The LG C3 sits in the mid-range of LG’s 2023 OLED TVs – not quite as affordable as the B3, nor as advanced as the G3, so it sits somewhere in the middle of the range. Despite LG’s other offerings this year, including the wireless M3 OLED, and a fierce competitor in the form of the Samsung S95C (which we consider the best TV we’ve seen at the show), the series’ displays C’s are consistently well received by reviewers and consumers alike – and the LG C3 OLED is one to watch closely this year.
But what sets the LG C3 OLED apart from other C-series displays, and is it worth buying over its LG C2 predecessor ? We’ve put together everything we know about the LG C3 OLED display in a guide.
We can expect those same screen sizes to be available for the C3, along with a similar March-April release date, although not all formats can launch simultaneously.
LG C3 OLED: design and features – what’s new?
The LG C3 OLED is not a significant evolution over previous models. It features the same OLED Evo panel as the C2, with its brightness-boosting capabilities in sizes 55-inches and above (brightness is lower in smaller sizes). But it’s equipped with an upgraded Alpha9 Gen6 chip, which is LG’s latest and greatest image processor, and should be able to strain the panel a bit more.
As always, this is a 4K HDR TV with a 120Hz panel, Dolby Vision IQ support and Dolby Atmos compatibility – and you can expect crisp resolution and capable upscaling alongside a full suite of premium formats. A new composite fiber construction also reduces the weight of this year’s C-Series display.
A new algorithm can distinguish between the foreground and the background of the image, which seems to help increase the brightness in important places. Either way, the deep blacks and incredible contrast of self-emissive OLED screens should live up to the occasion.
The speaker system has not been significantly improved; it is still a 3.1.2 channel speaker with 40W output. Despite LG’s claims that the C3 can deliver ” virtual 9.1.2 surround sound(opens in a new tab)”Thanks to its AI Sound Pro feature, we’re somewhat skeptical about it. On the face of it, you’ll still need one of the best soundbars if you want to get premium sound from this TV – but the LG C2 sounded better than expected when used in its AI mode, so we’re sure the C3 will at least be ‘decent’ from that standpoint.
Changes to the intelligent platform include a sleek new homepage and improved user profiles to allow for greater customization. When you set up the TV, you’re guided through a custom picture preset to ensure the default settings suit your tastes, which is a good thing.
The C3 has four HDMI 2.1 ports, one of which supports eARC (for enhanced audio return channel) and two-way communication with the soundbar. These high-end ports are great for gaming with next-gen consoles, while the display boasts sub-10ms input lag and negligible response time.
What’s new this time is a feature called Quick Media Switching VRR , so far exclusive to LG’s OLED TVs (despite being part of the HDMI specification
The LG C3 OLED is likely to be a bestseller, like the C1 and C2 TVs that came before it. There’s not much change to this year’s model, however, and older models will likely see a price drop when the C3 hits the market. With that in mind, there isn’t much reason to upgrade for those with a C2. While an improved webOS experience, updated lighting algorithms, and fast media switching might be enough to entice some to turn to the latest iteration of the C-series OLED, that probably won’t be the case if you have C2 or C1.