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Sony X95L review: A mini-LED TV marvel with boosted brightness and contrast
4:00 pm | February 18, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Televisions | Tags: , | Comments: Off

Sony X95L: Two-minute review

The Sony X95L is on a mission to fix the niggles of its mini-LED predecessor with an improved panel design, pepped up processing and a 10% higher local dimming zone count.

It sets out a pretty premium stall right away with its design, which combines a classic slice of Sony minimalism with an unusual amount of flexibility in the shape of thee different foot mount options. 

Smart features are provided by the latest version of Google TV, while the TV’s brains come courtesy of Sony’s latest and most powerful Cognitive XR Processor. 

The new backlight system is a revelation. Practically all the light ‘blooms’ seen around bright objects with Sony’s previous mini-LED models, the X95Ks, have gone, leaving a much more consistent and immersive picture that still enjoys outstandingly deep, rich black tones.

Sony has had to modify its previous ‘brightness at all costs’ LCD philosophy a little to achieve this new bloom-free look, mildly toning down very bright image highlights if they appear against a black backdrop. But the pros of this new approach far outweigh the cons, especially as the increased backlight consistency is joined by some of the most refined colours, most polished motion handling and most natural-feeling 4K sharpness we’ve seen.

As if all the picture heroics weren’t enough, the 65X95L also boasts a strikingly clear, detailed and involving sound system. 

There’s some seriously tough competition in the mini-LED space this year that might make determining the best TVs of 2024 a very difficult task but the X95L is talented and unique enough to stand tall in any company. 

Sony X95L Review: Price and release date

The Sony X95L on a table

(Image credit: Future)
  • Release date: September 2023
  • Price starting from £1,899 / AU$4,495 and up to $4,499.99

Following a summer 2023 launch, Sony’s current premium 65-inch X95L LCD TV is now available for £1,899 in the UK and AU$4,495 in Australia. In the US, only one X95L screen size is available: 85-inches, which is priced at $4,499.99. In the UK, the 85-inch model costs £3,499 and the 75-inch is priced at £2,699. 

For smaller screen sizes, US consumers have to step down to the X93L range (a range that isn’t available in the UK). The X93Ls differ from the UK X95Ls by having fewer dimming zones, reduced contrast, no frame tweeters and no XR Clear Image processing. We’ll cover all these features the X95Ls have that the US X93Ls don’t in the next section if you’re not sure what they all mean.

Sony X95L Review: Features

A close up of the side of the Sony X95L

(Image credit: Future)
  • 4K mini-LED TV with local dimming
  • Cognitive XR processor 
  • HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision HDR

As we’ve now come to expect of flagship LCD TVs from ‘serious’ AV brands like Sony, the 65X95L benefits from a mini LED lighting system backed up by local dimming. Sony claims that this dimming engine has been much improved from its predecessor – improvements that begin by upping the dimming zone count to 480 versus 432 on the previous 65X95K model. 

Combined with other improvements to the 65X95L’s processing and panel set up, this local dimming enhancement claims to generate 30% more peak brightness than its predecessor managed. If you’d like to put some actual measured numbers on this, the 65X95L produces a hefty 1560 nits on a 10% white HDR window, 1225 nits on a 2% window and 611 nits on a full-screen HDR window. Note that contrary to what you’d expect to see with OLED screens, the 65X95L’s brightness with the smallest 2% window is lower than the 10% window because of the way local dimming works.

OLED screens can’t currently get quite as bright on a 10% window or nearly as bright on a 100% test window as the 65X95L does. Though on the other side of the coin, of course, even 480 dimming zones can’t deliver the same sort of pixel-level light control you get with self-emissive OLED screens. That said, Sony has previously shown an uncanny talent for getting almost eerily good light control from much lower dimming zone counts than the 65X95L carries.

The improved processing, I mentioned earlier, is the latest version of Sony’s Cognitive Processor XR engine. A processing system predominantly motivated (depending on the presets you choose) by two aims: Making images look more like real life and getting sources to resemble as closely as possible the way they looked when they were created in a professional mastering suite. 

In terms of specific new processing enhancements for the 65X95L, the local dimming algorithms have apparently been enhanced, while a new XR Clear Image system claims to deliver even better upscaling of HD and SD sources to the TV’s native 4K resolution than Sony’s already brilliant previous upscaling systems have.

At first glance, the 65X95L’s connections roster of four HDMIs, two USBs, a hybrid composite/S-Centre speaker input, an optical digital audio input, an Ethernet port and inevitable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support looks pretty up to speed for a premium TV. Closer inspection, though, reveals that only two of the HDMIs support the sort of high bandwidths demanded by cutting edge gamers, and even those require you to swallow a compromise or two. We’ll discuss this more in the Gaming section of the review. 

As with Sony’s premium sets for a couple of generations now, the 65X95L goes a bundle on third party partnerships and endorsements. There’s a full house of Dolby action, for starters, with Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos sound decoding both on the menu. The TV has also been certified by IMAX as capable of getting the best from the IMAX Enhanced home video format. Meanwhile, Netflix has granted it a Netflix Calibrated mode that sets the TV to closely match Netflix’s in-house mastering conditions.

The only notable absentee from the 65X95L’s format support list, really, is HDR10+. LG, too, refuses to adopt this rival for Dolby Vision (while Samsung refuses to adopt Dolby Vision). But there are TVs out there from Philips, Panasonic and TCL that support both formats – and both formats are fairly widely available in the content world now. 

The 65X95L’s premium features aren’t limited to its picture quality. A so-called Acoustic Multi-Audio+ sound system uses speakers placed all around the TV’s body, including frame-vibrating tweeters in its sides, to deliver what Sony claims will be a larger and more precisely detailed soundstage.

If you have or are thinking of adding a Sony soundbar to the TV, the S-Centre port I mentioned in passing earlier can enable the TV to do centre channel duties while the soundbar handles the rest.

Features score: 4.5 / 5

Sony X95L review: Picture quality

The Sony X95L on a table

(Image credit: Future)
  • Excellent backlight control
  • Bright HDR pictures
  • Excellent image processing

While Sony’s mini LED debut, 2022’s X95K range, was good, it didn’t quite rise to the level of some of its premium TV rivals. It felt almost as if the twin challenges of handling vast amounts of extra LEDs and a much higher dimming zone count than Sony was used to working with was a step too far for its usually stellar backlight control systems. Happily, the extra year or so Sony’s engineers have had to work on the 65X95L have reaped fantastic dividends.

In particular, where dark scenes on the X95Ks could look rather inconsistent, especially when it came to ‘blooms’ of backlight appearing around stand-out bright objects, on the 65X95L they look brilliantly consistent and, as a result, much more immersive. Blooming around bright objects is hugely reduced in terms of the regularity with which you can see it, the extent of its ‘spread’ and, best of all, the intensity of its greyness on those very rare occasions when it does become faintly visible. 

One of the tools Sony has introduced to reduce blooming is to slightly dim down very bright objects if they appear against a very dark backdrop. This is something mini-LED rival Samsung has been doing for years, but Sony has previously avoided. The dimming is very mild, though, compared with the extent that it can happen with Samsung TVs, and so it’s much less likely to be distractingly noticeable. Which means it feels like a pretty reasonable compromise in return for the 65X95L’s greatly improved black level uniformity.

Dark scenes don’t just impress for the much improved evenness of their black colours, either. The sheer inky depths of the 65X95L’s black colours is also remarkable. So much so that it’s often hard to believe that you’re watching an LCD TV rather than an OLED TV. Except, that is, that the 65X95L is routinely capable of hitting levels of brightness OLED TVs can’t compete with. Especially when it comes to bright HDR shots that flood the whole screen area with brightness. 

Again I need to qualify this a little by saying that the 65X95L doesn’t get as bright as Samsung’s flagship mini LED TVs do. But as well as Sony’s mini-LED 4K flagship being significantly cheaper than Samsung’s, the way it handles its light is so effective that the brightness on offer feels ample for giving you a spectacular but also consistently believable and natural HDR experience.

The 65X95L’s improved brightness and contrast over the 65X95K feed into an improved colour performance, too. Saturations look more wide-ranging and vivid, and as usual Sony’s slightly mysterious Triluminos colour system does a spell-binding job of using the light available to render tones with outstanding subtlety. Achieving such a rich combination of vibrancy but also finesse is one of those things that really separates the best TVs out from the rest.

The subtlety of the colour handling and light control contributes to an outstanding sense of sharpness, detail and, especially, depth in the 65X95L’s pictures. Objects look genuinely three-dimensional without the need for any 3D goggles, and the image looks extremely ‘4K’ at all times. Even, actually, with HD sources, thanks to the X95L’s remarkably astute and effective new 4K upscaling engine the X95L boasts.

It’s worth adding here that despite the outstandingly deep black colours the 65X95L is capable of delivering, its light control, even at ‘near black’ levels, is good enough to ensure that you never feel as if you’re missing out any subtle shadow details even in the darkest picture corners. 

There’s no loss of clarity during motion-filled action scenes, either. Even with no motion processing in play the 65X95L handles judder with 24p film sources with impressive neutrality, but if you do happen to find yourself distracted by judder with a particular (likely very bright) 24p source, then some of the motion processing options Sony provides do an excellent, arguably class leading job of reducing the impact of the judder without leaving the image full of unpleasant processing side effects. So long, anyway, as you only ever use the motion processing options on their lowest power settings. 

It’s interesting to note, too, how the outstanding Cognitive Processor XR works, depending on your selected picture preset, on either subtly emphasising key objects in images as your eyes would when perceiving the real world, or recreating the emphasis preferences of original source masters. Both approaches deliver delicious results while catering for slightly different image preferences.

While the 65X95L’s pictures represent a big leap from those of its predecessor and are really never less than a joy to watch, there are a trio of small niggles to report. One I’ve already touched on: That while brighter than OLED, there one or two even brighter mini LED TVs out there. Though the brightness the 65X95L feels optimised to spectacular effect.

The 65X95L’s Vivid picture preset oddly jettisons the sensitivity and subtlety the TV so proudly displays with really all of its other picture modes, with colours in particular becoming blown out and unrealistic. Some presets can cause noticeable clipping (lost shading and detailing) in the brightest bits of HDR pictures too, and while the backlight controls are usually excellent, just occasionally a very aggressively mastered HDR scene containing a particularly dynamic mixture of bright and dark content, such as the party/orgy that dominates the opening section of Babylon on 4K Blu-ray, can feel a touch flat as the TV struggles to reconcile such complex and extreme brightness and contrast variations.

Most of the niggles are avoidable simply by being careful what presets you use, though, and those that aren’t so easily fixed typically only crop up very rarely. Meaning that overall the 65X95L’s pictures can be considered things of surprisingly consistent beauty.

Picture quality score: 5 / 5

Sony XR-65X95L Review: Sound quality

The back of the Sony X95L

(Image credit: Future)
  • Acoustic Multi-Audio speaker system works well
  • Punchy, undistorted bass
  • Wide and well-developed sound stage

Despite not appearing at first glance as if it has the physical room to house any speakers worthy of the name, the 65X95L actually sound excellent by built-in TV audio standards.

Using a wide array of speakers, including ‘frame vibrators’ built into the screen’s sides, helps to both disperse the sound much more widely than a simple stereo or down-firing speaker system would. The frame tweeters also do an at times quite uncanny job of making sound effects appear to be coming from just the right spot on or just off the screen – even tracking the sound of moving objects with startling accuracy.

Dialogue is excellent too, enjoying an artful balance of clarity and context, and again typically sounding like it’s coming from part of the screen where a talker’s head is, rather than from some separate speaker array below or to the side of the onscreen action.

There’s good balance between the various frequency ranges and elements of a busy movie soundtrack too, with nothing tending to sound overly bright or unduly dominant.

Bass is a bit limited in the depths of frequency response it can hit and the weight it can add to an action movie mix. What bass there is, though, does at least avoid buzzing, drop outs and other common TV audio distortions, while the mid-range is wide enough to stop the sound ever appearing thin or brittle. There’s enough power, too, to enable the sound stage to open up nicely as an action or horror scene gathers momentum.

Sound quality score: 4.5 / 5 

Sony X95L review: Design

A close up of the Sony logo on the X95L

(Image credit: Future)
  • Three different feet position options 
  • Can be raised to accommodate a soundbar 
  • Impressive build quality 

The 65X95L’s design offers an appealing combination of minimalist elegance and practicality. 

Its black, silver-trimmed frame is slender enough to represent barely any distraction from the pictures you’re watching yet feels very robustly built, while the feet supplied with the TV are so narrow when you’re viewing the TV head on that you barely see them. 

You can position the feet in no less than three different configurations too. The most elegant option sees them tucked right under the screen’s bottom corners, so that they almost feel like a horizontal extension of the screen frame. But you can also position them so that they lift the screen up far enough to place a soundbar underneath it, or else you can position them closer together so that the TV can be placed on a narrow piece of furniture. All very thoughtful.

The 65X95L’s rear sticks out a fair bit further than those of most of today’s ultra-slim TVs - but unless you’re wall hanging it you probably won’t notice. This is because the chunkiness is cleverly delivered in two distinct tiers, with the fattest bit sitting towards the centre of the back panel so that you can’t see it unless you’re looking at the TV from an extreme angle. 

Design score: 4.5 / 5

SonyX95L review: Smart TV and menus

The Sony X95L remote

(Image credit: Future)
  • Google TV support
  • Voice control support
  • Menus can feel a little overwhelming

Sony has long been aboard first the Android and then the Google TV train for its TV smart systems – so it’s not surprise to find Google TV in place on the 65X95L too. 

Google TV is a substantial improvement over its Android predecessor, with more attractive and intuitive menus. For me, though, it still feels a bit overwhelming for a TV rather than smart device interface, and doesn’t offer as many customisation options as some rival systems. Or, at least, it doesn’t make its customisation options as obvious. 

It doesn’t carry by default all the UK’s key terrestrial broadcaster catch up apps, either – though Sony has been able to get these onboard via its own agreements with the various channels involved.

There’s one exclusive to Sony streaming service that’s well worth a mention, too: Bravia Core. The big story behind this is that its large collection of movies (including some recent releases as well as a horde of catalogue stuff) can all be streamed at much higher bandwidths than most video streaming services provide, resulting in better 4K HDR picture quality. You need a broadband speed of at least 80Mbps to get the maximum benefit from Bravia Core – but you’ll be pleased to know that just by buying a 65X95L you’ve gained access to 10 free films to add to your library before you need to start paying for any others.

Voice control is supported via Google Assistant, and there’s one final more unusual smart feature to report in the shape of an optional (£199) Bravia Cam accessory. This can connect to the top edge of your TV and open up such features as auto sound and picture adjustment based on analysis of your seating position, video calling and even a degree of gesture control. Personally I’m not convinced the Bravia Cam is really worth the extra cash, but it picked up a CES 2022 Innovation Award, so what do I know…

Smart TV and menus score: 4 / 5

Sony X95L review: Gaming

The back of the Sony X95L

(Image credit: Future)
  • 4K / 120Hz VRR support on two HDMIs 
  • No Dolby Vision support for gaming 
  • Perfect for PS5 features

Surprisingly for a brand with such a huge video game presence, Sony has been a little lethargic compared with some of its rivals when it comes to whole-heartedly embracing the latest game graphics features in its TVs. This continues to some extent with the 65X95L.

For starters, only two of its four HDMIs support 4K/120Hz game inputs and variable refresh rates. And one of those two game-friendly HDMIs is also the one you’re supposed to use if you want to take advantage of HDMI’s audio return channel capability.

Also, frustratingly, the TV requires you to choose between either variable refresh rates or Dolby Vision HDR gaming; you can’t have both at the same time. Given that there’s no fast-responding Dolby Vision Game mode either, though, you probably won’t want to game in Dolby Vision on the 65X95L anyway.

There is support for auto low latency mode switching, however, where the TV switches in to its fastest responding Game picture preset when a game rather than video source is detected. Plus, of course, there are the other limited Perfect For PlayStation features Sony rolled out a couple of years ago in a bid to make it look like its TV and console divisions really do talk to each other. This includes the ability to have the PS5 auto-optimise its HDR output to suit whatever Sony TV model it detects that it’s connected to.

Sony now provides a dedicated game onscreen menu too, providing key information on the incoming game feeds and access to a few gaming aids. It’s not quite as advanced as some rival Game menu systems, including the one on Sony’s own A95L flagship OLED model. But it’s much better than having no such menu at all. 

The 65X95L manages to get input lag down to a decent if not world-leading 18.8ms when running in its Game picture preset, and actually produces consistently gorgeous gaming imagery, powered in particular by the set’s brightness, bold but also subtle colour management and high degree of sharpness and detail.

Gaming score: 4 / 5

Sony X95L review: Value

The Sony X95L on a table

(Image credit: Future)
  • Much more expensive than TCL’s 65C845K
  • Cheaper than premium OLEDs and some rival LCD flagships
  • Fair value overall for what’s on offer

The 65X95L’s UK price of £1,899 is the result of recent discounting, and so represents good value for a TV boasting such a strong feature count and premium level of picture and sound performance. The Australian price of AU$4,495 doesn’t look like quite such good value, working out at around £500 more than the UK price based on a simple currency conversion.

Samsung’s flagship 65-inch 4K mini LED model, the 65QN95C, is currently listed at £2,199 – though that is itself a big discount from the set’s original £3,699 launch price. The 65X95L is much cheaper, though, than Sony’s 65-inch flagship OLED TV, the 65A95L, which is currently available for a hefty £3,499. 

It’s impossible to do a review of a mini LED TV with lots of dimming zones right now without also mentioning the TCL 65C845K. This delivers more than 2000 nits of brightness and 576 local dimming zones for just £1,049. But it doesn’t share the same quality of video processing or general picture precision and accuracy that the 65X95L achieves.

Value score: 4 / 5

Should you buy the Sony X95L?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Sony X95L review: Also consider

How I tested the Sony X95L

  • Tested over two weeks
  • Tested with 4K Blu-rays, multiple streaming platforms and resolutions, Freeview HD broadcasts, and HD Blu-rays 
  • Reviewed in both dark and light dedicated test room conditions, and a regular (corner position) living room set up

While a substantial amount of time was spent testing the Sony 65X95L in a blacked out test room environment to make it as easy as possible to spot potential flaws with its new LCD backlighting system, we also tested it at a series of different light levels using a remote controlled lamp, as well as testing it for a number of days in a completely regular living room set up, complete with changing day and night conditions. 

The ‘controlled environment’ testing typically focused on a selection of 4K Blu-rays and streaming sequences that we know from long experience tend to test different aspects of a TV’s picture and sound quality to the limit. Particularly useful for the 65X95L were the 4K Blu-ray of Babylon, the early stages of which present a tough challenge for LCD backlighting and colour controls; It Chapter One on 4K Blu-ray with its often intensely dark black levels and expansive Dolby Atmos soundtrack; and the HD Blu-ray of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2, the many dark and grainy scenes of which pose a tough test for upscaling systems.

A Sky Q box was used to provide both HD and 4K 60Hz content, and we also spun up favourite episodes from shows across all the main streaming services using their built in apps, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV and Disney Plus. 

I saw Panasonic’s Z95A OLED TV and its super-bright MLA display blew me away
8:31 pm | January 16, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Televisions | Tags: , , | Comments: Off

When it comes to advancing the tech of OLED TVs, brightness is usually the big battleground, and Panasonic is putting forward its best fighter yet. The flagship Panasonic Z95A OLED TV for 2024 is a knockout in picture quality from my earlier experience with it, combining Panasonic's 'Master OLED Ultimate' panel with boosted micro lens array (MLA) tech and an upgraded processor to achieve next-level brightness. 

The new Panasonic Z95A model was announced on January 8, and while I've seen it in action, I haven't yet been able to measure just how much brighter it is – but given that last year's flagship Panasonic MZ2000 beat out the competition (it achieved 1,480 nits in Filmmaker mode and 1,366 nits in Standard picture mode, making it brighter than the LG G3 and Samsung S95C), there's a good chance we might see a repeat of this result over the LG G4 and Samsung S95D in 2024.

Outside of the upgraded panel, Panasonic has also made some other big changes, including a partnership with Amazon to use the Fire TV software instead of Panasonic's own platform. This brings together Panasonic's elite TV tech with Amazon's slick interface, which means that you can access all of Fire TV's bevy of smart features, such as Alexa-enabled smart home control, its Ambient Experience, and its great streaming service support. There are also new gaming features, including a 144Hz refresh rate for PC gamers, but the Z95A still only comes with two HDMI 2.1 ports. 

Will the Panasonic Z95A be this year's best OLED TV? It's far too early to tell without being able to do our own test of the picture quality, but I did get a look at it during CES 2024, and was bowled over by its crisp picture detail and intuitive smart home features.

Panasonic's Z95A: Likely price and availability

The Panasonic Z95A at CES 2024

From left to right, the 77-inch Z93A beside the 65-inch and 55-inch Z95A in the Panasonic booth at CES 2024.  (Image credit: Future)
  • Announced in January 2024
  • Likely to be released later this year
  • No confirmed price yet

The Panasonic Z95A OLED TV comes in two screen sizes, both 55- and 65-inches. Unlike last year's MZ2000, though, the TV maker has released the larger 77-inch size under a different model name. It's calling it the Z93A and from what we can tell, this mainly comes down to the fact that it uses a 'Master OLED Pro Cinema panel', which is essentially the same as you'll find in the Panasonic MZ1500 (i.e. no MLA), making it less bright than the Z95A (which is visible in person, but the Z93A certainly isn't dim by OLED standards).

As is usual with Panasonic TVs, these won't come to the US, but will be available in the UK, Europe and Japan. When will they be available to buy in these markets? Panasonic will likely release the TVs much later this year (the MZ200 arrived in the second half of 2023) so we don't yet know how much they will cost. But we expect to see similar prices to the MZ2000, which launched at £2,699 for the 55-inch, £3,599 for the 65-inch, and £4,499 for the 77-inch.

It would be nice if Panasonic could bring down the cost of the sets to be more in line with its rivals this year – last year's MZ2000 was priced higher than the same sized 65-inch LG G3, and 55-inch and 77-inch Samsung S95C – but it's not likely. Panasonic uses much more advanced speaker tech, which must add to the price, for example.

Panasonic's Z95A: Features

The Panasonic Z95A at CES 2024

A Panasonic spokesperson demonstrates the new Fire TV features by asking Alexa to open the curtains and turn on the lights.   (Image credit: Future)
  • Fire TV Ambient Experience and Alexa widgets
  • Access to Apple Home and Google Assistant 
  • 144Hz refresh rate for PC gamers

The most attention grabbing new feature with the Z95A is the Amazon Fire TV software. It replaces Panasonic's smart TV platform, my Home Screen 8.0, which was what we found to be one of the downsides in last year's MZ2000 because it was clunky and difficult to navigate. The home screen is now a curated feed of the best streaming services, allowing you to see what you're watching instantly and easily navigate between apps. You can also set up a profile so you can better curate personalized recommendations. 

Access to the Fire TV Ambient Experience also means that the Z95A can be a central hub for your smart home, giving you the ability to control smart home devices with Alexa. During a demo of these features, we were able to see how you could simply command Alexa to draw the curtains or turn off the lights via the TV. Even in a busy convention center, the mics were able to pick up commands like "Alexa turn on the lights" or "Alexa open the curtains" and trigger the actions on an adorably miniature sized home model (as seen in the picture above). With access to Apple Home, AirPlay and Google Chromecast, you'll also be able to use tools like viewing a security camera's livestream. It's very much the future of home tech that puts the TV at the center of the home.  

As for gamers, the Z95A is packed to the brim with gaming features, including 4K 144Hz as a new feature (compared to 4K 120Hz in the MZ2000), while VRR, ALLM, AMD FreeSync Premium, Nvidia G-Sync and Dolby Vision gaming capabilities all return from last year's MZ2000. However, there are still only two HDMI 2.1 ports, which is a bit of a shame considering the focus on improving the gaming experience as a whole. 

Panasonic packed in an improved processor called the HCX Pro AI Processor Mk II, which not only enhances the picture quality but powers new gaming features, such as a new Game Mode Extreme that instantly updates the TV's settings to be more gaming optimized. To access these features, there's also the Game Control Board, which works as a dashboard for all the adjustable gaming settings.

Panasonic Z95A: Picture quality

The Panasonic Z95A at CES 2024

Even though they're small dots (admittedly in bunches), the white tones in this image pop a little more on the Z95A (left) than the MZ980 (right). In real life, it's even starker. (Image credit: Future)
  • Master OLED Pro Cinema panel with MLA tech 
  • Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+ Adaptive and HLG support

It's the enhanced HCX Pro AI Processor Mk II that's also behind a lot of the improved picture quality in the Panasonic Z95A. In addition to Dolby Vision gaming at 144Hz, the chip powers Dolby Vision IQ Precision for added picture precision and brightness. It's also behind a new '4K Remaster Engine', which Panasonic says gives automatic noise reduction a boost when watching the best streaming services. Outside of Dolby Vision, there's also the usual support for popular formats such as HDR10+ Adaptive, HDR10 and HLG. 

The combination of the new processor, boosted MLA panel and Panasonic's multi-layer heat management configuration has given the Z95A a boost in brightness and overall picture quality. When viewing the model next to the Z93A during a demo, the lack of MLA in the larger model is slightly noticeable. But what was even more of a stark contrast was when comparing the Z95A to the MZ980, which of course isn't exactly a fair comparison given that it's not the flagship model from last year, but uses a 'regular' OLED panel without MLA or Panasonic's other brightness-boosting tech.

Regardless, I could see that the whites were far starker and stood out considerably – in fact by so much that you can even slightly see the difference in the picture above for yourself (if you look at the center of the image, the whites appear more fuller and brighter on the left than they do on the right), though this is way more pronounced in person. The spectrum of colors was also another major difference between the two. The Z95A set looked to have a level richness that made it pop a lot more when compared to the MZ980.

Panasonic Z95A: Sound quality

The Panasonic Z95A at CES 2024

The 55-inch and 65-inch Z95A shown off at the Panasonic conference during CES 2024.   (Image credit: Future)
  • Dolby Atmos sound with 360 Soundscape Pro
  • Customizable directional speakers

The audio quality of the Z95A was another high point during the demo. Panasonic's 360 Soundscape Pro tech provides Dolby Atmos spatial audio with seven speaker channels, which means you won't need one of the best soundbars to get immersive audio. 

During the demo, I also got to test out the 'Pinpoint Positioning' feature in the audio settings, which lets you manually adjust the direction of the speakers depending on your living room setup. While most households will no doubt sit directly in front of their TVs, I can see this feature being useful in more of a mismatch setting – it steers the 'sweet spot' of the sound to wherever you're sitting, including off to the side.   

From a technical standpoint, the only slight difference between the 55- and 65-inch Z95A is that the larger model has a slightly higher wattage of 160W (compared to 150W). In terms of the speaker channels, there are two side-firing, two upward-firing, three forward firing, and a subwoofer.

Panasonic Z95A: Early verdict

The Panasonic Z95A at CES 2024

The Z95A delivers richer colors than the MZ980 when shown side by side.  (Image credit: Future)

While the Panasonic Z95A OLED TV may not look too different on the surface from last year's MZ2000 – it has the same swivel design and black bezels – there's a lot going on under the hood that shows how it has improved.

From what I've seen so far, my first impressions are that it has a lot of promise to be a knockout OLED TV in 2024 and I'll be excited to hear more about what Panasonic decides on the pricing front, and to get it in our testing labs. As ever, it's such a pity that our US readers will miss out on it.

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Roku Plus Series TV: Two-minute review

Most people know Roku for its streaming boxes and sticks – like the Roku Streaming Stick 4K – as well as the company’s smart interface, which can be found in TVs from brands like TCL, Hisense and others. Back in March of 2023, the company also started selling its own Roku-branded TVs, and as with its streamers, they are priced at a level that most people can afford.  

There are two lines of Roku TVs: the Plus Series and the Select Series. Both are inexpensive compared to other sets, but the Plus Series is more feature-packed and consequently priced a bit higher. I was sent a 65-inch Plus model to review, and as a longtime Roku user, I was very curious to see how this $649 set would stack up against other 4K TVs I’ve recently tested.

Along with the company’s own smart TV interface, Plus Series TVs feature AirPlay for wireless streaming from devices and work with Alexa and Google Assistant. You can also conduct hands-free voice searches using the remote control’s built-in mic by first saying “Hey Roku” or by pressing a button on the remote and speaking your search directly.

Plus Series TVs use a QLED display panel with a full-array local dimming backlight, and there’s support for Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and HLG high dynamic range. The 65-inch model I tested doesn’t offer nearly the same peak brightness as QLED TVs with a mini-LED backlight, but it has a local dimming feature that's effective enough to deliver images with strong contrast.

All new Roku TVs have a native 60Hz refresh rate. And while we normally recommend 120Hz 4K TVs for gaming, the Plus Series had an impressive 11.5 ms measured input lag when its Game mode was enabled.

The design of Plus Series sets are basic though, and they come with side-mounted support feet that can’t be height-adjusted. Inputs include 4 HDMI 2.0 ports (1 with eARC) along with an RF connection for an antenna and an optical digital audio output.

Audio on the Plus Series is also basic, with the TV sporting two bottom-mounted speakers. And while the sound is perfectly satisfactory given the TV’s price, the company offers several inexpensive options to enhance audio quality, including a 2-channel soundbar that connects wirelessly with the TV, and wireless surround sound and subwoofer speakers.

Between the company’s own The Roku Channel and a Live TV portal with an enormous amount of free streaming channels that can be browsed in a grid format with TV broadcasts pulled in by antenna, there’s plenty available to watch here, much of it free. Even so, the Roku smart TV interface provides almost every streaming service app you could possibly want, and it also supports personal photo streaming, with an option to add pictures directly from your phone.

Roku Plus Series TV review: price and release date

  • Release date:  March, 2023 
  • 55R6A5R: $499
  • 65R6A5R: $649
  • 75R6A5R: $999

The Plus Series models are the step-up offerings in the Roku TV lineup. They are available in 55-, 65-, and 75-screen sizes, and are only sold in the US at Best Buy stores and online.

Pricing for the Roku Plus Series TVs is in the same approximate range as budget models from Hisense, TCL, and Amazon Fire TVs, all of which also feature QLED screen tech, and in some instances a local dimming backlight similar to Roku Plus series models.

Roku Plus Series TV review: Specs

Roku Plus Series TV back input panel

Back panel inputs include two side-mounted HDMI 2.0 ports (one with eARC), two bottom-mounted HDMI 2.0 ports, an optical digital output, and an antenna connection. (Image credit: Future)

Roku Plus Series TV review: features

  • Roku smart TV interface and voice remote
  • Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and HLG high dynamic range 
  • Four HDMI inputs, one with enhanced audio return channel (eARC)

Roku Plus Series TVs feature the company’s popular smart TV interface, which is easy to navigate compared to other options. It provides an extensive amount of streaming apps to select from, and includes The Roku Channel and the Live TV portal for streaming free ad-supported TV shows and movies. Live TV also lets you integrate TV channels tuned by an indoor TV antenna.

Plus Series TVs support AirPlay for wireless streaming from iPhones and iPads, and they also work with Alexa and Google Assisant. They include voice remote pro features, a rechargeable battery and it has a built-in mic that allows for hands-free voice searches (the built-in mic can also be easily disabled using a switch located on the remote).

A QLED display panel with a native 60Hz refresh rate is used for the Plus series, and there’s a full-array local dimming backlight for enhanced contrast. High dynamic range support includes Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and HLG. A Game mode is also provided that reduces input lag when gaming with a connected console.

The set’s four HDMI inputs include one that supports HDMI eARC for a soundbar connection, and there’s an optical digital audio output and an RF input to connect an antenna. When viewing TV broadcasts, you can pause and rewind live TV for up to 90 minutes when a 16GB USB flash drive is plugged into the set’s USB port. Roku TVs also support a wireless audio connection to the company’s Roku Smart soundbar

Roku’s features package for its Plus Series is fairly basic overall compared to other TVs, but it includes a solid array of video performance basics such as a QLED display panel and full array local dimming backlight.

  • Features Score: 3.5/5  

Roku Plus Series TV showing Max app screen with Avatar 2

The new Max is one of the many streaming apps available in the Roku smart TV interface (Image credit: Future)

Roku Plus Series TV review: picture quality

  • Average brightness
  • Deep blacks with detailed shadows 
  • Some screen reflections

The 65-inch Roku Plus Series TV I tested delivered an average brightness level for a QLED TV, with peak brightness topping out at 556 nits (measured on a 10% white window test pattern) in its Standard HDR picture mode, and 533 nits in Dark HDR mode. To put those numbers into perspective, the TCL 6-series TV, a model with a mini-LED backlight, can hit 1,326 nits peak brightness, while the LG C3 OLED TV tops out at 830 nits.

A full-array local dimming backlight on the Plus Series enabled it to display deep blacks, though it didn’t hit the 0 IRE full black that OLED TVs and the best mini-LED models are capable of, with maximum contrast measuring 20,500:1. Even so, blacks looked strikingly deep in most movie clips I watched, and backlight 'blooming' artifacts were surprisingly minimal given the set’s low price. For most of my testing I kept the Micro Contrast setting at High, which delivered the best black depth and shadow detail.

The color balance in the Movie picture mode’s default Warm color temperature setting was slightly blue-ish, with most Delta E values measuring in the 3-4 range (we typically look for these to dip below 3). Measurements made with Portrait’s Calman display calibration software also showed coverage of DCI-P3 (the color space used for mastering 4K Blu-rays and digital cinema releases) to be 95.8%, and BT.2020 to be 81.3%. These are very good results, and closely match what was measured on the TCL 6-Series TV.

Roku’s Plus Series set had a fair amount of screen reflectivity, with reflections visible when viewing in a room with bright overhead lights. Picture contrast and color saturation also weren’t as solid when viewing from off-center seats, though that effect is common with LCD-based TVs like the Plus Series.

I watched several scenes from 4K Blu-ray discs that I typically use for testing on the Roku Plus Series, starting out with the Spears & Munsil Ultra HD Benchmark (the just-released new version). Viewing the 4,000 nits version of the montage sequence, some clipping artifacts were visible with the set’s Dynamic Tone Mapping setting active, though the issue disappeared when I watched a version graded at 1,000 nits – a more typical peak brightness for programs with HDR. Otherwise, images in the montage looked clean, crisp and had rich color, though the strongest highlights lacked some of the visual punch I’ve seen when watching the same material on brighter TVs.

Next up was No Time to Die, the James Bond film from 2021. Shadows looked deep and solid in the early scenes where Bond and Madeleine arrive in Italy, and in a later one where 007 walks across a craggy hill toward the resting place of Vesper Lynd with the camera panning along, the motion was smooth with almost no blurring artifacts.

Dune also looked very good on the Roku TV, with the set’s processor managing to deliver a detailed and noise-free picture even in difficult scenes like one where Paul walks through a dark and misty environment with Lady Jessica following an interrogation by the Reverend Mother. I’ve seen other, much more expensive TVs trip up on this sequence, which made the Roku’s handling of it all the more impressive.

With Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse now out in theaters, it seemed appropriate to give 2018’s Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse a spin on the Roku Plus TV. This film has an incredible range of color, and images are enlivened with finely detailed textures throughout that give it a printed comic book look. The Roku conveyed all of it in a convincing manner, with images looking impressively dynamic for such an affordable TV.

  • Picture quality score: 4/5

Roku Plus Series TV main smart interface

Inputs can be accessed from the main Roku TV interface  (Image credit: Future)

Roku Plus Series TV review: sound quality

  • Two downfiring speakers
  • Average TV sound quality 
  • Can make a wireless soundbar connection

Roku Plus Series use two down-firing speakers and the sound quality is average – you can easily hear dialogue and there’s a good overall balance, but otherwise dynamic movie soundtracks tend to flatten out during loud scenes.

Roku sells a two-channel Roku TV wireless soundbar ($150), which is designed specifically for its TVs and can be connected wirelessly (surround speakers and a subwoofer can also be added for a wireless 4.1-channel setup). Roku sent me its wireless soundbar to try out, and setting it up was incredibly easy. Configuration and control of the soundbar is carried out using the voice remote pro, with sound presets selectable via the TV’s menus.

Of the various presets, the Standard mode proved to be the best for most viewing, and with it selected dialogue gained weight and body while soundtrack elements like music and effects came across with greater clarity and dynamic presence. Given the TV’s low price, this is definitely a situation where you should consider a soundbar, and while there are plenty of great choices on our best soundbars list, the Roku TV wireless soundbar is a perfect match for this TV.

  • Sound quality score: 3.5/5

Roku Plus Series TV support feet on TV stand

The 2-channel Roku TV wireless soundbar (shown) provides an easy and inexpensive audio upgrade (Image credit: Future)

Roku Plus Series TV review: design

  • Basic design
  • Side-mounted, non-adjustable support feet 
  • Roku voice pro remote with built-in mic

The design of Plus Series TVs is fairly basic, with a thin bezel surrounding the screen’s edges and a thicker bezel at the bottom with a protruding compartment with an IR receiver and multipurpose control button under the Roku logo. Side-mounted feet provide sturdy support, though both their height and horizontal spread can’t be adjusted.

Two of the TV’s HDMI ports are located on an input panel accessible from the side, while the other two are on the panel’s bottom along with the antenna, USB, and Ethernet ports. There’s also a composite-video and RCA-type analog stereo audio input here that lets you connect legacy sources such as a VCR or vintage game console. The bottom HDMI ports were somewhat difficult to access, and could potentially be a challenge when using a stiff cable to connect sources.

The built-in battery of Roku’s compact voice pro remote control can be recharged by connecting it to the TV’s USB port. It has a built-in mic that can either be always on or disabled using a switch located on the remote’s side. The benefit to having the mic always on is that you can do hands-free voice searches by saying “Hey Roku” followed by a request. You can also momentarily activate the mic for searches by pressing the mic button at the remote’s center. Four quick buttons let you instantly access the Apple TV Plus, Disney Plus, Netflix and Max streaming services, and there are two numbered “shortcut” buttons that can be configured for a range of uses.

  • Design score: 3.5/5

Roku Plus Series TV Live TV program guide shown onscreen

The Live TV "Favorites" program grid with streaming and broadcast TV channels listed (Image credit: Future)

Roku Plus Series TV review: smart TV & menus

  • Roku TV interface
  • Works with Alexa and Google Assistant
  • Picture adjustments hard to access

Roku’s well-known and well-regarded smart TV interface is one I’m familiar with having spent many years as a Roku owner before making the leap to an Apple TV 4K. It’s a great interface for browsing apps, mainly because everything is right up front and accessible, and it’s easy to add or delete apps.

The Roku Live TV portal is a good way to supplement any streaming services you subscribe to. It offers an abundance of free channels organized in a time-based grid, and you can add broadcast TV channels tuned by an antenna to expand your free TV menu. With so many channels to choose from, it’s a good idea to edit the grid down to a more manageable size – something that the Favorites feature easily lets you do.

The Roku Photo Streams app has received recent enhancements that let you upload images directly from a phone to for viewing on the TV. You can also now edit streams and set screensavers, and the app now supports up to 1,000 images. When it comes to displaying personal photo libraries, the Roku Plus series is no Apple TV 4K, which provides tight integration with that company’s Photos app. Even so, most viewers will find Photo Streams to be sufficient for their needs.

Picture adjustments are carried out by pressing the remote’s asterisk button, which calls up the onscreen setup menus. You can adjust picture settings separately for regular and HDR sources, and those custom settings can also be applied across all of the TV’s inputs. Getting to basic adjustments like Brightness, Contrast and Color can take a lot of button presses, which is something that I found annoying during my time testing the TV's performance.

  • Smart TV & menus score: 4.5/5

Roku Plus Series TV remote control held in hand

The Roku TV remote has a USB rechargeable battery and quick buttons to access select apps (Image credit: Future)

Roku Plus Series TV review: gaming

  • No cloud gaming apps
  • Low 11.5 ms input lag
  • Auto Game Mode

With a native 60Hz refresh rate, the Roku Plus isn’t designed to be a powerhouse gaming TV. There’s also no gaming portal with subscription cloud-based services like you’ll find on Samsung and LG sets, and there’s no support for Bluetooth game controllers.

What Roku Plus TVs do offer gamers is a Game mode that reduces input lag to 11.5ms – an impressive level for a budget TV and one that will satisfy all but competitive gamers. Game mode is automatically enabled when a console input is detected, saving you the trouble of having to turn it on in the TV’s settings menu.

  • Gaming score: 3/5

Roku Plus Series TV showing image from Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse onscreen

The Roku TV Plus isn't the brightest TV, but it has a very good combination of features and performance for the money (Image credit: Future)

Roku Plus Series TV review: value

  • Very good picture quality for price
  • Roku interface adds to value
  • Loads of free (but ad-supported) streaming channels

At just $649, the 65-inch Plus Series TV I tested is a great value. It’s not able to hit the high peak brightness levels some of its budget TV competition manages, particularly models with a mini-LED backlight, and that limitation lessens some of its impact when viewing movies with HDR. But overall, image quality here is very good for the price.

Also adding to the value of Plus Series TVs is the company’s built-in streaming interface, which is clean and easy to navigate and offers pretty much any app you’d want along with a Live TV portal to stream a multitude of free ad-supported channels. You’ll have a tough time not finding something to watch on Roku’s TV, and if you do, you can always use its hands-free voice remote to recommend something.

  • Value score: 5/5 

Roku Plus Series TV shown at side angle

(Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Roku Plus Series TV?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if…

Also consider...

TCL 6-Series mini-LED
TCL’s 6-Series TVs are a fairly substantial price jump over the Roku Plus Series, but you’re getting a big brightness boost for the money. The 6-Series is also a better option for gaming with next-gen gaming features like 4K 120Hz and VRR.

How I tested the Roku Plus Series TV

Roku Plus Series TV showing Ferris Wheel onscreen

(Image credit: Future)
  • I spent about 15 hours in total measuring and evaluating
  • Measurements were made using Calman color calibration software
  • A full calibration was made before proceeding with subjective tests

When I test TVs, my first step is to spend a few days using it for casual viewing for break-in and to assess the out-of-box picture presets. The next step is to select the most accurate-looking preset (typically labeled Filmmaker or Movie) and measure the white balance (grayscale), gamma, and color point accuracy using Portrait Displays’ Calman color calibration software. The resulting measurements provide Delta-E values (the margin of error between the test pattern source and what’s shown on-screen) for each category, and they allow for an assessment of the TV’s overall accuracy.

Along with those tests, I make measurements of peak light output (recorded in nits) for both standard high-definition and 4K high dynamic range using 10% and 100% white window patterns. Coverage of DCI-P3 and BT.2020 color space is also measured, with the results providing a sense of how faithfully the TV can render the extended color range in ultra high-definition sources.

For the Roku Plus Series TV, I used the CalMan ISF workflow, along with the advanced picture menu settings in the Roku control app, to calibrate the image for best accuracy with SDR and HDR sources. Once done, I watched a range of reference scenes on 4K Blu-ray discs that I’ve gathered after years of TV and projector testing to assess the TV’s performance, as well as new Dolby Vision-encoded material streamed from sources like Netflix and Max.

  • First reviewed: June 6, 2023
TCL 6-Series Roku TV (2022) review: a budget mini-LED with great performance
4:00 pm | January 28, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Tags: , , , | Comments: Off

TCL 6-Series Roku TV (2022): Two-minute review

 TCL’s 6-Series TVs are known for their combination of impressive picture quality and high value, and the latest version of the company’s flagship not just continues that tradition, but improves upon it. Available in 55- to 85-inch screen sizes, the new 6-Series arrived in late 2022, and it offers not just movie fans but gamers on a budget a great big-screen option.

Mini-LED backlighting is common in the best 4K TVs now, but TCL was the first to widely introduce it. In the 6-Series, mini-LED tech enables high brightness, while a quantum dot layer enhances color reproduction, and full array local dimming processing creates deep and detailed shadows. The set features Dolby Vision IQ to make high dynamic range images look good in both dim and well-lit environments, and HDR support extends to HDR10+ and HLG. 

Gaming features on 6-Series TV are enabled via a pair of HDMI 2.1 inputs, with onboard support for 120Hz, Variable Refresh Rate (up to 144Hz), and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM). FreeSync Premium Pro is also supported, making TCL’s flagship an obvious choice for gaming.

A new design with a sturdy center stand (55-, 65-, and 75-inch models only) improves the look of TCL’s 6-Series, and a vanishingly thin bezel creates an “all-picture” effect. The stand has adjustable height for soundbar placement, and can be elevated to accommodate all but the most chunky of bars.

That last feature is an important one because sound quality on 6-Series TVs is just average. Dialogue is clear, but there’s very little bass, and the thin overall audio balance can create ear fatigue (for me, at least). You’ll want to add one of the best soundbars to this TV, if only a basic two-channel one.

The set I tested uses the Roku smart TV interface (a version with Google TV is also available), which is one of the less cluttered and easy to navigate options on the market. A basic Roku remote provided with the set offers voice commands for searches and basic control, and the TV also works with Siri, Alexa, and Hey Google.

As far as value goes, the new 6-Series is one of the more compelling TV options on the market. This series is packed with great features and the performance is well above-average, especially given the price. TCL has once again made things look easy, rolling out a high-value TV lineup with a surprisingly high level of refinement.

TCL 6-Series Roku TV (2022) review: price and release date

  • Release date:  September 1, 2022 
  • From $699 at 55 inches

TCL’s 6-Series is the company’s top TV line, with screen sizes ranging from 55 up to 85 inches. The version I reviewed comes with the Roku smart TV interface, but similar 6-Series models and screen sizes are available with Google TV. TCL’s 6-Series is only available in the US.

Pricing for the 6-Series TVs is comparable to other budget TV offerings in the US such as Hisense and Vizio. 

The 55-inch 55R655 costs $699, the 65-inch 65R655 costs $999, the 75-inch 75R655 costs $1,499, and the 85R655 costs $1,999.

TCL 6-Series Roku TV (2022) review: Specs

TCL-6-series-2022 TV inputs

Back panel inputs include two HDMI 2.1 ports  plus two side-mounted HDMI 2.0b ports (one with eARC) and an antenna connection. (Image credit: Future)

TCL 6-Series Roku TV (2022) review: features

  • Roku smart TV interface
  • Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and HLG high dynamic range
  • HDMI 2.1 inputs with 120Hz and VRR

The TCL 6-Series (2022) model we reviewed features the Roku smart TV interface (Google TV is another 6-Series option). Roku’s interface has a clean layout that’s very easy to navigate, and it offers the best streaming services, including Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, Apple TV Plus, Hulu, Peacock, and ESPN Plus. The TV Works with Siri, Alexa, and Hey Google and it has AirPlay 2 support for casting from an iOS device or Mac computer.

TCL’s 6-Series sets are QLED models that feature a quantum dot layer for enhanced color and brightness and they use a mini-LED backlight with full array local dimming (288 zones). The company’s AiPQ Engine handles video processing and high dynamic range support extends to Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+, and HLG. 

Two of the set’s four HDMI inputs are version HDMI 2.1 with support for 4K 120Hz input, Variable Refresh Rate (up to 144Hz), and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM). One port supports HDMI eARC for a soundbar connection, and there’s an optical digital audio output and an RF input to connect an indoor TV antenna for use with the set’s ATSC 1.0 broadcast tuner. When viewing TV broadcasts, you can rewind live TV up to 30 minutes when a storage device is plugged into the set’s USB port.

Overall, the feature package is excellent for the price, with the TV’s mini-LED backlight and local dimming features, along with extensive HDR support, making it an excellent choice for movie viewing. And 120Hz, VRR, and ALLM support, along with FreeSync Premium Pro, make it a great option for gaming as well.

  • Features Score: 4.5/5  

TCL-6-series-2022 TV side view in living room

The 6-Series offers sufficient brightness to work in well-lit rooms. (Image credit: Future)

TCL 6-Series Roku TV (2022) review: picture quality

  • Rich color reproduction
  • Deep blacks with detailed shadows
  • Limited brightness for an OLED TV

The 65-inch 6-Series TV I tested offered up the impressive brightness you’d expect from a mini-LED TV, with standard dynamic range peak light output measured at 1,326 nits and high dynamic range at 1,317 nits. That’s a bit less than the 1,775 nits I measured on the Hisense U8H, another budget mini-LED model, but still well above what you’d get from an average QLED or OLED TV.

With the set’s High Brightness and and High Local Contrast settings selected, it was capable of displaying black at 0 nits to deliver “infinite contrast.” With the Local Contrast setting switched off, the set’s native contrast ratio was 5,965:1 – still a very good result for an LCD-based TV. For most of my testing, I set Local Contrast at High, which delivered the best black depth and black uniformity.

The TCL’s color balance in its default Warm color temperature setting was slightly reddish across the full grayscale, though that could be corrected for using the advanced picture settings in the Roku control app, along with Portrait Displays’ Calman color calibration software. Coverage of DCI-P3 (the color space used for mastering 4K Blu-rays and digital cinema releases) was 96.2%, and BT.2020 was 76.3%. Those results are very good, and basically match what I measured on the Hisense U8H.

Screen reflections from overhead lights were minimal on the 6-Series TV I tested. This, combined with the set’s prodigious light output, makes it a great option for viewing in a well-illuminated space. Picture contrast and color saturation faded when viewing from off-center seats, but that’s a common effect with LCD-based TVs.

Moving on to how the TCL looked with movies and TV, I started my viewing by watching some high-definition documentaries broadcast on a local PBS channel, and the set’s 4K upconversion was impressively clean and crisp. Soccer games streamed via ESPN Plus looked somewhat softer, but overall the picture quality was very good for sports streamed in HD resolution. The Bond film No Time to Die has a scene where the camera does a long slow pan across a craggy hillside, and this appeared mostly smooth on TCL’s 6-Series TV. (I’ve seen that scene literally vibrate with judder on some other sets.)

Streaming the The Last of Us on HBO Max in Dolby Vision, the set’s Dolby Vision IQ processing presented a well balanced picture packed with subtle yet powerful highlights. In a scene where Joel, Tess, and Ellie wander outside an abandoned museum, for example, the golden sunlight hitting them and their surroundings made the ravaged landscape look almost beautiful. Detail in this scene was also rich, with the CGI-created textures of the fungi crisply rendered.

All Quiet on the Western Front, a 2022 Oscar Best Picture nominee, also looked fantastic on the TCL when streamed in Dolby Vision from Netflix. Shadows in the film’s many dark scenes came across as a deep, inky black, and there was a good amount of detail in the dark trenches where the French and German soldiers do battle. I did see a small degree of backlight blooming, mostly on the black letterbox bars at the top and bottom of the picture when flares or some other very bright object appeared. But instances of this were minimal and I only noted it when specifically looking for it.

Overall, I was very impressed with the TCL 6-Series TV’s picture quality. Its light output proved to be more than enough for my regular dark room viewing habits, and I ended up scaling it back considerably for most shows I watched.

  • Picture quality score: 4.5/5

TCL 6-series 2022 TV back cable management close-up

A flap on the back of the TV stand provides holes for cable management. (Image credit: Future)

TCL 6-Series Roku TV (2022) review: sound quality

  • 2 x 10 watt speakers
  • Dolby Atmos support
  • Thin sound quality with most modes

The 6-Series’ audio features are very basic, with a pair of downfiring speakers each powered by 10 watts, handling sound chores. TCL’s specs state Dolby Atmos support, but that’s limited to virtual Atmos from the set’s speaker pair.

I cycled through the TV’s multiple sound processing modes, including Theater and Bass Boost, but couldn’t find one that didn’t have thin audio quality. You do get the option to turn on virtual surround sound for all programs or just for ones with Dolby Atmos, and when used with Atmos soundtracks there is a notable sense of spaciousness to the sound.

Dialogue was very clear with all programs I watched, even ones with medium-loud soundtracks. Even so, this was a case where I felt almost desperate to add a Dolby Atmos soundbar to the TV, and when I did, the sound filled out and made dialogue more balanced with other elements like music and effects. 

  • Sound quality score: 3.5/5

TCL-6-series-2022 TV stand close-up

A highlight of the new 6-Series design is an aluminum plate center-mounted stand. (Image credit: Future)

TCL 6-Series Roku TV (2022) review: design

  • FullView edge-to-edge glass design
  • Aluminum base with center placement
  • Roku remote control with built-in mic

The 6-Series has a great look for a budget TV line. TCL’s FullView edge-to-edge glass design, along with an extremely thin bezel, means there’s an “all picture” appearance, and the aluminum base at center screen provides a sturdy foundation for it to rest upon. 

The base has adjustable height, and after setup there was plenty of space between the screen’s lower edge and my TV stand's surface to accommodate a rather sizeable soundbar – always a plus with a TV. Around back, the set has a cable management system, and you can use this to route wires from connected components located on shelves beneath to the inputs section on the TV’s side. 

The Roku remote used to control the set will be familiar to anyone who has used that company’s streamers. It has a simple button layout, including quick keys to easily access apps like Netflix, and a button to activate the built-in mic for voice searches. It’s basic enough to use in a dark room and provides all the controls needed for accessing inputs and picture and sound adjustments via the onscreen menu. 

  • Design score: 4.5/5

TCL-6-series-2022 smart TV interface

The easy-to-navigate Roku smart TV interface combines apps with input selection and other settings. (Image credit: Future)

TCL 6-Series Roku TV (2022) review: smart TV & menus

  • Roku TV interface
  • Works with Siri, Alexa, and Hey Google
  • Picture adjustments require lots of scrolling

A Roku product was my very first streamer, and I had used several of them over the years before making a switch to the Apple TV 4K. It’s a great interface – easy to navigate, and with extensive app support. One of the issues I have with smart TV interfaces is that they’ll often be missing several key apps that I use on a regular basis (Criterion Channel and ESPN Plus among others), but Roku always seems to have it all and more. Unlike other smart TV platforms like Google TV and Amazon, the Roku interface also isn’t overloaded with ads and program options being “pushed” at you.

Voice searches can be easily carried out by pressing the mic button on the remote control, and the TV also “Works with” Siri, Alexa, and Hey Google when you add your own device for those platforms. AirPlay 2 is supported for streaming, letting you cast video and music to the TV from your iOS device or Mac computer.

Having never tested a set with Roku baked in before, it took some time to get used to the TV functions being embedded in the long-familiar streaming interface. You navigate and select inputs the same as you do with streaming apps, and a press of the remote’s star button calls up the picture settings menu. TCL makes it easy to get up and running, with basic and very general categories like TV Brightness, Local Contrast, and HDR Picture modes (with Dark and Bright settings). But you’ll need to keep scrolling, a bit annoyingly, to the Picture Fine Tune menu to access other adjustments like Brightness, Contrast, and Color. There’s also a more advanced picture menu with 11-point color temperature adjustments located in the Roku control app (iOS and Android).

When using the set’s built in ATSC 1.0 broadcast TV tuner, you’ll get program guide-like on-screen overlays with details about the show you’ve selected, and you can edit the channel list to limit it to just the ones you regularly watch. A neat feature is Live TV Rewind, which lets you scroll back up to 30 minutes when a storage device is plugged into the set’s USB port.

TCL 6-series 2022 TV remote control in a hand

The Roku TV remote control has a basic layout and limited button count, but it gets the job done. (Image credit: Future)
  • Smart TV & menus score: 4.5/5

TCL 6-Series Roku TV (2022) review: gaming

  • VRR up to 144Hz, ALLM, FreeSync Premium Pro support
  • Low 10.1ms input lag
  • Auto Game Mode

TCL says its 6-Series TVs have Game Studio Pro. And while what that exactly means is unclear, it appears to be an umbrella term for the set’s many gaming-related features. Of these, the most notable is VRR with up to 144Hz support. Another is ALLM, along with FreeSync Premium Pro. These are all great gaming extras to find in an affordable TV.

The 6-Series sets also have Auto Game Mode, which basically means that the TV automatically switches over to settings optimized for gaming when it detects an input from a compatible console. Otherwise, there’s no “Gaming Dashboard” similar to the ones on LG’s TVs, or the Gaming Hub interface found on Samsung’s sets.

I measured input lag in the set’s Gaming picture mode at 10.1ms using a 4K test meter. That’s a great result, and one that ranks the 6-Series among the the best gaming TVs when combined with its impressive feature-set.

  • Gaming score: 4.5/5

TCL 6-Series Roku TV (2022) review: value

  • Affordable for a mini-LED TV
  • Great picture quality for the price
  • Gaming features rival those found on expensive TVs

This is the second budget TV I’ve tested with a mini-LED backlight (the first was the Hisense U8H), and I’m astonished at the difference that feature makes, and that it can be incorporated into such an affordable set.

The 6-Series TV I tested delivered the kind of deep, rich blacks I’m used to seeing on much more expensive models, and its impressive local dimming ensured that visible artifacts like backlight blooming were kept to a minimum. Overall, this TV delivers a very clean and punchy looking picture for the price.

If you’re a gamer, the value of the 6-Series goes up even further. (Unfortunately, our value scale only extends to 5, so I can’t give it higher points.) It offers the kind of gamer-oriented features normally found in pricier TVs, and in key ways appears specifically designed to cater to the gaming crowd.

  • Value score: 5/5 

TCL-6-series-2022 TV Netflix interface

Netflix is one of the many apps available in the Roku smart TV interface. (Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the TCL 6-Series Roku TV (2022)?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if…

Also consider...

Hisense U8H mini-LED
Hisense’s U8H series sets are another example of a budget TV lineup with mini-LED backlighting and high brightness. The U8H series also has gaming oriented features like 4K 120Hz and VRR, though its local dimming isn’t as effective as the 6-Series. 

How I tested the TCL 6-Series Roku TV (2022)

Test pattern displayed on TV screen in living room

(Image credit: Future)
  • I spent about 15 hours measuring and evaluating the TCL 6-Series Roku TV
  • Measurements were made using Calman color calibration software
  • A full calibration was made before proceeding with subjective tests

When I test TVs, my first step is to spend a few days using it for casual viewing for break-in and to assess the out-of-box picture presets. The next step is to select the most accurate-looking preset (typically labeled Movie or Cinema) and measure the white balance (grayscale), gamma, and color point accuracy using Portrait Displays’ Calman color calibration software. The resulting measurements provide Delta-E values (the margin of error between the test pattern source and what’s shown on-screen) for each category, and they allow for an assessment of the TV’s overall accuracy.

Along with those tests, I make measurements of peak light output (recorded in nits) for both standard high-definition and 4K high dynamic range using a 10% white window pattern. Coverage of DCI-P3 and BT.2020 color space is also measured, with the results providing a sense of how faithfully the TV can render the extended color range in ultra high-definition sources.

For the TCL 6-Series Roku TV, I used the CalMan ISF workflow, along with the advanced picture menu settings in the Roku control app, to calibrate the image for best accuracy with SDR and HDR sources. Once done, I watched a range of reference scenes on 4K Blu-ray discs that I’ve gathered after years of TV and projector testing to assess the TV’s performance, as well as new Dolby Vision-encoded material streamed from sources like Netflix and HBO Max.

LG C3 OLED review: a picture-perfect TV for movies and gaming
11:47 pm | January 8, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Tags: , , , | Comments: Off

LG C3 OLED TV: Two-minute review

In 2022, the LG C2 OLED got the nod for best TV of the Year in the TechRadar Choice Awards, and that designation came after sitting for many months at the top of our list for best 4K TV. It was the C2’s combination of performance, features, and price that sealed the deal for us, and it ended up being a very easy recommendation for anyone looking for a high-performance TV that wasn’t over-the-top expensive.

Given the C2’s success, I had high expectations going into this 65-inch LG C3 OLED TV review. You’ll have to read on to find out exactly how the new model fared, but I don’t think I’m spoiling much to say that it’s every bit as impressive as its predecessor, and then some. 

Prices for the C3 series are around the same as for the C2 series. And while I had expected (hoped?) that they would be lower, the C3 series, which is available in screen sizes ranging from 42 inches up to 83 inches, is still an approachable option, and ultimately a good value considering all that’s on offer.

The C3’s extensive feature set makes it a great choice for gamers and movie fans alike. It has four HDMI 2.1 inputs with support for 4K 120Hz, VRR, ALLM, along with FreeSync Premium Pro and Nvidia G-Sync. Cloud gaming options include Nvidia GeForce Now and Utomik.

LG’s Alpha9 Gen6 chip used for picture processing brings new HDR-improving features including OLED Dynamic Tone Mapping Pro and Expression Enhancer, both of which have an impact on image quality. And while the C3 delivers roughly the same picture brightness as the C2, the level of contrast, clarity, and definition it delivers is notable.

The webOS 23 smart TV interface used in the C3 is also a step above the version found in last year’s LG models. It has a more streamlined and pleasing appearance, as well as new features like Quick Cards for grouping apps by theme and an editable Quick Menu for accessing picture, sound, and other adjustments. As usual with LG TVs, it comes with the company’s innovative Magic Remote.

Audio performance isn’t dramatically different compared to the C2 series, but the C3 has a new Wow Orchestra feature that lets you combine the output of the TV’s built-in speakers with select LG Dolby Atmos soundbars for even more immersive audio.

LG’s C3 OLED also has a nice look, with a slim bezel and aluminum-faced center stand. Connectivity options are excellent, though it does lack the built-in ATSC 3.0 digital TV tuner found in LG’s step-up G3 series models, a feature that’s important for viewers in the US. It may not be a dramatic advancement over last year’s C2, but LG has delivered another winner with the C3 OLED.

LG C3 OLED TV review: price and release date

  • Release date:  March, 2023 
  • OLED83C3: $5,299 / £6,499 / around AU$7,900
  • OLED77C3: $3,599 / £3,999 / around AU$5,370
  • OLED65C3: $2,600 / £2,899 / around AU$3,900
  • OLED55C3: $1,899 / £2,099 / around AU$2,830
  • OLED48C3 $1,499 / £1,599 / around AU$2,240
  • OLED42C3: $1,399 / £1,499 / around AU$2,100

The LG C3 series is the company’s mid-tier 4K OLED TV model, slotting in between the flagship G3 series and entry-level B3 series. Pricing so far has been announced for the US and the UK, but not for Australia. 

LG C3 OLED TV review: Specs

LG C3 OLED TV rear panel inputs

Back panel inputs include four side-mounted HDMI 2.1 ports (one with eARC), an optical digital output, and an antenna connection. (Image credit: Future)

LG C3 OLED TV review: features

  • webOS23 smart TV interface
  • Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG high dynamic range
  • HDMI 2.1 inputs with 4K 120Hz, VRR, and ALLM support

The C3 series is a feature-packed TV option, with a great mix of amenities for both movie fans and gamers. LG’s proprietary webOS 23 smart TV interface runs the show here, and it provides many of the best streaming apps, including Netflix, HBO Max, Prime Video, Disney Plus, Apple TV Plus, Hulu, Paramount Plus, Peacock, Youtube TV, and Spotify. 

You can use AirPlay 2 to cast video to the LG C3 from an iOS device, and it features Alexa built-in for hands-free voice control and also works with Siri and Hey Google.

LG’s new Alpha9 Gen6 chip is used for picture processing on C3 series sets, which have a 120Hz refresh rate. HDR support extends to Dolby Vision (Dolby Vision IQ), HDR10, and HLG, but not the HDR10+ format. 

The four HDMI 2.1 ports on C3 series TVs support 4K 120Hz input, Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), and enhanced audio return channel (on Input 2). A new HDMI feature called Quick Media Switching (QMS) is also making its debut on LG’s 2023 OLED models. When used with a source that also supports QMS, such as an Apple TV 4K streamer, this lets the C3 seamlessly match changes in video frame rates to prevent momentary screen blackouts when switching programs.

  • Features Score: 5/5  

LG C3 OLED smart interface shown from angle

It may not be the brightest OLED TV available, but the C3's picture looked perfectly fine even in a well-lit room. (Image credit: Future)

LG C3 OLED TV review: picture quality

  • Good brightness
  • Deep blacks with detailed shadows
  • Excellent picture detail

With the LG C3 in Filmmaker HDR mode, peak light output measured 830 nits, and it was 670 nits in Standard mode. That’s a slight improvement on last year’s C2, though it’s definitely overshadowed by the 70% brightness increase LG is claiming for its new flagship G3 series in comparison with more basic OLEDs like its B3 series. (The G3 series uses an optical component called Micro Lens Array, along with a new brightness-boosting algorithm called META, to achieve that high light output, which is one reason why G3 sets are priced significantly higher than C3 models.)

The LG’s color balance in its default Filmmaker mode was very accurate, with Delta-E values (the margin of error between the test pattern source and what’s shown on-screen) of 3 or less for most of its brightness range. Coverage of DCI-P3 (the color space used for mastering 4K Blu-rays and digital cinema releases) was 98.9%, and BT.2020 coverage was 74.7%. These are excellent results that are typical of the best OLED TVs.

There was some screen glare from overhead lights, but it wasn’t much of a problem overall for the C3. Screen uniformity with white full-field test patterns was also excellent and color remained fully saturated at far off-center viewing positions. I found the set’s brightness to be perfectly adequate even for daytime viewing, and with lights dimmed, the picture had notably punchy contrast.

Watching the Netflix series 1899 with the TV set to Dolby Vision Cinema Home picture mode, the dark scenes in the ship’s boiler room showed endlessly deep blacks, with plenty of detail in the shadows. Above-board scenes where the passengers search the ship for the boy revealed a perfectly crisp and noise-free picture, with excellent delineation of skin tones among the disquieted crowd.

Moving on to something with more Dolby Vision HDR punch, I watched a scene from Elvis where The King performs his freewheeling Christmas special. The stage lights in the background popped in a dramatic manner and I could easily see the detail in Elvis’s black outfit. The yellows and reds in clothing worn by fans looked bright without being garish, while The King’s face had the correct artificial orange hue that TV studio makeup creates.

Playing GTA5 on Xbox Series X, the picture remained extremely solid as I drove around the city streets. The lurid colors of Michael’s home’s interior jumped out in an appealing manner, and textures and patterns were cleanly displayed.

Checking out the montage section of the Spears & Munsil UHD HDR test disc, the TV’s high contrast made images with a black background look near 3D-like. Viewing the clips mastered at 4,000 nits showed only minor highlight detail loss from HDR tone mapping, while the 1,000 nits version looked spectacularly good. OLED Dynamic Tone Mapping Pro, a Alpha9 Gen6 processor feature that divides pictures into 20,000 blocks and optimizes each in real time, was clearly  working some magic, and while I didn’t have a C2 OLED on hand to make a comparison, the C3 exceeded my memories of that model.

I took the opportunity here to play with the HDR Expression Enhancer feature and while it worked as advertised to dynamically boost brightness and detail, I found myself perfectly happy to leave it off. Yes, the LG C3’s basic picture performance is so good, there’s not much you need to mess with.

  • Picture quality score: 4.5/5

LG C3 OLED quick menu with sound output options

The C3's Quick Menu provides easy access to most-used settings and can be customized according to your needs. (Image credit: Future)

LG C3 OLED TV review: sound quality

  • 2.2 channels
  • Dolby Atmos and DTS support
  • Wow Orchestra mode

The C3 has a 2.2-channel built-in speaker system along with decoding for Dolby Atmos and DTS immersive soundtrack formats. An AI sound mixer feature also upscales stereo audio for Atmos output.

There’s the usual slew of sound modes such as Music, Cinema, Sports, etc., but the one that works best for most content is AI Sound Pro. The C3’s audio quality is fairly average for a TV: voices have a somewhat thin quality, and there’s not much in the way of bass. Dialogue comes across as clear, though, and the sound can hit loud levels if you push the volume.

A new LG feature, Wow Orchestra, lets you combine the output of the TV’s built-in speakers with an LG Dolby Atmos soundbar. The company sent me its new SC9 soundbar, a model that was designed specifically for the C3 TV, to test, and this gave me a chance to give Wow Orchestra a whirl. LG’s SC9 also comes with a combination bracket/TV stand that lets you mount it directly to 55-, 65-, and 77-inch C3 series TVs (along with C2 series models with the same screen size), and I used that as well for my review.

After selecting the Wow Orchestra option from the TV’s quick menu, I soon discovered that it wasn’t plug-and-play, with audio delay between the soundbar and the TV’s built-in speakers creating an echo effect. There’s an adjustment in the Advanced Setting menu to fix this, however, and once adjusted, the echo disappeared. I also found that with AI Sound Pro mode selected on the TV, the set’s built-in speakers had a tinny quality when Wow Orchestra was selected. In this case, switching to the Standard sound mode was the remedy, and I used that for the remainder of my test.

Once everything was sorted, Wow Orchestra worked really well to expand the soundfield with Dolby Atmos soundtracks. The 3.1.3-channel SC9 soundbar already provided a big improvement on the TV’s built-in audio, but combining the two made it even more immersive, and noticeably louder. I also liked the look of the SC9 mounted directly to the C3, with LG’s bracket providing a slight uplift from my TV stand’s surface that made it seem like it was levitating.

  • Sound quality score: 3.5/5

LG C3 OLED TV included stand

The C3's sturdy, aluminum-faced stand looks good and provides excellent support. (Image credit: Future)

LG C3 OLED TV review: design

  • New, lighter composite fiber construction
  • Aluminum stand with center placement
  • Magic Remote control

The C3 series has a composite fiber construction that’s more lightweight than last year’s C2 OLEDs. Its panel is thin, though the integrated input section adds a degree of bulk that you won’t find on the flagship G3 series. An included aluminum center-mounted stand has a good look and provides solid support for the TV, though I preferred the design of the stand that came with the SC9 soundbar, which provided a cable management option.

Along with its four HDMI 2.1 inputs, the C3 features an RF plug for connecting one of the best indoor TV antennas, an Ethernet port, an RS-232 mini-jack input, and three USB type-A ports.

LG’s Magic Remote controls an onscreen pointer that can click on apps and menu options and you can use it to scroll through them. It has a built-in mic for Alexa or Google voice commands, and there are quick access buttons for Netlix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, Sling TV, and the LG Channels free TV options. Using the Magic Remote is a very different experience than a typical TV handset, but it’s something you quickly get used to.

  • Design score: 4.5/5

LG C3 OLED smart TV interface

New tweaks to LG's webOS 23 smart TV interface include Quick Cards with themes based around gaming, music, smart home, and more. (Image credit: Future)

LG C3 OLED TV review: smart TV & menus

  • webOS 23 smart TV interface
  • Themed Quick Cards
  • Quick Menu eases adjustment process

LG’s webOS 23 smart TV interface has a pleasing, streamlined look and is now mercifully free of ads. A strip of apps lines the screen’s bottom and the order of these can be edited or automatically positioned by selecting the Intelligent Edit mode, which orders them by frequency of usage.

A new feature for LG’s smart interface is Quick Cards, with options for Home Office, Game, Music, Home Hub, and Sports. These let you store relevant apps according to theme, with Home Hub letting you configure LG or Matter-supported smart home devices for control via the TV, and Game giving you access to the set’s Nvidia GeForce Now and Utomik cloud gaming selections.

A Quick Menu pops up on the screen’s left side when you press the asterisk button on the remote control. This lets you easily switch picture modes and settings, change the sound output and settings, and access the Game Optimizer menu. The options that appear here can also be edited. A Multi View mode lets you display two sources side-by-side or in picture-in-picture format, though there are limitations on the type of content that can be displayed simultaneously.

Getting to the TV’s advanced settings for picture and sound is made easy with the Quick Menu – I didn’t have to endure endless button pushes to do something as simple as boost brightness. The advanced picture menu has an Expression Enhancer option, and while that’s a somewhat baffling name, what it basically does is dynamically adjust brightness to emphasize areas of focus onscreen, or apply the same process to emphasize detail.

  • Smart TV & menus score: 4.5/5

LG C3 OLED TV game menu overlaid on GTA 5 image

The C3's Game Dashboard lets you make quick and easy adjustments to gaming-related settings. (Image credit: Future)

LG C3 OLED TV review: gaming

  • Extensive gaming support
  • Nvidia GeForce Now and Utomik cloud gaming
  • Game Optimizer mode with Game Dashboard menu

The C3 series is very well outfitted for gaming, with 4K 120Hz, VRR, ALLM, FreeSync Premium Pro, and Nvidia G-Sync support. When its Game Optimizer picture mode is active a transparent Game Dashboard menu can be accessed that lets you adjust settings like game genre picture presets, VRR, and Black Stabilizer, and it also shows you frames-per-second data for the game you are playing.

Both Nvidia GeForce Now and Utomik cloud gaming can be accessed from within the Game card in the C3’s smart interface, giving you access to a wide range of titles for cloud-based gaming.

With the TV in Game Optimizer mode with the Low Latency setting turned on I measured 9.2ms input lag (Boost mode) – a great result and one that ranks the C3 among the best gaming TVs

  • Gaming score: 5/5

LG C3 OLED remote control held in hand

LG's Magic Remote offers point-and-click and scrolling control options to navigate the set's menus and interface. (Image credit: Future)

LG C3 OLED TV review: value

  • Similar cost as last year’s C2
  • Great performance and features for price
  • Meaningful smart UI improvements

 The LG C3’s value ultimately depends on what you expect from a TV – and how much you’re willing to pay for a model that meets those expectations. 

Performance-wise, the C3 roughly matches what we saw from last year’s C2. Image processing has improved, and there’s a resulting slight increase in peak light output and perceived contrast. The WebOS interface has also received meaningful design tweaks to make it more streamlined, and there are useful additions such as the themed Quick Cards for accessing games, smart home control, and more.

I think that anyone looking for a TV with fantastic picture quality and a full range of features will find the C3 to be a good value, and if the price trajectory of last year’s C2 is any indication, it will cost even less as we approach the holiday season. But anyone looking to save money will find the C2 to be an equally good option, though one with a less refined user interface, and a somewhat less refined picture.

  • Value score: 4.5/5 

LG C3 OLED TV showing orange butterfly onscreen

(Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the LG C3 OLED TV?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if…

Also consider...

LG C2 OLED
LG’s C2 series OLED TV offers nearly equivalent performance to the C3 in most respects, though it has a less refined smart TV interface and less advanced picture processing. You’ll save a good deal by picking up a C2 and we’re sure you’ll be happy with it.

How I tested the LG C3 OLED TV

LG C3 OLED TV showing image of sunset on water onscreen

(Image credit: Future)
  • I spent about 15 hours measuring and evaluating the LG C3 OLED TV
  • Measurements were made using Calman color calibration software
  • A full calibration was made before proceeding with subjective tests

 

When I test TVs, my first step is to spend a few days using it for casual viewing for break-in and to assess the out-of-box picture presets. The next step is to select the most accurate-looking preset (typically labeled Movie or Cinema) and measure the white balance (grayscale), gamma, and color point accuracy using Portrait Displays’ Calman color calibration software. The resulting measurements provide Delta-E values (the margin of error between the test pattern source and what’s shown on-screen) for each category, and they allow for an assessment of the TV’s overall accuracy.

Along with those tests, I make measurements of peak light output (recorded in nits) for both standard high-definition and 4K high dynamic range using a 10% white window pattern. Coverage of DCI-P3 and BT.2020 color space is also measured, with the results providing a sense of how faithfully the TV can render the extended color range in ultra high-definition sources.

For the LG C3 series OLED TV, I used the CalMan ISF workflow, along with the advanced picture menu settings in the set’s Filmmaker mode, to calibrate the image for best accuracy with SDR and HDR sources. Once done, I watched a range of reference scenes on 4K Blu-ray discs that I’ve gathered after years of TV and projector testing to assess the TV’s performance, as well as new Dolby Vision-encoded material streamed from sources like Netflix and HBO Max.

  • First reviewed: March 28, 2023

One welcome change to the C3 (as well as the other models) is a new version of webOS that has some great new organization features. It's inching more to becoming like Android (on phones, not TVs) with a new notification icon at the top now, so any useful messages can be found easily, and can stay out of your way the rest of the time. You also now have the ability to group any apps you have into folders.