaginative and prescient & Atmos help
Combined high quality show modes
When it comes to pure show high quality, the G2 OLEDs aren’t all that totally different from final yr’s G1 fashions – or certainly this yr’s cheaper C2 collection.
That’s to not sound dismissive of the standard right here – the G2 appears to be like unbelievable, helped by the return of LG’s Evo panel tech and that new Fifth-gen α 9 processor I discussed earlier.
The chip is mixed with a brand new heatsink to drive the TV’s Brightness Booster Max tech – the heatsink permits it to run brighter with out overheating. It doesn’t compromise distinction, preserving inky blacks whereas amping up color and vividity elsewhere.
That is primarily the one show spec the place the G2 pulls away from its cheaper C2 sibling, however it does imply the G2 provides superior HDR, particularly should you have a tendency to observe in a brilliant room – talking of which, there’s help for the Dolby Imaginative and prescient, HDR10, and HLG HDR requirements, however not HDR10+.
The improved brightness is only one a part of the machine studying tech at work right here, and varied ‘AI’-branded settings will modify your image in real-time to optimise it, based mostly on elements starting from the ambient mild to the style of no matter’s on display screen.
If you would like it to, the G2 can even routinely change between the varied show modes relying on enter – switching to the Sport Optimiser whenever you join a sport console, for instance.
The modes are a combined bag. The Normal and Eco modes are primarily indistinguishable and function a succesful default. Cinephiles could want the Cinema and Filmmaker modes, which disable movement smoothing and a few picture enhancements to finest produce the picture meant by filmmakers – although word meaning they’ve been designed to look finest in a darkish room.
I’d solely actually warn you off the Vivid mode – which, for some motive, is the primary within the set and thus could appear the plain default. With aggressive movement smoothing, noise discount, and amped up brightness, this appears to be like completely terrible, including a man-made sheen to no matter you watch.
The Sport Optimiser is probably the most absolutely featured and customisable of the varied viewing modes, with its personal devoted consumer interface to tweak latency, body charges, and varied brightness and color settings. Due to low latency – right down to round 13ms – plus 120Hz, VRR (variable refresh price), and Nvidia G-Sync help, the G2 is a powerful choice for console avid gamers, who received’t discover a lot that’s lacking right here.
As for sound – it is tremendous. TV audio system not often impress an excessive amount of, and anybody spending this a lot on a set ought to most likely take a look at pairing it with a soundbar or encompass set-up, ideally one with Dolby Atmos help. When you don’t the built-in audio system are first rate however a bit thin-sounding, although the AI Sound Professional setting helps slightly, whereas the Clear Voice setting does a very good job of emphasising dialogue within the combine.
Value and availability
The G2 OLED collection is accessible now, and you should purchase direct from LG or Amazon, or from retailers like Currys or Field within the UK, and Greatest Purchase or Walmart within the US.
It’s not low-cost although – costs begin from $2,199/£2,399 for the 55in and climb all the way in which to $6,499/£6,499 for the most important 83in dimension. Keep in mind that if you wish to set it on a stand or toes then you definitely’ll must pay further for that – solely a wall-mount is included within the field.
For comparability’s sake, the 55in model of the C2 would set you again $1,999/£1,899 (and that is together with a stand), so there’s an honest worth hole – much more so should you’re open to purchasing one of many smaller 48in or 42in C2 fashions, though they do not characteristic greater brightness.
There’s little sufficient distinction between the 2 that except you’re planning to wall-mount, you’ll most likely be simply as proud of a less expensive C2 mannequin. Take a look at the remainder of our greatest TV rating for the opposite choices on the market.
Verdict
The LG G2 OLED is a unbelievable TV by any measure. Other than the dismal Vivid mode you’ll discover glorious visible efficiency no matter you throw at it, boosted by brightness that rivals can’t match.
It’s a very glorious TV for gaming, with a full suite of 4 HDMI 2.1 ports that allow 4K HDR 120fps motion, bolstered by low latency, VRR help, and loads of customisation choices.
The largest headache for a lot of will likely be the truth that there’s no stand included within the field, including an additional price for anybody who isn’t seeking to wall-mount it. Between that and the truth that show efficiency is nearly equivalent, the C2 fashions will likely be a greater wager for most individuals. They’re a bit thicker than the G2 variations, but when your TV’s on a stand that basically received’t matter.
Wall-mounters shouldn’t be tempted away although – glorious image high quality, a slim design, and oodles of good options make this probably the greatest TVs round should you prefer it up in opposition to the wall.
Specs
LG G2 OLED (2022): Specs
Sizes: 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 821(h) x 24.3(d)mm
Weight: 22.8kg
