LG G5 vs. LG C5 – is the cheaper option good enough?

LG’s OLED TVs are some of the best OLED TVs and indeed some of the best TVs all together, so picking between them is a tricky proposition. Do you need to spend big for the latest top model, the LG G5? Or can you get away with paying less for the more-affordable second-place option, the LG C5?

You can certainly save a lot of money with the latter, but the former’s specifications are so impressive. Here’s how these two excellent OLED TVs stack up.

Pricing and sizing

Both the LG G5 and LG C5 are available in a wide range of sizes and with a comparably broad spectrum of prices to go with them. The C5 starts at a modest 42-inches for $1,400, with the 48-inch model at $1,600, the 55-inch at $2,000, 65-inches costs $2,700, 77-inches $3,800, and the largest 83-inch model is priced at$5,400.

The smallest G5 size you can buy is 55-inches (48-inch model is coming, but not available yet), with a price tag of $2,500. That rises to $3,400 for the 55-inch model, and $3,400 for the 65-incher. At 77-inches, you’ll pay $4,500, and up to $6,500 for the 83-inch model. The largest available is 95-inches, where the price jumps to a staggering $25,000.

The C5 is by far the more affordable of the two, shaving around 25% of the price at each size, and is even relatively affordable at the bottom end. It’s still significantly more than the price-cut last-generation versions, however. Those always remain a strong option when shopping for a new TV, as intergenerational changes aren’t always as dramatic as the price jump might suggest.

Specifications

Unsurprisingly, the specifications of these two TVs are very similar. They offer the same resolution and HDR support, and have the same smart home functions. However, what these specifications don’t reveal is just how much brighter the G5 should be. LG claims it’s three times brighter than the B5, so is likely at least twice as bright at its maximum capabilities than the C5.

This added brightness comes from the G5’s use of the new “four stack” OLED panel technology which ditches the MLAs from previous G-series displays, whilst still boosting brightness and color vibrancy. It makes the G5 one of the best looking OLEDs we’ve ever seen, which is a high bar to meet.

Similarly, its newer AI processor will give it better dynamic upscaling and image adjustment on the fly. It also enjoys a higher refresh rate, hitting up to 165Hz for PC gamers, where the C5 is limited to a mere 144Hz. Both offer full support for 4K 120Hz gaming on consoles, however, with auto low latency mode, and incredibly fast response times with near-zero input lag.

What are they actually like?

We haven’t had a chance to put together a full review of these two TVs yet, so we’ll reserve our final judgement for when that happens. We have had some hands-on time wit though, and suffice to say, both TVs dramatically impressed.

Even on the show floor at CES, the brightness of the G5 was immediately apparent. It looked absolutely gorgeous and firmly cements LG’s flagship OLED TV as a set that’s just as comfortable in bright living rooms as it is in basement cinema rooms, or in darkened bedrooms.

Equally, though, the C5 is a real banger for your buck. It’s a G2 for C2 money in 2025.

The picture quality is stellar and with massively improved processing, keeping the picture crisp while the brightness and colors are boosted to much higher levels than we’ve seen from this grade of TV before. It’s not as bright as the G5 and its gaming features aren’t quite as impressive, but it gets close enough for most people that this TV is going to be a great option for those on tighter budgets.

There are very real reasons to buy the G5 instead, but start your expectations at the C5 and then see if you need more than that before splashing out.

Both are just so good

Until we finalize our review coverage of these two TVs, we’re not going to definitively say one way or another which TV you should buy. You’ll have to make that call for yourself using our best guesses, but we are comfortably saying that neither TV will disappoint you. They’re super bright, super colorful, and super fast OLED TVs, with all the latest bells and whistles.

The G5 is brighter and it’s going to be a few years before a C-grade LG TV can match it, but as we’ve seen with the G2/C5 comparison, it’s not that long a wait to have.