- Matching (Score)
- Our verdict
- Competing TVs
- 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
- TV efficiency during daytime
- TV features
- Apps
- Playing files from USB
- Sound
- Details about the matrix
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Panel type: WRGB OLED Odświeżanie: 165Hz Brand: LG Resolution: 3840x2160 System: WebOS Model year: 2025
The LG G5 is the successor to the very well-received model LG G4. This year, the manufacturer has opted for bold changes in its flagship model. Instead of the MLA OLED panel, the G series features a new product – the Tandem OLED RGB panel, which is a novelty in the OLED television market. Have these changes truly led to an improvement in image quality compared to its predecessor? The LG G5 carries significant responsibility – last year's model won the title of "Television of the Year" in the prestigious HDTV Shootout 2024. Will the G5 be able to repeat this success? What are the actual changes compared to its predecessor? You will find out in our test.
LG G5 - Our verdict
8.9
Overall rating
The LG G5 is a television that not only continues but also expands on what we loved about previous models in the G series. Instead of taking the beaten path, LG opted for a new Tandem OLED panel – and it was a stroke of genius. Picture brightness? Simply, F E N O M E N A L. HDR effect? Close to reference. Colors after calibration? Nearly perfect. Motion smoothness, low latency, and gaming features? At an absolutely top level. The G5 performs well in movies and games, day and night, whether with a decoder, console, PC, or just the remote. Of course – this is not a product without flaws. It's a pity that DTS support is lacking, the viewing angles have worsened compared to its predecessor, and the remote may vary depending on the version. But when we look at the overall picture, it's hard not to feel that this is one of the best OLED televisions available on the market, and perhaps even the best. Definitely, when it comes to its versatility and picture quality without having to reach for extremely expensive models from competitors. If you're looking for a television for everything – for cinema, gaming, a bright living room, streaming content, or connecting a computer – the LG G5 is a device that simply delivers on every front without compromise.
Advantages
Amazing black and contrast
Reference color reproduction after calibration
Very high brightness in HDR content
Outstanding cooperation with consoles and computers
Great motion fluidity - OLED panel 165Hz
Many features for gamers: VRR, ALLM, HGIG, low input lag
Excellent WebOS operating system with many applications
Superb handling thanks to the Magic remote with "cursor" function
Disadvantages
No support for DTS audio format
Worse (though still good) viewing angles than the predecessor G4
Different versions of the remote in derivative models – hard to predict which version we will get
Movies and series in UHD quality9.2
Classic TV, YouTube9.2
Sports broadcasts (TV and apps)9.0
Gaming on console9.6
TV as a computer monitor8.8
Watching in bright light8.0
Utility functions8.5
Apps8.7
Sound quality8.7
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LG G5 - Competing TVs in this price range
LG G5 - TV appearance
HDMI inputs: 0 x HDMI 2.0, 4 x HDMI 2.1 (48Gbps) Other inputs: IR (remote) Outputs: Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI) Network Interfaces: Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps
Build quality: Super Premium
Stand type: Central
Kolor ramki: Silver
- Regulacja podstawy: stand-Fixed
- Montaż na płasko: Yes
- Akcesoria: accessories-Wall Bracket
The LG G series has belonged to the premium category for years, so the quality of construction here is at the highest level. The television features an ultra-slim aluminum frame around the screen, and its monolithic design allows it to be hung almost completely flat against the wall. In the model we tested with the LW suffix, we received a "Gallery" type wall mount that allows the television to be perfectly flush with the wall surface – it looks very impressive. However, if someone for some reason wanted to place the G5 on a piece of furniture, they would need to look for the version with the LS suffix, which includes a central stand instead of the wall mount. The model with the stand appears relatively rarely, so an alternative solution could be purchasing the LW version and selecting a universal VESA stand – the LG G5 does of course support this mounting standard. Returning to the appearance itself – it is a class of its own. It is difficult today to find a television that is better made and equally minimalist. The LG G5 undoubtedly makes an impression at first glance and is likely to appeal to nearly everyone. (Unless someone doesn't like the silver color of the frame 😉).
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LG G5 - Contrast and black detail
10/10
Result
∞:1
Result
∞:1
Result
∞:1
Result
∞:1
Result
∞:1
Visibility of details in the lights:
LG G5, as befitting an OLED television, impresses with its contrast and black quality. In scenes with a lot of dark areas, the screen looks almost perfect, offering deep, absolute black and infinite contrast – an effect that still cannot be achieved on any LCD television. The new Tandem OLED panel does not introduce any negative changes compared to previous generations – blacks are perfect regardless of the content. Watching scenes from movies like The Revenant or Oblivion, you can clearly see the excellent separation of lights, without any blooming effect or brightening of dark parts. In this category, the LG G5 deserves the highest rating.
LG G5 - HDR effect quality
9/10
Supported formats: HDR10, Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision IQ, HLG Color gamut coverage: DCI P3: 99.6%, Bt.2020: 82.5%
Luminance measurements in HDR:
Result
2346 nit
Result
2353 nit
Result
2399 nit
Result
2353 nit
Result
2012 nit
LG G5 with the new Tandem OLED panel brings the biggest change specifically in terms of the brightness of the television. And it’s quite impressive. This is truly an astronomically bright OLED. In every tested scene – whether it’s point lights or full-screen whites from the movie The Meg – the brightness on the G5 exceeded 2000 nits. Just a year ago, such values on an OLED were simply unimaginable. And here we are – the G5 comes close, and at times even surpasses the best Mini-LEDs on the market. A new feature of the Tandem OLED panel is the expanded color gamut coverage – and here the LG G5 performs almost perfectly. DCI-P3 achieves a full 100%, while BT.2020 maintains around 83%. These are some of the highest values currently available on the market – it’s hard to find any other television that comes close to such results, unless we are talking about the best displays with QD-OLED panels. The G5 has nearly reference-quality HDR – both in terms of brightness and color saturation. This is an OLED that can truly shine – and not just figuratively.
Scene from the movie “Pan” (about 2800 nits)
Scene from the movie “Billy Lynn” (about 1100 nits)
Having such a television in the editorial office, it would be a sin not to compare it with the best screens available on the market. As with all our tests, we did this using the example of the film Pan and Billy Lynn. And here, too, we were not disappointed. The compatibility with materials recorded and mastered around 1000 nits is almost perfect. The actor in the foreground in Billy Lynn, the details on the face, the spectacularity of the fireworks – everything was rendered with tremendous precision. The scene from the film Pan also performed well – the sun in the distance looks almost like on a professional reference screen. Yes, there are some losses in brightness – which is completely understandable, as this is still an ordinary television and not a studio screen worth a small apartment in Warsaw – but it still makes a huge impression.
HDR luminance chart:
Luminancja HDR
Luminance of RGB colors
However, there are still scenes that OLEDs – including the LG G5 – have certain issues with. These are scenes flooded with pure white. Although this is rare, it can happen. Fortunately, dynamic metadata comes to the rescue in such moments, which is the Dolby Vision format that the LG G5 obviously supports. As a result, the test scene with the horses looks fuller and more natural, with greater detail. And although generally the LG G5 won't need dynamic metadata due to its high brightness, it's good to have it on board in such scenes.
It's worth mentioning that the television supports Dolby Vision IQ, which theoretically should adjust the picture to the brightness of the room. And while the mode called Dolby Vision IQ works rather mediocre, a new feature in the LG G5 is an additional option available in the Filmmaker mode – in the brightness tab. When we use Filmmaker mode and enable this function, the picture begins to adapt to lighting conditions without interfering with other parameters such as color, gamma, or white balance. It works surprisingly effectively and indeed allows viewing content in various conditions without losing the quality gained from professional calibration.
Static HDR10
Dynamic: Dolby Vision
Factory color reproduction
7.8/10
Our test unit LG G5 struggled with some issues in the factory Filmmaker mode. And while the image might have seemed fine to most people, we knew that this TV was capable of much more. This mode had a clear excess blue tint in the white balance, resulting in a strong cooling of the image – particularly in HDR modes, where there was also a lack of red. The picture seemed cold, and its sharpness was artificially boosted and unnatural. Another significant issue was the brightness characteristic. In SDR content, the situation wasn't the worst, aside from a slight dimming of the entire image. However, it performed much worse in HDR materials – due to improper brightness management, the smallest details could completely disappear from the image, and larger, bright elements appeared overexposed and lacking gradation. Luckily, the G5 supports calibration using 3D LUT (a tool for professionals to calibrate colors), so we decided to take advantage of its professional background and see what it was really capable of. Because while it wasn't terrible even before calibration, the potential of this TV definitely deserved more.
Color reproduction after calibration
9.8/10
After completing the calibration process using professional tools, we can confidently state that the LG G5 offers nearly reference-quality image. Most of the errors related to white balance and the ColorChecker test are below the value of 2, which is a phenomenal result, practically imperceptible to the human eye. And while one could still criticize that in HDR films the television tends to slightly dim the smallest elements of the image, in practice, this does not negatively affect the overall impression. Hats off to LG, because once again they provide the user with enormous possibilities for adjusting their display – and this, combined with very good parameters of the panel itself, results in an image that is truly hard to surpass.
LG G5 - Smoothness of tonal transitions
8.5/10
The smoothness of tonal transitions in the LG G5 is a clear step forward compared to last year's model. Not only has the brightness improved, but also the way colors blend, which the G4 sometimes struggled with. In the vast majority of scenes, the G5 has no issues with tonal transitions – there is no typical banding associated with WOLED technology, nor ugly breaks between colors. Of course, in very dark areas of the image and with shades of gray, minor imperfections can still be noticed, but these are things that the average viewer wouldn't even register. In short – it's really good.
Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions
8.7/10
Smooth transition function
Image without overscan on the SD signal
Upscaling and digital image processing in the LG G5 perform very well. The television handles lower quality content exceptionally, especially when the "Smooth Gradation" feature is set to a low level. In this mode, it effectively removes unwanted artifacts and issues with visible tonal transitions. It may also slightly smooth out some desired details, such as the subtle texture of clothing or skin, but importantly – it does not remove film grain, so it’s hard to say there’s a serious compromise here. It’s one of those options that’s definitely worth enabling.
The G5 also does well with upscaling, which is improving the quality of older materials. The test image with the model looked really solid – slight edging was visible, but that’s an effect that can’t be completely avoided. Additionally, there were no issues with overscan, which – contrary to appearances – is not obvious, even in 2025.
LG G5 - Blur and motion smoothness
9/10
Maximum refresh rate of the panel: 165Hz
Film motion smoothing option: Yes
Blur reduction option: Yes
BFI function 60Hz: Yes, 60Hz (image flickers)
Brightness drop with BFI: 42%
The motion fluidity on the LG G5 is simply phenomenal. The TV is equipped with a 165 Hz refresh rate panel, and this combined with the instantaneous response time of the OLED matrix delivers incredible results. The picture doesn’t stutter or smear like on classic LCD TVs. Like most LG models, the G5 features a motion smoother, which can be useful when watching movies – of course, we're talking about the TruMotion mode. With the “De-Blur” and “De-Judder” sliders, we can adjust the smoothness of older material according to our preferences, whether we want to preserve the characteristic film stutter or move towards a more fluid, television-like effect.
Blur (native resolution, maximum refresh rate):
Blur (BFI function enabled):
Image flickers in this mode
Smużenie (4K 165Hz):
Ghosting? Here it practically doesn’t occur, because we are talking about OLED, which is unmatched in this regard. Regardless of whether we set the G5 in console mode at 120 Hz or computer mode at 165 Hz – our “little green man” from the motion test was perfectly visible. If someone really wanted the image to seem even “faster,” they could use the BFI feature, which inserts a black frame. In our opinion, however, it doesn’t make much sense – the image starts to flicker, which can strain the eyes, and the brightness drops very noticeably. Since everything looks nearly perfect without this feature, there is no reason to speed things up at the expense of comfort.
LG G5 - Console compatibility and gaming features
10/10
- ALLM:
Yes
- VRR:
Yes
- VRR range:
40 - 165Hz
- Dolby Vision Game Mode:
Yes
- Correct implementation of HGIG:
Yes
- 1080p@120Hz:
Yes
- 1440p@120Hz:
Yes
- 4K@120Hz:
Yes
- Game bar:
Yes
Features for gamers? Perfect. That should be enough for you to know what level we are dealing with here. G5 is a television designed with gamers in mind, so we find literally everything one can expect from a gaming screen. There is Game Bar, support for high resolutions with high refresh rates – that is, 4K at 120 Hz, and even more, because the panel has a refresh rate of 165 Hz (which PC gamers will benefit from). The television supports variable refresh rates (VRR), automatic low latency mode (ALLM), and correctly supports HDR in games thanks to HGiG. All of this adds up to one of the best sets of gaming features available on the market. Well done, LG.
LG G5 - Input lag
9.9/10
The input lag on the LG G5 is incredibly low. The response time to our actions – whether we're playing with a controller, keyboard, or mouse – is almost perfect. The controls are instant, and the game reacts exactly when we expect it to. The Dolby Vision Gaming mode does introduce slightly higher delays, but even then it's hard to complain about anything – in the worst case, the values hover around 20 ms, which for most players will be practically unnoticeable.
| SDR | HDR | Dolby Vision |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p60: 9 ms | 2160p60: 9 ms | 2160p60 DV: 22 ms |
| 1080p120: 5 ms | 2160p120: 5 ms | 2160p120 DV: 13 ms |
| 2160p60: 9 ms | ||
| 2160p120: 5 ms |
LG G5 - Compatibility with PC
8.8/10
Chroma 444 (maximum resolution and refresh rate): Yes
Font clarity: Good
Readability of dark text and shapes: Very Good
Input lag in PC mode (4K, maximum refresh rate): 5ms
Max refresh rate: 165Hz
G-Sync: Yes
Collaboration with a PC? Almost ideal. The television, as we mentioned earlier, has great features for gamers – including those using a PC. On board, we find full G-Sync certification, a 165 Hz panel, and a super-fast input lag of around 5 ms. Thanks to the correct implementation of chroma 4:4:4, fonts are very readable – both the smallest and the largest. Although due to the WRGB subpixel layout, there may be slight shadows around the characters, for most users this effect will be virtually unnoticeable. The G5 performs excellently as a screen for work, entertainment, and gaming – also from a computer.
LG G5 - Viewing angles
7.5/10
Brightness drop at an angle of 45 degrees: 38%
The viewing angles on the LG G5 are very good, mainly due to the use of the WOLED matrix. It's hard to find something to complain about here – the image does not significantly lose brightness or quality even when we look at the screen from the side. However, it must be fairly noted that there is some regression compared to the G4 model. The predecessor used an MLA matrix with micro-lenses, which offered slightly better light distribution. Also, compared to QD-OLED matrices, the angles are worse. Nevertheless, the overall viewing experience at an angle remains very good and should not be an issue in everyday use.
LG G5 - TV efficiency during daytime
8/10
Matrix coating: Glare
Reflection suppression: Decent
Black levels during daytime: Very Good
The LG G5, thanks to its very high brightness, performs excellently in bright rooms. Even with SDR content, the average brightness value is around 800 nits, which is significantly more than in standard televisions. It can easily handle a bright living room. Although the panel averages out reflections, it still maintains significantly better black levels and colors during the day than QD-OLED panels or matte-coated screens. The G5 will perform well in very sunny rooms—unless you really can't stand reflections on the screen. In that case, you will need to use blackout shades or consider buying a television with a matte screen.
Matrix brightness
Average luminance SDR
LG OLED G5: 810 cd/m2
LG G5 - TV features
8.5/10
System: WebOS
System performance: Very Good
- HDMI inputs: 0 x HDMI 2.0, 4 x HDMI 2.1 48Gbps
- Other inputs: IR (remote)
- Outputs: Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI)
- Network Interfaces: Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps
- TV reception: DVB-T, DVB-T2, DVB-S, DVB-S2, DVB-C
Classic features:
- Recording to USB (terrestrial TV): Yes
- Recording programming: Yes
Picture in Picture (PiP): No - RF remote control (no need to aim at the screen): RF
- Backlit remote control: No
- Teletext: Yes
- Audio only mode: Yes
- Possibility to connect Bluetooth headphones to the TV: Yes
- Possibility to simultaneously use Bluetooth headphones and the TV speaker: Yes
Smart features:
- AirPlay: Yes
- Screen mirroring (Windows Miracast): Yes
- Wyszukiwanie głosowe: Yes
- Voice search in native language: Yes
- Ability to connect a keyboard and mouse: Yes
Classic Features
LG G5 has a lot to offer when it comes to classic TV features. Aside from the lack of the ability to watch two sources (PIP), the television performs well for everyday use. There are no issues with connecting external Bluetooth devices, such as headphones, and the EPG interface is very clear and understandable – even for those who are not particularly tech-savvy.
Smart TV Features
The Smart TV in the G5 operates on the WebOS system – it is the heart and brain of the entire television. Thanks to the Magic remote, using the G5 is truly enjoyable. We control the cursor on the screen with wrist movements, which is somewhat reminiscent of using a mouse in the air. The system itself is very comprehensive and offers everything one could expect: AirPlay, screen mirroring, voice search, and voice commands – all of these work smoothly and without delays. Without a doubt, this is one of the best operating systems in televisions on the market.
Note:
During our testing, we had practically nothing to complain about – except for one exception: the confusion surrounding the remote. Depending on the market and the specific version of the model, you may come across the new, minimalist Magic remote (without a numeric keypad), or the older version with a full set of buttons. We tested the G54LW model, which had the new Magic remote, but it is hard to say how the situation looks in other variants. Perhaps it is a similar situation to the LG C5 series, where the addition of the remote also depends on the specific market.
LG G5 - Apps
8.7/10
LG G5 - Playing files from USB
9/10
| Maximum photo resolution: | Supported photo formats: |
|---|---|
| 4 Mpix | JPEG |
| 6 Mpix | HEIC |
| 8 Mpix | PNG |
| 10 Mpix | GIF |
| 12 Mpix | WebP |
| 16 Mpix | TIFF |
| 20 Mpix | BMP |
| 24 Mpix | SVG |
| 28 Mpix | |
| 32 Mpix |
The built-in media player in the LG G5 is really very good. It supports virtually everything you would expect from a modern television – most popular formats work without issue, and the application performs quickly. Our only disappointment was the lack of support for very high bitrate HEVC files at 85 Mbit/s – similar to the C5 and B5 models. Interestingly, the same file worked flawlessly on last year's LG OLEDs, so it's hard to say what is behind this change. Nevertheless, in everyday use, the G5 will handle the vast majority of content, and there will be no need to connect any external devices for media playback.
LG G5 - Sound
8.7/10
8.7/10
Subjective sound quality
Supported codecs
(TV speakers)
Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
Dolby True HD 7.1
Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus (JOC)
Dolby Atmos in Dolby True HD
DTS:X in DTS-HD MA
DTS-HD Master Audio
Supported codecs
(external HDMI eARC audio)
Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
Dolby True HD 7.1
Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus (JOC)
Dolby Atmos in Dolby True HD
DTS:X in DTS-HD MA
DTS-HD Master Audio
The sound on the LG G5, given its slim body, is truly phenomenal. When listening to music, a light, pleasant bass can be felt, and in movies, the dialogues are clear and easily heard – they do not get lost even in dynamic scenes. Unfortunately, a certain disappointment is the lack of support for the DTS format, which LG used in its older models. It's a shame, because many people with home theaters may see this as a step backward.
LG G5 - Details about the matrix
Software version during testing: 33.20.67
Panel uniformity:
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