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Review of LG C1 OLED TV

Herbert Huffner

People Today Spend A Lot Of Time In Their Day With Smartphones; But Televisions Are Still In The Context Of Serious Entertainment; It Does Not Matter If You Are Interested In Watching Movies Or Spending Your Day And Night Playing Video Games,

LG C1 OLED TV, If You Want To Experience Both Under The Roof Of Your House In The Best Way, You Should Go For This Magic Box.

If we ignore Samsung’s 15-year dominance of the global TV market, LG,  with a 19% market share, is in second place in overall sales and is the undisputed king of the OLED TV market; Deep black TVs with excellent contrast and slim design are becoming more and more popular.

Last year, LG came to the fore with CX OLED TV; So much so that some even referred to it as the best TV on the market. LG replaced the CX this year with changes such as the Game Optimizer feature, a redesigned remote control, and a new version of WebOS so that it can once again attract attention.

Technical specifications of LG C1 model 55 inches
Communication portals
Number of USB ports 3
Number of HDMI ports 4
Composite Interface (AV) Yes
وای‌فای 802.11ac
Bluetooth Version 5.0
Network port Yes
Antenna input Yes
Headphone output Yes
ARC support Yes
HDMI CEC support Yes
S / PDIF digital audio output Yes
HDMI port type HDMI 2.1
Year of construction
Year of construction 2021
Hardware and other features
Processor Fourth-generation α9
Ambient light sensor Yes
Analog receiver Yes
Digital Receiver DVB-T2, DVB-S2
DLNA Yes
Ability to cast and share content wirelessly Yes
Voice
Speaker system 2.2 Channel
Number of speakers 2 10 watt speakers
The overall power of the audio system 40 watts
Number of subwoofers 2 10 watt subwoofer
Supported audio standards – Dolby Atmos – Dolby Digital
Audio capabilities – Bluetooth and wireless music playback (WiSA) – Clear Voice Pro – Audio enhancer – OLED Surround – AI artificial voice
screen
Page type تخت
Panel resolution 2160 × 3840 pixels
Image ratio 16: 9
Image reconstruction rate 120 Hz
HDR – HLG – HDR10 Pro – Dolby Vision – Dolby Vision IQ
Improve image resolution Yes
Viewing Angle Wide viewing angle
Response time 1 millisecond
Extensive color space support Yes
Other image-related features – Automatic selection between SDR and HDR modes – Smart adjustment of brightness and image display quality – With default modes for movies, games, sports events, etc. – Pixel Level Dimming capability – Color enhancer – Image noise reduction – HGIG mode and automatic low latency (ALLM) – Equipped with OLED Motion Pro – Variable refresh rate (VRR) capability
Panel type OLED
Screen size 54.6 inches
Resolution classification 4K-UHD
Physical characteristics
Dimensions with base 25.1 × 70.6 × 122.8 cm
Weight with base 23 kg
Power consumption in standby mode Less than 0.5 watts
Maximum power consumption 106 watts
Basic type Flat central single base
Connect to the wall VESA standard type 200 × 300 mm
Mobile items – Magic remote control – Component cable – Manual
Color Pencil tip
software
Smart interface type webOS 6.0
Other features – LG Sound Sync capability for easy and wireless connection of home theater, soundbar, etc. – Magic control – LG content store – Ability to turn on the TV with the phone via WiFi and Bluetooth – File search via the network – Time machine – Program recording capability TV on external memory – Possibility to restrict some networks and sites – Energy saving mode – Channel suggestion – Equipped with artificial intelligence LG AI ThinQ – Intelligent voice command recognition – Word to text conversion (SST) – Compatible with Google and Amazon Alexa assistants – Compatible with Nvidia G-SYNC and AMD FreeSync ™ Premium – Compatible with Google Stadia gaming streaming platform (Stadia Cloud Gaming)
Intelligent user interface Yes
Web browser Yes

 

C1 OLED is an LG intermediate model; Because it is beyond the A1 and B1 models and lower than the G1 model. Is this TV a good choice to buy in the price range of 35 million tomans?

 

Design and ports of LG C1 OLED TV

The LG C1 OLED TV will be the replacement model for the CX‌ and C9 models in 2021; So it is not surprising that he has DNA in common with his brothers. The body of the C1, except for the plastic protrusion in the lower half of the back of the device, has a completely metal structure and is very well made. In the front view, the edges around the screen are black, very narrow, and equivalent to only 9 mm. The minimalist, modern and dark design of the C1 can be well-matched with any type of decoration.

Overall design of the LG C1 OLED TV

The metal and gray base of the LG C1 OLED has a robust structure and holds the TV well on the surface. The height of the base is not very high; So if you use a sandbar next to the TV, you should not place it flat on the TV to prevent part of the image from being blocked. In addition to desktop use, the C1 OLED TV can also be attached to the wall with 200x300mm VESA mounts.

OLED panels’ nature and lack of need for backlighting equipment make OLED TVs much narrower than LCD models. The top half-thickness of the LG C1 OLED does not exceed 5 mm; But the lower half is about 46 mm thick due to hosting ports, speakers, and other TV components. This makes the C1 TV not as wall-mountable as its more expensive sibling, the LG G1 OLED, with a uniform thickness of 21 mm.

LG sells the C1 TV in 48, 55, 65, 77, and 83-inch models. We had the 55-inch model available for review, which measures 251.4 x 739.1 x 1226.8 mm with a base. TV weights with and without stand were measured at 23 and 18.9 kg, respectively. When buying a 55-inch C1 OLED TV table, keep in mind that its base width is close to 100 cm (998 mm).

The LG OLED TV offers various ports, including 4 HDMI 2.1 input ports with support for 4K content at 120Hz, 3 USB 2.0 ports, an antenna port, a Satellite IN port, a LAN cable port, optical audio output, and more. There is a headphone jack on the body of the C1 TV. LG engineers have installed 3 HDMI ports and a USB port on the left side of the TV and the rest of the ports on the back of the device.

One of the HDMI‌ ports on the C1 TV supports the eARC / ARC standard for transmitting Dolby Atmos audio to your audio set via an HDMI cable without the need for an additional cable; Unfortunately, the C1 OLED TV does not have the ability to transmit DTS: X audio via the HDMI port; But with the help of optical port and HDMI, it can transmit 5.1 channel Dolby Digital audio.

The LG OLED Smart TV also supports Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity for networking and peripherals, But it is not compatible with Wi-Fi 6 networks.

The image quality of the LG C1 OLED TV

The C1 OLED TV uses a 10-bit, 120Hz OLED panel with 4K Ultra HD resolution or 2160 x 3840 pixels (over 8 million pixels); So at 55 inches to enjoy 4K content, you have to be between one and two meters away from the TV, at distances less than one meter, you will see pixels, and at distances of more than 2 meters, you will not notice the difference between 4K and 1080p content.

LG says the C1 TV is powered by a fourth-generation α9 engine and uses artificial intelligence algorithms to optimize audio and video settings for the best visual experience. The C1 TV supports HDR standards, including Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG; But there is no compatibility with HDR10 + standard.

According to the manufacturer, the C1 TV uses Dolby Vision IQ and AI Picture Pro smart features to change the image settings depending on the content. On the other hand, the Auto Genre Selection feature changes the image display mode between SDR and HDR and Dolby Vision modes as needed. The Koreans say the OLED Motion Pro feature also reduces motion blur in high-motion images such as sports.

Excellent contrast and deep black

Each pixel can be dimmed, turned on, or off in OLED panels, independent of the other pixels. The panels for displaying black, the pixels off the image with black, profound and infinite contrast caused provide; Of course, this also makes the level of brightness of OLED TVs not as expensive as LCD TVs.

Unlike modern LCD panels with mini-LED technology and extensive exposure areas, OLED panels do not have Local Dimming. Each pixel is lit independently; Therefore, OLED TVs do not have problems such as blooming when forming bright subjects with a black background, such as movie subtitles.

Accurate and Blooming-free exposure

The LG C1 TV automatically changes various image display modes when detecting HDR input. HDR videos are typically produced for a maximum brightness of 1000 to 4000 nits, But the UHD alliance provides at least 550 nits for OLED panels and 1000 nits for LCD panels. Next, we measure the brightness level of C1 OLED while displaying SDR and HDR content in different image display modes.

SDR image display modes

HDR image display modes

There are several criteria for measuring maximum brightness on a TV. Still, since up to 25% of the panel space is white and bright in most videos, we used the 10% criterion in the leading review to compare the maximum brightness in SDR and HDR mode. On the other hand, due to the greater breadth and penetration of SDR content, we examined the maximum brightness of the TV while displaying this type of content for various modes.

LG C1 OLED 55-inch TV screen brightness
Image modes/percentage whiteness of the template 2 percent 10 percent 25 percent 50% 90% 100%
SDR Vivid 810 845 840 605 420 247.8
Standard 452 470 470 464 455 251.5
Eco 486 505 505 500 380 248.4
Cinema 380 397 376 390 410 281.7
Football 743 765 770 575 414 250.6
FILMMAKER MODE 159.5 165.2 163.3 157.1 172.7 168.6
Expert Bright 463 481 480 480 364 237.8
Expert Dark 280 297.1 294.3 294.3 309.6 262
HDR Vivid – 1305 – – – –
Standard – 1300 – – – –
Cinema Home – 1335 – – – –
Cinema – 1345 – – – –
FILMMAKER MODE – 1229 – – – –

The C1 TV reaches a maximum brightness of 845 nits in Vivid mode when displaying 10% SDR content; At the same time, the maximum brightness of the TV in the 100% (full screen) pattern, with a decrease of more than 70%, was equal to 247.8 nits.

Low panel brightness in full-screen mode

LG-mediated OLED TV achieved 1305 nits of brightness in Vivid mode when displaying content with HDR10 standard and 10% pattern, which is more than 50% more than the result obtained in the SDR Vivid آزمایش test. Based on our experiments, the maximum HDR brightness of the C1 TV in Cinema mode was 1345 nits.

Most of the videos that we Iranians watch through different mediums are presented in sRGB, and Rec. 709 are produced; But today, we also see the rise of HDR video; Videos that you must have on your screen to fully cover the DCI-P3 and Rec. Have 2020. Fortunately, the C1 is one of those TVs.

The performance of the 55-inch LG C1 OLED TV in covering colorful spaces 
Image mode / color space sRGB DCI-P3 Rec. 2020
Cover Average error Cover Average error Cover Average error
Vivid 129.3 10 95 9.5 70.6 ۱۱
Standard 126.9 9.1 93.7 9.4 69.3 –
Eco 127.6 9.1 94 9.3 69.5 –
Cinema 126.5 4 92.5 3 66.9 5.3
Football 130.5 11.7 95.1 11.1 70.5 –
Game Optimizer 93 9.6 69 10.5 52.1 –
FILMMAKER MODE 125.9 3.8 92.2 2.5 66.5 5 ٫ 6
Expert Bright 127. 2 3.7 92.9 2.8 67.3 –
Expert Dark 127 4.2 92.9 3.9 67.2 –

The C1 TV completely covers the two color spaces, sRGB, and DCI-P3; But on average, it can only cover about 70% of Rec.2020’s wider color space. According to our reviews, LG mid-range TV produces the most accurate colors in sRGB and DCI-P3 spaces in both FILMMAKER MODE and ISF Expert (Bright space) image modes; Football mode, on the other hand, performs the worst inaccurately displaying colors.

Our experiments show that the LG C1 OLED Intermediate TV produces warm colors in both FILMMAKER MODE and Cinema image modes with a slight deviation from neutral; But in Vivid, Football, and Game Optimizer modes, with a large deviation from neutral mode, it tends to be very cold. Of the various picture modes on the C1 OLED TV, only two modes, Expert Bright and Expert Dark allow the user to change the temperatures and the RGB composition.

All in all, if you prefer to see the colors of movies and videos close to the director’s intent, you should go to FILMMAKER MODE; Of course, as you can see in the reviews, in this case, the brightness of the TV is very low, so to have a better experience, you should not place the TV in bright rooms.

The C1 OLED‌ TV has a wide range of viewing angles; So that up to 70 degrees of deviation from the direct position, there is no noticeable drop in the level of brightness and freshness of colors. This makes the LG mid-range TV a good choice for living rooms with wide furniture.

Thanks to its HDMI 2.1 port and support for FreeSync and G-SYNC standards, the LG C1 delivers variable refresh rates in excellent 4K resolution in the excellent 20 to 120 Hz range. This allows you to play games in 4K resolution and up to 120 frames per second with the X-Series X-Series and PlayStation 5 consoles or PCs equipped with AMD and NVIDIA graphics cards without the annoying Screen-tearing phenomenon. Of course, to do this, you must set the TV to Game Optimizer image mode.

Input Lag is another important criterion in choosing a TV for the game, which shows the TV delay in receiving input and display signals. First of all, users should use the appropriate cable and set the image mode to Game Optimizer to achieve the least input delay; According to reviews, the Input Lag of the C1 TV measures in 4K resolution, and the refresh rate of 120 Hz is equal to 5.3 milliseconds, which is an extraordinary result; If you use a variable refresh rate, the input latency increases to about 5.8 milliseconds.

One of the most common problems in OLED panels is the halo of previous images on the screen. Unfortunately, the LG C1 is not immune to; image durability can generally be divided into temporary and fixed. The problem of permanent image persistence is usually due to the burn-in phenomenon. In the long-term use of still images, it is difficult and even impossible to eliminate them.

The second category of image persistence is generally temporary. This phenomenon will not be a problem for normal users, and the TV will play dynamic images after a while to prevent it from happening. LG provides Pixel Cleaning, Screen Move, and Adjust Logo Brightness to reduce burn-in risk.

The audio and audio experience of LG C1 OLED TV

The LG C1 OLED TV does not have a dedicated soundbar. Instead, the Korean company engineers have used 2.2 channel speakers with 40-watt output power in the LG mid-range TV. These speakers throw sound down and forward with the stand facing the sound.

The C1 TV speakers support Dolby Atmos technology. According to LG, with the help of the AI Sound Pro AI-based feature, the α9 processing engine changes settings by recognizing sounds, effects, and frequencies to produce sound comprehensively. On the other hand, the Auto Volume Leveling feature keeps people’s voices in different types of content at a constant level.

LG’s mid-range TV produces clear and accessible sound, and the frequencies are satisfactorily separated. The TV volume is considered very desirable; however, at higher volume levels, distortion effects are evident.

Software and control of LG C1 OLED TV

The LG C1 OLED TV, which falls into smart TVs, comes pre-sold with webOS 6.0. This version of webOS has a more minimalist and attractive look than previous versions and runs smoothly, at least on the C1 TV, has no noticeable switching between different parts of the user interface, and is fast.

The webOS user interface has a variety of capabilities at its core. In the Limit model of the C1 TV, in addition to the default applications such as the browser and video/photo display application, there were also several applications such as YouTube, Netflix, Twitch, and UFC. On the other hand, the LG app store also offers various apps, among which we can mention the popular Iranian VOD apps and Spotify. The C1 TV is also compatible with Google Assistant and Alexa digital assistants and Apple’s proprietary AirPlay 2 protocol for streaming video and audio.

Undoubtedly, video playback is one of the main features of any smart TV, and we ran Zumite standard videos on it to evaluate the LG C1’s video playback performance. Note that you will need high-speed memory to play 4K HDR videos with a high bitrate. All videos, except for 8K samples, played smoothly on C1.

The C1 OLED‌ TV uses the new version of the LG Magic Remote, which is very similar to the previous generation. Still, it now has dedicated keys for calling NETFLIX, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney + apps, as well as Amazon and Google digital assistants.

The Magic Remote has all the elements you need to experience a more enjoyable LG Smart TV. In addition to the attractive and accurate feature of motion control and indicator display that simplifies the use of the device, ergonomics and proper placement of the keys are the positive features of this controller; If you are interested in using traditional style TV, you can disable the motion indicator. LG Magic Control is equipped with a microphone to use voice commands.

Conclusion

The C1 OLED TV is one of the best models on the market due to its excellent contrast, deep black, extensive viewing angle, speedy response, and very slim and minimalist design. Using HDMI 2.1 port and compatibility with FreeSync and G-SYNC standards, this TV can be one of the main choices for buyers of ninth-generation consoles; People looking to experience 4K games at up to 120 frames per second.

The C1 is not significantly different from its predecessors or even weaker models such as the LG B7 in terms of brightness. Still, in terms of color accuracy, it experiences a slight improvement. The LG OLED TV still has little to say about brightness compared to Samsung’s best, which puts it one notch lower than its Korean counterpart in the HDR experience.

 

Positive points

Cons

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