LG C4 OLED TV: everything you need to know about the brighter 2024 OLED
The LG C4 OLED TV, the successor to the hugely popular LG C3, is one of the most anticipated OLED TVs of 2024 and now that LG has unveiled its full 2024 OLED TV lineup, not only do we have info about this model, but we were even able write our LG C4 first impressions after seeing it in person, and can confirm it is indeed brighter, with improved highlights and has even more gaming features than before.
The LG C4 replaces the LG C3, which was one of our best OLED TVs of 2023. With HDR-improving picture processing, a nice aesthetic, a smart TV interface overhaul, and a wealth of features to appeal to both gamers and movie fans, it was a fantastic TV… though it did lose out on our TV of the Year Award to its direct rival, the Samsung S90C due some notable shortcomings, including brightness and audio power.
Below, you'll find everything we've seen and everything we know so far about the LG C4 and it's looking like it could be a real hit for LG.
For those interested, the LG C3 is available to pre-order now through LG's official website.
LG C4 OLED TV: Pricing and possible release window
We have seen the LG C4 in person at CES 2024 and now LG has confirmed US, UK and Australian pricing for the C4.
The LG C4 was released in the US in March 2024 and is expected to ship in April 2024 in the UK and Australia.
LG's C-series TVs are the company’s mid-tier 4K OLED TV model, slotting in between the flagship G-series and entry-level B-series. Below you'll find US, UK and AU pricing for the LG C4:
OLED83C4: $5,399 / ￡5,999 / AU$7,999
OLED77C4: $3,699 / ￡3,799 / AU$5,999
OLED65C4: $2,699 / ￡2,699 / AU$4,299
OLED55C4: $1,999 / ￡1,899 / AU$3,299
OLED48C4 $1,599 / ￡1,499 / AU$2,499
OLED42C4: $1,499 / ￡1,399 / AU$2,199
We estimated before official prices were released that the LG C-series prices would rise due to inflation and this has proven to be correct in the US, with a $200 increase in nearly every model of the LG C4 compared to the C3.
However, in a pleasant surprise, prices are lower for the C4 than expected or the same as the C3's were on release in both the UK and Australia.
We did note however in our hands-on of the C4 that there are a good few upgrades from the C3, including a boost in brightness and 144Hz gaming support so this price increase may be justified.
LG C4 OLED TV: what we know
LG has confirmed several upgrades that will be coming to the LG C4, including new gaming features, an improved chip (the Alpha 9) which LG says will improve performance, and higher brightness, even in the smaller 42-inch and 48-inch models, which didn't get the brightness boost that the LG C2 delivered compared to the C1 at 55 inches and up.
The first major upgrade is the improved Alpha 9 AI chip which LG says will not only improve processing power, but improve peak brightness levels compared to the C3, thanks to vastly improved power management. Having now seen the C4 in person, we can confirm the brightness boost is very much real, with HDR highlights looking particularly brighter. We even saw it next to the more premium LG G4 and although the G4 was clearly brighter (as expected), it was a lot closer than anticipated.
Although not confirmed or official, we thought the LG C4 (in 55-inch sizes and up) looked capable of hitting 900-1,000 nits, LG indicated this is the right ballpark. That means it would be nearly 200 nits brighter than the LG C3.
The 42-inch and 48-inch LG C4 sizes won't be as bright as that, but based on our conversation with LG, we suspect that we're looking at around 750-800 nits for those models. Again, this is unconfirmed.
The C4 will also support the AI Picture Pro and AI Sound Pro technologies found in the more premium G4 and M4 models, but it will be missing some of the newer features such as 'Director Tone' which adjusts the picture to look "as the director intended", according to LG.
Another exciting upgrade, thanks to the new processor, is the ability for the LG C4 to pair with a compatible LG soundbar and get wireless, lossless Dolby Atmos audio, which is a huge deal. This means you can connect an LG TV and soundbar without the need for wires, but still get uncompressed audio over Wi-Fi.
Unfortunately, we didn't hear the C4's built-in sound, which was one of the weaker parts of the C3, and LG's demo to us was with the SC9S connected, which it recommended connecting the C4, so that doesn't bode well for the C4's built-in sound being a big upgrade.
The LG C4 will also support 4K 144Hz refresh rate (compared to 120Hz in the LG C3), and is AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync certified, again the same as the G4 and M4. Although not much of a concern for console gamers (consoles max out at 120Hz), PC gamers will happy to know that 4K 144Hz is supported by the C4. The C4 will also again feature LG's Game Optimizer menu for gamers to adjust settings to get the most out of their games.
As for sizes, the C4 won't come in the large 97-inch size that the G4 and M4 come in, but it will still feature a wide array of sizes as expected, ranging from 42 inches to 83 inches.
