ORGANIC Light-Emitting Diode (OLED) displays have been getting a lot of attention for gaming lately, especially as the technology continues to advance and reduce in price.
LG are one of the leaders in the OLED TV space have recently launched their C1 OLED range of 4K TVs, ranging in size from the 48in model reviewed here up to an ample 83in screen.
At 48in, the LG C1 OLED is in that perfect size to be a bedroom TV while also being large enough to be a main TV as well, especially in a smaller flat or living area. It’s incredibly thin, measuring just 47mm thick without the stand – and even with the stand, it’s still only 250mm thick.
The picture quality is excellent – sharp, clear, smooth motion, and deep blacks, thanks to the self-lit OLED display and in pretty much every respect, everything I said about the excellent LG CX 48in OLED TV still applies here. The addition of a “game mode” to the TV further adds to the appeal and usefulness for gamers, particularly those with the latest-generation consoles.
The ThinQ AI and OS has been upgraded and seems more responsive, particularly on startup and loading, and the TV can run a range of apps from the usual suspects including Netflix, Stan, Disney+, Amazon Prime, YouTube, and so on. It can also be connected to Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa to wire(less) it into a wider smart-home network too, which is very helpful.
I continue to be a fan of the Wii-mote style remote control, which I found easy to use, with buttons for the major streaming services and features easily accessible. It has been slightly redesigned from the CX and I found it didn’t fall down between the cushions on the sofa or armchair as easily as before either.
The TV also features Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync compatability, and I figured I’d test it out as a monitor too – and it worked really, really well.
It features Variable Refresh Rate but maxes out at 120Hz, which is still more than enough for regular gaming, even at the 60fps level most people are working with.
The images were absolutely pin sharp and smooth (subject to the laptop or PC’s rendering capabilities, obviously) but I noticed no difference in performance between Control at 1080p on the screen of the Asus Tuf Dash 15 laptop I am also reviewing and Control at 4K on the LG C1.
Console performance was similarly excellent, with Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart looking and playing incredibly, as did Ghost of Tsushima on PS5 and Red Dead Redemption II on the Xbox Series X.
Sound-wise, I found the speakers in the C1 to be good too – clear, without distortion, but perhaps a touch light on the bass for my preferences.
Overall, I didn’t experience any issues with ghosting or artefacting on the C1 and it was a top-notch experience all around, both as a TV, console display and computer screen.
The LG C1 48in overtakes is predecessor as quite possibly the best ‘bedroom/study TV’ I’ve used and is also an outstanding hybrid TV/gaming monitor as well.
With space increasingly at a premium for people, especially those in flats, small apartments, or share accommodation, the LG C1 provides a perfect “all-in-one” entertainment unit solution; an outstanding combined smart TV for streaming or Free To Air viewing, gaming monitor for PC or gaming screen for consoles.
