LG 65C4 test: an Oled TV with explosive value for money

In 2024, the LG C4 logically succeeds last year’s C3. It does not disrupt the range at first glance, since we retain the same Oled Evo panel with its qualities and defects, as well as a definition of 3840 x 2160 pixels. The main improvement is on the processor side with a slightly more efficient α9 AI Gen 7 on paper and a move to 144 Hz.

The WebOS operating system has also been reworked to provide a better user experience, but this constitutes the only notable new features of the LG C4 with the evolution of the processor. Despite this lack of revolution, it remains to be seen if this TV continues to establish itself as a benchmark on the market. The 65-inch LG 65C4 version that we are testing here is priced at €2,000. We therefore note a drop compared to the recommended retail price of the C3, which is appreciable. The same goes for other screen sizes, offered at the following prices:

• LG 42C4 in 42 inches: 1200 €
• LG 48C4 in 48 inches: 1300 €
• LG 55C4 in 55 inches: 1600 €
• LG 77C4 in 77 inches: 3300 €
• LG 83C4 in 83 inches: 5000 €

Please note, the 42 and 48 inch models have a different panel from the other diagonals and are normally a little less bright.

All brightness and colorimetry measurements mentioned in this article were carried out with a SpectraCal C6-HDR probe and CalMAN Ultimate software.

Image quality

The Oled Evo panel, identical to that of 2023, retains the four-subpixel architecture (red, green, blue and one white to improve brightness) characteristic of LG. With this technology, the viewing angles are still excellent and the loss of brightness measured at 13% at an angle of 45° remains much lower than LCD televisions which can lose between 35% and 70%.

The infinite contrasts specific to Oled guarantee blacks of perfect depth and detailed rendering in dark scenes. On the colorimetry side, nothing to complain about: in Filmmaker mode, the calibration remains exceptional with a delta E of 1.9, well below the critical threshold of 3. The average color temperature, measured at 6700 K, is almost perfectly aligned with the standard of 6500 K, while the gamma of 2.5 ensures a rather precise reproduction of gray levels, although a little too dark sometimes.

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1 – Average Delta E SDR measured at 1.9 2 – Color temperature curve – average 6700 K 3 – Gamma curve – average 2.5

Although it is equipped with the new α9 Gen 7 processor, which should be a little more efficient than the α9 Gen 6 of the previous model, it is difficult to quantify the concrete gains. The TruMotion motion compensation technology is in any case still as effective. And if it can be interesting for sport, we advise you to deactivate it for watching films and series in order to avoid the “soap opera” effect. TruMotion is disabled in Filmmaker mode anyway.

The LG 65C4 is equipped with an ambient light sensor which, once activated, automatically adjusts the brightness and white balance according to the lighting in the room. This can be particularly convenient if you watch TV at different times of the day, as this intelligent management optimizes the picture in real time. In addition to this, the device offers specific modes for sports and video games, as well as an AI mode that analyzes content in order to select the most appropriate settings for each type of program.

HDR

As usual, LG TVs are HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision compatible, but not HDR10+ which is of course reserved for competitor Samsung and a few other manufacturers.

The reference EOTF curve (in yellow) is faithfully respected up to approximately 65% ​​luminance. Beyond this threshold, progressive smoothing occurs when the panel receives an HDR signal at 10,000 cd/m². This technical choice aims to preserve details in very bright areas of the image, while avoiding the phenomenon of clipping (when an image that is too white loses its nuances and details). On the other hand, with an HDR signal at 1000 cd/m², the curve follows the reference perfectly throughout the luminance scale.

Our measurement revealed a peak brightness of 970 cd/m² over a 10% window, a good result which positions this TV above entry-level LCD models. We nevertheless regret that there is no improvement compared to the C3 of 2023. The light peak therefore remains lower than the levels reached by high-end Oleds, such as on the LG G4 or the Samsung S95D which exceed 1600 cd/m², without forgetting Mini-Leds which reach 2400 cd/m².

Due to lower maximum brightness, HDR scenes will not benefit from the same visual impact as on these higher performance TVs. The colorimetry is in any case faithful overall (average delta E of barely 1.7), and only certain green shades are slightly distorted.

The TV offers excellent coverage of the DCI-P3 color space (95.5%) commonly used in cinema, while its coverage of Rec. 2020 – wider, but less widespread – is the norm for Oled screens (69%).

Clouding et blooming

Unlike LCD televisions which often suffer from halo effects (blooming) around bright objects and subtitles, and more or less bright areas (clouding), Oled technology offers a perfectly homogeneous image. Our measurements revealed a variation in white brightness of just 3%, a result that ensures a uniform display across the entire screen surface.

Reflectance

The Vanta Black filter appearing at LG in 2023 considerably reduces ambient reflections on the screen with an average reflectance of only 18%. The Samsung S95D, with its 8% reflectance, remains the benchmark in terms of anti-glare currently.

Video games

The Oled displays an extremely low response time that gamers will appreciate. In Game mode, the display delay (input lag) is limited to 12.5 ms, but you can go further by activating the Game Optimizer and selecting the Enhancer option in the settings. This response time then drops to just 9.5 ms, guaranteeing exceptional responsiveness and no delay between an action performed on the controller and its repercussion on the screen. In addition, the total absence of afterglow, specific to Oled panels, eliminates any motion blur.

If Game mode displays a base image that is too cold and crazy colors, you just need to make a few adjustments in the menus to obtain precise and more natural colorimetry. By adjusting the color temperature to Warm 50, the delta E drops back below 3 in SDR, but this is not the case in HDR, which is strange. We’ve never experienced this problem on other LG TVs, but this time the delta E remains way too high with an average of 9.8.

With its four HDMI 2.1 ports, the LG C4 is perfectly equipped to accommodate consoles and soundbars without asking too many questions. VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) technologies and FreeSync Premium and G-Sync compatibility are also included, thus eliminating the effects of tearing (image tearing) and microsaccades. Small bonus, image refresh goes from 120 to 144 Hz; a meager difference that will only benefit PC players.

Ergonomics

In line with the previous model, the LG 65C4 retains the same characteristics and an identical design, except for the plastic coating on the back. Everything is still as neat and the foot remains unchanged with a depth of 23 cm for a length of 47 cm. It should allow you to place a soundbar at the front if your furniture is not too narrow.

The connectivity is well provided with four HDMI 2.1 ports, three USB ports, an Ethernet port, an optical digital audio output, a PCMCIA Common Interface CI+ port (located at the top), as well as an antenna connector for terrestrial reception and satellite. The LG 65C3 also has a DVB-T/T2, DVB-S/S2 and DVB-C tuner, and offers wireless connectivity via 802.11a/b/g/n/ac wifi and Bluetooth 5.1, allowing the use of headphones or wireless speakers.

The interface, now under webOS 24, remains fluid and still allows user profiles to be managed with personalized recommendations based on the content viewed. There you can find classic applications like Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Spotify, OCS, or MyCanal. After the introduction of “quick cards”, which automatically group applications by category (gaming, sport, home automation, etc.) in 2023, there are not really any significant new features a year later, it must be admitted…

Both the TV and remote control have built-in microphones for voice control. By saying “Hi LG”you can adjust the volume, change the screen settings or change channels. The Magic Remote is identical to that of previous years with a numeric keypad, a gyroscope allowing you to direct the TV with a pointer, as well as buttons dedicated to streaming services (Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ and Rakuten TV), not to mention direct access to Alexa. It is therefore still as practical, but its design is starting to date. Note that Google Assistant was recently removed from the webOS interface.

How does the rating work?

The LG 65C4 is still a very good Oled television, even if we remain hungry in the year 2024, let’s admit it. We see almost no evolution compared to the previous model, and if you find a C3 at a good price, we can only advise you to go for it. The C4 nevertheless represents good value for money, very versatile with all the advantages of Oled in terms of contrast, a perfectly calibrated panel, a quality sound system and everything you need in terms of connectivity and features for gaming .