The LG G3 is the newer model with generally superior qualities like better brightness, improved viewing angles, and higher performance for movies and series. This makes it suitable if you're after the latest tech with a slight edge in performance. However, as the G3 and G1 are similarly priced, if these enhancements don't seem essential and you're satisfied with a TV that still performs exceptionally well, especially with gaming and in dark rooms, the LG G1 could be a sound choice. Choose the G3 for the best features in the same price range, and the G1 if those incremental improvements aren't crucial for you. 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 G1 (OLED)
Excellent for gaming
Advantages of the LG G3 (OLED)
Excellent for bright room
Excellent for news, talk, & other TV
Excellent for cartoons & animation
Excellent for use as monitor
Best in class viewing angle
Best in class reflections
Key differences
Picture Quality
8.8/10
9.3/10
10.00/10
CONTRAST
10.00/10
7.5/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
8.5/10
WOLED
PANEL TYPE
WOLED
WBE
PANEL SUB-TYPE
WBE+MLA
The LG G3 (OLED) has excellent picture quality, while the LG G1 (OLED) has very good picture quality.
Cartoons & Animation
8.5/10
9.2/10
8.1/10
COLOR GAMUT SCORE
8.3/10
7.5/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
8.5/10
7.0/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.4/10
8.1/10
COLORS OUT OF THE BOX SCORE
8.6/10
9.8/10
GRAY UNIFORMITY
10.0/10
The LG G3 (OLED) is excellent for cartoons & animation, while the LG G1 (OLED) is very good.
The LG G1 OLED provides very good colors right out of the box and a very good color gamut, making it suitable for vibrant and consistent coloring in cartoons. The LG G3 OLED offers similar out-of-the-box color quality with an improvement in color volume, enhancing the richness and range of colors, which is excellent for animation viewing.
Bright Room
7.4/10
9.4/10
9.3/10
VIEWING ANGLE
10.0/10
7.0/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.4/10
7.4/10
HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.7/10
9.3/10
REFLECTIONS SCORE
10.0/10
The LG G3 (OLED) is excellent for bright room, while the LG G1 (OLED) is good.
The LG G3 OLED has higher brightness levels for both SDR and HDR content compared to the LG G1 OLED, which results in a better viewing experience in bright rooms; additionally, the G3 has a superior reflection handling capability, enhancing its performance under strong lighting. Contrast, color volume, and color gamut are excellent on both TVs, with the G3 being somewhat better, which could contribute to a richer visual experience.
Cost
$2,199
$1,997
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The LG G1 (OLED) has a price of $2,199 and the LG G3 (OLED) costs $1,997.
The LG G3 (OLED) and LG G1 (OLED) are both excellent for movies & TV.
The LG G1 provides excellent movie and cinematic TV viewing thanks to its perfect contrast ratio, effective local dimming, and excellent black uniformity, which are crucial for dark-room viewing. Similarly, the LG G3 offers comparable advantages, with improvements in grayscale uniformity, strengthening its capability for varied content in different lighting conditions, along with wider viewing angles to maintain color accuracy from different seating positions.
Sports
8.4/10
8.7/10
8.0/10
MOTION PROCESSING
8.2/10
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
8.4/10
Yes
HLG SUPPORT
Yes
The LG G3 (OLED) and LG G1 (OLED) are both very good for sports.
The LG G1 OLED excels in sports viewing due to its best-in-class response time and excellent motion processing to handle fast-moving scenes, paired with superb reflections handling and a wide viewing angle that ensures clear pictures from multiple positions in the room. The LG G3 OLED, while maintaining the strengths of the G1 in response time, motion processing, and viewing angles, goes further with slightly improved reflections handling, making it an even better fit for viewing sports in rooms with varied lighting conditions.
Gaming
9.0/10
8.9/10
10.0/10
RESPONSE TIME SCORE
9.4/10
10.0/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
10.0/10
8.0/10
MOTION PROCESSING
8.2/10
100.0/100
GAMING LOCAL DIMMING
100.0/100
7.2/10
GAME HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.3/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers LG G1 (OLED) to be excellent for gaming, while the LG G3 (OLED) is very good.
The LG G1 has an outstanding response time and input lag, which are crucial for gaming, making it excellent for gamers. Although the LG G3 also has exceptional input lag, its slightly lower response time compared to the G1 means it is very good rather than excellent for gaming purposes.
News, Talk, & Other TV
8.7/10
9.2/10
7.0/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.4/10
8.0/10
UPSCALING
8.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers LG G3 (OLED) to be excellent for news, talk, & other TV, while the LG G1 (OLED) is very good.
The LG G3 has better SDR brightness than the LG G1, enhancing visibility in bright rooms and making it excellent for watching news, talk shows, and other TV programs. Additionally, the LG G3 maintains perfect black levels and strong contrast, inherent to OLEDs, while offering more vibrant colors straight out of the box compared to the already very good performance of the LG G1 in these aspects.
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How the LG G1 (OLED) and the LG G3 (OLED) compare to other TVs
"The LG G3 is one of the best well-rounded televisions you can buy in 2023. It excels in showcasing the best movies and TV have to offer while also coming packed with the features you want to see in a top-tier gaming experience."
Get a great deal on the LG G1 (OLED) or the LG G3 (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
385
TVs evaluated
33,110
TVs stats compiled
21
Proprietary TVs ratings developed
121,230
Recommendations made
18,185
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
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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.