Michał Stekla
LG C5 has just debuted in stores, and we – taking the opportunity – are looking at the first reviews. The first out of the gate was the editorial team at RTINGS, who have already published their full test of this model. After all, we are talking about one of the most popular OLED series in the world, so any change – even the smallest – generates considerable interest. Fortunately, we can analyse data from the best sources for you and draw the most important conclusions – specifically, without the marketing noise! What’s new with the LG C5? Is it the "small" G5, or perhaps a clever development of the tried-and-tested formula from last year? We invite you to the analysis!
👉 *Of course, we also encourage you to check out our review of the LG C4 – there are currently many great promotions on it, so perhaps it will turn out to be the better choice for you.
Construction and design – is this déjà vu?
If you’ve seen the LG C4, then... the LG C5 will be familiar to you. The design has hardly changed – the television looks almost identical to its predecessor. We won’t dwell on whether the casing colour is black, grey or titanium black – visually, it simply looks the same as the previous model.
But is that a bad thing? Absolutely not. The C5 still looks very sleek, especially from the side. The slim, metal frame makes a great impression, and the overall appearance is modern and minimalist. Yes, at the back we still have that distinctive ‘bottom’ – the thickening of the casing at the lower part – which is unlikely to bother anyone.
Availability of Sizes
No surprises here – the LG C5 will be available from 42 to 83 inches. Most variants look identical, except for the 42” model, which – as with the C4 – has two separate legs instead of a central stand.
Black and contrast – the classic OLED at its best
As is fitting for an OLED, the black in the LG C5 is simply perfect. For good reason, OLED televisions have been regarded for years as the best choice for evening film and series viewing, where every detail in dark scenes matters. With the LG C5, there are no major surprises – and that's a good thing. What was already perfect has not been improved because there simply... was nothing to improve.
HDR Brightness – finally 1000 nits!
This measurement can already be confirmed from our own experience, as we had the opportunity – albeit briefly – to test the new LG C5 live. And we must admit one thing: it is noticeably brighter than the C4. This is the first time that the "C" series from LG reaches close to the level of 1000 nits peak brightness, which means that it has finally caught up with the first generation of QD-OLED panels in this aspect. Above this section, you will find our direct comparison of the brightness of the LG C4 and LG C5, carried out under the same testing procedures.
Tonal Transitions – unfortunately, the same problem as with the G5
Unfortunately, not everything performs as well as we might wish. Similar to the LG G5, the RTINGS editorial team notes certain issues in the C5 model as well. Specifically, it concerns tonal transitions in dark scenes on the HDR10 signal. If you haven't had the chance to read our analysis of the G5 yet – we highly encourage you to do so. Even back then, we mentioned what exactly tonal transitions are. In short: it's about smooth connections of colours and shades, particularly in scenes with subtle gradients – e.g., dark skies, misty backgrounds, dimly lit rooms. Instead of a smooth transition between colours, unfortunately, there are visible bands that not only ruin the visual effect but also stray from the creators' intended vision.
Reports are beginning to appear online about a planned software update that aims to address this problem. It is suspected that it is a matter of the new way the processor processes the image, which somehow disturbs the gradation of shades. Nevertheless, as of today – the LG C5 performs worse in this regard than the C4, just as the G5 does compared to the G4.
LG abandons DTS:X
It is said that the final product is designed by accountants – and it seems that this is precisely what has happened with this television. The company has withdrawn support for DTS:X audio, even in the 'C' and 'G' series models, which are aimed at more demanding users. This state of affairs may disappoint home cinema fans, especially those who use physical media or their own library of high-quality files. Probably LG simply decided that it wasn't worth paying for a license for something that only a few percent of users utilise.
Fortunately, this can be circumvented – you just need to connect the player directly to a soundbar or amplifier that supports DTS:X, and send the image on to the television. It works, but it's yet another thing to keep in mind when buying a new model.
New remote and webOS
Fortunately, not everything has been simplified "for the sake of savings". The LG C5 operates on the latest version of the webOS system, which is even faster and more responsive. The new home interface is clear, and navigating through the menu and applications poses no difficulties.
Additionally, there is a refreshed remote control, which – although minimised – still does the job. Not everyone will appreciate the lack of numeric buttons or "sources", but the control via the wrist, which is the characteristic gyroscope of LG, remains. And it works just as well as in previous generations – once you get used to it, you're unlikely to want to return to a regular remote.
Playing on C5? You will be pleased
Here – just like with black and contrast – the television was already practically perfect, so LG didn’t have to reinvent the wheel. All features known from the C4 have been retained: HDMI 2.1, VRR, FreeSync, Dolby Vision in games, low input lag, and support for HGiG. What’s more – the Xbox app has come right out of the box with the C5 (yes, the same one that was previously reserved only for Samsung televisions). Thanks to it, you can play games from Game Pass without a console; all you need is a subscription and a Bluetooth controller. Perhaps in a year or two, LG will manage to take a leaf out of Samsung’s book on how to add its own TruMotion smoothing to the 'Game' mode – similar to what already works in Samsung models. Who knows, maybe someday…
LG C5 – a television that gives with one hand and takes away with the other?
LG OLED televisions from 2025 can be summarised in one sentence: they give and take away. On one hand, the LG C5 is a noticeable step forward compared to the C4, especially regarding the panel itself – brightness is higher, HDR handling is better, and support for new features like Xbox Game Pass is delightful. On the other hand, it’s hard not to notice the shortcomings that weren’t present before. The lack of support for DTS:X sound, issues with tonal transitions in HDR10 (which will likely be fixed with an update), and the absence of a "Sources" button on the remote – these are minor things, but they could be bothersome for some users.
Don’t get us wrong – the LG C5 is not a bad television. Quite the opposite, it is a very good, at times even phenomenal model, which will likely be one of the bestsellers of 2025. Great brightness, a refined system, strong features for gamers – all of this is impressive.
But... let’s now move on to the price, as this is what complicates this choice the most.
Therefore, if you care about getting the best quality-to-price ratio, we highly recommend considering the purchase of a 2024 model – LG C4 or G4. This way, you can save as much as 40-50%, and you can comfortably allocate the difference in price towards a soundbar, image calibration, or additional equipment for your home entertainment centre. Below, we leave links to current promotions and our reviews so you can assess for yourselves whether it might be better to opt for last year’s models!
Source: rtings.com, own measurements: choose.tv.
