LG's White-OLED technology (WOLED) has been improving for years, each iteration boosting output, efficiency, and color volume. And while 2025's C5 doesn't get LG's new Primary RGB Tandem tech from the flagship G5, it still boasts incremental improvements to peak and overall brightness. My measurements confirm: the C5’s separate RGB primaries generate excellent DCI-P3 coverage, real HDR content hits 1050 nits, and we get an impressive 290 nits fullscreen white. Otherwise the C5 looks a lot like last generation’s C4: same premium build quality, same inputs and full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 support, 144 Hz max refresh rate with G-Sync/FreeSync. All this to say that the C5 continues to deliver a fantastic gaming TV experience.
Incremental improvements are, of course, always welcome, but LG might be falling behind the QD-OLED competition. At the 65″ size, the C5 and Samsung's S90F are now matched at $1400 (a great deal for each), and despite the C5 being a remarkable performer for gaming and movies, Samsung's S90F is just that little bit better.
LG C5 – Setup, Design, and First Impressions
Whether on a TV stand or a deep desk, I really like the look of the C5. I received the 55″ version for review, and the brushed aluminum and faux marbling on the rear of the display works for me. And with the TV off, the glossy, purple-black screen looks like some sort of magical mirror. (More on that AR coating later.) LG keeps the outer, OLED portion of the display reasonably thick – 6 mm – so it doesn't feel as delicate as Samsung's S90F, which I thought would snap every time I touched it. The flimsy plastic cover plate and cable guide seem a bit out of place on the otherwise premium design. That plate also covers the permanently affixed power cable, an odd choice; other brands opt for a detachable cable.