Should you wait for the LG's new C2 OLED TV lineup or stick with yesteryear's best gaming TV?

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LG’s mid-tier ‘C’ class OLED TV lineup was an instant hit back in 2021, taking the gaming TV market by storm thanks to an exciting balance of performance and value. While the LG C1 is still hugely popular amongst both console gamers and everyday content consumers, the brand’s latest LG C2 OLED TV series has just been announced and people are starting to question what the main differences are between LG C2 vs C1 models.

The LG C2 was announced at CES in January 2022 and will be the direct successor to the popular C1 series. The new mid-tier gaming TV will be equipped with all the performance-driving features seen in the C1, making it a key contender for the best gaming TV of 2022.

Better yet, the LG C2 will see decent performance improvements over the C1, with a new OLED panel, processor, and array of gaming features added.

In this guide, we’ll be breaking down the core differences between LG’s C2 vs C1 OLED TVs. We’ll be concluding the article with our verdict on which you should buy – regardless of whether you’re a PC gamer, console gamer, or just an everyday user.

Sizes

48″, 55″, 65″, 75″, 83″

Screen Technology

OLED

Resolution

4K Ultra HD 3840 x 2160p

Refresh rate

120 Hz

Panel type

WOLED

HDMI standard

HDMI 2.1

Alexa & Google Assistant Integration

HDMI 2.1 Support

Almost Instantaneous Pixel Response Time

VRR Support (FreeSync)

Sleek and Stylish Design

Stunning OLED Color Accuracy

Peak brightness can be lacking

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Sizes

42″, 48″, 55″, 65″, 77″, 83″

Screen Technology

OLED

Resolution

4K Ultra HD 3840 x 2160p

Refresh rate

120 Hz

Panel type

WOLED

HDMI standard

HDMI 2.1

Improved Evo OLED panel

Perfect blacks

Incredibly fast response time (0.001ms)

New Game Optimizer features

Alpha a9 Gen 5 processor

Excellent gaming performance

Expensive

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Looking at a side-by-side comparison of the two generations of ‘C’ class OLED TVs, there really isn’t that much separating them. However, there are some intricate differences that make a big impact on gaming performance, picture quality, and overall usability.

In the following sections, we’ll be looking at a number of different areas to establish a more comprehensive grasp on the main differences between LG’s C2 vs C1 TVs.

Starting with gaming performance, there shouldn’t be a huge amount of difference between the two models. The OLED C1 series was renowned for its high-end gaming performance, with the C2 packing many of the same features as its predecessor.

That said, the new LG C2 will come equipped with a bunch of newly-enhanced Game Optimizer features which allow you to tweak the visual experience to your exact needs. Improvements include the likes of LG’s new ‘Dark Room’ mode which effectively alters the image to reduce overall eye fatigue when viewing the TV in low light conditions. Furthermore, the C2 series will now feature 4 x HDMI 2.1 ports which offer 48gbps of bandwidth – a small but recognized improvement when compared to 40Gbps of the C1.

Of course, both C1 and C2 OLED TVs come equipped with key performance features such as ALLM (auto low latency mode), VRR for both FreeSync and G-Sync systems, and HGIG – a setting that adjusts the contrast to better suit the HDR scene you’re viewing.

So, whilst there isn’t a huge amount of difference when comparing these two TVs for gaming performance, there is enough to give the theoretical point to the LG C2 OLED TV.

Of course, price is always a huge factor when purchasing any high-ticket item – even more so when you’re not sure what generation ‘C’ class TV to opt for.

While we don’t have official pricing for the LG ‘C’ series just yet, recent leaks have surfaced suggesting the price of LG’s entire OLED 2022 TV lineup. Unfortunately, if leaks are to be correct, the latest version of LG’s ‘C’ class TV lineup won’t be nearly as cheap as we first thought.

Below we’ll list the prices of both C1 and C2 lineup for your comparison:

As you can see from the chart above, many of the 2022 models are going to be more expensive than the C1 alternative at launch. Surprisingly, that isn’t the case for all the comparative sizes, with LG’s 83″ C2 being cheaper than last year’s C1?

Regardless, most of the 2022 OLED C2 TVs will be more expensive, most likely due to a number of different factors that span availability, technical upgrades, inflation, and other events too.

One thing is for sure, the latest C2 TV lineup won’t be nearly as cheap as we first thought, sparking some grumbles from the LG faithful.

UK consumers will can already pre order the LG C2 42″ and 48″ variants over at John Lewis today, with the retailer having exclusive access to the 48″ variant.

The C2 42″ can be found at other stores, with prices matching that of the 48″.

The main factor to consider as far as picture quality is concerned is the panel being used by both displays. Last year’s C1 offered up excellent picture quality but did fail to reach the luminance levels required for great daytime TV viewing.

Unfortunately, LG reserved the brighter, more accurate Evo OLED panel for the flagship G1 series last year – a factor this year’s C2 isn’t restricted by. That’s right, the LG C2 OLED will deliver spectacular picture quality thanks to the premium Evo OLED panel it utilizes.

As we just mentioned, the Evo OLED panel allows the C2 to become much brighter overall – a huge factor in both daytime viewing and HDR performance. According to LG, the upgraded Evo OLED technology utilizes deuterium and a proprietary algorithm-based ‘EX Technology’ to boost overall luminance by an impressive 30%.

Annoyingly, LG will be reserving the Evo OLED panel technology for the 55″ variants and above – leaving the 42″ and 48″ models with a pretty similar OLED panel to last year’s C1.

Again, while this only seems like a small difference between the C2 and C1 models, it makes a pretty big difference in the bigger picture.

While many buyers will use a soundbar with their OLED TV, that isn’t the case for all users. Fortunately, the latest LG C2 will feature a new AI Sound Pro virtual up-mixing technology which is capable of creating 7.1.2 sound channels – an increase from last year’s 5.1.2.

As far as comparing the 2021 and 2022 models is concerned, we’ll have to save judgment for now as some C2 specs have still yet to drop. That said, the C1 featured 2.2ch 40W speakers that delivered pretty good audio for the most part. Audio performance sounded immersive and open when playing movies, TV, and games, offering up a great cinematic feel that is surprising, to say the least.

With improvements, it’ll be interesting to see exactly what differences can be drawn from the two displays. We would always recommend purchasing some form of a soundbar with your TV, with audio performance increasing exponentially when compared to the standard TV output.

There are some subtle differences to find when comparing the design of LG’s C1 and C2 models, but ultimately, they both look absolutely fantastic. LG’s initial design language for the C1 seemed to tick all the right boxes, providing a sleek and stylish design that would suit most background scenarios.

The C1 featured a center stand that measured around 3/4s of the width of the TV itself. The stand was finished with a brushed aluminum styling that worked nicely with the rest of the display’s glossy exterior. The panel was finished with a gloss coating which, despite looking attractive, would fall victim to annoying reflections in daytime viewing. A 10.2mm bezel was equipped to the C1 which is fairly borderless when considering the size of this OLED TV.

The C2 looks set to feature many of the same design traits as the LG C1, albeit with a few alterations that have been tailored toward desktop PC users. For example, the stand looks set to feature a ‘two-feet’ design that is said to support desktop usage a little better. This is likely to allow for the seamless routing of cables and reduces any annoying keyboard/mouse issues that may occur from having a protruding pedestal stand.

The LG C1 was a fantastic TV to use, mainly thanks to the impressive webOS 6.0 smart TV platform at its heart. The app-heavy platform paired nicely with LG’s Gen 4 AI-Enhanced processor for truly spectacular image quality when compared to leading 2021 alternatives.

As far as part of the C1’s feature list, users can expect most major HDR formats to be supported (not including Samsung’s HDR10+. Other key features include the likes of ALLM, HGIG, and VRR (for both FreeSync and G-Sync systems) which we touched upon earlier.

For all intents and purposes, the C1 was a truly fantastic TV that seemed to tick all the right boxes. And while LG could have just upgraded the panel technology for the C2 series, they decided to make additional feature tweaks to improve overall usability further.

Looking at the feature list for the C2, it’d be foolish to expect anything less than a large increase in features for the 2022 successor. Besides gaming and audio enhancements – which we’ve already discussed earlier in the article – users can expect LG’s fancy Magic Remote controller and built-in Google/Alexa voice assistant.

Furthermore, while many of the C2’s new features have yet to surface, it’s likely to receive a lot of fresh performance-enhancing extras. The brand has already discussed a brand new Game Optimizer menu which will likely come with a whole host of exicting features to help create the perfect viewing experience.

So, LG’s C2 vs C1 OLED TVs – which should you buy? Well, that all comes down to you as an individual.

On paper, there is really only one winner, and that’s the LG C2. Is that a surprise though? Not really. Like all new releases, the LG C2 will feature a whole host of performance-enhancing extras that range from panel technology to Game Optimization and everything in between – making it a clear winner as far as overall performance is concerned.

However, price is a huge factor in this debate. Once LG’s C2 TV becomes available, the price of its C1 series will likely drop exponentially, creating huge value for money for the best gaming TV of 2021.

Ultimately, if you have the cash and you want to futureproof your home setup, the LG C2 will likely be one of the best OLED TVs of 2022. However, if you want to save a bit of cash while maintaining an excellent visual experience, the C1 is still a hugely impressive TV that will tick all the right boxes.