A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec TV team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
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
9.0
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
8.8
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
8.3
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.
Let Us Help Find Your Perfect TV
Find your new TV
Key similarities
Movies & TV
8.9
9.2
10.00/10
CONTRAST
10.00/10
10.0/10
BLACK UNIFORMITY
10.0/10
8.0/10
UPSCALING
8.0/10
Yes
HDR10 SUPPORT
Yes
No
HDR10+ SUPPORT
No
Yes
DOLBY VISION SUPPORT
Yes
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
8.5
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
9.0
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
9.0
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.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the LG C1 (OLED) and the LG C3 (OLED) compare to other TVs
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| LG C1 (OLED) | LG C3 (OLED) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
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 | |
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 | |
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 | |
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.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
TV guides you might be interested in
More comparisons for you
FAQs
FAQs about TVs
Why trust us
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
385
TVs evaluated
33,110
TVs stats compiled
21
Proprietary TVs ratings developed
130,530
Recommendations made
19,580
Consumer hours saved
About the TV team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and TVs Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
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.
Featured in
