LG OLED C5 vs TCL C7K / QM7K 50"

LG C5 finally does what we have 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 also very important – because this is exactly the level of luminance around which most HDR content is now created on streaming platforms. The image finally has the right “glow,” and details in bright areas look as they should even without the use of dynamic metadata. However, there are scenes where the C5, like most OLED televisions, has some issues. Especially when the screen needs to illuminate fully. In our test sequences, such as the bright scene from the movie The Meg, brightness clearly decreases. Don’t get us wrong, this result isn’t bad; it’s more of a reminder that OLED technology still has its limitations. They are getting smaller year by year, but still.

Now, what about the colors? They are very good. Although the C5 does not match the OLEDs with QD-OLED or Tandem RGB panels, the DCI-P3 coverage at 97% and 73% BT.2020 will satisfy even the most demanding viewers. The colors are saturated, natural, and very consistent in HDR materials.

TCL C7K is one of the brightest MiniLED televisions in its price range. Under the best test conditions, the screen was able to achieve over 1200 nits, resulting in impressive, and at times blindingly bright scenes. And most importantly – this is not just a theoretical measurement. In practice, the brightest parts of movies can shine with true cinematic grandeur. Home HDR cinema fans should be truly pleased.

The impression is especially great in scenes with large areas of brightness – white skies, explosions, sun reflections, or magical sunsets can surprise with the intensity of light that rarely appears in this price range.

However, things get a bit worse when more challenging scenarios appear on the screen, which have been described in terms of contrast – meaning images full of details, with small bright elements against a dark background. In such cases, the C7K often chooses to retain black at the expense of brightness. An example? Scenes from the movies Sicario 2 or Life of Pi, where small light sources (like a distant lantern) can be less visible, and details in the lights are simply dimmed or blend into the background.

For many viewers, this may be an acceptable compromise – as we achieve deep blacks and pleasant image texture. Nevertheless, it is worth being aware that the visibility of small details in bright areas is not the strongest suit of this model. It is simply a technological limitation that still exists – even with over 300 zones.

LG C5, like other TVs we tested, was checked in the best possible factory mode – which remains Filmmaker Mode. And here we have good news: in SDR materials, LG once again did a solid job. The white balance and color reproduction straight out of the box are at a very high level. Most errors – both in balance and in the color test (Colour Checker) – 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 something we would like to see in many more TVs!

However, the situation is different for HDR content, which is really what the C series was created for. Here the C5 performs weaker. The excessive presence of blue in the white balance causes the image to appear noticeably cooled – which affects, for instance, unnaturally pale skin tones and somewhat shifted tonality of the entire scene. Fortunately, LG provides very precise calibration tools, and we – as always – took advantage of them.

A new feature in TCL televisions for 2025 is the long-awaited Filmmaker mode, which until now could be found in most competitive brands. This is great news because this mode is considered the truest to the original vision of the creators and is often recommended by enthusiasts of good image quality. Unfortunately – as is often the case – the mere presence of this feature does not guarantee perfection. The Filmmaker mode in the TCL C7K is not free of flaws. One could point out the incorrect white balance, particularly the slight dominance of blue, which caused cool, somewhat grayish skin tones. But that was not the biggest problem. The main complaint was excessive brightness exposure, which is clearly visible on the gamma and EOTF graphs. The image was simply too bright, at times even blown out, which affected not only the plasticity of the scenes but also the overall viewing experience. Some details simply got lost, and the whole image looked as if someone had overdone it with the brightness slider. As always – we decided to see what could be squeezed out of it after calibration. And this is where things got really interesting...

We must honestly admit – in the case of the LG C5, it took really very little to achieve an almost perfect picture. After calibration, we managed to achieve compliance with reference screens at a level that impresses even compared to much more expensive models. The picture after our adjustment looks exactly as filmmakers and series creators would want it – without color distortions, with natural depth and subtle texture. LG has done a great job this year regarding factory settings and calibration potential. Hats off!

After calibration, the TCL C7K showed itself in a really good light, especially when it comes to SDR content. We managed to fine-tune the white balance, color gamut, and brightness characteristics so precisely that color errors on the ColorChecker palette dropped below a value of 2. For the uninitiated – this is an almost perfect result, meaning that the image is very close to what the creators intended. Unfortunately, it was less impressive with 4K HDR content. Although we managed to slightly calm the white balance and correct its earlier errors, it is still evident that the TV has certain "MiniLED traits," especially in managing brightness. When we checked how the C7K performed with the EOTF curve on real movie scenes rather than just synthetic test patterns, it turned out that the screen still has a tendency to slightly brighten the entire image. This affects the overall experience – the black loses some depth, and the image becomes less contrasty than it should be. Despite these minor shortcomings in HDR content, the overall reception of materials – especially in SDR – is really very good. After calibration, the C7K can display an image that can successfully compete with much more expensive models. Good color tuning, natural skin tones, and pleasant brightness make movie sessions and everyday content viewing more than satisfactory.

LG C5 handles lower-quality materials really well. One of the main issues older WOLEDs faced was posterization – unwanted "steps" in color transitions. The C5 uses a system feature to smooth these transitions, which works surprisingly effectively. The banding effect is almost completely eliminated, and the image gains consistency. Compared to last year's model, we feel that this feature works slightly weaker – but the good news is that it does not compromise the structure of the image. Film grain, textures, and details remain on the screen – nothing is smoothed out forcefully.

The C5 also does a great job of enhancing the quality of older recordings. Thanks to the α9 Gen6 processor (8th gen), "scaling to 4K" performs really solidly. The image is clear, the details are sharp, and the only minor drawback might be slightly visible jaggedness on some edges. However, there is no issue with overscan here – the image is not artificially cropped or shifted, which is a significant plus and still isn’t a given.

The TCL C7K features a function that, according to the manufacturer, is supposed to smooth out unwanted color transitions – something like a rescue for less successful tonal shifts. It's called "Gradual Smoothing" and... well, it sounds ambitious, but in practice, it works very poorly. Regardless of whether we set it to low or high, the difference is minimal. What's worse – the function can remove elements from the image that should remain. Fortunately, film grain remains untouched, so at least it doesn't smooth everything indiscriminately, but still – it's better to just turn this option off.

As for scaling lower-resolution content, it's already better. SD and HD materials look quite decent, though sometimes we had the impression that the image loses sharpness and becomes too soft – as if something took away its clarity. Fortunately, at very low sources (e.g., 576p), there was no overscan effect, meaning the image was not artificially cropped – everything fit on the screen as it should.

The LG C5 is equipped with a 144 Hz panel, and this, combined with the practically 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 as sharp as a razor.

And what about movies in 24 frames? LG thought of that too. The built-in "TruMotion" smoother allows you to adjust the image to your own preferences. The "de-judder" slider increases the smoothness in movies, while "de-blur" gently reduces blurring – although to be fair, it is almost imperceptible here anyway.

TCL C7K handles motion smoothness really very well. The matrix used in it offers a refresh rate of 144 Hz, which already suggests that this TV is something more than just an ordinary "60 Hz" panel. Moreover – if we connect the C7K to a computer and set the resolution to Full HD. But we will write more about this in the paragraph about gamers and PC cooperation. Returning to everyday use – both sports and movies look very good here. Thanks to the fast panel and well-functioning motion smoother, the C7K is perfect for watching matches, but also for movie screenings. In the menu, we will find two sliders – blur reduction and flicker reduction – which allow us to adjust the motion smoothness effect to our own preferences. At lower settings, we get a more cinematic effect, with slight frame motion. At higher settings – the image becomes more theatrical, smooth to the point of exaggeration. Everyone can set it to their liking.

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

The HDR configuration for gaming is also problem-free. The television properly supports the HGiG mode, which allows for an image consistent with the creators' intentions. For those interested, there’s also Dolby Vision in Gaming mode, though we still recommend HGiG as the most predictable and “pure” version of HDR for games.

The Game Bar is also included, which serves as the “command center” for the gamer. Everything that’s most important, from VRR settings, to picture modes, to frame rate information – is at our fingertips. The interface is simple and readable. 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 every gamer.

TCL C7K is a TV that looks like the dream equipment for gamers on paper – and most importantly, it also performs well in practice. First, the good news: we have two HDMI 2.1 ports with full bandwidth, so we can easily connect both a console and a computer, taking full advantage of their capabilities. The panel itself supports 144 Hz refresh rate, which provides a significant advantage in dynamic games. Additionally, it comes with a full package of gaming features: VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode), and Dolby Vision support in games. There is also an HGiG mode, which allows for HDR effects that align with the creators' intentions. GameBar, which is an information bar for gamers. It operates quickly, looks clear (like a Nintendo console👌), and shows what’s most important: the current frame count, VRR status, and even HDR parameters.