In the case of OLED know-how, the model that issues most is LG. Certain, there are OLED TVs being bought by different corporations, like Sony and Vizio, however the undisputed chief in OLED is LG, and essentially the most anticipated 4K OLED TVs all come from the identical firm.
We obtained our first have a look at the brand new OLED fashions within the LG 2021 TV lineup, however with LG’s newest OLED TVs hitting the market within the coming weeks, one query is crucial for a lot of TV buyers: How do these new LG OLEDs stack up in opposition to one another, and which one is finest for me?
Editor’s Observe: March 25, 2021 LG has introduced pricing for its 2021 OLED TVs, and we have up to date this text to mirror the brand new info.
We have regarded on the specs, we have detailed the options and we have made the most effective guesses about pricing that we are able to make. Our LG C1 vs G1 vs A1 comparability has all the things you’ll want to make an knowledgeable resolution.
LG 2021 OLED TVs: Clearing up class confusion
Maybe extra in 2021 than some other time, LG is dividing its OLED lineup into three particular classes. You’ve gotten essentially the most premium mannequin, the LG Gallery G1 OLED, the mainstream LG C1 OLED, and (new for 2021) the entry-level A-Sequence, with the budget-friendly LG A1 OLED TV.
There’s nonetheless just a few issues we do not know, comparable to particular pricing, however primarily based on current details about product specs and market positioning, it is clear that LG has taken steps to distinguish these three OLED TVs extra clearly than previous OLED fashions.
And we’re glad they’ve. In our current LG GX OLED TV evaluation, we famous that as a result of it used the identical OLED panel and video processing that we noticed in our LG CX OLED TV evaluation, the efficiency was almost equivalent, and it was laborious to justify the upper worth for the extra premium Gallery collection TV.
Equally, in our LG BX OLED TV evaluation, there have been some notable variations between the budget-friendly mannequin and the LG CX OLED, however many elements of the design and have set had been so intently matched that some buyers may truly get confused about which mannequin they had been taking a look at.
LG 2021 OLED TVs: Completely different by design
The latest LG OLED TVs goal to appropriate this class confusion, with extra distinct variations between the three pricing tiers that the OLED fashions fall into.
| LG G1 OLED | LG C1 OLED | LG A1 OLED | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display sizes | 55, 65, 75 inches | 48, 55, 65, 77, 83 inches | 48, 55, 65, 77 inches |
| Design | Gallery | Pedestal | Twin toes |
| Value | $2,199 – $4,499 | $1,499 – $5,999 | $1,299 – $3,199 |
On the high is the premium LG G1 OLED, which makes use of LG’s Gallery design for a particular look and simple wall-mounting. Measuring simply 20 mm thick and using a flush-fit wall mount, full with proprietary mounting {hardware} that’s recessed into the again of the TV, it’s the sleekest member of the LG OLED household.
The LG C1 OLED makes use of a extra conventional TV design, with a pedestal base and LG’s acquainted display-on-glass aesthetic, which takes benefit of the extremely slim necessities for an OLED panel, making for an extremely slim TV design. It is not solely LG’s most mainstream set when it comes to worth and options, it additionally has the widest vary of display sizes, from a compact 48-inch set as much as a whopping 83-inch large display OLED – the most important we have seen with out upgrading to 8K decision.
The LG A1 OLED, by comparability, is among the least subtle trying OLED designs we have seen. As an alternative of the fashionable pedestal base scene on units just like the LG CX and BX OLEDs, the LG A1 has toes that connect, placing it way more according to extra reasonably priced fashions in LG’s non-OLED lineup.
However the variations prolong far past the bodily design of the TV. With distinctive choices in panel high quality, processor, sound system, and good options, the premium, mid-range, and funds OLED TVs supply clear differentiation from one mannequin to the subsequent.
So let’s take a look at the specs and options of every to see how they add up.
LG C1 vs G1 vs A1 OLED TVs: Specs
In the case of specs, we see some fairly numerous options provided throughout this trio of OLED TVs.
| LG G1 OLED | LG C1 OLED | LG A1 OLED | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Panel kind | OLED evo Show | OLED 4K | OLED 4K |
| Refresh fee | 120Hz | 120Hz | 60Hz |
| Processor | α9 Gen 4 | α9 Gen 4 | α7 Gen 4 |
| Audio | 4.2 Ch / 60W | 2.2 Ch / 40W | 2.0 Ch / 20W |
| HDMI ports | 4 HDMI 2.1 | 4 HDMI 2.1 | 3 HDMI 2.0 |
The show choices are not a single OLED 4K panel, with LG introducing its new LG OLED evo know-how solely on the G1. With a brand new luminous aspect and re-formulated natural compounds, the OLED evo show guarantees larger brightness and extra exact shade than the usual 4K OLED panel used on the C1 and A1 TVs. (Study extra in our article LG unveils OLED evo TVs — right here’s what makes it higher.)
Refresh charges are additionally a degree of divergence, with the upper tier G1 and C1 fashions boasting the 120Hz refresh charges we advocate most, and the A1 getting a extra pedestrian 60Hz show. Whereas that is ample for many content material and gaming, the newest developments – like the newest PS5 and Xbox Sequence X consoles and a few digital media sources – are already leaving 60Hz refresh charges behind.
Processing energy can also be decreased on the A1 OLED, with it getting LG’s 4th technology Alpha 7 processor as an alternative of the extra succesful Alpha 9 chip used within the C1 and G1 fashions. Whereas nearly all of content material will look and sound the identical between the 2 processor choices, it’s possible you’ll discover that the extra premium Alpha 9 chip leaves video trying a little bit higher in some scenes, due to new capabilities like scene detection, which applies a lot of tweaks primarily based on the kind of scene being proven, whether or not it is day or evening, metropolis or panorama, motion or dialogue.
Audio shall be a far larger sticking level for some buyers, because the premium G1 will get 4.2-channel sound with potent 60-watt audio system, the mid-range C1 steps right down to 2.2-channel sound with 40-watt audio system, and the funds A1 OLED drops to a really primary set of stereo audio system with solely 20-watts of energy.
The opposite large distinction is in port choice. Each the G1 and C1 fashions will boast 4 HDMI 2.1 ports, providing full help for larger refresh charges and higher gaming, whereas the A1 OLED has solely 3 ports, and scales them again to HDMI 2.0. It should nonetheless help 4K playback for Blu-ray gamers and recreation consoles, however it’s capped at 60Hz.
LG 2021 OLED TVs: Options
Different options are cut up between the three OLED fashions alongside comparable traces, with the slick G1 OLED providing essentially the most functionality, the value-priced A1 OLED providing the least, and the mainstream C1 OLED sitting between the 2 like Child Bear from Goldilocks, with a mixture that the majority buyers will discover excellent.
| LG G1 OLED | LG C1 OLED | LG A1 OLED | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palms-free voice management | Y | N | N |
| Magic Faucet distant | Y | N | N |
| ATSC 3.0 tuner | Y | N | N |
| eARC | Y | Y | Y |
| Dolby Imaginative and prescient | Y | Y | Y |
| Dolby Atmos | Y | Y | Y |
| WiSA help | WiSA prepared (5.1) | WiSA prepared (5.1) | WiSA prepared (2.0) |
Options which might be unique to the G1 OLED embody hands-free voice management, LG’s new Magic Faucet distant and a built-in ATSC 3.0 tuner. The attention-grabbing factor about these unique options is that many individuals will not be too damaged up about lacking them.
Palms-free voice management is good, letting you utilize the TV like an Amazon Echo or Google Residence good speaker to entry the Alexa and Google Assistant voice assistants, and situation voice instructions with out having to talk into the mic on the distant management. However that functionality additionally requires far-field microphones that take heed to the room and are all the time on (until manually disabled), and that stage of invasiveness from a TV has delay buyers prior to now. Sensible speaker followers won’t be as apprehensive about LG listening in on their conversations, however a good variety of buyers will truly want a TV with out the built-in mics.
LG’s Magic Tapo distant is one other attention-grabbing comfort, inserting an NFC tag within the distant management for straightforward one-touch pairing with a smartphone. That functionality is not distinctive to this TV and even to LG, however the concept of placing that contact level into the distant as an alternative of the TV body provides some ease of use. Who desires to stand up off the sofa once you need to share content material out of your telephone? However cellular sharing options are already among the many much less used options on many good TVs, and this one tweak is not prone to promote anybody on the dearer G1.
Lastly, the G1 OLED is among the solely TVs in the marketplace with an ATSC 3.0 tuner. Whereas NextGen TV (ATSC 3.0’s official identify) is rolling out to completely different cities throughout the nation, it is nonetheless early days, even when it does supply the possibility to get free 4K over-the-air programming.
The opposite large distinction between the three is in help for WiSA, a wi-fi normal for audio that gives seamless multi-channel audio with out plugging in a single audio cable. It is a very cool function that is provided on all three OLED units, however the A1 OLED solely gives it for 2-channel programs. The G1 and C1 fashions, however, supply 5.1 WiSA help, which is way more according to the use-case of the typical WiSa consumer.
LG 2021 OLED TVs: Gaming help
The opposite main distinction between the A1 OLED and the dearer C1 and G1 fashions is gaming. With many avid gamers wanting to elevate their gaming expertise with an OLED TV, it could make sense that the least costly of those premium TVs would garner essentially the most curiosity from the gaming devoted. Sadly, of the three 2021 LG OLED mannequin traces, the A1 OLED is lacking among the most necessary gaming options.
| LG G1 OLED | LG C1 OLED | LG A1 OLED | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALLM | Y | Y | Y |
| VRR | Y | Y | N |
| Nvidia G-Sync | Y | Y | N |
| AMD FreeSync | Y | Y | N |
The largest distinction is one we touched on earlier, the transfer to fewer HDMI ports, and the choice to equip the A1 OLED with HDMI 2.0 as an alternative of the extra present 2.1 normal. That robotically guidelines out help for larger body charges on the PS5 or Xbox Sequence X, which each supply 4K gaming at 120Hz.
The lack of an HDMI port additionally means you will need to manually swap connections if you wish to add one other field to your own home theater/gaming setup. In case you have multiple HDMI-connected console, even when it is only a Nintendo NES Traditional Mini, you will be unplugging and plugging by hand everytime you need to change to a special console.
However the transfer to HDMI 2.0 means you will additionally surrender essentially the most spectacular and present gaming options, like variable refresh charges (VRR) and help for PC gaming with Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync. The one function you’ll get is auto low-latency mode (ALLM), which detects once you’re switching to a recreation on a console and switches to the sport mode by itself.
The result’s a TV that could be nice for film watching and channel browsing, however lacks lots of the options avid gamers would particularly need to get pleasure from. We clearly have not examined the upcoming TVs for gamer-oriented efficiency numbers like lag time, so the A1 OLED should still be very succesful for informal avid gamers who aren’t choosy about body charges or PC help.
For our cash, if you need a budget-friendly OLED that has full help for options like VRR and 120Hz video games, the LG’s 2020 OLEDs could also be a greater match. The LG CX OLED shall be dropping in worth as the brand new units attain shops, and final 12 months’s LG BX OLED was not solely equally reasonably priced, it additionally had HDMI 2.1 connectivity.
LG 2021 OLED TVs: Pricing
Other than design and specs, the opposite main distinction between these three mannequin traces is worth. LG has not formally introduced US pricing but, however we are able to make some educated guesses primarily based on the pricing of the 2020 fashions, in addition to early rumors about 2021 pricing.
We’ll replace this part as new pricing particulars are made accessible, however we already know sufficient to have a good suggestion of the place every set will sit when it comes to worth, and the way they may match into the typical TV shopper’s funds.
The LG G1 OLED TV is LG’s top-of-the-line 4K OLED good TV, geared toward premium clients, and it’ll positively be the costliest of the three. The 2020 mannequin seen in our LG GX OLED TV evaluation began at $3,499 for the 65-inch mannequin, and ranged from $2,499 for the 55-inch measurement as much as $5,999 for the most important 77-inch mannequin. That is expensive even for OLED, with the 2020 GX OLED priced larger than some other 4K good TV we reviewed all 12 months.
The brand new 2021 fashions shall be promoting for $3-500 much less throughout the board, all whereas providing the identical premium design and options and boasting LG’s new OLED evo know-how. It is nonetheless a premium worth, however it’s good bit extra reasonably priced than final 12 months.
| Mannequin quantity | Display measurement | Value | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| OLED55G1PUA | 55 inch | $2,199 | April |
| OLED65G1PUA | 65 inch | $2,999 | Accessible now |
| OLED77G1PUA | 77 inch | $4,499 | Accessible now |
The LG C1 OLED TV is LG’s mid-range OLED TV, with essentially the most mainstream assortment of options and widest variety of display measurement choices accessible. The 2020 65-inch mannequin seen in our LG CX OLED TV evaluation initially bought for $2,799, and with a 55-inch mannequin promoting for $1,799 and the bigger 77-inch CX OLED priced at $4,999. A 48-inch mannequin was launched later in 2020 for $1,499.99.
The brand new C1 OLED fashions are cheaper, promoting for $2-300 lower than LG’s 2020 fashions. The 65-inch C1 OLED, for instance, will promote for $2,499 (a $300 worth drop), and the 77-inch C1 will begin at $3,799, down from the $4,999 of the identical sized 2020 mannequin.
That mentioned, the smaller 48-inch OLED is unchanged in worth, and the 55-inch C1 is promoting on the identical $1,799 worth that the 2020 CX OLED bought for.
And there is a new larger and dearer member of the household for 2021, the 83-inch C1 OLED, which can promote for $5,999. That is a fairly premium worth even for the scale.
| Mannequin quantity | Display measurement | Value | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| OLED48C1PUB | 48 inch | $1,499 | April |
| OLED55C1PUB | 55 inch | $1,799 | March |
| OLED65C1PUB | 65 inch | $2,499 | March |
| OLED77C1PUB | 77 inch | $3,799 | March |
| OLED83C1PUB | 83 inch | $5,999 | Might |
Lastly, there’s the LG A1 OLED TV, a budget-priced set that LG clearly desires to place as an entry-level possibility, but additionally as the worth OLED of 2021. It is a place that has extra competitors than ever earlier than, due to the Vizio OLED TV, which has reset the bar for affordability within the OLED house. Vizio’s 55-inch mannequin has a daily worth of $1,299, however has dipped beneath the $1,000 mark throughout current main gross sales for Black Friday and Tremendous Bowl weekend.
We do not have something to match the LG A1 OLED to for historic pricing info, however LG has introduced pricing for the brand new entry-level units. The LG A1 OLED will begin at $1,299 – for the 48-inch mannequin. That is a little bit of a letdown, seeing as each the 55-inch Vizio and LG BX OLED promote for $1,299 within the bigger 55-inch measurement.
However TV costs development down over the course of a 12 months, and these costs aren’t sky excessive to start with. There’s nonetheless motive to hope that the A1 would be the first OLED TV to retail at a sub-$1,000 worth level later this 12 months, whether or not that is as a result of gross sales reductions or common worth modifications.
| Mannequin quantity | Display measurement | Value | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| OLED48A1PUB | 48 inch | $1,299 | June |
| OLED55A1PUB | 55 inch | $1,599 | April |
| OLED65A1PUB | 65 inch | $2,199 | April |
| OLED77A1PUB | 77 inch | $3,199 | June |
LG C1 vs G1 vs A1: Which LG OLED TV shall be finest?
Whereas all three 2021 LG OLED TVs have so much to supply, from the premium LG G1 OLED to the entry-level LG A1 OLED, judging by the specs and options we learn about, it appears clear that the LG C1 OLED TV would be the LG 4K OLED mannequin that the majority buyers will want. The LG C1 OLED gives the most effective mix of options and capabilities, from the wonderful image high quality of OLED to the specifics of HDMI 2.1 and gaming help.
The cheaper LG A1 OLED could are available in at a extra reasonably priced worth, however there are actual compromises made for that affordability. The extra premium LG G1 OLED could boast some spectacular options and funky capabilities, however even with decrease costs than final 12 months it is all however assured to be costly sufficient that the majority buyers will give it a cross.