Compare: LG OLED G4 vs LG OLED C4

LG G4 is a strong contender for being the best television of 2024. With the combination of OLED black and MLA technology, we obtain an incredibly dynamic and vivid image, which will certainly captivate us completely. LG G4 is also proof that televisions equipped with an OLED panel supported by MLA technology are indeed suitable for viewing in a sunny room. The operating system, while not as open as the competition, offers many possibilities. Its greatest advantage is the well-known remote control with a pointer, which makes controlling the unit (in our opinion) one of the most convenient on the market. The factory colour reproduction, although not at a high level, after the calibration process, can be referred to as a reference screen, delivering a truly cinematic image. It is no coincidence that post-production studios choose televisions from this manufacturer. They alone offer such deep intervention possibilities in the image, thanks to 3D LUT calibration. It seems that the biggest (and perhaps only) disadvantage of this television is tonal transitions, which, although far from ideal, cannot be said to take away the pleasure of viewing. The remedy is provided by the manufacturer itself, and enabling the "Smooth Gradation" function will eliminate the vast majority of the stuttering. LG G4 also performs very well when watching various sports or other dynamic scenes. The motion smoother is extremely advanced and allows for tailoring the smoothing to one's needs. Thanks to HDMI 2.1 ports with their full functionality and the manufacturer's attention to detail, the tested television will find its place in the homes of many avid gamers. Every essential feature works flawlessly, and the low input lag in every mode is very pleasing. In summary, LG G4 is an extremely versatile television, allowing for entertainment in excellent quality both at night and during the day.

LG C4 is a television that, in its price range, will likely have no competition for many users. Thanks to its extensive capabilities, it will appeal to those looking for a television not only for films and series but also for gaming. The advanced WebOS system and a remote control that functions like a mouse will certainly be a significant convenience in everyday use, making it likely that we will stick with this brand for much longer. The OLED panel implemented by the manufacturer, resulting from over 10 years of history, shows that this brand has not yet said its last word. The brightness results in HDR materials are very solid and can deliver an incredibly dynamic and deep image. It is worth mentioning the excellently implemented dynamic tone mapping feature, which makes HDR10 content look almost as good as Dolby Vision. And when it comes to fidelity to artistic vision, one cannot overlook how calibratable LG televisions are, allowing considerable freedom for calibrators and classic calibration for home users, as well as 3D LUT for professionals. However, if we are looking for a gaming television, then the LG C4, like most of the manufacturer’s OLED televisions, will be an ideal choice. With the implementation of HDMI 2.1 ports and the full utilisation of their potential, we can enjoy incredibly smooth gameplay with all the benefits, such as VRR, ALLM, FreeSync, and G-Sync. Of course, the panel, with a maximum refresh rate of 144 Hz and an advanced motion smoother, will also provide a very smooth and sharp image during the broadcast of various sporting events. It is hard not to give a high rating to LG OLED C4, as a television in a similar price range with such advanced features is difficult to find among the competition.

LG G4, thanks to its OLED panels produced for over 10 years, delivers perfect results in contrast, black levels, and detail reproduction in the darkest scenes. It is worth noting that the panel itself is equipped with MLA (Micro Lens Array) technology, which LG showcased just a year ago during the launch of its predecessor. The use of organic matrix allows not only for achieving pitch-black levels but also for an extraordinary immersion and three-dimensional effect of the image, which is hard to find even in the best Mini LED televisions. Such image quality is closely correlated with OLED matrix technology, as each pixel is controlled by an electric impulse rather than by blocking filters on the panel. Therefore, if we want to achieve true black, the pixel is not turned on at all. This is clearly visible in test images, where the spotlight provides high brightness while being perfectly separated from each other. The situation does not change in the demanding scene from "Sicario 2," where no imperfections are visible in the form of dimming zone issues that we may encounter in LCD televisions.

LG OLED C4, as the name suggests, uses an organic panel of its own production. This series definitely ranks among the most recognisable on the market. Over 10 years of experience in the construction of self-emitting panels has allowed for the refinement of each subsequent design, with the models from the 2024 vintage being the epitome of this. Of course, the use of this type of screen enables the achievement of impeccable contrast and blacks, allowing for immersion in the world created by the director. This is made possible by the OLED panel, characterised by the absence of conventional backlighting, with current passing through organic pixels instead. This allows for super-accurate control of the image, thereby eliminating issues such as the dimming of delicate fine details or the halo/blooming effect. Looking at both of our test scenes, we can observe two things: perfect separation of lights and a whole plethora of details in the film "Sicario 2".

LG G4 guarantees an incredibly vivid HDR effect, placing the television among the very best. The equipment of the highest model in the producer's 2024 portfolio with the second generation of micro-lens technology (MLA) has achieved a maximum brightness level of 1474 nits in real scenes. The only area where the product from the Korean manufacturer may lag behind LCD televisions with Mini LED backlighting is during the full-screen scenes featuring a lot of white. If we disregard the latter type of scene, the average result would be even higher. It is also worth mentioning scenes with very fine details, where each one shines at full intensity, which is not as evident in non-OLED televisions. The combination of such brightness and wide coverage of the DCI-P3 palette makes HDR materials more engaging than ever before.

The results of HDR materials are definitely among the better ones. Practically every film significantly exceeds the 700 nits barrier, allowing for a very realistic image. Of course, none of them surpasses the magical thousand, yet the combination of such results and unlimited contrast and black effectively boosts the outcome optically. The last of the scenes, featuring a full-screen burst of sunlight, is actually less bright than the others, although it still represents a commendable level. It is also worth mentioning the excellent coverage of the DCI-P3 colour palette, which will allow for achieving extremely vivid colours.

The best factory mode in terms of colour reproduction was "Filmmaker". This was the one we used during our tests. Let's check how its characteristics looked before the calibration process. Looking closely at the white balance first, we can notice a significant dominance of red and green. As a result, the image had a warm yellowish hue. Such characteristics are typically observed in "Cinema", "Filmmaker" or similarly named modes. The effect of this colour balance was clearly visible in both SDR and HDR content, which after switching from "Standard" mode appeared distinctly yellow. Now, let's move on to two graphs that are responsible for the brightness characteristics and consequently the contrast of the image. The first one (Gamma), representing materials with a standard colour palette, performed decently. For most of the time, midtones and bright whites were reproduced very accurately; however, it noticeably lost the darkest details, which merged into a black blob. Conversely, HDR materials, represented by the EOTF curve graph, exhibited a significant drop in contrast due to a strong boost in brightness. The colours themselves also posed a problem, as can be seen on the "ColorChecker" graph, since they were noticeably under-saturated.

The best factory mode implemented in the tested television was "Filmmaker". It was this mode that we used during all tests. This mode proved to be quite good in terms of colour reproduction; however, other shortcomings effectively detracted from the enjoyment of viewing. Starting with the most basic aspect, the white balance, it was easy to notice that it was marked by a dominance of red, which overall changed the characteristics of the image. We could thus see a strong yellowing of the whites and a shift of all colours towards warmer shades. The gamma, which is a curve just as important, if not more so, was quite significantly lowered, resulting in a considerable drop in contrast, except at the beginning of the graph, where the television insidiously lost details. That’s all regarding SDR materials. Taking a closer look at films with a wide dynamic range, we can observe exactly the same phenomenon of yellowing of the white balance as in films with a standard colour palette. The EOTF curve, which replaces our gamma curve, is practically perfect and cannot be faulted.

The manufacturer has implemented extensive support for the calibration process in its LG televisions for many years. We therefore used 2- and 20-point greyscale adjustments, as well as an advanced CMS (Colour Management System), and got to work. As you can see, thanks to the procedure carried out, each parameter has significantly improved. The use of tools allowed for the achievement of extremely beneficial effects, which include: studio colour reproduction, recovery of details in dark areas of the image, appropriate brightness characteristics, and suitable colour saturation. This brings us as close as possible to the reference image, which is what the film director saw on the preview monitor. It is worth noting that the LG G4 televisions alone allow for even deeper intervention in image quality thanks to the ability to calibrate with 3D LUTs. However, this is a solution recommended only for post-production or graphic studios.

As we mentioned earlier, LG televisions are equipped with advanced tools for carrying out the calibration process. We therefore used them to model the image in the way that the director intended. And without modesty, we must admit that we achieved this phenomenally. Both SDR and HDR materials present a level that clearly indicates that this is how a film should look. It is worth looking at the colour errors on the "ColorChecker" palette here, where practically none of them exceeds "1", apart from two samples.

The tonal transitions presented on LG G4 are not among the best. Each scene played from a BluRay disc with 10-bit HDR exhibited clear inconsistencies in colour transitions. This is particularly noticeable in the case of the film "The Green Knight", where issues related to posterisation were especially evident. This effect could also be observed in films of moderate and high brightness, such as "The Martian" and "Kingsman", which is rarely seen in televisions (especially of this class), which surprised us. Such results suggest that in scenes of low luminance with a large amount of black, this issue will be bothersome, even for a layperson.

The fluidity of tonal transitions in LG televisions has always been a fairly sensitive issue, as the manufacturer, despite impeccable performance in other areas, has almost always struggled to get this right. The results of the assessment of the fluidity of tonal transitions in the tested television were quite good, and the problems are mainly visible in darker scenes, such as the last two scenes. Interestingly, this is a result that is definitely better than the highest model from the manufacturer, namely the LG G4.

The tested television did not perform particularly well with materials rich in tonal transitions, as a result of which we could observe a strong posterisation effect. However, there is a partial remedy for this issue. The manufacturer has equipped the LG G4 with a smoothing system called "Gentle Gradation," which we can apply at three levels: Low, Medium, and High. Each of these options guarantees quite a high effectiveness of smoothing on light colours, although it is low on darker ones. We recommend primarily using the first one, as the other two interfere with the director's intentions by removing film grain.

When watching lower-quality materials, the efficiency of the television during upscaling is extremely important. The image from the tested television is sharp and clear. However, one should pay attention to the jagged edges of fine details and minor issues around characters, such as the creation of halo effects, which occurs due to the sharpening imposed by LG G4 even when the lowest value on the slider, that is 0, is set. It is worth noting that this represents a certain change compared to the LG G3, which did not impose such strong image sharpening, even when the appropriate slider was set to position 0.

Once again, we will take a look at the function responsible for smooth gradation, but we will also address the one that aims to improve the quality of lower-quality materials. The default smoothing of tonal transitions, as we have seen, was not the worst, but it can still be improved. The function has a slider, which allows us to adjust its strength. We recommend using the first one, as it yields very good results and does not blur important details.

Image scaling in LG C4 is quite good; however, it cannot be said to be without flaws. The image is slightly sharper by default, although not in a very noticeable way. Admittedly, there are jagged edges on the trees, but this is not a major issue compared to other manufacturers.

The maximum refresh rate that we can set on the LG G4 is 144 Hz. Naturally, this is only possible when the LG G4 is connected to a very powerful PC. Otherwise, we will operate at a maximum refresh rate of 120 Hz, which is recommended if we primarily want to watch sports or content with high motion dynamics. For those requiring high image fluidity, the manufacturer has implemented a multi-level motion smoother called "TrueMotion". This has been divided into two separate sliders that adjust the sharpness of moving images (De-Blur) and judder (De-Judder). Both sliders can be set in the range from 0 to 10, with each level affecting the degree of smoothness, allowing everyone to find their golden mean.

The LG OLED G4 panel features an average response time of 0.78 ms (as directly derived from our measurements), enabling an incredibly clear image, unattainable by LCD televisions, which can have response times of several milliseconds. This is perfectly illustrated by the images from the "UFO Test", which show no trailing blur behind the object. Moreover, the LG OLED G4 test revealed that the television offers the ability to precisely adjust the motion smoothing function, allowing users to select the ideal level of image interpolation. We particularly appreciated this during fast-paced actions in video games, where the LG G4 performed exceptionally well, minimising any blurring. Thanks to OLED technology, this model eliminates so-called ghosting, ensuring that the image remains sharp even in the most dynamic sporting or cinematic scenes.

The maximum refresh rate that we can set on the LG G4 is 144 Hz. Naturally, this is only possible when connecting the television to a very powerful PC. In other cases, we will be operating at a maximum refresh rate of 120 Hz, which is recommended if we primarily want to watch sport or content with a lot of motion dynamics. For those requiring high fluidity of the image, the manufacturer has implemented a multi-step motion smoother called "TrueMotion". It has been divided into two separate sliders that adjust the sharpness of moving images (De-Blur) and judder (De-Judder). Both sliders can be set within a range from 0 to 10, with each degree affecting the degree of smoothing, allowing everyone to find their golden mean.

The LG OLED C4 panel features an average response time of less than 1 ms (which directly results from our measurements), allowing for an incredibly clear image that is unattainable for LCD televisions, whose response times can be as high as several milliseconds. This is clearly visible in the pictures from the "UFO Test," showing no trailing blur behind the object.

The LG G4 television supports all the features that make up the HDMI 2.1 standard. During testing, each of them activated without the slightest problem, which allows us to consider the television as designed for gaming. Their functionality will surely be appreciated by both console users and those connecting the LG G4 to a computer. It is also worth mentioning the correct implementation of the HGIG (HDR Gaming Interest Group) mode, which ensures that games mastered to brightness levels exceeding the maximum luminance of the LG G4 will correctly map tones, and the game's visuals will remain true to the original.

A nice touch is the existence of a special GameBar, which we can call up at any moment to check game parameters, but most importantly, to change them quickly. More importantly, enabling VRR technology does not degrade contrast, which is very common in televisions that feature local dimming or Mini LED backlighting. Of course, this is thanks to the OLED panel itself, characterised by pixel self-emission. As a matter of editorial obligation, we will only mention a slight grey flicker, which is somewhat normal after enabling VRR.

In summary, the LG G4, like practically all OLED televisions, is an ideal product for all kinds of games and online competitions. With fully-fledged HDMI 2.1 connections with a full bandwidth of 48 Gbit, features such as VRR, ALLM, G-Sync, FreeSync, or gaming in HDR Dolby Vision will bring much joy.

We can already say that LG C4, like practically every OLED television from the manufacturer, is exceptionally good in terms of compatibility with consoles and PCs. Thanks to the implementation of four full bandwidth HDMI 2.1 ports at 48 Gbps, the manufacturer has included all features that enhance the gaming experience, among which we find simultaneous support for FreeSync and G-Sync technology. With such a tandem, gamers with a graphics card from AMD or Nvidia can confidently opt for C4. However, what should delight the players requiring the highest possible quality the most is the simultaneous implementation of HDR Dolby Vision and HGIG mode. The first is particularly important as it works with extremely low input lag in all settings.

A standard in the Korean manufacturer's televisions is also the implementation of GameBar, allowing for quick adjustments of settings "on the fly" without the need to exit the game. It also enables image adjustments for visually impaired individuals, which is a very nice touch. Another important piece of information is that when VRR technology is enabled, we will not experience a drop in contrast. This is, of course, due to the panel's design and the absence of conventional backlighting. However, it is normal for shades of grey to flicker slightly, although this is a characteristic feature of this function regardless of the manufacturer and television.

In summary: LG C4, just like all of the manufacturer's OLEDs equipped with high refresh rate panels and HDMI 2.1 ports, creates a harmonious whole with consoles. In practice, it is a complete television, and if we expect the highest possible performance in gaming, C4 will be an ideal choice.

The input lag of the LG G4 is at an incredibly low level in every scenario. Even the most passionate gamers will undoubtedly appreciate the very low input lag at demanding 4K 120 Hz settings with HDR, measuring just 5 ms. It is also worth noting that the lag at the same settings but with Dolby Vision HDR enabled remains unchanged, which is not as obvious in the competition. Therefore, it deserves the highest score and recommendation.

The input lag of the LG C4 is at an incredibly low level in every scenario. Even the most dedicated gamers will surely appreciate the very low input lag at demanding 4K 120 Hz settings with HDR, which is just 5 ms. It is also worth noting that the lag at the same settings but with Dolby Vision HDR enabled remains unchanged, which is not so obvious with the competition. Therefore, it deserves the highest rating and recommendation.

LG G4 combined with a PC performs excellently, thanks to its very low latency of just 5 ms, which is practically an instantaneous response between the mouse, the eye, and the screen. A crucial aspect when working on a screen is the readability of text, which in the case of the tested television is very good.

The RWBG pixel layout does not significantly impact the display of fonts or letters, which is a significant advantage over Samsung's QD-OLED panels. Users of both Windows and macOS equipped computers will certainly be pleased with the performance on the tested television LG G4.

LG C4 in combination with a PC performs excellently, thanks to a very low latency of just 13.5 ms, which is practically an instantaneous response between the mouse, eye and screen. A particularly important issue when working on the screen is the readability of text, which in the case of the tested television is very good. However, it is worth noting that to achieve sharp fonts, you need to enable the passthrough option in the settings.

The RWBG pixel arrangement has no significant impact on the display of fonts or letters, which is a considerable advantage over Samsung's QD-OLED panels. Users of both computers equipped with the Windows operating system and macOS will certainly be satisfied with the experience on the screen of the tested television.

The undeniable advantage of OLED screens equipped with MLA technology is their efficiency when viewed from different angles. There are no noticeable changes to the eye, regardless of where we are viewing from. This type of screen maintains consistent brightness, saturation, and white tone, in contrast to LCD matrices or OLEDs without micro-lens array (MLA) technology. The only matrices that can rival them are those produced by Samsung Displays, using quantum dot technology, namely QD-OLED.

The undeniable advantage of OLED panels is their efficiency in the context of group viewing, that is, from various angles. LG C4 maintains very good contrast, colour saturation, and fidelity. Although this is not the result of organic televisions supported by MLA technology, it cannot be said that anyone who purchased the device was dissatisfied with the results obtained. However, it should be noted that at sharp angles, a slight greenish tint can be observed. This is a characteristic feature of WRGB panels from LG, without the aforementioned microlens technology, and unfortunately, there is nothing that can be done about it.

The glossy coating of the panel in LG G4, although it sounds like a negative, is in fact the opposite. Thanks to it, the LG G4 television maintains very high efficiency and effectively suppresses all reflections, "holding" them only at their source. It is also worth mentioning the quality of black during the day, which in the case of WRGB panels produced by LG Displays is outstanding. OLED MLA panels, despite a large number of advantages, are somewhat worse in this case, but still better in the context of competition from Samsung, whose QD-OLED panels grey out when triggered by light. The combination of brightness at around 500 nits and a glossy coating allows for daytime use of the television, unless the user has a living room with large glazing.

The maximum brightness of the television in SDR materials is 367 nits. For an OLED television, this is a very good result that allows for quite comfortable viewing during the day. It is worth noting two things. Thanks to the glossy coating of the screen, reflections are held well in place and do not spill over onto the rest of the display. The second issue is the brightness of the screen at 100% white fill, which hovers around 220 nits, a remarkable result, as until recently OLED televisions in this range could only "boast" of brightness that was half as much. This means that conditions for watching, for example, winter sports will be very good.

LG uses the well-known proprietary WebOS system, which has been around for many years. The system itself offers practically all the most important applications, and those that are missing can be counted on one hand, such as CDA and KODI.

WebOS also boasts a highly regarded feature that allows users to perform operations using a cursor that appears when the remote is moved. The convenience provided by this function is invaluable when typing queries or passwords for portals. WebOS, like most systems, also supports functions such as screen mirroring, AirPlay, voice search in Polish, and the ability to connect headphones via Bluetooth. On a more practical note, WebOS allows us to use both headphones and the LG G4 television speaker simultaneously, which will certainly be a great convenience for those with hearing impairments. Among the more interesting features, particularly appreciated by sports fans, is the ability to set an alert for upcoming matches, ensuring that we never miss a broadcast. The home panel also deserves praise, allowing control of all smart devices connected to the home network. For example, the end of a washing cycle will be signalled by a notification in the top right corner.

In summary, the WebOS system, although less known and having certain limitations compared to Android TV, offers stable and fast performance and supports most functions that may be needed by users. It is a solid solution for those looking for a simple and effective operating system in their television.

LG uses the well-known proprietary WebOS system that has been around for many years. The system offers practically all the most important applications, and the few that are missing can be counted on one hand, such as CDA or KODI. It is also worth mentioning that the modern web browser and the remote control with a built-in mouse allow for convenient use of streaming services in this way, if there is no built-in application.

WebOS also features a highly valued ability to perform operations with a cursor that appears when the remote control is in motion. The convenience of such a function is invaluable when typing in queries or passwords for portals. WebOS, like most systems, also supports features such as screen mirroring, AirPlay, voice search in Polish, and the ability to connect headphones via Bluetooth. On more practical matters, WebOS allows simultaneous use of headphones and the TV speaker, which will certainly be a big help for people with hearing impairments. Among the more interesting features, particularly appreciated by sports fans, is the option to turn on an alert notifying about an upcoming match, ensuring that we never miss a broadcast. The home panel is also praiseworthy, allowing for the control of all smart devices connected to the home network. For example, the cycle of completed laundry will be signalled by a notification in the upper right corner.

In summary, the WebOS system, although less known and having certain limitations compared to Android TV, offers stable and fast performance and supports most features that users may need. It is a solid solution for those looking for a simple and effective operating system in their television.

The default media player on the LG G4 performs well with most image types, although the absence of a few equally popular ones is surprising. It successfully plays videos recorded in practically all the most popular formats, including Dolby Vision. The only codec that the G4 cannot play is H.266 VVC, although this is currently rather unused. However, attention should be paid to the supported image formats, of which there are only two: JPEG and PNG. Users of Apple devices may feel disappointed by the lack of support for the HEIC format, which is the default format for photos taken. A remedy for this is to use the built-in AirPlay feature. We will also mention the lack of support for TXT subtitles.

The default file player in LG C4 definitely handles all image resolutions well. We can successfully play videos recorded in virtually all the most popular formats, including Dolby Vision. The only codec that the C4 does not support is H.266 VVC, although this is currently rather unused. However, it is a pity that subtitles in .txt format are not supported. Attention should be paid to the supported image formats, of which there are only three: JPEG, PNG, and, importantly for Apple phone users - HEIC. However, the tested television cannot be faulted for lack of diversity in audio files, the playback of which will not be met with a compatibility warning.

The assessment of sound quality remains always subjective. However, we must give LG G4 credit for maintaining a fairly good level of sound clarity. The biggest drawback of the built-in audio system in the television is the low bass range. However, this must be viewed from a different perspective — anyone choosing this television will likely have a home cinema system. In this case, broad support for audio codecs, including DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby Atmos, will prove crucial.

The implemented audio system in LG C4 has been very well tuned, allowing us to experience strong bass, as well as balanced mid and high tones. We can confidently say that in its price range, it is one of the better sounding televisions. However, we believe that those deciding to purchase the C4 will already own a dedicated audio set. The presence of DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby Atmos codecs will not be without significance.

LG OLED G4 vs LG OLED C4

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