Sony A95L vs LG OLED C5

Sony A95L offers an incredible HDR effect, achieving an impressive brightness level of 1500 nits in scenes such as those from Life of Pi and Sicario 2. These results are truly remarkable – the bright elements in these films practically come alive on the screen, providing the viewer with immersive visual experiences. The only thing to note is minor issues with maintaining brightness in the scene from The Meg, where the entire scene is flooded with light. However, this is a natural effect associated with OLED technology. A big plus also goes to the wide coverage of the BT.2020 colour palette at 89%, which places A95L Sony among the top TVs in terms of colour reproduction. All of this is made possible by the QD-OLED panel from Samsung Displays.

LG C5 has finally done what we've been waiting for years in the C series – it exceeds 1000 nits of brightness! This is a significant change compared to previous models in the series and very important – because most HDR content on streaming platforms is created around such luminance today. The image finally has the right "glow," and details in the highlights look as they should even without the use of dynamic metadata. However, there are scenes where the C5, like most OLED TVs, has certain issues. Especially when the screen has to light up entirely. In our test sequences, like the bright scene from the movie The Meg, brightness noticeably drops. Don't get us wrong, this result is not bad; it’s more of a reminder that OLED technology still has its limitations. Year by year, they are getting smaller, but they still exist.

Now, what about the colours? They are very good. Although the C5 doesn't match OLEDs with QD-OLED or Tandem RGB panels, its coverage of the DCI-P3 gamut at 97% and 73% of BT.2020 will satisfy even the more demanding viewers. The colours are saturated, natural, and very consistent in HDR materials.

The best factory mode for colour reproduction on the Sony A95L is IMAX Enhanced. This mode seems well-calibrated at first glance, but upon closer analysis, several areas for improvement become apparent. Firstly, the white balance for both SDR and 4K HDR content is marred by an excess of blue and red hues, leading to a subtle pink tint, particularly noticeable on neutral tones. As a result, skin tones are skewed, affecting the realism of the displayed image. This is clearly visible in the comparison photo below. Additionally, the Colour Checker test confirms the presence of these errors – the colour samples often deviate from their reference values, indicating some inaccuracies in the factory colour reproduction of the A95L Sony. The maximum deltaE error values reach up to 5.8, which is a clear indicator that colours are not always reproduced as accurately as they should be.

Regarding brightness characteristics, the gamma for HD/SDR content is generally quite good, maintaining an appropriate balance between brightness and contrast. Unfortunately, a significant jump is visible at the end of the graph, leading to a strong brightening of the image when the screen is fully flooded with white. This can make scenes with very bright backgrounds, such as snowy landscapes or intense daylight, appear too glaring and lose detail. For HDR content, the EOTF curve, which controls luminance, is slightly elevated compared to reference values. This, in turn, causes the image to be somewhat brighter than it should be, which can affect the perception of more subtle details in the darker areas of the frame.

LG C5, like other TVs we tested, was checked in the best possible factory mode – which remains the Filmmaker Mode. And here we have good news: in SDR materials, LG has once again done a solid job. The white balance and colour reproduction right out of the box are at a very high level. Most errors – both in balance and in the Colour Checker test – did not exceed a ΔE value of 3, which is the threshold above which differences become visible to the naked eye. Such factory settings are what we'd like to see in many more TVs!

However, the situation is different for HDR content, which is what the C series was truly designed for. Here, the C5 performs weaker. An excessive amount of blue in the white balance causes the image to appear distinctly cooler – which affects things like unnaturally pale skin tones or somewhat shifted tonality of the entire scene. Fortunately, LG provides very precise calibration tools, and we – as always – made use of them.

Sony A95L offers excellent tools for professional screen calibration, allowing you to maximise the potential of the IMAX Enhanced mode. We used them to achieve an image quality that satisfies even the most demanding viewers. After calibration, the white balance for both 4K HDR and SDR content looks simply fantastic – nearly perfect. The Colour Checker test confirmed that deltaE errors do not exceed a value of "2", which means that colour reproduction is extremely accurate, and any deviations are practically imperceptible to the human eye.

The calibration also brought a significant improvement in brightness – gamma is now perfectly balanced, eliminating the previous problem of excessive brightening in scenes with very bright backgrounds. Thanks to this, even the brightest moments, such as snowy landscapes or intense daytime scenes, appear natural, without the risk of blown-out highlights. The EOTF curve, responsible for controlling luminance in HDR content, has also been improved – it now reaches reference levels in both synthetic tests and practical movie watching.

As a result of the calibration, A95L Sony provides an excellent experience, whether you are watching regular TV content or your favourite films. Every detail is reproduced exactly as the creators intended – without unnecessary brightenings, with perfectly rendered colours and appropriate depth. This shows that this television, after professional tuning, can compete with the best screens on the market, offering an image that truly impresses.

We must honestly admit – in the case of the LG C5, it took very little to achieve an almost perfect image. After carrying out calibration, we managed to achieve compliance with reference screens at a level that impresses even compared to significantly more expensive models. The image after our adjustments looks exactly as filmmakers and series creators would want – with no colour distortion, natural depth, and subtle plasticity. LG has done a great job this year regarding factory settings and calibration potential. Hats off!

The tonal transition smoothing function in Sony A95L works really well and is worth noting. We recommend setting it to "Medium" level, as this value achieves an ideal compromise – no artifacts appear, and the image looks incredibly natural and pleasing to the eye. This ensures that transitions between different shades are smooth while maintaining scene detail, which further enhances viewing comfort.

When it comes to upscaling, you can see the full power of the XR processor here. Sony A95L handled our test material featuring a model exceptionally well – the image is remarkably clear, there are no excessive jagged edges, and the background details are perfectly preserved. The XR processor effectively improves low resolution, providing very good results that allow you to enjoy content in nearly high quality, even if its source is not perfect.

LG C5 handles lower quality materials exceptionally well. One of the main issues that older WOLEDs faced was posterisation – unwanted “steps” in colour transitions. The C5 utilises a system function that smooths these transitions, and it works surprisingly effectively. The banding effect is nearly completely eliminated, and the image gains consistency. Compared to last year's model, we feel that this function operates slightly weaker – but the good news is that it doesn't compromise the image structure. Film grain, textures, and details remain on the screen – nothing is forcefully smoothed out.

The C5 also excels at enhancing the quality of older recordings. Thanks to the α9 Gen6 (8th gen) processor, "scaling to 4K" is impressively solid. The image is clear, details are sharp, and the only minor drawback might be a slightly noticeable aliasing on some edges. However, there is no problem with overscan here – the image is not artificially cropped or shifted, which is a significant plus and still not a given.

Sony A95L is a television that should satisfy both gamers and movie enthusiasts. When it comes to watching films, this model is equipped with Motionflow technology, which allows you to precisely adjust whether you want the image to be more "framey," like in traditional cinema, or exceptionally smooth, like in cinema TVs. The "Smoothness" slider allows you to control the level of fluidity – from subtle changes to more noticeable effects, while the "Clarity" slider reduces flicker and artifacts, helping to achieve more natural and clear movement. When it comes to gaming and watching sports, the A95L Sony offers a refresh rate of 120 Hz, making every dynamic action look incredibly smooth. Gamers will appreciate the lack of blur, and sports fans will see every movement in full clarity. Overall, the television performs excellently – both with fast-paced gameplay and emotionally charged film sequences.

The LG C5 is equipped with a 144 Hz display, and this, combined with virtually zero response time of the OLED pixels, makes it one of the best screens for watching dynamic content. It doesn’t matter whether it’s sports, fast-paced games, or just action – the image is razor sharp.

And what about movies at 24 frames? LG has thought of that too. The built-in "TruMotion" smoother allows you to adjust the picture to your own preferences. The “de-judder” slider increases fluidity in films, while “de-blur” subtly reduces motion blur – although to be honest, it’s practically invisible here.

Sony A95L is a television that will truly satisfy gamers, thanks to several key features that set it apart from the competition. To begin with, the 120 Hz refresh rate – this is something that anyone who loves fast-paced action games, racing, or dynamic shooters will appreciate. This makes the image exceptionally smooth, and gameplay more satisfying, without annoying stutters. The A95L Sony also has an ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) feature, which automatically activates low-latency mode when we start up a console. What does this mean? Primarily, faster reactions on screen, which in games where every second counts, is simply invaluable. Added to that is VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), which ensures that the image refresh rate adapts to the number of frames generated by the console. The effect? No tearing of the image, and everything looks smooth and cohesive – even with varying FPS.

It's worth mentioning the support for Dolby Vision with low input lag in games – something we don't often see in televisions, but here it is included. As a result, the image in HDR-compatible games is incredibly vibrant, with vivid colors and excellent contrast. Both the brightest and darkest details are visible, making everything look just as the game developers intended. And there's also the "Game Bar" – a small but very practical convenience. It gives us all the essential gaming-related settings at our fingertips, such as VRR and lag information. There's no need to interrupt gameplay to adjust settings – everything is at hand.

However, it's important to note that the A95L offers only two full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 ports, one of which is allocated for eARC. This could be somewhat limiting if we plan to connect multiple devices – for example, a next-gen console and a soundbar simultaneously. In such cases, eARC occupying one of those ports may be a bit problematic, blocking the option to connect a second console.

LG C5 is a TV designed with gamers in mind – and there's not a hint of exaggeration in that. It's hard to find anything to criticise here. We have a refresh rate of 144 Hz, full support for VRR, ALLM, and as many as four HDMI 2.1 ports with full bandwidth of 48 Gb/s. For those who have an Xbox, PS5, Nintendo, and a gaming PC in one room – no limitations, everything can be connected without any hassle.

Configuring HDR for gaming is also straightforward. The TV correctly supports the HGiG mode, which allows you to achieve an image that aligns with the creators' intentions. For those interested, there is also Dolby Vision in the Gaming version, although we still recommend HGiG as the most predictable and "clean" variant of HDR in games.

It also includes the Game Bar, which is a "command centre" for the gamer. Everything important, from VRR settings, picture modes, to frame rate information – is at our fingertips. The interface is simple and clear. It may look like something out of a space simulator, but it serves its purpose and just works; exactly as it should.

C5 is truly a complete package for any gamer.