The LG C2 Evo OLED TV from LG is a great follow-up of the C1 OLED TV that we reviewed back in 2021. The LG C2 has the highest color accuracy, and it comes with zero calibration. The input lag is also the lowest we have ever measured for a TV. It has handy features such as Apple AirPlay, hands-free access and some voice assistants. Although the WebOS platform by LG is still a little difficult to use, it's a minor issue that makes this despite being incredibly impressive. Although the 65 inch model was quite costly at $2,499.99 by our testing, we still chose to give the LG C2 Evo Editor's Choice Award for OLED TVs.
Editor's Note: The OLED65C2PUA is the 65-inch OLED65C2PUA model. This review was based on that OLED65C2PUA. Other than the difference in screen size, we expect the OLED55C2PUA 55-inch model, which costs $1,799.99, to perform similarly.
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It's slim and stylish
The C2's panel is more sleek and minimalistic than the C1. It is free from bezel. The edges of the panel are still clear, but there's a strip of gray metal running along them. There's a small black border that spans less than one quarter inch between the screen and it. Although the panel is only a quarter inch thick, the rectangular enclosure that houses the electronics on the screen's back measures 1.8 inches. Although the stand for the C2 is a little narrower than that of the C1, it holds the screen stable. The TV can be mounted on a wall using a standard VESA mounting.
All of the connections, except for the permanently attached power cable that extends from the bottom center, sit on the left side of the enclosure and face left. They include four HDMI ports (one eARC), three USB ports, an Ethernet port, an optical audio input, an antenna/cable connector, and 3.5mm ports for RS-232C control and an IR blaster. The permanently attached power cable is a disappointment, as cables are very vulnerable to damage and we always prefer the ability to easily replace them (or to simply use a longer or shorter cable as needed).
It's the same black, curved remote that we used with LG TVs in the past. Although it is a little clunky, it works well. It features a circular navigation pad that has a scroll wheel and clickable button in its middle. This doubles as the confirmation button. The wheel is extremely firm so it won't spin accidentally when clicked. The navigation pad is topped by a volume and channel rocker, a number pad, and a volume rocker. Below the navigation pad are dedicated buttons for Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ Channels and Netflix. There is also a button for Alexa or Google Assistant. You can also use the remote to control an onscreen cursor using an accelerometer.
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WebOS 22
WebOS 22, the most recent version of LG's smart television platform, is packed with many features and an impressive selection of apps. You can stream all of the most popular streaming services, including Apple TV, Disney+ and HBO Max. It also includes Twitch, YouTube, Netflix, YouTube and Crunchyroll. WebOS features an integrated web browser, which works with remotes, art galleries, ambient, and the control panel. It also integrates LG smart appliances and compatible devices. This platform is compatible with Apple AirPlay, Miracast/WiDi and Google Cast.
The built-in LG voice assistant allows you to control your TV, as well as any compatible smart home device. You can also access Alexa and Google Assistant for additional features. A far-field microphone array is included in the C2, which allows hands-free access to voice assistants, but only for Alexa or LG. The C2 doesn't support hands-free Google Assistant, so the remote is required.
Although it offers tons of features, WebOS 22 still feels a bit clunky and awkward. The interface is occasionally slow to respond to remote inputs, especially when switching between apps and the home screen. As is typical with LG, TV settings are buried just a layer or two deeper than on most other TVs. For example, the settings buttons on both the remote and WebOS home screen open only a quick-select menu for common adjustments. You can edit the menu to show different settings, but even then, the options are limited. For what it's worth, these are the same complaints we had with WebOS on the C1, and don't impact the TV's otherwise stellar performance.
Superior Picture Quality
A 4K television with a 120Hz refresh, the LG C2 has a 120Hz refresh rate. The LG C2 can display content with high dynamic range (HDR), including HDR10 and Dolby Vision.
Tests of TVs are done using the Klein K-80 colorimeter (Opens In A New Window), Murideo SIX-G sign generator (Opens In A New Window), and Portrait Displays CalMan software (Opens In A New Window). The testing method is based on Imaging Science Foundation's (Opens IN a NEW WINDOW window) calibration methods.
OLED panels are great at dark content, but they can't be particularly bright. The important thing is that OLED TVs can be bright enough to reach the right places and times. The TV can display a 161.8cd/m2 peak brightness in ISF Calibrated Bright mode. It also displays a full-screen whitefield of 213.499cd/m2. An 18% whitefield is achieved with an SDR signal. The full-screen field does not change with Cinema mode HDR, at 167.444cd/m2, but the 18% white fields jump to 569.846cd/m2, which is almost identical to C1's results.
For most of our tests we use an 18% whitefield. However, dropping to 10% will increase the TV's peak light to 823.844cd/m2. This is significantly higher than the C1’s 764.039cd/m2. The highest-end LED TVs, such as the Hisense U8G, can achieve a higher brightness level than that. It has an 18% white box and can produce 1,763.368cd/m2. However, these models are susceptible to light bloom due to how they work with their backlight system. Most HDR content can be tuned at 1,000cd/m2.
The C2's color performance is nearly perfect. The above charts show the TV's measured color values with an SDR signal in ISF Calibrated (Bright) mode compared with Rec.709 broadcast standards, and with an HDR signal in Cinema mode compared with DCI-P3 digital cinema standards. It hits the Rec.709 values spot-on, which is excellent, but also a very common feat for many TVs. The big surprise is the DCI-P3 performance.
The C2 accurately covers all digital cinema colors from within the box. There is no significant color drift. Several TVs approach this level of performance, but they always have some sort of flaw—the C1's magentas run warm and the TCL 6-Series' yellows are slightly undersaturated, for example. We have never seen such perfect colors on a consumer television. The C2 will be the standard in home theatre TV calibration until TVs can reach the larger Rec.2020 colour space, which consumer content hasn't yet mastered.
It's no surprise that BBC's Planet Earth II is a great choice for the C2. All the greens and blues in the sky, water, and plants look vibrant and alive. In both direct and indirect light, fine details such as fur and bark can be easily seen in both shade and bright lighting. Horizontal pans can look somewhat jumbled on TVs with Cinema mode set to default settings. Although I don't like to admit it you may want to turn on TruMotion motion smoothing and set it to Cinematic Motion or Natural options. This will reduce the judder.
Deadpool looks great on the C2. Deadpool's bright red costume looks great in coolly lit scenes. It isn't even purple-tinged. Brightly lit flames from the lab battle stand out, while the shadows show plenty detail within the frame.
The Great Gatsby shows off C2's outstanding contrast in the party scenes. While black suits' contours are clearly visible, they still look very dark. Meanwhile white jackets and balloons stand out prominently in the frame. All of these make skin tones, as well as occasional pops of color such orange dresses or red lipstick, vivid and balanced.
Great for Gamers
The C2 is similar to the C1, but has many more gamer-friendly options. The panel's 120Hz resolution supports variable refresh rate (VRR), which can be used with either Nvidia G-Sync Compatible or AMD FreeSync Premium certifications. This is impressive as very few televisions are capable of supporting both these standards. The TV also has a Game Optimizer Mode, which activates the low latency setting. It can be controlled via a control panel that displays the current VRR status as well as the frame rate.
Test input lag using an HDFury Diva4K HDMI matrix (Opens in a new Window) to measure the time between the moment the TV receives a picture update and when it gets a signal. This is crucial for gaming. The input lag on the C2 is just 5ms when Game Optimizer mode has been enabled. This is well under the threshold of 10ms that we use in order to decide if the TV's gaming performance. The input lag is the default setting in Game Optimizer mode. If you change the Prevent Input Delay setting from Boost, it drops to an incredible 1.5ms.
The C2 is the TV with the lowest latency and comparable quality to other gaming monitors. Make sure Game Optimizer turned on while you are playing. Without it, the input lag of the TV is 72.8ms.
This is the Best OLED yet
It is a stunning TV, the LG C2. The C2 is a remarkable TV. It's bright enough for OLED panels, it sets records in input lag testing and has the best color performance we have ever seen. It's still an excellent TV, so don't be afraid to get one at a discounted price. When we receive the C2 into our testing lab, we will compare it with the flagship Samsung and Sony models of 2022 (QDOLED TVs on the horizon). but until then, the Samsung QN90A ($2,599.99) and the Sony Master Series A90J ($3,999.99) from 2021 are excellent alternatives—both display stunning colors and the QN90A's LED-backlit LCD panel gets particularly bright. The Hisense U8G ($1,249.99) or the TCL4K Google TV 6-Series (1,299.99) offer great features and excellent picture quality. The LG C2 OLED is the Editors Choice.
- The most accurate and vivid digital cinema color that we have seen on TV
- Panel 120Hz with extremely low input lag
- G-Sync compatible and supports AMD FreeSync Premium
- WebOS features Apple AirPlay and multiple voice assistants. It also offers a web browser.
- WebOS and remote control are somewhat cumbersome.
- Google Assistant is available for use in all situations
This LG C2Evo OLED TV offers stunning pictures with almost cinema-perfect colors right out of the box. It also has incredibly low input latency for gamers.