Comparing LG's OLED48C5 and OLED48C4 models: which smaller OLED TV offers superior quality?
The LG C4 and C5 are two budget-friendly OLED TVs that offer a rich and engaging picture, excellent app compatibility, and a robust gaming feature set. However, they each have their unique strengths and weaknesses.
Design and Sound Quality
Both the LG C5 and C4 share a similar design, with the C5 featuring a new AI shortcut button and the ability to control smart lightbulbs on its Magic Remote. The TVs' sound quality is similar to the C5, with the C4 having a slightly flat and wobbly low end. Neither remote is rechargeable or backlit.
Price and HDR Performance
The LG C4's price is significantly lower than the C5, selling for around £800, while the C5 has been reduced to around £1300, offering a £500 difference in price. The C5's higher price tag is justified by its improved HDR performance. It has a higher peak brightness of approximately 1,174 nits compared to around 998 nits on the C4. This boost improves HDR performance with better contrast in dark scenes and more natural colors.
Picture Quality and Processor
The LG C5 offers better picture quality, thanks to its newer Alpha 9 Gen 8 processor. This chipset provides improved upscaling, dynamic tone mapping, and AI-powered picture and sound adjustments. The C4's picture is meticulously detailed and handles bright highlights well, but may appear dim in Dolby Vision Filmmaker mode.
Smart Features
The LG C5 runs webOS 25, which upgrades usability with AI voice recognition and other new smart TV features. The C4 uses an earlier webOS version.
Gaming Features
Both TVs have four HDMI 2.1 ports and a full suite of gaming features, including 4K/144Hz, VRR, ALLM, and Dolby Vision gaming. The LG C5 also boasts the Xbox app, allowing streaming of games without a console and wireless controller connection.
In a nutshell, the LG C5 offers better processing power, brighter HDR peak brightness, improved HDR handling, and updated smart features compared to the C4. However, the difference is modest, and if budget is a concern, the C4 still provides excellent OLED image quality.
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- In the realm of audio, both LG C5 and C4 TVs deliver comparable quality, with the C5 having a slightly improved low end.
- The latest news in the lifestyle and technology sector shows that the LG C4, priced around £800, is more budget-friendly compared to the £1300 price tag of the LG C5.
- At a showcase event, a deal was made for the LG C5, which includes a higher peak brightness of 1,174 nits, offering better HDR performance compared to the C4's 998 nits.
- A detailed review of the speakers in these TVs revealed that the LG C5's sound quality is superior to the C4, which appears to have a flat and wobbly low end.
- Despite the difference in price, sports fanatics might find the LG C4 a suitable choice due to its excellent OLED image quality, although the C5 offers improved HDR performance and smart features.
- For those looking to set up their hi-fi system with a smart and technologically advanced television, the LG C5, running webOS 25 and equipped with a newer Alpha 9 Gen 8 processor, would be a wise buy, offering updated smart features and better processing power compared to the C4.
