55/65 inch Oled TVs LG C1 or LG C2: which one to choose?

The new LG C2 brings many innovations to the flagship Oled model of the LG television range. This model inherits the Oled Evo panel present on last year’s more high-end models such as the LG G1. This panel is brighter, since we measured the peak brightness at 804 cd/m² on the 65C2 against 740 cd/m² on the LG 65C1 and 782 cd/m² on the LG 65G1 (equipped with the same panel). The LG C2 is also distinguished by the integration, directly into the television, of a microphone which allows the use of the ThinQ voice assistant via the “Hi LG” command without having to touch the remote control. The hands-free mode associated with the Always Ready functionality allows the television to display information on part of the screen, such as the weather forecast for example, before going back to standby.

Another interesting new feature is the management of profiles on webOS, which allows you to obtain personalized suggestions on the home page. The α9 (Alpha 9) Gen 5 AI processor also replaces the 2021 α9 (Alpha 9) Gen 4 AI, but the differences are not stark. In general, the differences between processor performance from one year to the next are not exceptional and the gain is really gradual.

For the rest, the LG C1 and LG C2 televisions remain very close. They display perfect image quality in SDR and HDR. The peak brightness, slightly higher on the C2, allows it to display a slightly wider dynamic range on HDR content, but without really making a difference. On the gaming side, it’s a draw between the two models which have four HDMI 2.1 inputs compatible with all the features of this new HDMI standard, namely 4K streams at 120 Hz, VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) which avoids tearing of the image and the jerks, the ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) which allows the automatic passage in game mode when a console is detected or the eARC for a lossless audio feedback.

LG TVs are also compatible with G-Sync – Nvidia-style VRR – and FreeSync Premium (not Pro, since LG prefers the TV to manage the HDR layer). The anti-reflection filter is identical. Regarding the audio part, our preference would go more easily to the LG C1, whose solid aluminum foot contributes to good audio rendering. On the C2, the audio rendering remains very good for a television, but this model opts for a more compact stand which has less impact on the sound. In addition, WiSA compatibility is no longer guaranteed on the C2. The latter makes up for it with reduced consumption at only 72.1 W/m², against 92.3 W/m² for the LG C1.

A quality report in favor of the LG C1 until the end of stocks

To date, the LG C1 – whether in the 55 or 65 inch version – offers one of the best value for money Oled televisions, and even in the television market in general. Indeed, the LG 55C1 is displayed at only 1200 € while the LG 55C2 – released last month – is sold for around 2000 €. As for the 65-inch models, the LG 65C1 is around 1700 € while the LG 65C2 is billed at 2700 €. The price difference of €800 for the 55-inch model and €1000 for the 65-inch model is clearly not justified.

Released in May 2021, LG C1 televisions are at the end of their life and LG should sell out the last stocks during the summer sales. We assume that we can then buy an LG 55C1 for around 1100 € and the 65-inch version – the LG 65C1 – for just under 1600 € until the end of sales or stocks. Then, you will have to wait until Black Friday in mid-November to take advantage of attractive promotions on the new LG C2s.