OLED TVs like the C2 are self-emissive, which means that unlike LCD panels on conventional TVs, they don’t need a backlight to display a nearly-perfect contrast ratio in dimly lit spaces with deep, inky blacks and no irritating blooming or halo-effect around bright objects. It utilises the same webOS smart interface as other LG TVs, which has undergone a slight update for 2022 that includes, among other minor changes, the addition of user profiles. This year, there is a lot of emphasis on gaming features, such as support for Stadia game streaming and GeForce Now, and it comes in a wider range of sizes than previous models, including the first-ever 42-inch OLED panel. In LG’s OLED series, the ‘C’ lineup, which sits above the more difficult to get LG B2 OLED and below the LG G2 OLED with a “Gallery Style,” is typically the most popular TV.
Design
Due to a change in materials, the LG C2’s back panel has strength without adding a lot of weight, making it both incredibly thin and surprisingly light. Because of the panel’s incredibly small border, nothing can distract from the visuals. In contrast to the wide lip of the previous year, the screen is supported by a central pedestal, which we find to be much more attractive. Additionally, it is better suited for supporting AV furniture. There are four HDMI 2.1 connectors (HDMI 2 is marked as HDMI ARC/eARC ready), an optical digital audio output, Ethernet, and Wi-Fi in addition to the four HDMI 2.1 ports. The TV contains a generic satellite tuner as well as a terrestrial aerial input that is supported by Freeview Play for UK buyers. The LG Magic remote control has also shrunk. It still utilises LG’s cursor-based pointer system but feels more like a traditional wand in the hand. The remote has buttons specifically for Rakuten TV, Disney+, Netflix, and Prime Video.
LG C2 OLED review: Features
An Ethernet, satellite, and aerial input, a headphone out, a digital optical out, four HDMI 2.1 inputs (HDMI 2 is eARC for sending lossless audio to a compatible sound bar), three USB ports, and a CI+ 1.4 (Common Interface) slot are also present. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, AirPlay 2, Chromecast, and Bluetooth Surround Ready are all wireless connectivity options that allow you to connect wireless speakers that function as surround speakers. Both C2 models support WiSA connectivity, which enables the wireless addition of speaker systems and sound bars. The C2 has more gaming features than TVs from competing brands that are similarly priced. When a gaming device is detected, ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) automatically changes the TV into the lowest latency setting. VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) dynamically adjusts the refresh rate of the screen to minimize visual artefacts like tearing and provide a quick response. With 4K/120Hz HFR (High Frame Rate), the image appears smoother and has less lag. They are accessible from every HDMI input, which is unusual on TVs other than a few luxury LG models and high-end Samsung TVs. However, there’s still more! PC gamers can benefit from AMD FreeSync Premium and Nvidia G-Sync VRR solutions, which lower latency and enhance image quality. Nvidia’s GeForce Now is now able to stream games from the cloud alongside Google Stadia. In order to improve luminance (brightness) and black levels, Dolby Vision Gaming supports 4K/120Hz and adapts the HDR performance of compatible games. With its games, HGiG aims to deliver a constant, non-dynamic HDR performance. Gaming latency at 4K is 12.9ms, a few milliseconds slower than the C1; however, VRR, Game boost (for 60Hz content), and compatibility for 120 frames per second can reduce latency to lower numbers. You may change the C2’s performance for each game you’re playing using the Game Optimizer menu, whether that means modifying the latency or the brightness levels. A screensaver mode that makes sure no static images are left on the screen allays worries about image retention or burn-in. Other measures include general maintenance, changing the brightness of on-screen logos, and Screen Move (which slightly moves pixels).
Performance
The addition of OLED evo promises an improved and brighter overall picture, and the LG C2 OLED TV’s upscaling is powered by the Alpha 9 Gen 5 Processor 4K. As evo launched on the LG G1 OLED last year, we found that it did not live up to expectations, so we entered into this review with guarded expectations. However, the C2 excelled in our tests with the X-Rite i1 Pro spectrophotometer, the SpectraCal VideoForge Pro pattern generator, and the Calman calibration software from Portrait Displays. With a score of 1.7 Delta-E, the LG C2 OLED TV stands out for its color accuracy. With a score of 1.3, the LG G2 OLED TV is marginally more accurate, although the average viewer cannot tell the difference between anything with a score under 2. The LG C2 also offers an impressively broad color gamut, producing 134.45% of the Rec 709 color space, significantly exceeding the fundamental color standard. Although we’ve rarely seen this score surpassed, the results are largely the same as those of the LG G1 and C1 OLED TVs from a year ago. With a coverage of 139.78%, only the Samsung S95B OLED TV performed slightly better in the test. Perhaps the only performance flaw was brightness. In our tests, the LG C2 OLED was able to achieve an exact brightness level of 800 nits when HDR material was present. Although that is actually pretty impressive for an OLED TV, we were able to achieve 749 nits in the same 10% window when retesting the LG C1 OLED from the previous year. Especially after having viewed the two TVs side by side earlier this year, these results aren’t as bright as the ones from the new LG G2 OLED TV. However, the LG G2 OLED TV is both more expensive and the brightest OLED TV LG has ever made.
LG C2 OLED review: Software
The decision to switch to an interface that focuses on curating content was made in 2021, and it is being carried out in the 2022 release of webOS. Unfortunately, we were unable to access recent or background apps because this main portal wasn’t functioning properly for us. It was simple enough to get around the problem by accessing the app store through the Home Dashboard or voice control, but there were still a few annoyances, like the inability to update apps directly from the app store, even though using voice control to open an app resulted in the app automatically updating itself. We haven’t seen the issue referenced anywhere else outside a forum post. The Magic remote is still in use from 2021 and is less difficult to operate, with the cursor less likely to dart across the screen. It contains shortcuts for the Alexa and Google digital assistants in addition to hotkeys for Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and Rakuten. There are many apps available, including Apple TV, Sky Store, Twitch, Hulu, HBO Max, and Sling TV for US users, as well as Freeview Play for UK catch-up and on-demand content. Nearly 200 free-to-air channels are available on LG Channels, and LG TVs only have access to LIVENow, which offers access to live events and concerts. You can control the TV’s various inputs, wireless connections (like AirPlay 2), and connections to IoT (Internet of Things) devices throughout the house from the Home Dashboard. With fewer sections to sift through and fewer menus that are nestled together, the menu system is still simple to use. For any keen multitaskers, the Multi View, which we hadn’t noticed before, enables the simultaneous viewing of two screens.
Picture quality
The LG C2 makes use of the same OLED Evo panel as the more costly G2. This is made up of materials that have been reformed with more accurate wavelengths to widen the color spectrum. This creates brighter images than the C1 when combined with the Alpha9 Gen5 processor and Brightness Booster. However, because there is no heat dissipation technology, it is not as bright as the G2. you will read our article on LG C2 OLED review. The new Alpha9 Gen5 processor uses AI-enhanced deep learning to improve deinterlacing, upscaling, and sharpness on lower resolution content while reducing dither noise. To make SDR and HDR content appear more realistic, the new processor also uses genre detection, scene detection, and object and background enhancements. The C2 is a remarkable 4K OLED TV that exhibits all the typical advantages, including crisp, pixel-precise images that are sharp and detailed as well as deep blacks and great shadow detail. With no discernible banding, dirty screen effect, or color tinting, the screen uniformity is similarly stunning. The viewing angles are very broad, and reflections are very effectively managed. Like all LG TVs, the C2 is shipped in Eco mode, which is wildly oversaturated in comparison to industry standards and really pushes blue in the whites. Fortunately, switching to Filmmaker mode yields remarkable accuracy, with accurate gamma tracking and typical color/greyscale DeltaE errors around one. This is significantly less than the visible threshold of three, so a calibration won’t have a noticeable impact. The “Eco” setting for energy conservation remains at Auto even after switching to Filmmaker mode. Unfortunately, turning it off isn’t simple. This alters the brightness of the image depending on the amount of ambient light. You must change this setting from Auto to Off in All Settings – General – OLED Care – Device Self Care – Energy Saving – Energy Saving Step. You can now customize the Filmmaker mode’s overall brightness to your liking. LG has spent the previous few years perfecting how its OLED TVs handle motion, and the C2 performs superbly in this area. There are five options available on the TruMotion menu: Cinematic Movement, Natural, Smooth Movement, and User Selection. TruMotion should be disabled (or switched to Filmmaker Mode) for anyone who is particularly sensitive to the effects of motion smoothing on film-based content, but others may find it fun to play around with the various options.
LG C2 OLED review: Sound quality
The sound of LG’s C-series TVs has occasionally failed to find the proper balance, but the C2, despite still being far from ideal, is unquestionably a step in the right way. The sets from last year were smooth but uninteresting, but the C2’s punchier, more aggressive delivery is definitely an improvement. It makes watching TV more interesting and exciting. The loud bassy thumps that challenge the set at the beginning of Blade Runner 2049 and during the flight into LA at the start of the second chapter, however, cause a slight rattle from the speaker cabinet. This is much less noticeable than it was with the CX TV from 2020, but it’s still a problem that the C1 from 2021 didn’t have, suggesting LG hasn’t yet found a good balance between excitement and easy listening. Despite this, the C2 still offers a sonic improvement over the LG OLEDs from the previous year, delivering a more natural sound with greater voice projection. Overall, it is smoother and cleaner, but it also has more punch and dynamism than before. It also has more weight, but it does so convincingly blend in with the rest of the delivery rather than coming out of nowhere like it does on many TVs. In the end, there are very few TVs that wouldn’t benefit from a straightforward sound bar, but the C2, while having decent sound, is easier to upgrade than one might anticipate for a TV with its price tag.
Gaming
Thanks to its four HDMI 2.1 ports, which support 4K at 120 Hz, and VRR, which includes Nvidia G-Sync and AMD Freesync, the LG C2 is a great option for next-generation gamers. Additionally, ALLM detects consoles and instantly transitions to the low latency gaming mode. Depending on the frame rate, this mode produces input lag that ranges from 13ms to as little as 5ms. The recently expanded game hub is fantastic; it appears when the Settings button is pressed and provides all the essential game-related data and controls in a logically laid out interface. There are also settings for the wider 21:9 and 32:9 aspect ratios – when supported – as well as a Dark Room mode for more comfortable HDR gaming at night or in a darkened room. also you will check our article on LG C2 OLED review.
Price and availability
The majority of the models in the range were released in March 2022, with a few sizes following a little later. The LG C2 OLED is a part of the LG 2022 TV lineup. The 48-, 55-, 65-, and 77-inch models were first made available in March, followed by the 83-inch model in April, and then the eagerly anticipated 42-inch screen size in May. In the UK, some of these sizes are already accessible. You’ll check that the cost of the 42-inch and 48-inch variants is nearly same. Given that this is the first time LG has produced an OLED panel of this size, stock shortages for the 42-inch variant may be to blame. As a result, we wouldn’t be shocked if the price of the smallest C2 OLED panel decreased in the near future. Having said that, it’s important to keep in mind that some 42-inch models have already shipped but lack the latest OLED EX screen due to stock shortages. As a result, it could be wise to wait until these problems are fixed.
Conclusion
For the majority of uses, the LG C2 is a fantastic TV. Its self-emissive technology makes it ideal for watching HDR video or movies in a dim environment. Additionally, it is brighter than most OLED panels, making it a wonderful option for viewing TV shows or sporting events in a room with lots of natural light. Additionally, the image quality is outstanding at wide angles, making it ideal for large seating arrangements. It offers a great range of gaming functions, and the excellent gaming experience is made possible by the reduced input lag.
