LG OLED C1 Review: The Best 4K TV For Gaming?

When it comes to the best 4K TVs in the market, LG is undoubtedly on top of the game. In fact, they’re the only company in the world capable of producing large-scale organic light-emitting diode displays that is sure to make any room come alive. You’ll even find popular brands such as Sony using LG panels for their own products. So for today, we’ll be giving the spotlight on one of LG’s best 4K TVs, the C1 series. Let’s find out in our dedicated LG OLED C1 review if this particular TV lives up to its hype.

See Where The LG OLED C1 Ranks In Our List Of The Best 4K TVs For Gaming In 2021.

Overview Of The LG OLED C1

If you’re looking for a high-quality OLED panel, the LG OLED C1 Series is the best option out there. Sure, there are more budget-friendly models but if you want the best of the best, then you don’t need to look elsewhere.

Not only is the C1 Series from LG terrific for streaming any kind of content, but it’s also fantastic for gaming thanks to its plethora of gaming-friendly features and high visual quality that will undoubtedly elevate your gaming experience.

With four 4K 120Hz HDMI connections and a dedicated Game Optimizer control panel, the C1 takes gaming as seriously as you do. It’s great, both in native 4K and up-scaled HD, when you add premium image quality, which leans more heavily on AI than we’ve seen before. With deep blacks, vivid colors, and almost three-dimensional levels of detail, this is an OLED panel worth appreciating.

Not to mention, the C1’s OLED displays feature a near-infinite contrast ratio, resulting in deep and inky blacks, making them ideal for darkroom gaming. Additionally, the C1 also supports G-Sync to minimize screen tearing and is natively compatible with FreeSync and HDMI Forum variable refresh rate (VRR) technologies.

Any sort of action appears crisp and smooth thanks to its quick response time and decreased input lag. If that isn’t enough to persuade you, the PS5 and Xbox Series X also have four HDMI 2.1 inputs which the C1 fortunately has, which means you should be able to play 4K games at 120 frames per second without any issues.

You’ll also discover Google Assistant and Amazon’s Alexa built into the system, both of which can be summoned using buttons on your remote, as well as a near-complete list of streaming services including Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video, and plenty others.

Features & Specifications

• Sizes Available: 83″, 77″, 65″, 55″, and 48″
• Resolution: 4K
• Display Type: OLED
• Processor: a9 Gen4 AI Processor 4K
• Input Lag: 12.6ms (1080/60)
• Refresh Rate: 120Hz
• HDR Compatibility: Dolby Vision , HDR10, HLG
• Inputs: HDMI 2.1
• VRR: Yes
• Extra Special Features: ‎Filmmaker Mode, HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision, Magic Explorer

Check Out LG’s Preview Of Their Newest Feature, The Game Optimizer Below.

If You’d Like To Check Out Other 4K TVs For Gaming, Read Our Top Picks Here.

What We Love About The LG OLED C1 Series

OLED Is Better In Gaming

Because they don’t have to go through an additional step of processing the backlighting, OLED TVs are simply much better for gaming than their other types of display panels. This single step in the processing chain alone reduces input lag. In case you’re unaware, this is the time it takes for your television to register your joystick motions.

LG’s team has spent years improving this new OLED’s input lag time to levels that are comparable to or better than most gaming monitors. If you’re not convinced, a simple search on Google will show you actual test results from various other reviews of the C1’s input lags.

The C1 also supports technology from video card makers such as Nvidia and AMD that keep gaming frame rates in line with the refresh rate of the screen, resulting in incredibly smooth gameplay. Plus, the OLED panel’s deeper blacks give even the most demanding games an incredible amount of depth that is beyond anything I’ve ever seen in your standard PC monitors.

However, there is one problem that you might want to keep in mind. Graphics cards capable of powering games on a 4K TV like this are really hard to come by right now. For 4K 120-Hz gaming, you can buy an Xbox Series X or a Playstation 5, but you might also have a hard time finding the latest consoles right now. Supplies are low while demands are high due to numerous lockdowns caused by the pandemic.

But if you do get the perfect graphics card or console, the C1 will provide you with an almost unrivaled gaming experience possible. On a larger screen, the 4K resolution just simply looks so much better and can be more appreciated. Smaller displays, on the other hand, the pixel density is quite impossible to perceive with the naked eye.

Design

Personally, when it comes to design, most televisions nowadays almost look identical to each other. So it can be quite hard to judge them. Not to mention, no one really buys a TV for its looks. As I said, they all look the same. People buy these devices for what they can offer in its system. However, you can’t deny how attractive and sleek the LG OLED C1 is in terms of the overall design.

The front of the TV is occupied by the OLED display, with no more than a millimeter or two between the picture and the display’s edge and a long silver stand holding it upright. The screen would be the only thing visible if you were to mount the C1, but it still looks wonderful on its stand, which is surprisingly sturdy and stops the TV from swaying or wobbling.

When it comes to ports, the C1 offers four full-spec HDMI 2.1 connectors with 4K at 144Hz compatibility, as well as three USB ports, an RF tuner, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and optical digital audio output.

Overall, the LG C1 feels exceptionally well-made. It has a premium, durable feel to it thanks to the metal on the back and in the stand. While you might feel that there is some flex around the inputs, it feels extremely solid overall. There are no visible flaws or faults, and the build quality should satisfy the majority of users.

Visual Quality

Despite the OLED Evo panel missing from the C1 Series, there seems to be no issue at all in terms of overall brightness in this particular display. In fact, the pictures looked stunning even in well-lit rooms. Though the reflected glare did eat into the deeper black levels from time to time, the screen’s brightness more than compensated for it.

The C1 is able to achieve this because it has a built-in light sensor that analyzes ambient light levels and adjusts the picture accordingly. When the TV detects that there is more light in the room, it also automatically increases the screen’s overall brightness.

When it comes to contrast and brightness, the C1 supports most major HDR formats, including HDR10, Dolby Vision, and HLG. However, HDR10+ is excluded.

The newly introduced Game Optimizer setting option, which allows you to easily alter the White Stabilizer, Black Stabilizer, and VRR, is also worth highlighting. When the OLED detects an incoming game signal over any of the four HDMI 2.1 connections, it supports ALLM, as well as a Prevent Input Delay feature that reduces input latency to under 10ms.

All in all, the C1 is ideal for anyone who loves to game and watch a lot of content in their living rooms.

Our Least Favorite Things

Risk Of Burn Ins

Despite being one of the best 4K TVs in the market, unfortunately, the C1 isn’t immune to irreversible burn-in like most OLED TVs. However, don’t let this stop you from considering this impressive television. Just keep in mind that this shouldn’t an issue if you’re someone who watches a wide variety of content.

In addition to that, the LG C1 Series also included a few features that can assist in lessening the risk of burn-ins in case you’re concerned. Pixel Cleaning, Screen Move, and Adjust Logo Brightness are some of those options. To know more, you can also visit LG’s site for more information.

In A Nutshell

Now that we have discussed the things we liked and disliked about the LG OLED C1 Series, here’s a narrowed-down list of the good and the bad with this 4K gaming TV.

Our Final Verdict

All in all, LG has made a few yet significant changes in the newest generation of their C1 Series. With four separate HDMI 2.1 connectors, it’s ready for the PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and whatever next-gen consoles you’re planning to game on. On top of that, gamers like you will also enjoy the newly added Game Optimizer menu, which allows you to modify brightness, contrast, and VRR whenever you please.

Have you already bought the LG OLED C1 Series? How was your experience? Did our review help convince you? Let me know in the comments section below if you have any insights, questions, or suggestions to share regarding this review. I would love to hear all your thoughts!

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