Compare: LG 55 B4 vs TCL C7L

LG OLED B4 is an exceptionally versatile device in the semi-premium category. For how else can you describe an OLED television that is so well-priced, and whose price, as history shows, will quickly drop? Perfect blacks and contrast are two things that inevitably hypnotise, and we are sure that anyone who has ever owned a device with this panel will not be able to return to LCD units. The brightness results of the TV in HDR content may seem quite low, however, in this case, due to such a panel, they will appear optically much higher. It is worth noting their stability and uniformity in practically every scene. In this case, a minor downside is the brightness of full-frame content filled with a lot of white. However, we do not consider this a serious issue, as there are not many such instances. The factory colour reproduction also deserves praise, which in our unit is quite decent, but one cannot help but recall the beneficial effect calibration had on the image, allowing the director's intentions to be conveyed in full. LG B4 will be an excellent choice for all sorts of gamers, as well as sports fans. The former will certainly appreciate the rich support in the form of all the conveniences arising from the HDMI 2.1 standard. Meanwhile, the latter will enjoy the advanced motion smoother with multi-level adjustment. And finally, it is impossible not to mention the convenience resulting from the remote control with a built-in gyroscope, which allows it to function like a mouse. The WebOS system, which we will navigate, is incredibly smooth and responsive. It offers a multitude of applications that will be more than sufficient for the vast majority of users. The heart of the LG B4 TV is the advanced Alpha processor, which is responsible for image smoothness and advanced signal analysis. In summary: who is the LG OLED B4 for? It is the perfect device for those expecting the highest possible image quality within a given budget, but not only that. The LG B4 clearly stands out from the competition at its price point, which cannot offer such high-quality image in this price range.

TCL C7L is an incredibly successful Mini-LED television and a fully deserved successor to the hit model C7K. The list of advantages of this device is really long. At the top is the extremely high brightness of the panel. Thanks to this, the television handles brightly lit living rooms without any problems, offering a fantastic and dynamic image in HDR format. Huge applause is also due for the use of the new Super QLED coating – after professional calibration, the colours can be not only natural but also incredibly vibrant. The best part is that the screen does this regardless of what scene is displayed on the screen, which is often not the case for all TVs with RGB backlighting. C7L is also an excellent piece of hardware for gamers; you could even say it’s a true "multimedia powerhouse." It fully supports consoles and PCs, refresh rates up to 288 Hz, G-Sync, and low input lag that doesn’t increase even when enabling very demanding modes like Dolby Vision Gaming. The whole package is tied together by a well-optimised Google TV system, which in this generation of TCL devices runs noticeably smoother and more efficiently (at least that’s the impression we got during our tests). Of course, C7L is not a perfect device, and the manufacturer had to make certain compromises in this model. The biggest flaw of the C7L is the use of a less powerful image processor. Unfortunately, this translates to fairly mediocre digital processing and another construction limitation in the form of only two HDMI 2.1 ports. A more powerful setup has been reserved this year for the higher series, such as C8L. From a business perspective, this is fully understandable. Why? Because if TCL had put a better processor here, most people would probably see no sense in paying extra for the higher model. So even if some compromises exist here, the C7L series promises once again to be one of the most cost-effective Mini-LED televisions of the year. If you’re looking for a versatile, incredibly bright screen for movies, series, TV, or games – literally for everything – and at the same time don’t want to overpay for the top series, then yes... C7L is a brilliant choice that we can definitely recommend to you.

LG B4 uses OLED panels produced by LG Displays. The use of this type of panel gives us perfect contrast and black levels. Thanks to these conditions, the image is incredibly three-dimensional, almost as if it were three-dimensional. The manufacturer's series with the letter "B" has always been the ideal solution for those seeking very good image quality while not wanting to pay extra for features that are only available in higher series. Therefore, these models have been somewhat of a dark horse in this price range, as their competitive pricing primarily allowed them to compete with Mini LED televisions. It’s not hard to say that these models have won these battles due to the absence of characteristic flaws found in LCD receivers with multi-zone backlighting, such as blooming/halo effects or dimming of images with fine bright details. And as we can see in the test scenes from the films "Oblivion" and "Sicario 2," the image quality stands at the highest level. Looking at the first one, we see a spectacular play of lights that, despite their brightness, are perfectly separated from each other. Even the more difficult scene with the helicopter poses no problem for LG B4, showcasing a wealth of detail and the specific colour grading characteristic of this title.

TCL C7L is a Mini LED TV, which in the 65-inch variant we tested, is equipped with over 1000 local dimming zones. This, combined with the proprietary VA panel (called HVA 2.0 by TCL CSOT), delivers really decent results in terms of black levels and contrast. In most of the scenes we measured, the blacks and contrast looked really good, and in the easiest shots, the black was deep enough to almost resemble that seen on OLED screens. This is of course referring to the least demanding shots with a lot of black on the screen. However, when more bright elements appear on the screen, and black stops dominating as much, it is evident that TCL C7L – like most Mini LED TVs – has its issues with local dimming zone management.

This can be clearly seen, for example, on the black bars in films shot in the 2.35:1 panoramic format. Then, on the black bars or around small, bright objects, a pronounced halo effect, or a bright light glow, can appear. The contrast then drastically dropped – from laboratory values of around 200,000:1 to about 10,000:1, which is quite noticeable in a completely dark room. It’s worth remembering that this shouldn’t be treated as a flaw of the TV but rather as a characteristic of mini-LED technology. Of course, this effect becomes much less bothersome when we turn on at least some light in the room… which I definitely recommend doing during screenings on any LCD TV.

The brightness results in HDR materials LG B4 are very good. It is true that none of them exceed 1000 nits, although the luminance stability is excellent and looks practically the same in every scenario. The only moment where the tested television performs worse is the last scene, although this should not come as a surprise. Large frames filled with a lot of white have always been, and will likely continue to be, somewhat of a weakness for OLED televisions. However, the combination of perfect contrast, black levels, and brightness in the LG B4 allows for a full spectrum of the HDR effect. Additionally, the incredibly high coverage of the DCI-P3 colour gamut, which reached 99%, deserves recognition. As a result, colours look incredibly vibrant and stunning.

TCL C7L is undoubtedly an extremely bright television. In synthetic tests on static patterns, it can achieve peak brightness of around 2800 nits. This is a phenomenal result, considering the price range it occupies. Unfortunately, tests with real movie scenes are not as spectacular as measurements of white squares. Brightness in real HDR footage drops in the C7L model to around 1200 nits. This is still a very good result, as this is the value at which the vast majority of contemporary films are mastered. However, when small, point-like elements appear on the screen, the brightness of these details drastically drops – even to around 400 nits – which somewhat diminishes the HDR effect. The television does this intentionally to maintain a better black level and to avoid a huge light bloom. This is somewhat explainable, but it also shows that Mini LED technology is not completely uncompromising in this regard. As for the HDR effect itself – alongside brightness, colours are of course key here. And these, thanks to the use of new, “super” quantum dots, are simply outstanding and among the best on the market. The television can achieve around 90% coverage of the ultra-wide colour gamut BT.2020 and 99% of the DCI-P3 gamut, easily matching the best RGB MINI-LED screens. Best of all, the C7L can maintain such high colour saturation regardless of the scene being displayed, which can often be problematic in competing RGB Mini-LED televisions.

The best factory mode prepared by the manufacturer is "Filmmaker," and we used it throughout the entire testing procedure. We must admit that the unit we received straight out of the box had quite decent colour reproduction. The biggest issue in both SDR and HDR content turned out to be white balance. In the former, there was a strong dominance of red, resulting in a noticeable yellow tint in the displayed image, particularly evident on skin tones and whites. In high-quality materials, this colour was also pronounced, but due to a lack of blue, there were also signs of green visible. Besides these shortcomings, we also encountered issues with greyscale and the colours themselves.

When it comes to out-of-the-box colours, a new feature in TCL TVs – including the C7L model – is the presence of a new picture mode called Filmmaker Mode. This is significant news, as such a mode was not previously available from this manufacturer. By design, as the name suggests, the picture in this setting is intended to be delivered with the full intent of the film's creator. After our tests, we can confirm that it is undeniably the best built-in mode in this TV if you value true-to-life colour reproduction straight out of the box. However, we certainly wouldn’t say it is perfect. Like most devices on the market, this C7L also had its factory faults. The white balance in Filmmaker Mode leaned towards a slightly greenish-yellow hue, mainly due to an excess of green component and a noticeable lack of blue. Of course, for the average viewer, this won’t be a drastic flaw, but if you value perfect whites, natural skin tones, and harnessing the full potential of these new "super" quantum dots from the structure, then the TV is begging for professional calibration.

LG B4 has been providing very advanced calibration tools in its TVs for years. We can even say that as the only manufacturer on the market, it allows for such deep intervention in image adjustment. Thanks to these, we were able to calibrate the device so well. The evidence of this is the extremely low deltaE errors, which can be said to stand at a reference level. Both SDR and HDR materials now look exactly as the film director intended. It is no coincidence that TVs of this brand are most often used as preview screens for various graphic or post-production studios.

After conducting a professional calibration, we were able to greatly improve the situation in the factory Filmmaker Mode. Following our adjustments, the errors in the ColorChecker test and across the entire wide colour gamut dropped below the threshold of human perception – that is, below a value of 3, which is indeed a very good result. The TCL C7L definitely benefits from such a treatment in terms of colour fidelity, and it's hard to deny that. However, the management of brightness in HDR content after calibration appears to be a bit worse. As I described earlier – even though we set this model up properly, when we turn on real film scenes on the television, it can manage its brightness in quite a peculiar way. It often brightens certain elements on the screen in a manner inconsistent with the creator's intent, which is visibly apparent on the EOTF graphs measured in specific films. Despite this flaw – or rather, this specific characteristic of the television – one cannot take away from it: after calibration, the C7L was able to reproduce the colours flawlessly.

The smoothness of tonal transitions, often overlooked in various tests on competitive portals, is an equally important aspect of image quality assessment. It is particularly crucial when watching materials that feature a wealth of colours and many intricate effects, where textures blend together. This often leads to what's known as colour banding, or a lack of smooth gradation. The tested television handles tonal transition smoothing quite well. However, it's worth noting that it has its weaker moments, such as the bright colourful sky in the film "Kingsman" or "The Martian." These, however, are not issues that detract from the viewing pleasure. Therefore, we assess the quality of tonal transitions in LG B4 positively.

The next element worth discussing is the fluidity of tonal transitions. Here, it must be honestly acknowledged that in the TCL C7L, it simply looks good. In most scenes – especially in those brighter shots – there are absolutely no issues with gradients. In native 4K HDR content, the image is clear, and the transitions between shades are very smooth. It looks just as good in Dolby Vision mode, where during testing we noticed no digital defects or ugly colour banding. One could nitpick about very dark shots where a heavily compressed signal is displayed on the screen. In such conditions, the C7L can sometimes show minor imperfections, but in this model, it's not something that stands out significantly. Especially during regular movie viewings.

In this paragraph, we will take another look at the tonal transition smoothing feature, but we will also check how the TV handles lower quality material. As we have managed to check, the setting responsible for smooth gradation works quite effectively, although it has its weaker moments. While the feature works well with SDR content, it becomes less useful with HDR content. Even at the lowest of options, it blurs essential details, so we advise against using it.

The image scaling on LG B4 is rated fairly moderately positively. Although there is no edge splitting, the image itself is naturally "soft". We can change this by adjusting the sharpness slider.

This point could be called in a sense the Achilles' heel of the C7L model. Unfortunately, this television uses an older chipset from MediaTek – the Pentonic 700 – which has never been known for outstanding digital image processing. This is clearly visible in the functioning of the gradual smoothing feature, which is responsible for reducing jagged edges and removing digital noise. It simply works very poorly – when set to a low level, its effectiveness is practically none. The only small plus here is that the algorithm doesn't mess up anything else in the image and doesn't forcefully blur details. The upscaling, that is, the scaling of the image from lower resolutions to 4K, performs a bit better. It is simply adequate and does not stand out in any particular way against the competition. However, it cannot be denied that the C7L would greatly benefit in this aspect if the manufacturer decided to use the newer Pentonic 800 processor, which is now being found in an increasing number of competitive models.

The maximum refresh rate we can set on the LG B4 is 120 Hz. This is the absolute minimum for those who require high image smoothness. The manufacturer has implemented a multi-level motion smoother called "TruMotion". It has been divided into two separate sliders that adjust the sharpness of moving images (De-Blur) and stuttering (De-Judder). Both sliders can be set in the range from 0 to 10, with each level affecting the degree of smoothness, so everyone can find their sweet spot.

The LG OLED B4 panel features an average response time of 0.1 ms (which directly results from our measurements), allowing for an incredibly clear image, unattainable for LCD TVs, which have response times of even several milliseconds. This can be clearly seen in images from the "UFO Test", showing no trace of blur trailing behind the object.

TCL C7L features a native 4K panel with a refresh rate of 144 Hz, which can even ramp up to 288 Hz at lower resolutions when using a PC. These are certainly very high and commendable figures on paper, but in everyday life, it's worth remembering that almost all dynamic content you display on this television will still revolve around a maximum of 120 Hz. To tame this dynamism, the TV menu includes a motion smoothing system called "Motion Clarity." It offers several predefined modes, including a user mode, which we highly recommend setting manually using our tried-and-true guides on our YouTube channel. You’ll find two key sliders available. The first one, "Motion Blur Reduction," is responsible for reducing blurring and improving sharpness in 60fps dynamic content, such as sports broadcasts. The second slider, "Flicker Reduction," allows for the addition of artificial frames in movies and shows recorded at cinematic 24 or 30 frames per second. This naturally allows for the complete elimination of the annoying stutter effect during camera movement shots.

The LG B4 television is equipped with four full-fledged HDMI 2.1 ports with a full bandwidth of 48Gbps. All functions corresponding to this standard activated without any issues, and throughout the entire testing procedure, they caused no problems. The combination of such extensive functionality and low input lags leads us to say that the tested television is truly designed for gaming. This is not surprising, considering that the manufacturer has always placed great emphasis on this. Therefore, we can enjoy both a properly implemented HGIG mode and gameplay in Dolby Vision with low latency. Such a tandem will surely attract the attention of all passionate gamers for whom quality is the most important.

A standard feature in televisions from the Korean manufacturer is also the implementation of GameBar, allowing for quick adjustments of settings "on the fly," without the need to exit the game. It also enables image adjustments for individuals with visual impairments, which is an extremely nice touch. Another important piece of information is that when the VRR technology is turned on, we will not experience a drop in contrast. This is, of course, due to the construction of the panel and the lack of conventional backlighting. However, it is normal for shades of grey to flicker slightly, although this is a characteristic feature of this function regardless of the manufacturer and the television.

In summary: The LG B4, like all OLEDs from the manufacturer equipped with 120Hz panels and HDMI 2.1 ports, creates a harmonious whole with the console. In practice, it is a complete television, and if we expect the highest possible efficiency in gaming, the B4 will be the ideal choice.

When it comes to gaming, the TCL C7L is simply an outstanding television for gamers. With the presence of two full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 ports at 48 Gbps, it provides access to all the key features that console and high-end PC owners require. We have a well-functioning ALLM mode with very low input lag and VRR frame synchronization, which operates within an impressive range from 48 to 288 Hz. Importantly, unlike some competitors, TCL has ensured a proper implementation of the console HDR10 HGIG profile and support for Dolby Vision in games. This is complemented by a very well-designed gamer panel, known as Game Bar, which even allows for editing its appearance and changing the theme to perfectly match the style of your console.

The only thing that can – and should – be critiqued here is the fact that the television only offers two full HDMI 2.1 ports, while the other two are older HDMI 2.0. This creates quite a significant logistical problem. Why? Because one of those fast ports also supports the eARC audio return channel. In practice, this means that if you connect a soundbar or home theatre system to the television, you’ll only have one available HDMI 2.1 port left. If you have two consoles or a console and a powerful computer at home, unfortunately, you’ll have to give something up or constantly juggle cables at the back of the unit while maintaining comfortable audio system control.

Delay times for LG B4 are incredibly low in every scenario. Even the most passionate gamers will certainly appreciate the very low input lag of just 5 ms at demanding settings of 4K 120 Hz with HDR. It's also worth noting that the latency at the same settings, but with Dolby Vision HDR enabled, remains unchanged, which is not as obvious with the competition. Therefore, it deserves the highest rating and recommendation.

It’s worth taking a look at the dry numbers here, because in terms of signal delay, the TCL C7L is absolutely top of the market. Our measurements showed that the input lag is extremely low, and for a 60 Hz signal, it’s only around 10 ms. When we step it up and fire up a game at 120 Hz, the lag drops to an almost imperceptible 6 to 7 ms. However, what’s even more important is that these values are maintained even after activating the Dolby Vision format in games.

LG B4 paired with a PC performs excellently due to its very low latency of just 13.5 ms, which is virtually instant response between the mouse, the eye, and the screen. A crucial aspect of working on a display is readability, which in the case of the tested television is very good. However, it's worth noting that to achieve sharp fonts, you need to enable the passthrough option in the settings.

The RWBG pixel layout does not significantly affect the display of fonts or letters, which is a notable advantage over Samsung's QD-OLED matrices. Users of both Windows and macOS equipped computers will certainly be pleased with the performance on the tested television screen.

When it comes to playing on PC, as I mentioned earlier, it's really seamless. The TV handles high refresh rates with ease: full 4K at 144 Hz, and at Full HD resolution, it can even ramp up to 288 Hz. Synchronisation systems like G-Sync and FreeSync work flawlessly here as well. So, for PC gamers, the C7L can serve as a great, massive monitor.

However, typical office work with text is a bit less impressive, all due to the panel behaving rather strangely in these conditions. When the highest refresh modes are activated, namely 144 Hz and 288 Hz, the clarity and sharpness of dark text on a light background are fairly average – the fonts become slightly blurred and jagged. Fortunately, this can be easily remedied by changing the screen refresh rate to a stable 120 Hz in the graphics card settings. Then, the text becomes perfectly sharp again, which is definitely worth remembering if you plan to use the C7L as a work screen.

The undeniable advantage of OLED panels is their efficiency in group viewing, meaning from different angles. LG B4 maintains very good contrast, colour saturation, and fidelity. While it may not match organic TVs supported by MLA technology, it cannot be said that anyone who purchases the device has been dissatisfied with the results. However, it should be noted that at sharp angles, a slight greenish tint can be observed. This is a characteristic feature of WRGB panels from LG, without the aforementioned micro-lens technology, and unfortunately, there is nothing that can be done about it.

Unfortunately, the powerful native contrast of the HVA 2.0 panel comes at a cost. We're talking about viewing angles, which in the C7L model are simply poor. This is, of course, due to the use of the aforementioned VA panel. It is a completely natural characteristic of this technology and something to consider when making a purchase. If you sit directly in front of the screen, the picture will impress you with its depth, but just shifting a few dozen degrees to the side on the couch will cause the colours to immediately begin to fade. By choosing this model, you're opting for a classic market compromise: you get brilliant blacks and fantastic contrast, but you lose out on viewing angles.

The maximum brightness of the TV in SDR materials is 370 nits. For an OLED TV, this is a very good result, allowing for quite comfortable viewing during the day. There are two things worth noting. The first is the rather average handling of reflections caused by the satin finish of the panel, which means that direct light hitting the TV can be quite intrusive. The second issue is the screen brightness at 100% white fill, hovering around 260 nits, which is an outstanding result, as until recently, OLED TVs in this range could "boast" a brightness two times lower. This means that conditions for watching, for example, winter sports, will be very good.

It's also worth mentioning how the TCL C7L performs during everyday viewing in a sunny lounge. As we've established, it's an extremely bright television, and it's this powerful luminance reserve (up to 2400 nits in SDR!) that allows it to perform brilliantly in very bright rooms – the picture simply cuts through the incoming light effortlessly. The only thing to be cautious about here is the direct reflections on the screen. The coating used this year on the panel is definitely more glossy than what we saw in last year's C7K model. The screen does a significantly poorer job of reducing point light reflections, which in unfavorable conditions – for example, when the window is directly opposite the television – can be quite annoying for some users. Nonetheless, in terms of raw brightness, the C7L is simply a powerhouse for bright lounges.

LG B4 uses the well-known proprietary WebOS system that has been around for many years. The system itself offers virtually all the most important applications, and those that are missing can be counted on one hand, such as CDA or KODI.

WebOS also features a highly valued ability to perform operations using a cursor that appears when the remote is in motion. The convenience of such a function is invaluable when entering queries or passwords for portals. WebOS, like most systems, also supports features such as screen mirroring, AirPlay, voice search in Polish, and the ability to connect headphones via Bluetooth. More down-to-earth things, WebOS allows us to use headphones and the TV's speakers simultaneously, which will surely be a great assistance for people with hearing disabilities. Among the more interesting features that will primarily appeal to sports fans, there is the option to turn on an alert informing about an upcoming match, ensuring that we never miss a broadcast. The home panel also deserves praise, allowing control of all smart devices connected to the home network. For example, the end of a washing cycle will be signalled by a notification in the top right corner.

In summary, the WebOS system, although less known and having certain limitations compared to Android TV, offers stable and fast operation and supports most features that users might need. It is a solid solution for those looking for a simple and effective operating system in a television.

Google TV and Smart TV

The heart of the TCL C7L multimedia system is, of course, the Google TV operating system, which provides access to a gigantic library of apps and all the most popular streaming platforms on the market. The Smart TV in this model works flawlessly, offering full support for useful networking features such as Apple AirPlay and Chromecast. However, a huge and pleasant surprise is the overall performance of the software. We noticed that Google’s system on the new C7L operates much more smoothly, fluidly, and quickly than on TCL models from last year. A lot of this is thanks to better optimisation at launch. Unnecessary stalls and minor interface stutters, known from older models, seem to have been forgotten.

TV Features

When it comes to traditional antenna or cable television, the TCL C7L does not offer many additional advanced features. It is simply a basic receiver. The manufacturer did not attempt any revolutionary solutions here, so aside from the traditional program guide, you won't find anything special. A great nod to traditional viewers is the classic remote control, which defies the prevailing trend towards minimalism by still being equipped with a full numeric keypad, greatly facilitating quick channel switching.

The default file player in LG B4 definitely handles most photos quite well, although it's surprising that some equally popular ones are missing. We can successfully play videos recorded in practically all the most popular formats, including Dolby Vision. The only codec that LG B4 won’t play is H.266 VVC, although this is currently rather unused. However, it’s worth noting the supported photo formats, which are just two: JPEG and PNG. Apple phone users may feel disappointed by the lack of support for the HEIC format, which is the default format when taking photos. The remedy for this is to use the built-in AirPlay feature. We should also mention the lack of TXT subtitle support.

At the very end of the multimedia section, it’s worth mentioning the playback of files from external USB drives. During our tests, we didn’t encounter any unpleasant surprises here – the factory player handles all popular video and audio formats just as it should. Interestingly, the TCL C7L had no trouble playing photos saved in Apple’s native format, HEIC. This is an extremely rare feature in the factory apps of television manufacturers. And while the Google TV system obviously gives you unlimited capability to install external media playback programs, in the case of the C7L, the built-in tool is refined enough that installing additional software will probably not be necessary for anyone.

The audio system built into the LG OLED B4 can be considered quite decent. We can say that it holds up fairly well in its price range. The bass is quite noticeable, but it doesn't overpower the other frequencies. It can be said that the sound is reasonably well balanced. We believe that those opting for this class of display are, or will be, in possession of an appropriate audio system. Therefore, the presence of DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby Atmos codecs is not insignificant.

TCL C7L performs quite well and correctly. In terms of sound quality, there has been virtually no change compared to last year's model C7K. The manufacturer still uses a speaker system branded Bang & Olufsen in a 2.2 configuration. The only thing that can be quite annoying during viewing is the fact that after increasing the volume to higher levels – around above 50% on the scale – the volume no longer matches the scale visible on the screen. The audio system from B&O works great for daily watching of news or series at moderate volume, but if you're looking for good sound, it's worth getting at least a basic soundbar for the C7L.

LG 55 B4 vs TCL C7L

Advantages

Disadvantages

Our verdict

TV appearance

Where to buy

Contrast and black detail

HDR effect quality

Factory color reproduction

Color reproduction after calibration

Smoothness of tonal transitions

Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions

Blur and motion smoothness

Console compatibility and gaming features

Input lag

Compatibility with PC

Viewing angles

Daytime performance

Panel details

TV features

Classic features:

Smart features:

Sound connection options

Supported audio formats (external HDMI eARC audio):

Senior accessibility

Google TV and Smart TV

TV Features

Apps

Playing files from USB

Sound

Sound Quality Test

Acoustic Measurements