It’s robust to enhance the image high quality of OLED TVs, however LG did it once more. Just barely. LG’s 2019 C9 OLED TV is the best-performing TV I’ve ever examined at CNET. In 2018 I stated the identical factor in regards to the C8 and in 2017 I stated the identical factor in regards to the C7. Year after 12 months, TVs based mostly on natural light-emitting diode tech ship one of the best image high quality you should buy, and the C collection showcases LG’s greatest efforts to excellent it. Granted, the variations in picture high quality between the brand new C9 and final 12 months’s units are tiny — arguably higher HDR, a hair more practical processing and milliseconds-quicker gaming lag — however nonetheless sufficient to propel it to technical superiority. For most consumers, nonetheless, these variations will not be well worth the steeper value of the C9 in comparison with the 2018 fashions, together with my present Editors’ Choice B8.
In my side-by-side comparability checks, the C9, C8 and B8 all outperformed one of the best LCD TVs I had on-hand, however the 2019 TV season is simply getting warmed up. I’ve but to check any 2019 Samsung, Sony or Vizio TVs, together with Sony’s personal OLED fashions. Any of their flagship units may conceivably upset the C9 and take the crown, and the LG B9, which lacks the video processing chops of the C9, may as soon as once more ship one of the best OLED TV worth when it debuts later this summer season. And as ordinary, count on huge value cuts on all TVs beginning this fall. In the meantime, the OLED C9 units one other staggeringly excessive bar for picture high quality. Once once more, it is as much as the remainder of the TV market to attempt to attain it. Quick LG C9 OLED TV takeaways It’s accessible in 55-, 66- and 77-inch sizes, however the 77-incher is much more costly than the others. At that dimension, most consumers ought to take a look at 75-inch LCD TVs first.Currently the 65-inch C9 prices $1,000 greater than the B8 and $700 greater than the C8. The 55-inch C9 prices $900 greater than the B8 and $600 greater than the C8. Those costs might shift round, however till the C9 will get a drastic value minimize, the B8 from 2018 continues to be one of the best worth.Image high quality was very barely higher than the C8 and B8 from 2018, however they had been so shut that every one three scored a “10” image high quality score.Compared to the C8, the C9 will get Alexa built-in, Apple AirPlay 2 and provide extra HDMI 2.1 extras, together with eARC and Auto Game mode and Variable Refresh fee. Otherwise they’re mainly the identical.OLED show expertise is basically completely different from the LED LCD expertise used within the overwhelming majority of at present’s TVs, together with Samsung’s QLED fashions. The greatest LCD TVs I’ve reviewed thus far, the Samsung Q9 QLED and the Vizio PQ-65F1, scored a “9” in picture high quality. At instances they had been brighter in HDR than the OLEDs, however in any other case the OLEDs’ photos had been superior in virtually each approach.All OLED TVs are extra topic to each non permanent and everlasting picture retention, aka burn-in, than LCD TVs. We at CNET do not think about burn-in a cause for most individuals to keep away from shopping for an OLED TV, nonetheless. Check out our information to OLED burn-in for extra.View full gallery At its thinnest, the C9’s panel is lower than a quarter-inch thick.
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Thinning, profitable design Not a lot has modified with LG’s design, however that is not essentially a nasty factor. The panel itself continues to be vanishingly skinny when seen from the facet, a few quarter-inch deep, with the everyday bulge on the backside that juts out one other 1.75 inches. That bulge homes the inputs, energy provide, audio system and different depth-eating TV parts. From the entrance there’s lower than a half-inch of black body across the image itself to the highest and sides. Then there is a bit extra beneath, however no hint of silver, no “LG” or every other brand in any respect. This is TV at its most minimalist. The stand is nicer than final 12 months to my eye, with its angled edges and medium width throughout the underside of the display screen. New this 12 months it is extra closely weighted on the rear to (I presume) higher resist tipping ahead. View full gallery The “foot” of the stand does not prolong very far ahead.
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Familiar sensible TV, voice and distant LGs webOS menu system feels good and snappy, but it surely’s mainly unchanged from final 12 months. It nonetheless lacks the revolutionary extras and app-based setup of Samsung’s Tizen system, and falls effectively in need of the app protection of Roku TV or Sony’s Android TV. If you need extra apps, your greatest guess is to get an exterior streamer, though solely two, the Apple TV 4K and Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K, can assist Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. Meanwhile LG’s apps for Netflix, Amazon and Vudu all assist Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, so utilizing the TV’s built-in apps will get you the highest-quality video and audio from these providers, no exterior streamer required. View full gallery LG’s Smart TV with webOS system pops up TV and film thumbnails on choose apps like Amazon.
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The distant is identical as final 12 months too. I like utilizing its movement management to whip across the display screen, one thing that is notably useful when signing into apps or looking out utilizing an on-screen keyboard. The scroll wheel can also be nice for shifting via apps, like these seemingly infinite thumbnail rows on Netflix and Amazon. Press the mic button and you may summon Google Assistant. It can do all the standard Assistant stuff, together with management sensible dwelling units, reply questions and reply through a voice popping out of the TV’s audio system. It additionally integrates TV-specific instructions, together with a well-implemented voice search. I stated “show me comedies” whereas watching Netflix and an inventory of TV reveals and films appeared alongside the underside, together with outcomes from the present app (comedies on Netflix) in addition to throughout completely different apps (together with Prime Video, Fandango, Hulu, Vudu and Google Play) and YouTube movies. View full gallery LG’s distant allows you to converse to, and listen to from, two voice assistants. The most important mic button invokes Google Assistant. Long-press the Amazon button and also you get Alexa.
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LG will quickly turn out to be the primary TV maker to construct in a second main voice assistant, Amazon’s Alexa, accessible by urgent and holding the Prime Video button. The function will roll out in a software program replace due later this 12 months, and will not be accessible on 2018 or earlier LG units. Also coming later this 12 months is assist for Apple’s AirPlay 2 system, letting the TV operate as a show for TV reveals, motion pictures, images and net pages with an iPhone, iPad or Mac because the controller, and for HomeEquipment, which is able to allow you to management the TV utilizing Apple’s Home app or by speaking to Apple’s assistant Siri. The Apple options are just like these coming to 2019 Vizio and Sony TVs, whereas the total Apple TV app will launch first on Samsung TVs. Key TV options
Display expertise
OLED
LED backlight
N/A
Resolution
4K
HDR suitable
HDR10 and Dolby Vision
Smart TV:
webOS
Remote:
Motion
Features and connections OLED will not be your father’s LCD TV. LCD depends on a backlight shining via a liquid crystal panel to create the image. In an OLED show, every particular person subpixel is chargeable for creating illumination. That’s why OLED is named “emissive” and LED LCDs are referred to as “transmissive” shows, and it is a huge cause why OLED’s image high quality is so good. Once once more the C9 panel has the identical fundamental traits, together with mild output and colour gamut, of earlier years, so the principle improve is in processing. There’s a brand new A9 Gen 2 chip with a “deep learning algorithm” that, amongst different claims, higher adjusts the image for room lighting. View full gallery Auto recreation mode is without doubt one of the new HDMI 2.1 options the C9 helps.
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The 2019 OLED fashions additionally embrace the most recent model of the HDMI commonplace: 2.1. That means their HDMI ports can deal with 4K at 120 fps, assist enhanced audio return channel (eARC) in addition to two gamer-friendly extras: variable refresh fee (VRR) and computerized low latency mode (ALLM, or auto recreation mode). Check out HDMI 2.1: What it’s essential to know for particulars. I did not take a look at any of those options but for this assessment. The choice of connections is top-notch. Unlike lots of Samsung’s units, this one truly has an analog video enter for legacy (non-HDMI) units, though it now not helps analog element video. New for 2019 there is a devoted headphone/analog audio output and WISA wi-fi audio assist. Four HDMI inputs with HDMI 2.1, HDCP 2.2Three USB portsComposite video/audio inputOptical digital audio outputAnalog audio 3.5mm headphone outputRF (antenna) inputRS-232 port (minijack, for service solely)Ethernet (LAN) portView full gallery Three of the 4 HDMI inputs, and one of many three USBs level towards the facet of the TV.
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