LG C3 OLED overview: Subtly does it

LG’s C Sequence has been the corporate’s best-selling TV vary for numerous years now – to not point out one of many best 4K TVs you would purchase. By balancing value and efficiency it has made itself a simple suggestion as the best LG TV to purchase – fairly unusually taking the limelight off of the flagship G Sequence within the course of.

In 2023 although, it seems like LG has made an effort to shift that focus again to its flagship vary, with solely pretty incremental enhancements to the C Sequence in comparison with huge strides forwards with the LG G3.

With the technological hole getting wider, does the C Sequence nonetheless do sufficient to stay a prime suggestion – significantly with a value rise that sees it costlier than the LG C2 at launch? Here is our full overview.

Design

• Display sizes: 42in, 48in, 55in, 65in, 77in, 83in
• 4x HDMI 2.1, 3x USB
• Extremely-slim design

Issues have remained just about unchanged within the design division, in contrast with the C2. Which means a light-weight composite fibre building with silver trim, an virtually bezel-free display and a super-slim profile – although issues aren’t fairly as uniformly slender right here as you may discover on the G3, with its Zero Hole design.

As a substitute, there is a extra seen bump out the again right here that holds the TV’s connections. This covers off 4 HDMI 2.1 inputs (considered one of which is eARC), three USB ports, two RF aerial inputs and an ethernet port.

At 45mm thick, it would not make the C3 a no-go for wall mounting, however you’ll need to purchase a bracket individually.

What you may get with the C3 is an aluminium central stand that is good but minimalistic. It is not fairly as easy to suit as Samsung’s stands – which merely slot in – but it surely would not take lengthy to get the 4 screws in place.

The LG C3 is offered in six display sizes – we’re testing the 65 inch model right here, however they go as little as 42 inches and all the best way as much as 83 inches. All screens include LG’s Magic Distant, which is exclusive in its design and can be utilized in 3 ways – as an on-screen pointer, utilizing the wheel at its centre to scroll by means of menus, or utilizing the D-pad that surrounds it as an alternative.

It is probably the most versatile distant that we have used and discover it turns out to be useful to have the choice in use when coping with totally different menus – although it is a disgrace it is not backlit for night-time watching.

As we’re used to seeing from most producers there are shortcut buttons on it to common apps, like Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Rakuten and Alexa – plus LG Channels, LG’s personal content material service streaming over 100 channels over the online.

Options

• Alpha 9 Gen 6 processor
• 4K/120Hz, VRR and ALLM assist
• Dolby Imaginative and prescient Gaming to 4K/120Hz
• Simplified webOS good TV system

The LG C3 makes use of the identical panel expertise because the LG C2, which is LG’s OLED Evo panel with Brightness Booster expertise. This expertise is all the way down to software program tweaks run by the brand new Alpha 9 Gen 6 processor, fairly than any {hardware} doing the heavy lifting. There’s not one of the built-in warmth sink or micro lens array expertise of the LG G3 right here.

The brand new Alpha 9 Gen 6 processor does carry with it some image processing enhancements although. These embrace LG’s AI Tremendous Upscaling Professional for lowering noise in decrease high quality content material, Object Enhancer, which higher sharpens objects within the foreground of a picture, and Dynamic Tone Mapping Professional, which breaks a picture into 20,000 zones as an alternative of 5,000 for higher a greater, extra correct HDR outcome.

Avid gamers have a fairly full suite of options, together with assist for 4K/120Hz throughout all 4 HDMI ports, VRR and ALLM (together with assist for AMD Freesync Premium and Nvidia G-Sync), and Dolby Imaginative and prescient Gaming all the best way as much as 4K/120Hz. With enter lag coming in underneath 10ms with Recreation mode activated, there must be no grumbles right here if getting used as a gaming monitor too.

LG’s WebOS good TV platform has had a shake up this yr, to make it less complicated to navigate. It is now been condensed to simply two pages, with the primary web page internet hosting a brand new Fast Card system for grouping collectively apps and options into totally different matters – like Recreation, Music, Sport and Dwelling Hub, the place you’ll be able to join and management your good residence units.

There’s additionally a rail of all of the obtainable apps – you’ll be able to count on all the large names, together with Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, Disney+, Hulu, Paramount Plus, Peacock, YouTube and, for these within the UK, Freeview Play.

On the subsequent web page you may discover extra content material ideas, although it seems like no less than a few of this might’ve been squeezed onto the primary web page if there wasn’t an enormous promoting house taking on half of the primary web page.

Nonetheless, it is simple sufficient to navigate, significantly with the LG Magic Distant, and the Fast Settings menu, that pops as much as the left hand aspect can be useful for tweaking image and sound modes, altering display brightness or switching on options like Multi View – the place you’ll be able to have totally different screens working subsequent to at least one one other – or Recreation Optimiser.

From a connectivity viewpoint, it is received a number of the specs you’d wish to see, together with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, AirPlay 2 and Alexa voice management – which might be palms free if you happen to select to.

Image efficiency

• 4K, 3840 x 2160 pixels
• Assist for Dolby Imaginative and prescient IQ, HDR10 Professional, HLG
• Filmmaker Mode

With so many nods to the LG C2 within the C3 to this point, it could appear impolite to not embrace a hat tip to it within the efficiency part too – particularly as a result of a number of the good stuff you may see within the C3 you will discover to virtually the identical diploma within the C2 as properly.

That is not a nasty factor. The LG C2 did take a good step ahead on the C1 final yr, and there is nonetheless quite a bit to like, however in attempting to offer the G3 the limelight this yr, it has taken a little bit of a shine off of the C3, in a market that’s shifting ahead on a regular basis.

What you’d count on from an LG OLED is all current and proper. Color stability is supremely pure, with simply the correct amount of pop obtainable when it is wanted, element is nice, movement dealing with excellent.

Filmmaker Mode is – as its identify would recommend – a one-click image setting that does away with further processing and presents the image because the director might need deliberate for it to look.

It is our alternative for HDR10, SDR and TV content material, however Dolby Imaginative and prescient content material seems greatest with Dolby Imaginative and prescient Cinema Dwelling, which provides in a smidge extra brightness to the general image than the usual Dolby Imaginative and prescient Cinema mode.

We would hasten a guess that the latter might be the extra correct mode, however for anybody not in a devoted cinema room, the brighter image helps to offer it a bit extra dynamism with out affecting the general stability.

Netflix

Watching Luther The Fallen Solar on Netflix in 4K Dolby Imaginative and prescient, the LG C3 comes into its personal, gripping on to all of the element it could possibly discover and guaranteeing nothing is left unnoticed. From sweeping snowy landscapes in Norway to the feel in Luther’s tweed jacket, every part is introduced with unimaginable depth and subtlety.

The result’s a very cinematic image that we have develop into accustomed to experiencing with LG’s OLED TVs.

There are many moody scenes right here to check the LG C3’s dealing with of black ranges and shadow element too, and unsurprisingly, it’s superb information certainly. Even within the darkest of scenes, the LG manages to pick extra refined particulars from the depths, and naturally, when black is required, the C3 can ship depth in absolute phrases.

Shiny highlights sit brightly and exactly in opposition to these darkish scenes, doubtlessly a contact brighter than they did on C2, although we’ve got seen these parts – the headlights from a automotive, the neon indicators of Soho or the hearth that consumes the mansion with the captured youngsters – pack a bit extra punch in brighter screens just like the G3 and the S90C.

It is honest to say the LG C3 does its easiest work in darker rooms too, and we did discover ourselves having to attract blinds for one of the best expertise with darkish scenes, on account of some reflectiveness from the home windows behind our viewing place. A bit extra brightness behind the panel would have the ability to give these scenes a contact extra energy and dynamism in brilliant rooms – that is achievable by deciding on the Vivid preset, however this comes on the detriment of accuracy throughout the board.

As we talked about, color dealing with is extremely properly managed – pores and skin tones specifically are supremely lifelike and nothing ever seems pushed or overdone, regardless of having loads of “pop” when required.

Samsung’s S90C may push this vibrancy a contact more durable for a richer, better affect however in isolation, there’s nothing to complain about right here. Colors are each saturated and refined once you’d need them to be – and that is the case throughout HDR and SDR content material.

With Filmmaker Mode on, watching Drive on Blu-ray reveals simply how properly the LG C3 handles upscaling. There may be next-to-no noise, edges are explicitly drawn and element retrieval is unbelievable – you’d virtually battle to know you were not watching a 4K image for probably the most half.

DVDs do not honest fairly as properly but it surely’s nonetheless not a nasty displaying in any respect, and about what you’d count on when the C3 is having to make up a good quantity of the knowledge. You may have to just accept extra noise with some fuzzier edges and a little bit of smoothed-out element, but it surely’s actually not unwatchable.

Understandably, customary definition broadcast fares the worst right here – attempt to hold to HD channels and above and also you should not discover a lot cause to grouse.

Movement is fairly properly dealt with out of the field, although we discovered deciding on the Cinematic Motion preset helped with smoothing out any remaining judder in film content material. Easy Motion is much too aggressive and introduces the cleaning soap opera impact so, except that is your desire, we would positively suggest avoiding that.

Sound efficiency

• 2.2-channel
• 40W output
• Dolby Atmos and DTS:X decoding – 9.1.2 just about

LG’s C Sequence has lengthy been on the receiving finish of a less-than-stellar built-in audio system, most likely with the expectation that you’ll improve your sound system with no less than a soundbar. That appears to be a theme that continues with the LG C3, which sadly doesn’t have quite a bit to jot down residence about within the sound division.

The two.2-channel 40W system can decode Dolby Atmos and DTS:X just about, with a quoted improve to 9.1.2 channels from the 7.1.2 channels digital efficiency of the C2.

We would not depend on this setup delivering any actual sense of Atmos impact although. Whereas among the sound modes may give the pretty fragile out-of-the-box sound some physique and depth, the general efficiency of the C3 is fairly small scale – and struggles to sound comfy or completely balanced with any of the modes.

Cinema mode – predictably – tries to ship the beefiest sound, however there is a honest quantity of distortion within the low finish it tries to champion once you try any form of quantity. Strive AI Sound Professional and it sounds surprisingly exhausting and skinny – dialogue is obvious and the soundstage is massive, however that fragility is sporting after some time.

Commonplace loses a few of that breadth of sound, and among the sharpness, however you’ll hear some distortion creep again in now and again. Nonetheless, it is likely to be one of the best – on stability – choice of the lot, but it surely means the price of a soundbar ought to completely enter into your sums when deciding whether or not to go for the C3.

Handily, LG has made one with the C3 particularly in thoughts – the USC9S, which comes packaged with a stand to sit down it completely beneath when wall mounted

This won’t solely make higher sense of the sound out of your TV reveals and flicks, however it could possibly additionally reap the benefits of LG’s WOW Orchestra performance. This groups the sound from a suitable LG soundbar and TV collectively to create an excellent larger, extra strong audio efficiency.

When it is working properly, it sounds nice, and does an incredible job of elevating the sound to the TV panel fairly than localised to the soundbar.

It is not fairly as straightforward as deciding on the WOW Orchestra mode and letting the expertise do its factor although – we skilled a really annoying echo the place the 2 weren’t fairly in sync, and needed to go delving into the menus to rectify it.

Let’s additionally not neglect that this soundbar itself prices £999/$999, so removed from an affordable add-on, however we expect to see bundle offers at a reduction, so it is likely to be price maintaining an eye fixed out. We’ll have a full overview of the USC9S quickly.

Verdict

The LG OLED65C3 is a unbelievable TV, that gives all the issues we liked concerning the C2 with a number of refined enhancements in issues like brightness and element retrieval.

Nevertheless, these enhancements battle to make sense when you’ll be able to decide the LG C2 up for £1000/$1000 much less now – whereas shares final – and luxuriate in no less than 90 per cent of the identical expertise.

We all know that LG TVs are among the first to return down in value, however whereas they continue to be near (a now larger) RRP, the competitors from the mid-range OLED and QD-OLED market is starting to shut in on it just a little too.

There are compelling choices from Samsung and Sony on the market to contemplate now, the place maybe there weren’t in earlier years. You possibly can’t knock the LG C3 for its element and upscaling capabilities, however these with brighter rooms may discover a contact extra punch and dynamism elsewhere. Sound can be not one of the best, however the C3 just isn’t alone there.

Avid gamers can be glad at how properly they’re attended to right here, and people with darker rooms will nonetheless discover the cinematic image on supply the most effective, however LG’s C Sequence has additionally been overshadowed by the strides forwards that the G3 has made in all of the issues it could fall just a little brief on.

If LG has achieved this to lastly shift consideration to its flagship vary, it could properly have succeeded.