The 65-inch LG C2: How Light Has It Beened Before You Set Up Your CX? An Overview of Recent Design Trends
The 65-inch C2 costs $2,499, but it is on sale for less. This feature-packed TV showcases everything the company has learned after years of manufacturing, and it is the sweet spot of the C-series. You can count on an engrossing image with unmatched blacks, striking contrast, and a surprising level of depth. There’s been a lot of buzz this year about the arrival of QD-OLED TVs, and while they do offer some noticeable picture benefits, the first sets from Samsung and Sony are pricier than the C2 — and neither can match LG’s comprehensive gaming chops.
You will notice one of the main improvements made to the C2 long before you start using it. The most notable thing about this TV’s design is just how remarkably light it is. A lot of weight has been reduced by the switch to a new type of material. The 65-inch model weighed in at over 40 pounds without the stand or over 40 with it. Stack that up against last year’s version, which came in at 71.9 pounds with the stand attached or 52.9 pounds without, and the difference is substantial. You’ll still want a helping hand when unboxing and setting up one of the larger-sized C2s, but that’s really only because of the screen’s width; the weight is entirely manageable now. The pedestal stand is also now lighter, narrower, and appreciably taller; my Sonos soundbar partially obstructed the screen with my old CX, but that’s not a problem thanks to this stand’s extra clearance.
As for the HDMI ports, all four are capable of 120Hz 4K gaming and the whole array of HDMI 2.1 features. It’s nice that you don’t have to worry about which device gets plugged into which port. Obviously, you’ll want to ensure your soundbar is running through the eARC HDMI port, but the rest provide ample flexibility. While some TV makers such as Hisense are finally catching up with and going full-bandwidth on every HDMI port, others like Hisense and TCL still limit some features to two ports, because they don’t think it’s worth it.
The webOS software that runs on LG TVs is also getting some design and UX tweaks on this year’s sets. Quick cards will include themed apps and services, such as home office, gaming, sports, and music. The home screen felt scattershot and thrown together in 2022, so hopefully LG’s efforts to tighten things up will make a difference.
Understanding Smart Device Agreements: Towards a Better Audio Output from a New High-Resolution Surround System, based on the same monitors from two years ago
Every smart device has conditions that you must agree to in order to use it. It’s impossible for us to read and analyze every single one of these agreements. But we’re going to start counting exactly how many times you have to hit “agree” to use devices when we review them since these are agreements most people don’t read and definitely can’t negotiate.
I don’t know a lot of people who will invest in a TV with built-in speakers only to find it isn’t as good as a surround system, but if you find yourself without a system for a few months, the audio output is better than average. The company tries to maintain good balance at moderate volumes but doesn’t expect much in the way of bass. The C2 can be used with a better sound system, but you should pair it with a better sound system than the one you have now.
The Odyssey G8 has a similar panel to the one shipped in Alienware’s QD-OLED gaming monitor from 2021. It matches key details including a 34 inch screen size, 21:9 aspect ratio, 1800R curvature, and 3,440 x 1,450 resolution. We will let you know if that changes when we update this post.
The hope is that these panels will exhibit a longer life span than existing TVs since the pixels aren’t working as hard; QD-OLED isn’t eliminated by burn-in. Samsung Display is using three layers of blue OLED material for each pixel, and that could preserve their longevity.
The monitors are said to be compatible with the VESA spec, which means they can reach 400 nits of peak brightness. Depending on what you see on them, they can deliver lower brightness in reality. During HDTVTest’s review of the Alienware QD-OLED monitor, which has the same True Black spec as these new Samsung monitors, it delivered closer to 280 nits while displaying an all-white screen (the most brutal challenge for an OLED).
These monitors are meant to connect to powerful consoles and PCs, but they also support Samsung’s Gaming Hub, which lets you wirelessly connect a controller to play on cloud streaming services like Xbox Cloud Gaming and Nvidia GeForce Now. They also have Smart Hub, which let them access smart TV apps like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and more. In terms of ports, both of them feature Mini DisplayPort, Micro HDMI 2.1, and USB-C charging of up to 65W.
The Next-Generation LG TV: AI-assisted Deep Learning Applied to Human Face Detection, Sound, and HDR
The latest Alpha series processor utilizes LG’s most sophisticated AI-assisted Deep Learning tech to ensure outstanding picture and sound quality. Better clarity and dynamic tone mapping can be achieved with the improved upscaling and new enhanced tone mapping offered by AI Picture Pro. AI Picture Pro also integrates a picture processing technology that detects and refines important objects, such as people’s faces, to give them a more lifelike HDR quality. In addition to fine-tuning image reproduction, the α9 AI Processor Gen6 powers LG’s AI Sound Pro; a feature that helps viewers get swept up in the onscreen action by delivering virtual 9.1.2 surround sound from the TV’s built-in speaker system.
I think the claims about subject detection and scene enhancement in the past models are more than just PR speak. When watching high-quality video sources on the 2022 C2, there was an appreciable depth to the image. It is good if it is better here, but at a point you can start to wonder if there is an ulterior purpose behind it. So far it’s stuck an excellent balance, so I’m not worried.
We know the latest Apple TV 4K will support the QMS-VRR, so it should be no surprise that the LG OLEDs will have that support too. The feature eliminated the black screen when changing between video frame rates is called the QMS, and it stands for quick media switch. (It doesn’t prevent blackouts when switching HDR modes, unfortunately.) Elsewhere, you can expect LG’s new lineup to continue offering the wide mix of software features that they have in recent years. Gamers certainly need not worry:
I will be in Las Vegas soon to watch this year’s TV lineup, and I am hoping to get a chance to see it in person. Will the webOS refinements show up in practice? What screen sizes will be available? Follow along with our StoryStream this week for the latest news.