OLED TVs have been around for a while now, but still, even with the latest advancements in display technology, stand as the best way to play the latest games. With the rich, dark blacks, and vivid colour, OLED brings games to life in a way LED has yet to achieve. The only issue is the price, since OLED is the most expensive display type you can buy. Thankfully, LG is finding ways to deliver amazing results at a slightly more affordable price, while still offering all the features gamers love. The LG C1 OLED delivers both performance and specs, offering up one of the best TVs for gaming.
The LG C1 OLED sits in the sweet spot between the ultra-premium LG G1 OLED and the more budget-friendly LG A1 OLED. LG has shown in the C1 that they know what is important, delivering a smart TV that can bring a truly immersive gaming experience, making movies and media look amazing, while looking great in any living room.
Unboxing the LG C1 OLED is a bit more complex than some TVs you will find on the market. With its incredibly thin design and fantastic base, you will want to enlist help getting this TV ready to go. The base comes in two sections that need to be put together, as well as attached to the bottom of the TV. It also has the option of mounting. You just need to have a 300 x 200-millimeter VESA mount, and you should be good to go.
Once set up, the LG C1 OLED looks absolutely stunning. It feels thinner than many TVs you will see at most electronics stores. The metal and glass design offers a minimalistic look that feels futuristic, boasting clean lines and minimal bezels. The top half of the LG C1 OLED is also only 0.1-inch thick, making it one of the thinnest TVs we have used.
“The LG C1 OLED sits in the sweet spot between the ultra-premium LG G1 OLED and the more budget-friendly LG A1 OLED.”
With all the vital components resting in the bottom half, you will find it a bit thicker there at 1.8 inches. Still very thin, especially considering how well put together the LG C1 OLED is. The TV also just looks well-constructed, with the overall body appearing shockingly crisp, with the clean lines, and sharp edges adding to the overall look of the set.
The LG C1 OLED offers a respectable assortment of ports to connect all your gaming and media components. Around the back, you will find a single HDMI input, two USB ports, along with coax, Ethernet, a headphone jack for audio, a headphone style service port, and a digital optical audio output.
On the side of the LG C1 OLED are three HDMI 2.1 ports (one with eARC), and a single USB input. With this being a minimalistic TV, LG has you covered with wireless options and the LG C1 OLED features built-in 802.11ac and Bluetooth 5.0.
“With this being a minimalistic TV, LG has you covered with wireless options and the LG C1 OLED features built-in 802.11ac and Bluetooth 5.0.”
It is also important to note that, unlike many competing TVs, the LG C1 OLED offers HDMI 2.1 connectivity on all four of its HDMI ports. This means no matter where you plug in your latest PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X you should be able to enjoy high frame rate gaming and 4K content at 120Hz. This is something I hope to see more brands do, since more systems now support these features, having a TV that limits where you can use them is frustrating to say the least.
Thankfully, once everything is hooked up, the LG C1 OLED delivers in terms of picture and clarity. OLED is loved for the inky blacks, and rich deep colour, along with the ability to brighten or darken individual pixels, creating amazing contrast, clarity and overall definition on anything displayed. LG also has pushed what is possible, pairing the OLED panel with their Alpha 9 Gen 4 AI 4K processor, making sure the images you display look as good as possible.
Jumping into testing, the LG C1 OLED delivered a vibrant picture that looks great on all areas of the screen. While some LED panels have zones that can make some media look odd depending on how it is presented, there were no issues on this panel. Blacks were rich, with even dark movies or games looking sharp and vibrant, with a level of clarity few TVs can match. This was true with all the media we threw at it, including 4K Netflix and a selection of 4K Blu-rays of Planet Earth.
“While some LED panels have zones that can make some media look odd depending on how it is presented, there were no issues on this panel.”
While standard 4K media looks great, gaming looked even better. As mentioned before, the LG C1 OLED features HDMI 2.1 on all the ports on offer, so hooking up the Xbox Series X made for a great testing experience. We loved the gaming mode on the TV, making it easy to set up everything the way we would want to maximize our gaming experience.
The inclusion of Nvidia G-Sync made even PC gaming look great with little to no issue with refresh rates, even on the most demanding games. If that were not enough, the C1 also features Dolby Vision HDR at 120Hz, a feature that pushes what is possible. While it is something currently only on the Xbox Series X, it looks amazing while in action, and is a great selling point for people that demand the best.
On the audio side, the LG C1 OLED features 40 watts of 2.2 channel audio that sounds great, even without external speakers. While I am a fan of full audio setups, or at very least a good soundbar, it is great to see LG deliver audio that can be used without making your ears bleed. Dialog felt clear, with music and ambient sound feeling good, for a small room viewing experience.
“The inclusion of Nvidia G-Sync made even PC gaming look great with little to no issue with refresh rates.”
The LG C1 OLED also features the ability to expand your audio wirelessly. If you have Bluetooth speakers, you can expand your home theatre easily without much issue or frustration, and WiSA connectivity delivers wireless 5.1 for WiSA-ready sound systems.
The interface features LG’s webOS 6.0 that feels greatly improved over past iterations. While I loved webOS when it was a smartphone UI, I feel LG has built on the concept and delivered a very easy to use interface that feels intuitive and modern. While many people know the Android TV or Apple TV UI, what LG has built feels easy to learn.
The webOS system allows for all the apps you would expect from a modern TV. You will find Netflix, YouTube, AppleTV+, and even Disney+. While there are a few more obscure apps that may be missing, for someone who just wants to set the TV up and enjoy media, LG and their webOS should have you covered.
LG has delivered a full package that feels tailor-made for gaming in mind. Media looks amazing on the LG C1 OLED, with it packing features many brands are lagging behind with. 120Hz 4K gaming is something many TVs struggle with, yet here is LG giving that on all the HDMI ports you could use. Add the G-Sync inclusion and an overall stunning picture, and you have a winning formula.
The only thing that could hold the LG C1 OLED back is the price. With a starting MSRP of $1,499 USD and going up from there, the C1 is an investment, one that is not as easy to jump into compared to some of the large number of LED options on the market. That being said, if you want one of the best-rounded OLED gaming experiences, the LG C1 OLED has you covered. Boasting amazing picture, stunning design, and great features, if you can afford the price tag, the LG C1 OLED is the TV built to deliver the best gaming experience possible.
