LG G4 OLED evo
The G4 is LG’s flagship OLED TV, a 2024 model that boasts incredible contrast and brightness, backed by AI enhancements and settings to optimize all kinds of content.
LG C4 OLED
LG’s OLED C4 offers a more budget-friendly option for those seeking a high-end smart TV. It boasts LG’s intuitive OS, voice control, and a suite of settings designed to optimize all kinds of content.
LG’s latestOLED TVsoffer viewers a chance at bright colors, stark contrast, and a faithful recreation of the filmmakers' intent. The high-end G4 and the more mid-range C4 are 2024 models in their respective categories, and both seem to have taken a significant leap in quality from their 2023 counterparts. For those seeking a quality TV that offerscinematic fidelity, allows for high-end gaming, lets you navigate all your favorite apps and streaming services, both TVs are worthy options. A close inspection yields many similarities, but some key differences.
There is a decent price gap between the two models, so it’s worth figuring out if the more expensive G4 is worth the extra cost, or if you can really get by with the cheaper C4. Here’s what you need to know.
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Price, specs & availability
A 65-inch C4 retails for around $2,700, while the same size G4 runs up to $3,400. Both TVs are available from Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and directly from LG.com. Though relatively new, these TVs do find themselves on sale occasionally.
Both TVs are offered in 55-inch, 65-inch, 77-inch, and 83-inch sizes. The G4 also comes in 97-inches for those seeking a huge TV, while the C4 is offered in smaller 48- and 42-inch sizes. Features and specs rival the top TVs from other manufacturers. Among the more notable are a 120Hz native refresh rate, four HDMI 2.1 ports, support for Dolby Vision and HDR, and virtual assistant integration.
United in OS, design, and control
Backed by LG’s intuitive interface
These two top LG TVs share a lot of similarities, and it starts with how they are designed and operated by users. With a slim build, the G4 and the C4 are designed to be mounted given their relatively low profile. The larger models will sit flush against a wall. However, both allow for a pedestal stand to be affixed if you prefer to use a TV stand. They both include four HDMI 2.1 ports and a pair of USB inputs. They also feature incredibly thin bezels that make for an immersive display.
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Both TVs also use LG’s Magic Remote, a polarizing device that has unique features and some unfortunate setbacks. It feels bulky and flimsy, and includes a numerical pad that seems unnecessary. Some of the buttons are poorly placed, and the plastic construction is disheartening. Still, it features several buttons that offer direct access to popular streaming services like Prime Video and Disney+. It also offers voice control: press the microphone button to search services for a title, ask about entertainment news, or inquire about the weather.
The remote can also be used as a cursor, but for some it may be more work than convenience as you have to point it at the screen and move it around to function effectively.
Exceptional image quality, minimal difference
G4 offers higher peak brightness
Both models provide incredible contrast, able to achieve perfect blacks on screen, due to their OLED screen technology. A common concern with such emissive displays, however, is brightness, but both models provide impressive, at times overwhelming levels of brightness, especially if you’re watching in a dark room. However, there is a difference between the two, however worthy the C4 is. The G4 gets brighter due to the incorporated Micro Lens Array (MLA) tech that is absent in the C4, and at night with the lights off in the room, the brightness may even need to be turned down. If you’re regularly watching content in a bright room, then the C4 may not pop quite as much as the G4.
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The G4 and C4 are also equipped for most high-end video and audio formats, including Dolby Vision, and DTS audio, though they are lacking HDR10+. This makes both quality investments for dedicated entertainment lovers who want to experience fidelity at home, whether that’s stark contrast in dimly-lit scenes, or flashes of color and vivid action in a superhero movie. The C4 isn’t quite as up to the task when it comes to SDR content, with brightness and pop more noticeably lacking, but this won’t be an issue if you’re mainly consuming more recent content.
The G4 provides better quality sound than the C4, but neither are particularly impressive. Both TVs should be optimized with a quality soundbar. Such a steep investment in a TV that produces incredible images requires an equally worthy sound system.
There are some key differences when it comes to power and assistance. The G4 features the Alpha 11 processor, which also helps boost peak brightness while offering a suite of artificial intelligence features aimed at improving image quality. The C4 includes an updated version of the Alpha 9, worthy in its own right but lacking when compared to the G4. These AI enhancements tinker with everything related to image and sound, including sharpness, contrast, and clarity.
Ready for all content
Ideal for versatile usage
If you are someone who engages with a lot of different kinds of content, from prestige TV to blockbuster movies, from syndicated shows to console gaming, then both TVs will serve you exceptionally well. They are designed for varied use, and include settings that optimize the image quality based on what you’re watching. One of the perks for cinephiles is the inclusion of Filmmaker Mode, a collection of presets developed in collaboration by filmmakers, studios, and TV manufacturers that is made to present content that way it was meant to be seen. This includes preserving frame rate, aspect ratio, and turning off artificial enhancements such as motion smoothing.
TruMotion, LG’s motion smoothing software, is much improved as well, with options simply beyond ‘on’ or ‘off.’ You can toggle the strength of this setting and opt for manual adjustment, including tinkering with judder, to find the picture that looks best to you. As such, both TVs are well-suited to consuming fast-paced sports without blurring or shadowing, and reality shows and live events without any jarring or uncanny visuals.
Gaming in particular is well-supported on both models, with ALLM, VRR, Nvidia G-Sync certification, and 120Hz refresh rate. The low input time and fast response rate make both models ideal for both solo gaming and online play. The many settings can be manually adjusted, although LG’s optimizer can be set up for automatic changes. Like with some content, the C4 will be just a bit less bright in comparison to the G4 when gaming.
There are many settings available on both TVs, though more through the G4, which can be both beneficial to the viewer but also somewhat overwhelming. Both TVs are designed for the engaged consumer who is ready to put in a bit of work to find image quality that fits their space and personal preferences. Many settings can be arranged to trigger automatically, but they are all worth exploring across all types of content.
LG OLED G4 vs. LG OLED C4: Which is right for you?
There are far more similarities than differences between the G4 and the C4. The G4 is a better TV, able to reach higher levels of brightness and backed by a faster, more powerful processor and AI enhancement, but when you start to consider price and use, the choice between the two models becomes difficult. The differences may be negligible for some consumers, particularly those who are setup in a dim room and can control light. If you’ve the money to spend, the G4 is indeed the superior model, enabling immersive, faithful entertainment across all kinds of content and providing contrast that is unparalleled.
For those who enjoy the LG interface and want a quality OLED TV without spending too, too much money, the C4 is more than worthy. It boasts many of the same high-end qualities as the G4, and if you’re watching in a dark room often, then you likely won’t notice many, if any, of the significant differences. For fans of new cinematic content and high-end gaming, the C4 will provide a quality experience and a great return on investment for years to come.
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