Black Friday is fast approaching, so you may already be keeping eye out for any new deals on top of the line TVs, including a key What Hi-Fi? Awards 2024 trophy winner, the LG C4.
If so, you’re on to a winner; having tested nearly every size of the Korean tech giant’s latest step-down OLED, we can confirm it is one of the best TVs in its class. Highlights include radically improved picture quality over the older LG C3, and flawless gaming specifications that will allow any PS5, Xbox Series X/S or PC to run at full speed.
But be warned: having compared most of the sizes against one another in our dedicated viewing rooms, we can confirm there are design and performance differences between the various C4 models. Which leads us to the question, which is best for your specific needs and budget? Here, to help with that very question, we have come up with this handy guide.
A quick word on measuring
The first thing you should consider when picking a TV is the space you plan to put it in. This will heavily inform which size you should get. At a fundamental level, you should think about what you can actually fit in the space.
And don’t think of the TV alone. If you also plan to add a surround sound speaker, or even Dolby Atmos package, you will also need to make sure there is enough space in your desired spot to accommodate the satellite speakers and a central channel/subwoofer.
Do your best to avoid putting your TV directly next to a bright window – light pollution is the bane of good picture quality.
And, finally, you need to consider viewing distance. You can get an in-depth breakdown of how to calculate the right viewing distance for your TV in the attached guide. There are two main reasons this is important.
First because if you are too close to the set, you will find yourself straining and having to turn your head a lot – the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers recommends that your TV should fill around 30 degrees of your field of vision for mixed usage.
Second because if you are too far away, you won’t be properly immersed in the on-screen action. So, before you make any purchase decisions, keep all the above factors in mind.
Those caveats aside, here’s our advice on the LG C4 specifically.
42-inch LG C4
The 42-inch LG C4 is one of a very limited number of new small OLED TVs to arrive this year, with Sony choosing not to offer its Bravia 8 in anything below 55-inches. Thankfully, based on our testing, it is a fantastic option – especially for gamers.
The OLED retains much of the core functionality and features of its larger siblings.
We are especially impressed that, despite its small size, 42-inch C4 has four HDMI 2.1 connectors like its larger siblings. One of these doubles as an eARC socket. Most of the OLEDs we test have only two, which can be a pain – especially for hardcore gamers – as you need a full speed HDMI 2.1 to run any modern console at full speed and eARC if you want to connect a Dolby Atmos soundbar or speaker package.
This plus its variable refresh rate, Dolby Vision Gaming HDR support and low latency are key reasons the C4 is currently the top recommendation in our best gaming TV guide. Dolby Vision Gaming lets compatible titles, generally available on Xbox, render in HDR offering a more dynamic, immersive experience when implemented well.
But for regular movie watching the 42-inch C4 is also impressive. It delivers a punchy but never overcooked picture full of detail. Our only minor quibble around the picture is that the image is slightly cooler than on the larger C4 models – although, unless you sit them directly next to one another, you won’t really notice.
Bigger issues stem, perhaps, from minor differences to the set’s design and sound system. Unlike any of the larger models the 42-inch has clip-in feet rather than a central stand. These feet have only one height option, and it’s too low to plonk most soundbars in front of it without blocking some of the screen.
And that is especially concerning as the 42-inch LG C4 offers the weakest audio performance of all the models. Audio sounds thin and doesn’t offer enough separation for any serious movie watching. So you really should invest in a soundbar with the 42-inch LG C4 if you want the best results.
48-inch LG C4
The 48-inch LG C4 is another rarity in today’s market, but it’s a fantastic choice if you live in a smaller flat, or simply don’t want a giant 55-inch or larger TV dominating your living room. Like the smaller LG C4 it has four HDMI 2.1 inputs. But, there are a few design and performance differences that mean we would urge those who can afford the extra outlay, and have the space of course, to opt for it over the 42-inch model.
First is the inclusion of a central stand, rather than feet. The stand is still restricted to one height option, but it places the screen slightly higher, which allows smaller soundbars, including the Sonos Beam Gen 2, to fit in front without blocking any of the screen.
And, once again, this is important; while its sound is slightly less compressed and prone to distortion than its smaller sibling, the 48-inch LG C4’s in-built speakers are at best average. The only minor caveat is that the stand has an angled front, so you’ll need enough space in front of the TV to accommodate the soundbar.
Second, and more importantly, we recommend the 48-inch model over the 42 as the picture is slightly better – skin tones in particular are warmer, and more realistic.
55- and 65-inch LG C4
The 65-inch LG C4 was the first model to pass through our viewing rooms this year. Not only did it earn five stars in our review, but our TV & AV Editor was also so impressed that he wrote a separate opinion piece detailing how much better it is than the C3.
So it should be no surprise that the 55-inch and 65-inch LG C4 are, in our mind, the sweet size spot for most buyers, and the ideal entry point to a proper “big screen” home cinema experience for people with normal-sized lounges.
Despite not having next-generation, brightness-boosting MLA screen tech, as the flagship LG G4 above it does, the C4 is a wonderfully bright OLED capable of dazzling results. During our tests, whether it was the moody, futuristic cityscape of Blade Runner 2049the cartoony world of Barbie, or the sparkling deserts of Dune: Part 2, the larger C4 models delivered a dynamic but authentic picture that truly drew our testers in.
They are also the best-sounding sets we have tested in the C4 line. Results, inevitably, aren’t on a par with what you get with a decent soundbar, so keep that in mind if you want a truly immersive home cinema or sports-watching experience.
Our only word of warning is that once you start considering OLEDs this size, you open yourself up to a wealth of other options. Pretty much every OLED TV maker offers step-down OLED sets in 55- and 65-inch sizes. We have tested many of them, and while the LG C4 is great, it is just one of many fantastic new OLEDs this size to arrive this year that you may want to consider.
You may want to check our best 65-inch TVs buying guide, to see what else is available before pulling the trigger, as a result. Or, if you’re in a hurry, we should also point out that the Sony Bravia 8 is the best 55-inch or larger winner for the 2024 What Hi-Fi? Awardsnot the C4.
77-inch LG C4
The 77-inch LG C4 is one of the only sizes we haven’t reviewed, or even seen in the wild, come to that, so giving concrete buying advice on it tricky. Based on our decades of experience reviewing TVs, there can be fairly major performance differences between 65-inch and 77-inch models.
This is down to how the panel’s larger dimensions impact things including pixel density from a picture quality perspective. But audio is usually also impacted – positively – as a bigger frame can accommodate a more robust sound system capable of moving more air around.
We would refer back to our original advice before you consider opting for this model, as you will need a fairly large viewing area to accommodate it. We’ll update this guide when and if we manage to get the 77-inch LG C4 in for testing.
MORE:
These are the best OLED TVs we have reviewed
We rate the best Dolby Atmos soundbars
Our picks of the best surround sound packages
