The LG C4 evo OLED is a mid-range OLED TV that provides the true OLED experience at a more affordable price. It is superb in every respect.

When we say mid-range, the LG C4 evo OLED (α9 AI Processor) is a step up from the B4 OLED (α8 AI Processor, which is pretty good) and not much of a step down from the G4 evo OLED (α11 AI Processor). The B4 costs about $1000 less (review to come). The G4 costs about $1000 more, is brighter, uses a unique MLA screen coating for superior reflection handling, has a 5-year panel (parts only) warranty, and has a 4.2 sound system (2.2). We will review that separately.

LG introduced evo panels in its 2021 G1 and then from 2022 for its C2 and G2 range. It was immediately evident that these had all the OLED benefits but were significantly brighter—claimed 20%. Technically, the panel has an extra green colour layer, uses Deuterium-based OLED (lasts longer than typical hydrogen-based OLED), uses less power, and creates less heat.

The 2024 LG C4 evo OLED panel is over 1000 nits (peak HDR 2% window) and 400 nits (peak SDR 2% window). The G4 can achieve 1400 nits (peaks HDR 10% window) and 600 nits (peak SDR 10% window).

Both fully support Dolby Vision in typical viewing environments, but the G4’s extra brightness makes it a little more suitable for typical overly bright Australian open-plan lounge rooms.

We have both TVs for review; frankly, I have to tone down the G4 brightness anyway. The C4 is just right.

If you want to read more, check out If LG OLED evo is so good, are other types of TVs crap? It refers to the 2022 C2 and G2, but the principles are the same.

Quantum Dot Mini-LED (QNED, ULED, Neo QLED, etc.) is typically brighter at the expense of colour and contrast (the difference between pure black and white). I find it a battle to get all three right—balance—and we often reduce brightness by as much as 50% to get natural DCI-P3 colours. Mini-LED pushes the boundaries of its LCD roots, so you tend to see blooming. It is popular because it is cheaper than OLED and can display Dolby Vision content.

evo OLED has about 8.3 million pixels – all little light bulbs that can be switched on or off. Mini-LED has thousands of little LEDs that use dimming zones to switch banks of lights on or off. This means infinite contrast (pure black) versus grey blacks.

Read: Confused about TV tech? That’s just what they want!

Note: All specifications refer to the 65” model.

We use Fail (below expectations), Pass (meets expectations) and Exceed (surpasses expectations or is the class leader) against many of the items below. We occasionally give a Pass(able) rating that is not as good as it should be and a Pass ‘+’ rating to show it is good but does not quite make it to Exceed. You can click on most images for an enlargement.

We are also tightening up on grading. From now on, Pass, for example, means meeting expectations for the price bracket. We consider a Pass mark to be 70+/100, with extra points added for class-leading and excellence. For 2023 reviews and earlier, deduct 10 points from them for reasonable parity.

From the front, this is a big pane of glass with extremely narrow 6mm bezels and a centre pedestal stand that allows a 50-60m high soundbar to sit in front.

From the rear, a smaller ‘control box’ is attached to the ‘stone-like’ finish panel, which provides ports, power, and VESA wall mounting.

It comes with the usual non-backlit Bluetooth Magic Remote MR24, replete with an on-screen cursor. LG has resisted the trend of eliminating numeric buttons, which make free-to-air navigation much easier than wrestling with an EPG to find your channel.

The 65” is (W/H/D) 1441 x 826 x 45.1 mm x 16.6kg (no stand) and 230mm x 18.5kg (with stand). It can be wall-mounted (VESA 300 x 200). All models are under the plasterboard and timber stud walls 60kg maximum weight.

Overall, it is an evolution of the 2023 LG C3, and you may want to read that review LG C3 OLED evo 2023 TV – Model C3PSA – save a few pennies as a guide to some features.

You get a total of four webOS upgrades over five years (five versions, including webOS 24), which is class-leading. In addition, LG will provide any necessary security patches as this is part of your home network.

LG webOS is an excellent, easy-to-use TV operating system. The LG app store has over 2000 apps (Game 458, Entertainment 1305, Life 229, Education 56 and News/Info 73). It certainly has all Australian digital TV apps and streaming services. It appears to have more variety than Samsung, but the real winner is Google TV with thousands more.

The Not-so-good is that LG is moving to a ‘Smart Life Solution Company’. Instead of just selling you a smart TV, it has become a platform-based service business model that continuously generates profits from your viewing data—a.k.a. advertisements!

To use the TV’s essential smart functions, you must agree to sign into an LG Account and its Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. If you want to use more smart services, you must agree to a viewing information agreement, a voice information agreement, an Interest-based cross-device advertising agreement, and an LG Channels agreement appended at the end of this review.

LG allows you to reset the advertising ID, limit advertisement tracking, and delete viewing and voice information. However, that is a little late, as your data has already been collected.

I have read all 20,000 words (copies at the end of the review), and while I object to any TV/Brand knowing so much about my viewing habits and serving me advertisements, LG’s policies do not contain anything evil, and the Privacy and Terms of Use are benign.

When you buy a TV, you are not thinking about the 43-page and nearly 20,000-word agreement to use the fully use device fully. To be fair, Samsung has eight nested policies and over 35,000 words, so both companies are hoovering up your viewing data.

PS – this is in addition to any streaming app privacy policies.