C4 OLED 65-inch 4K Smart TV

A TV That Actually Looks as Good as It Costs

Let's be real: OLED TVs are expensive. But the LG C4 feels like the sweet spot where you get that gorgeous OLED picture quality without needing to take out a second mortgage. At $1,177 on sale, reviewers consistently say this is excellent value for what you're getting.

The picture quality is genuinely stunning. Those perfect black levels that OLED is famous for? They're here. Contrast is incredible, whether you're watching a dark movie scene or a bright action sequence. In Cinema or Filmmaker mode, the color accuracy is excellent with natural-looking skin tones and vibrant colors that don't look oversaturated. For families who love movies, this TV makes everything look like a theatrical experience.

If you game, you'll love this. Input lag is super low (under 10ms in Game mode), and it supports 4K/120Hz gaming with both G-Sync and FreeSync. The 144Hz refresh rate and smooth motion handling make everything feel responsive and crisp. Gaming on this TV is genuinely fun.

The design is sleek and modern. The bezel is so thin it's basically invisible, and the whole package feels premium without being overly complicated. Setup is straightforward, though the pedestal stand might make it tricky to place a soundbar in front. The remote is... a lot. It's feature-heavy and complex, which some people love and others find annoying.

Here's the thing about webOS: it works fine, but it's cluttered. There are ads, unnecessary apps, and the interface feels bloated. The good news? You can ignore most of it. Just switch to Cinema mode and enjoy the picture. The AI features for audio and brightness enhancement don't really add much, so don't expect them to blow you away.

One heads-up: this TV isn't the absolute brightest in very bright rooms. If you have tons of windows and sunlight, you might notice it. But for normal living rooms, it handles brightness beautifully while maintaining that perfect OLED contrast.

Compared to Samsung alternatives, the C4 delivers better overall value and superior cinematic picture quality. It's not a huge leap from the older C3, but at this price point, you're getting an excellent OLED TV that'll make your living room look amazing.

The C4 Is a Very Good TV Trapped in Mediocre Software

Let's start with what matters: the LG C4 OLED panel is genuinely impressive. Peak HDR brightness of 1,213 nits, perfect blacks, and 99.08% DCI-P3 color gamut accuracy make this a compelling choice for anyone serious about image quality. Input lag of 9.63ms in Game mode positions it squarely in the gaming-focused tier, and 144Hz support is a nice touch for PC gamers, even if it's overkill for console players.

But here's where the business case falls apart: you're paying $1,177 for a TV whose software feels like it belongs on a $500 model. webOS is cluttered with ads, occasionally dysfunctional, and slower than dedicated streaming devices. After software updates, it's broken app functionality. The default picture presets are inaccurate enough that most users won't get the full potential of this panel without switching to Filmmaker or Cinema mode. That shouldn't require a calibration degree at this price point.

Brightness is the other weakness. Yes, 1,213 nits sounds impressive until you realize that's only in Brightest mode, which degrades color accuracy. In practical SDR viewing, the C4 peaks at 414 nits. That's respectable but not class-leading. Samsung's S95D reduces glare better in bright rooms, though it costs more. The TCL QM851 is far brighter overall, though it trades accuracy for raw nits.

The C4 does have genuine advantages. Dolby Vision support that Samsung's S90D lacks matters for HDR content. Contrast preservation in bright rooms is superior to most competitors. The 144Hz gaming support, while niche, is legitimately valuable for high-end PC setups. And yes, OLED black levels are objectively better than any LED TV at any price.

But the value proposition is overstated. At $1,177, this is flagship territory. You're paying premium money for a TV that needs software work and manual calibration to perform at its best. The discount from the $1,799 MSRP is real, but that's because LG's pricing is aggressive across the board. The C4 is an excellent TV held back by execution issues that don't belong at this price tier. It's not bad, it's just not the slam-dunk value play reviewers claim it is.