The LG C3 OLED provides some improvements over the LG C1 OLED, such as slightly better reflection handling and peak brightness, which can be advantageous for watching content in brighter rooms. If you're looking for the latest model with marginally improved picture quality and functionality, like voice commands, the LG C3 might be worth the extra expense. However, if you are looking to save some money and still get a high-quality viewing experience for movies, sports, and gaming, the LG C1 remains a strong contender, offering a similar performance to the C3 for often somewhat less money. Keep in mind that both will deliver a premium viewing experience, but if cost is a major factor, the LG C1 could meet your needs without compromising much on quality. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the LG C1 (OLED)
The LG C1 (OLED) has no clear advantages over the LG C3 (OLED).
Advantages of the LG C3 (OLED)
Very good for bright room
Excellent for dark room
Excellent for movies & TV
Excellent for news, talk, & other TV
Excellent for use as monitor
Best in class viewing angle
Best in class reflections
Key differences
Picture Quality
8.5/10
9.0/10
10.00/10
CONTRAST
10.00/10
7.2/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
8.1/10
WOLED
PANEL TYPE
WOLED
WBC
PANEL SUB-TYPE
WBE
The LG C3 (OLED) has excellent picture quality, while the LG C1 (OLED) has very good picture quality.
Cartoons & Animation
8.2/10
8.8/10
8.1/10
COLOR GAMUT SCORE
8.3/10
7.2/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
8.1/10
7.0/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.0/10
7.2/10
COLORS OUT OF THE BOX SCORE
7.9/10
9.6/10
GRAY UNIFORMITY
10.0/10
The LG C3 (OLED) and LG C1 (OLED) are both very good for cartoons & animation, though the LG C3 (OLED) is somewhat better.
The LG C1 and LG C3 OLED TVs are well-suited for watching cartoons & animations largely due to their strong performance in displaying vivid colors straight out of the box, and having a wide color gamut that enhances the overall picture quality. Additionally, the TVs' color volume, along with their excellent gray uniformity and contrast, ensure that animated content looks detailed both in brighter and darker scenes, despite the somewhat lower SDR Brightness, which is less of a concern for animated content.
Bright Room
7.1/10
8.3/10
9.3/10
VIEWING ANGLE
9.5/10
7.0/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.0/10
7.0/10
HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.0/10
9.2/10
REFLECTIONS SCORE
10.0/10
The LG C3 (OLED) is very good for bright room, while the LG C1 (OLED) is good.
The LG C3 OLED has higher SDR and HDR brightness levels and better reflection handling than the LG C1 OLED, which makes the C3 more suitable for viewing in bright rooms. While both models have excellent contrast and color performance, the additional brightness and reflections handling capabilities of the C3 give it the edge for well-lit environments.
Cost
$1,300
$1,097
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The LG C1 (OLED) has a price of $1,300 and the LG C3 (OLED) costs $1,097.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers LG C3 (OLED) to be excellent for movies & TV, while the LG C1 (OLED) is very good.
Sports
8.3/10
8.5/10
8.0/10
MOTION PROCESSING
8.0/10
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
10.0/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
10.0/10
8.0/10
UPSCALING
8.0/10
7.0/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.0/10
Yes
HLG SUPPORT
Yes
The LG C3 (OLED) and LG C1 (OLED) are both very good for sports.
The LG C1 and LG C3 OLED TVs offer superior response times, which means they handle fast-moving scenes, like in sports, without blur, ensuring a more immersive experience. They also excel in motion processing and reflections handling, and they provide wide viewing angles, which means that the picture remains accurate at wider angles, so people sitting to the side of the TV still enjoy a good view; however, while both TVs show very good gray uniformity, which helps reduce dirty screen effect during sports, the LG C3 has a slight edge in this department.
Gaming
9.0/10
9.0/10
10.0/10
RESPONSE TIME SCORE
10.0/10
10.0/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
10.0/10
8.0/10
MOTION PROCESSING
8.0/10
100.0/100
GAMING LOCAL DIMMING
100.0/100
7.2/10
GAME HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.0/10
The LG C1 (OLED) and LG C3 (OLED) are both excellent for gaming.
The LG C1 and LG C3 OLED TVs are excellent for gaming because both models have the highest ratings for response time and input lag, which are crucial for a smooth and responsive gaming experience. This means both TVs can display fast-moving content with minimal blur and react to gaming inputs almost instantaneously, enhancing overall gameplay.
News, Talk, & Other TV
8.6/10
9.0/10
7.0/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.0/10
8.0/10
UPSCALING
8.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers LG C3 (OLED) to be excellent for news, talk, & other TV, while the LG C1 (OLED) is very good.
The LG C3 OLED offers a very good SDR brightness which is better for viewing in well-lit rooms, providing an advantage over the LG C1 OLED that has good SDR brightness. Both have excellent upscaling for lower resolution content like news and talk shows, but the C3 enhances the experience with slightly better out-of-the-box colors and overall image quality, despite both having solid performance in important aspects like color gamut, local dimming, and contrast.
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How the LG C1 (OLED) and the LG C3 (OLED) compare to other TVs
Spec Comparison
LG C1 (OLED)
LG C3 (OLED)
GENERAL
Price
Price
$1,300
$1,097
Brand
Brand
LG
LG
Release Date
Release Date
April 1, 2021
April 1, 2023
Full name
Full name
OLED48C1
OLED48C3
Screen Size
Screen Size
48"
48"
Screen Resolution
Screen Resolution
4K
4K
Screen Type
Screen Type
OLED
OLED
Screen Sub-type
Screen Sub-type
WOLED WBC
WOLED WBE
Smart TV
Smart TV
Yes
Yes
TV FEATURES
Operating System
Operating System
webOS
webOS
Sound Quality Score
Sound Quality Score
7.8/10
8/10
NextGen Ready
NextGen Ready
No
No
HDMI Ports
HDMI Ports
4
4
Coax Ports
Coax Ports
1
1
Refresh Rate
Refresh Rate
120Hz
120Hz
Variable Refresh Rate
Variable Refresh Rate
Yes
Yes
HDR Supported formats
HDR Supported formats
HDR10, Dolby Vision, HLG
HDR10, Dolby Vision, HLG
Accessibility
Accessibility
None
Voice Commands
DISPLAY QUALITY SCORES
Picture Quality Score
Picture Quality Score
8.5/10
9/10
Bright Room Score
Bright Room Score
7.2/10
8.3/10
Gaming Score
Gaming Score
9/10
9/10
Movies & TV Score
Movies & TV Score
9/10
9.2/10
Sports Score
Sports Score
8.4/10
8.5/10
News, Talk, & Other TV Score
News, Talk, & Other TV Score
8.6/10
9.1/10
Cartoons & Animation Score
Cartoons & Animation Score
8.2/10
8.9/10
Use as Monitor Score
Use as Monitor Score
8.9/10
9.1/10
PHYSICAL
Dimensions w/o Stand (H x W x D)
Dimensions w/o Stand (H x W x D)
24.3" x 42.2" x 1.8"
24.3" x 42.2" x 1.8"
Dimensions with Stand (H x W)
Dimensions with Stand (H x W)
25.6" x 42.2"
26.6" x 42.2"
Weight without Stand
Weight without Stand
32.8 lbs
32.8 lbs
VESA Mount
VESA Mount
300 x 200
300 x 200
DISPLAY
Color Depth
Color Depth
10 bit
10 bit
Black Frame Insertion
Black Frame Insertion
Yes
Yes
Auto Low Latency Mode
Auto Low Latency Mode
Yes
Yes
Contrast
Contrast
10/10
10/10
Local Dimming
Local Dimming
10/10
10/10
Gaming Local Dimming
Gaming Local Dimming
10/100
10/100
Game HDR Brightness Score
Game HDR Brightness Score
7.3/10
8.1/10
SDR Brightness Score
SDR Brightness Score
7.1/10
8/10
HDR Brightness Score
HDR Brightness Score
7/10
8/10
Gray Uniformity
Gray Uniformity
9.7/10
10/10
Black Uniformity
Black Uniformity
10/10
10/10
Viewing Angle
Viewing Angle
9.3/10
9.6/10
Reflections Score
Reflections Score
9.2/10
10/10
Upscaling
Upscaling
8/10
8/10
Motion Processing
Motion Processing
8/10
8/10
Color Gamut Score
Color Gamut Score
8.2/10
8.3/10
Color Volume Score
Color Volume Score
7.2/10
8.1/10
Response Time Score
Response Time Score
10/10
10/10
Input Lag Score
Input Lag Score
10/10
10/10
Colors Out of the Box Score
Colors Out of the Box Score
7.3/10
7.9/10
Quality Control
Quality Control
8.8/10
8.8/10
Chroma Subsampling Score
Chroma Subsampling Score
8/10
8/10
SOUND
Speaker Setup
Speaker Setup
2.2
2.2
Speaker Power
Speaker Power
40 W
Unknown
Dolby Atmos
Dolby Atmos
Yes
Yes
DTS:X
DTS:X
No
No
Get a great deal on the LG C1 (OLED) or the LG C3 (OLED)
About LG
LG, a prominent TV brand from Korea, has played a significant role in popularizing OLED TVs. OLED technology is hailed as the future of TV technology. Their TVs employ WebOS, a proprietary smart TV software that not only offers seamless functionality but also includes gaming-specific features, earning praise from players worldwide. Often regarded as the gateway to unparalleled viewing experiences, LG's mid-range OLEDs come highly recommended, making them a worthwhile investment for those willing to stretch their budget for superior quality.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec TVs team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest TV information and makes it digestible for you.
By the numbers
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About the TV team
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CEO and TVs Editor
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Jaime Roldán
TVs Expert
Jaime is a Colombia-based TV expert. He is an electronics engineer with 8 years of experience in the telecom sector and has been making TV recommendations for 12 years.