Compare LG OLED C4 vs LG 55 B4

The LG C4 stands out in its price range, likely offering little competition for many users. With its versatile features, it is perfect for movie and series enthusiasts, as well as gamers. The advanced WebOS system, paired with a remote that functions like a mouse, ensures an excellent user experience, making it a compelling choice for long-term brand loyalty. The OLED panel, built on over a decade of expertise, continues to impress with its ability to deliver a dynamic and immersive viewing experience. The brightness performance on HDR content is exceptional, with a deep and vibrant image. The dynamic tone mapping function is particularly noteworthy, making HDR10 content nearly as stunning as Dolby Vision.

Additionally, LG's televisions are well-suited for calibration, offering flexibility for home users with basic settings and professionals using 3D LUTs. For gaming enthusiasts, the LG C4 is a top choice, like most of the manufacturer’s OLED models. Thanks to HDMI 2.1 support and features like VRR, ALLM, FreeSync, and G-Sync, the gaming experience is incredibly smooth. The panel’s 144Hz refresh rate and advanced motion smoothing make it ideal for high-performance sports broadcasts. Overall, it’s hard to fault the LG OLED C4, as it offers exceptional features at a competitive price.

The LG OLED B4 is an exceptionally versatile television within the semi-premium category. Given its impressive features and competitive pricing—set to drop further as history suggests—it offers outstanding value. The hypnotic combination of perfect black levels and high contrast will captivate anyone familiar with OLED technology, making a return to LCD screens almost unthinkable. While its peak brightness in HDR content might seem modest on paper, the visual experience is enhanced by the panel’s inherent strengths, making the brightness appear far more impactful. It’s also worth highlighting the stability and uniformity of brightness across most scenes. The slight drawback is the reduced brightness in full-frame white scenes, though these are relatively rare and thus not a major concern.

Factory colour reproduction is commendable, offering a good baseline that benefits significantly from calibration, fully realising the director’s vision. The LG B4 is particularly well-suited for gamers and sports enthusiasts alike. Gamers will appreciate the comprehensive HDMI 2.1 support and associated features, while sports fans will enjoy the advanced motion smoothing with its extensive adjustment options. The remote control, equipped with a gyroscope, allows for intuitive navigation akin to using a mouse, making the experience even more seamless.

The WebOS system is another highlight, offering a smooth, responsive interface with a vast array of applications, meeting the needs of most users. At the core of the LG B4 is its advanced Alpha processor, responsible for enhancing image smoothness and conducting detailed signal analysis. The processor’s ability to optimise the darkest and brightest areas of the image significantly improves the viewing and gaming experience. Furthermore, it effectively reduces noise and elevates the overall content quality, especially when viewing 4K material, placing the LG B4 ahead of many competitors in its price bracket.

The growing popularity of OLED technology is well-reflected in the LG B4, which excels in handling dynamic action scenes, offering seamless transitions without blurring. This makes it particularly appealing to discerning users prioritising high image quality and cutting-edge technology. All essential applications are present, ensuring a comprehensive user experience.

In summary, who is the LG OLED B4 for? It’s the perfect choice for those seeking top-tier image quality within a set budget, yet it offers more than just value for money. The LG B4 stands out distinctly in its price range, offering superior image quality that many competitors cannot match.

The LG OLED C4, as the name implies, utilises an organic matrix developed in-house, making it one of the most recognisable series on the market. With over 10 years of experience producing self-emissive panels, LG has continually refined its designs, and the 2024 models are the pinnacle of this progress. An OLED screen ensures flawless contrast and black levels, immersing viewers in the director’s vision. OLED technology stands out for its lack of traditional backlighting, instead relying on current flowing through organic pixels. This design allows for precise image control, eliminating issues like dimming of fine details or halo/blooming effects.

In our test scenes, two standout features were immediately apparent: perfect light separation and an abundance of detail in "The Revenant." Crucially, the C4 displayed the distinct green tint some televisions attempt to correct, without issues. The LG OLED C4 excels in delivering exceptional contrast, resulting in incredible depth and richness. Test results confirm that the black levels are flawless, particularly in high-contrast scenes. Ultimately, the LG C4 offers an unmatched contrast ratio, delivering a visually stunning experience whether watching movies or gaming.

The LG B4 employs OLED panels produced by LG Displays, offering perfect contrast and true black levels. This results in an image so vivid and dynamic that it can appear almost three-dimensional. The "B" series has consistently been an ideal choice for those seeking excellent image quality without the premium price tag associated with higher-tier models. Thanks to competitive pricing, the B series often rivals Mini LED televisions, frequently emerging victorious. Unlike LCD TVs with local dimming, the LG B4 avoids common issues like blooming, halo effects, or dimming of fine bright details.

This superiority is particularly evident in challenging test scenes, such as those from Oblivion and Sicario 2. The LG B4 handles these with impressive finesse, delivering a high level of visual depth. In Oblivion, the bright lights are distinctly separated, maintaining clarity and precision without blending into each other. Similarly, in The Sicario 2, scenes featuring heli highlight the B4's ability to render intricate details and preserve the film’s unique colour grading, even in darker, more demanding moments. This exceptional performance in both contrast and detail demonstrates the LG B4’s capability to bring cinematic experiences to life.

The HDR performance of the LG OLED C4 is impressive, firmly placing it in the higher tier. Most films exceed 700 nits, delivering a highly realistic image. While none surpass the 1,000-nit mark, the combination of these results with the TV’s infinite contrast and perfect blacks significantly enhances the visual experience. The final scene, with a full-screen flash of sunlight, is slightly less bright than the others but still maintains a solid level of brightness. Another highlight is the excellent DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage, which ensures incredibly vibrant colours. The HDR technology in the LG OLED C4 delivers exceptional colour and detail reproduction. The dynamic tone mapping feature optimises brightness levels, ensuring ideal light reproduction in every scene, even in the most demanding high-dynamic films.

The HDR brightness performance of the LG B4 is impressive, even though it doesn't surpass 1000 nits. Its luminance stability is consistently strong across various scenarios, delivering a reliable viewing experience. The only instance where the TV shows slight weakness is in scenes with large areas of bright white, which has long been a challenge for OLED technology. However, perfect contrast, deep blacks, and excellent brightness ensure a fully immersive HDR experience. Furthermore, the TV’s remarkable 99% coverage of the DCI-P3 colour gamut enhances its colour vibrancy, making images appear rich and visually striking. This level of colour accuracy and brightness balance firmly places the LG B4 among the top choices for HDR content.

The best factory mode on the tested television was "Filmmaker," which served as the basis for all evaluations. In terms of colour reproduction, this mode performed reasonably well; however, certain flaws significantly detracted from the overall viewing experience. The most fundamental issue was the white balance, which exhibited a noticeable dominance of red, skewing the image characteristics. This resulted in a pronounced yellow tint to whites and a general shift of all colours towards warmer tones.

The gamma, an equally crucial—if not more important—aspect, was notably lowered, leading to a marked reduction in contrast. Additionally, the television frequently lost detail at the start of the gamma curve. These issues were most apparent in SDR content.

When examining HDR materials, the same yellowing effect in the white balance was observed, as seen with SDR content. However, the EOTF curve, which replaces the gamma curve for HDR, was near perfect and left little room for criticism.

The best factory preset offered by LG B4 is the "Filmmaker" mode, which we used throughout our testing. Straight out of the box, the TV delivered fairly accurate colour reproduction. However, the most significant issue in both SDR and HDR content was the white balance. In SDR, there was a noticeable red dominance, giving the image a distinct yellow tint, particularly evident in skin tones and whites. In HDR, this red hue persisted, but the lack of blue also introduced a greenish tint in certain scenes. Additionally, we observed some inconsistencies in grayscale and colour accuracy. Despite these shortcomings, the overall picture quality was still solid for most viewing scenarios.

As mentioned, LG televisions come with advanced tools to facilitate an accurate calibration process. By utilising these tools, we meticulously adjusted the image to align with the director’s original vision. Without overstating, the results were outstanding. Both SDR and HDR content now achieve a level of visual fidelity that reflects how films are intended to be seen.

Examining the colour accuracy on the "ColourChecker" palette reveals impressive results, with almost all colour errors falling below a delta of "1," aside from two minor exceptions. Post-calibration, the LG OLED C4 demonstrated a marked improvement in colour reproduction, particularly in SDR and HDR modes. Testing the TV after calibration highlighted its capacity for delivering exceptionally accurate colours, underlining the high calibre of this model. The LG C41LA offers a stunningly precise colour palette, sure to satisfy even the most discerning viewers.

LG B4 has long been known for offering advanced calibration tools, and it remains one of the few manufacturers that allows such in-depth image adjustments. Thanks to these tools, we calibrated the device to an exceptional standard. The result was incredibly low deltaE errors, considered at a reference level. Both SDR and HDR content now display exactly as the filmmaker intended. This level of precision is one of the reasons LG TVs are frequently used as preview monitors in graphic design and post-production studios.

The fluidity of tonal transitions in LG TVs has long been a delicate issue, as the manufacturer, despite excelling in many areas, has consistently faced challenges in this aspect. However, the tested TV performed notably well in this regard. Issues were primarily confined to darker scenes, particularly the final two, where imperfections were more apparent. Interestingly, this model delivered better results in tonal transitions than LG's flagship model, the G4, showcasing a commendable improvement in this area.

The smoothness of tonal transitions, often overlooked in tests of competing platforms, is a crucial aspect of image quality, especially when watching content with a rich colour palette and complex effects, where textures overlap. This can sometimes result in colour banding or a lack of smooth gradation. The LG B4 performs quite well in terms of smoothing these tonal transitions. However, it has weaker moments, such as bright coloured skies in films like Kingsman and The Martian. Despite these minor issues, they do not significantly detract from the viewing experience. Therefore, we positively assess the quality of tonal transitions in the LG B4.

Let us revisit the function responsible for smooth gradation and consider its role in improving lower-quality materials. The default smoothing of tonal transitions, while decent, can be further enhanced. The feature includes a slider for adjusting its strength, and we recommend selecting the first option. This setting strikes a balance, offering excellent results without compromising important details through unnecessary blurring.

The image scaling on the LG C4 is commendable, though not entirely without flaws. By default, the image appears slightly sharper, though not to an intrusive degree. While jagged edges on elements like trees are occasionally visible, this issue is relatively minor compared to similar offerings from other manufacturers.

In this section, we will revisit the smooth transition function while also examining how the TV handles lower-quality content. As we’ve found, the setting responsible for smooth gradation is generally effective, though it does have its drawbacks. While the function works well in SDR content, it becomes less useful in HDR content. Even at the lowest setting, it can blur important details, so we advise against using it in such cases.

The image scaling on the LG B4 is assessed moderately positively. While there is no noticeable edge doubling, the image tends to be somewhat "soft." This can be adjusted by tweaking the sharpness slider to improve the clarity.

The LG G4 supports a maximum refresh rate of 144 Hz, achievable only when connected to a high-performance PC. Otherwise, the television operates at a maximum of 120 Hz, the recommended setting for viewing sports or content with fast-paced motion. For those prioritising smooth image quality, LG has included a versatile motion smoothing feature called "TrueMotion." This function is split into two adjustable sliders: De-Blur, which sharpens moving images, and De-Judder, which reduces jitter. Both sliders offer a range of settings from 0 to 10, enabling users to fine-tune the motion smoothness to their preference.

The LG OLED C4 boasts an impressive average response time of less than 1 millisecond, as confirmed by our measurements. This results in exceptional image clarity, far surpassing LCD televisions, which often have response times of several milliseconds. This clarity is evident in tests like the "UFO Test," where no trailing blur is visible behind moving objects.

The maximum refresh rate on the LG B4 is 120 Hz, the bare minimum for those requiring high image fluidity. The manufacturer has equipped the TV with a multi-stage motion smoother called "TruMotion." This feature is split into two sliders: one controls the sharpness of moving images (De-Blur) and the other adjusts judder (De-Judder). Both sliders can be set between 0 and 10, with each level affecting the smoothness, so users can easily find their preferred setting.

The LG OLED B4 panel boasts an impressive average response time of 0.1 ms (based on our measurements), delivering an exceptionally clear image that surpasses the capabilities of LCD TVs, which often have response times of several milliseconds. This is particularly noticeable in the "UFO Test" images, where no trailing blur is visible behind moving objects.

The LG C4, like nearly all OLED televisions from the manufacturer, excels in its compatibility with consoles and PCs. With the inclusion of four full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 ports supporting 48 Gbps, the TV incorporates a range of features to enhance the gaming experience. Notably, it offers simultaneous support for FreeSync and G-Sync, making it an ideal choice for gamers using AMD or Nvidia graphics cards. For those seeking the best possible gaming quality, the integration of HDR Dolby Vision and HGIG mode is particularly impressive. HDR Dolby Vision operates with remarkably low input lag across all settings, ensuring smooth and responsive gameplay.

A standout feature in LG's televisions is the GameBar, which allows users to adjust settings in real-time without leaving the game. This includes options for customising the image for viewers with visual impairments, a thoughtful addition. Additionally, enabling VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) does not result in a loss of contrast—a benefit of the OLED panel's self-emissive technology, eliminating the need for conventional backlighting. While some slight flickering of grey tones may occur, this is a characteristic of VRR technology across all manufacturers.

In summary: The LG C4, like the brand's other OLED models equipped with high-refresh-rate panels and HDMI 2.1, provides a seamless and immersive gaming experience. For gamers demanding top-tier performance, this TV is an outstanding choice.

The LG B4 has four full HDMI 2.1 ports, each providing 48Gbps bandwidth. This ensures smooth activation of all relevant features without issues, making the television highly suitable for gaming. With its low input lag and extensive functionality, including well-implemented HGIG mode and Dolby Vision gaming with low latency, the B4 is a strong contender for gamers who demand high quality.

A standout feature is GameBar, which allows for on-the-fly adjustments without interrupting gameplay, as well as image adaptations for those with visual impairments. Another key point is that when VRR technology is enabled, the television maintains its contrast, thanks to the OLED panel's structure, though slight flickering in grey shades is to be expected.

In conclusion, the LG B4 is an ideal choice for gamers, seamlessly combining high performance with excellent gaming features. Its 120Hz panel and HDMI 2.1 ports make it a standout option for those seeking top-tier gaming experiences.

The latency time of the LG C4 is exceptionally low across all scenarios, making it a standout choice for even the most dedicated gamers. At demanding settings of 4K 120 Hz with HDR, the input lag is an astonishingly low 5 ms, ensuring an incredibly responsive gaming experience. Notably, this low latency remains consistent even when Dolby Vision HDR is enabled—a feature that competitors often struggle to maintain without increasing delay.

This consistency and performance firmly position the LG C4 as a top-tier option for gamers seeking high-quality visuals and minimal lag. It undoubtedly earns the highest rating and strong recommendation for gaming enthusiasts.

The LG B4 boasts incredibly low latency across all scenarios. Even the most dedicated gamers will appreciate the exceptionally low input lag, which remains at just 5 ms, even during demanding 4K 120 Hz settings with HDR. Notably, latencies are unchanged when Dolby Vision HDR is enabled, a feature that is not always guaranteed by competitors. This consistent performance deserves the highest praise and a strong recommendation.

When paired with a PC, the LG C4 delivers excellent performance, largely due to its impressively low latency of 13.5 ms, ensuring a near-instantaneous response between the mouse, eye, and screen. This makes it an ideal choice for tasks requiring precision and speed.

One of the most crucial aspects of using a TV as a monitor is text readability, and in this regard, the LG C4 excels. The text appears sharp and clear, although enabling the passthrough option in the settings is necessary to optimise font sharpness.

The RWBG pixel layout is another advantage, as it does not significantly affect the clarity of fonts or letters—a notable improvement compared to Samsung's QD-OLED panels. Whether using Windows or macOS, the LG C4 ensures a smooth and satisfying user experience for work or general PC use.

The LG B4 performs excellently when paired with a PC, thanks to its incredibly low latency of just 13.5 ms, providing near-instantaneous response between the mouse, eye, and screen. Text readability is very good on this television, with sharp fonts achievable by enabling the passthrough option in the settings. The RWBG pixel arrangement has no significant impact on font or letter display, offering a clear advantage over Samsung’s QD-OLED panels. Users of both Windows and macOS-equipped computers will appreciate the solid performance of the LG B4 screen.

One of the undeniable strengths of OLED panels is their exceptional performance for group viewing, allowing for consistent image quality from a range of viewing angles. The LG C4 upholds excellent contrast, colour saturation, and fidelity, ensuring a satisfying experience for viewers in different seating positions.

While it lacks the enhancements provided by MLA (Micro-Lens Array) technology, the C4 still delivers impressive results that most owners are likely to find highly satisfactory. However, at sharper angles, a slight greenish tint can sometimes be observed. This is a known characteristic of LG’s WRGB panels without micro-lens technology and, unfortunately, is an inherent limitation that cannot be mitigated.

One of the undeniable advantages of OLED panels, including the LG B4, is their excellent performance during group viewing, maintaining good contrast, colour saturation, and fidelity from different angles. While it doesn’t benefit from MLA technology like other OLED models, the overall performance remains impressive, and owners are unlikely to be dissatisfied. However, it’s worth noting that at sharp angles, a slight greenish tint can be observed. This is a characteristic of WRGB panels from LG that lack micro-lens technology, and unfortunately, this issue cannot be mitigated.

The maximum brightness of the LG C4 in SDR content reaches 367 nits, which is an impressive result for an OLED television and ensures comfortable viewing, even during the day. Two notable aspects enhance the experience. First, the glossy coating on the panel effectively contains light reflections, preventing them from spreading across the screen and disrupting the image.

Secondly, the brightness of the screen at 100% white fill measures approximately 220 nits, a significant improvement over earlier OLED models, which often struggled to achieve even half this level. This enhancement provides an excellent viewing experience, particularly for bright and vibrant content such as winter sports broadcasts.

The maximum brightness of the LG B4 in SDR content reaches 370 nits, which is a commendable result for an OLED television, providing comfortable viewing even in well-lit environments. However, there are two important considerations. First, the television's ability to manage reflections is somewhat average, primarily due to the satin finish of the panel. This means that direct light hitting the screen may cause noticeable reflections. Secondly, the screen's brightness when displaying 100% white fill is around 260 nits. This is a noteworthy improvement, as OLED televisions in this price range previously achieved only half that brightness. This enhancement makes the LG B4 well-suited for watching high-brightness content, such as winter sports.

LG has used its well-established proprietary WebOS system, a staple in its televisions for many years. This system provides access to virtually all major applications, with only a few notable exceptions, such as CDA or KODI. Additionally, the modern web browser and the remote control with a built-in mouse make streaming services easily accessible, even when specific apps are unavailable. One of WebOS's standout features is its ability to operate using a cursor that appears when the remote control is moved, offering great convenience when entering queries or passwords.

WebOS also includes screen mirroring, AirPlay, and Bluetooth headphone connectivity. For users with hearing impairments, it’s worth noting that WebOS allows the simultaneous use of headphones and the TV speaker, providing added flexibility. For sports fans, the system has a handy alert feature that notifies users of an upcoming match, ensuring they never miss a game.

Another highlight is the home panel, which enables users to control all smart devices connected to their home network. For example, a completed washing cycle will trigger a notification in the upper right corner of the screen.

In conclusion, while WebOS may not be as widely known or feature-rich as Android TV, it offers stable, fast performance and supports the majority of functions that users need. It is a solid and reliable option for those seeking a simple, effective, and user-friendly operating system for their television.

The LG B4 uses the well-established WebOS system, a staple in LG's smart TVs for many years. This system offers a wide range of essential applications, with only a few notable omissions, such as CDA and KODI. One of WebOS's standout features is its cursor functionality, which activates when the remote control is moved, making it especially convenient for entering search queries or passwords on websites.

In addition, WebOS supports various features such as screen mirroring, AirPlay, voice search in Polish, and Bluetooth headphone connectivity. An added bonus is the ability to use the television’s speakers and headphones simultaneously, which is particularly beneficial for individuals with hearing impairments. For sports enthusiasts, the system also includes alerts for upcoming matches, ensuring you never miss a broadcast.

The home panel in WebOS is another strength, offering seamless control of all smart devices connected to the home network. For example, users receive notifications when a laundry cycle is completed, enhancing the overall convenience of the system.

In conclusion, while WebOS may have some limitations compared to Android TV, it provides stable and fast performance, supporting most key functions users expect. It's a reliable and straightforward operating system for those looking for an easy-to-use interface for their television.

The default file player on the LG C4 handles various photo resolutions without issue, making it a reliable option for viewing images. It supports nearly all popular video formats, including Dolby Vision, ensuring compatibility with high-quality content. However, the television does not support H.266 VVC codec, which is relatively rare at this stage, so this limitation is not a significant drawback.

A notable omission is the lack of support for subtitles in the .txt format, which could be inconvenient for users who prefer using text-based subtitle files. In terms of photo formats, the C4 supports only three: JPEG, PNG, and HEIC (the latter being particularly useful for Apple phone users). While this is somewhat limited, it covers the most common formats for everyday use.

The TV excels in audio file compatibility, with no issues playing a wide range of audio formats, ensuring seamless music and sound playback without any compatibility warnings.

The default file player in the LG B4 performs well with most photo and video formats, supporting a wide range of popular codecs, including Dolby Vision. However, there are a few limitations that may disappoint some users. For example, the TV only supports two photo formats: JPEG and PNG, which could be a downside for those accustomed to the HEIC format used by Apple devices. Unfortunately, there is no native support for HEIC files, but the built-in AirPlay feature can serve as a workaround for Apple users. Additionally, while the TV can handle most video formats, it does not support the H.266 VVC codec, which is currently not widely used.

Another limitation is the lack of support for TXT subtitles, which may be an issue for users who rely on these for certain content. Despite these minor drawbacks, the LG B4 offers a solid file playback experience overall.

The LG C4 audio system is well-tuned, providing strong bass and balanced mid and high tones. It stands out as one of the better-sounding televisions in its price range. However, most buyers will likely already have a dedicated audio setup. The presence of DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby Atmos codecs enhances the overall experience, offering high-quality sound for those who rely on the TV's built-in speakers.

The audio system in the LG OLED B4 is quite decent and performs well within its price range. The bass is noticeable but does not overwhelm the other frequencies, resulting in a balanced sound overall. While the built-in speakers are adequate for casual viewing, it is likely that most users opting for a high-quality OLED display will already have an external audio system to enhance their experience. However, the inclusion of DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby Atmos codecs adds value, offering more advanced audio support for those who connect external sound systems. This makes the B4 a solid choice for users prioritising image and sound quality.

LG OLED C4 vs LG 55 B4

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

TV efficiency during daytime

Details about the matrix

TV features

Playing files from USB

Apps

Sound