LG C6 OLED (OLED65C6) Review

Design

• Quick to assemble
• Strong viewing angles
• Decent with reflections

The design for the 55- and 65-inch C-series models hasn’t changed dramatically, though I do like the marble-like material that’s on the back of the TV. You won’t see it for the vast majority of the TV’s lifespan, but it does look pretty.

There’s a wide stand to perch the TV on, though not too wide that you need a freakishly large piece of furniture to sit it on (I’m looking at you Sony).

Assembling the TV is fairly quick – around two minutes – and less time-consuming than adding the stand to the G6. The C6 is made to LG’s high standards: minimalist, well-packaged and good-looking, you can wall-mount but it will jut out from wall thanks to the little bump on the rear.

The OLED65C6 seems to use a similar anti-reflection solution as the G6 but does it reduce reflections? I’m not too convinced it does. In dark rooms I can clearly see what’s in the room, though it does refract ambient light sources without affecting black levels. There’s also a purple-ish hue to the screen when light shines on it, just like with the G6.

Viewing angles are massively wide if you’ve got family and friends over. The C6 keeps its colour and brightness at more acute angles and far away, though it’s not as bright as the G6.

Connectivity

• Four HDMI 2.1 inputs
• Plenty of wireless options

It does feel as if this section repeats previous years, but as is standard, there are four HDMI 2.1 inputs with HDMI 2 for plugging your soundbar into. All HDMI inputs support ALLM and the various forms of VRR too.

An Ethernet port offers the means to hardwire straight to your router if you find the Wi-Fi 6E connection flaky. There’s an optical audio output, two RF inputs, three USB 2.0 inputs and a CI slot.

Bluetooth 5.3 is supported, and Wi-Fi brings support for Google Cast and Apple’s AirPlay 2.

User Experience

• Slick and fast interface
• Some customisation possible
• Old LG remote

The webOS platform hasn’t changed much from previous years. You’ve got your Quick Cards made up of gaming, radio, art (you have to pay a subscription for complete access), and lifestyle apps. Portal is new, offering a mix of video content, trending news and podcasts.

There’s also LG’s Channels, its hub for free-to-view TV and on-demand content (through Rakuten TV) as a sort-of alternative to Freely. It’s got a decent selection of programming to watch, and logging into your account (more on that shortly) also means that if you quit a show or film, you can resume where you dropped off.

But that doesn’t mean the C6 ignores the UK catch-up apps, which are all present, and there’s the big global apps accounted for in the likes of Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV and HBO Max.

The problem here is that LG now requires you sign up to access any app, an annoying change from where you could access some apps without restrictions.

The interface itself is swift and responsive, and refrains from offering too much content for users to get lost and confuse in. The number of rows isn’t that much to scroll down, and content is easily highlighted. Yes there are ads but I don’t find them intrusive, and most of them are advertisements for LG products or popular TV series.

Swipe to the left and you’ll come across ‘My Page’, which offers personalised content. All of this is protected by LG Shield to keep your data safe, and the OLED65C6 will receive security updates until 2030.

The Magic Remote returns and it’s getting to the point where it’d be nice if we could get access to the USB-C remote available in other countries. It can’t cost too much to add, and while the Magic Remote is fine (I don’t get cranky about it), a rechargeable USB-C remote is better than one that runs on battery power.

Gaming

• Nvidia and AMD VRR
• Quick input lag
• Cloud gaming options

All HDMI 2.1 inputs support ALLM and VRR (Nvidia G-Sync, HDMI VRR and AMD FreeSync). Refresh rates have been boosted up to 165Hz for PC gaming.

Input lag stays the same at 12.9ms and Boost mode can bring it down to 9.4ms (same as before).

If you don’t have a console, the C6 supports plenty of cloud gaming options in the Xbox app, Blacknut, Amazon Luna, Boosteroid et al.

With the Game Optimiser menu you can change settings to alter the performance as you want. Want a black level performance that allows you see where others might be hiding? Some may call that cheating…

There’s HGiG, which are guidelines for optimal HDR performance, and there’s Dolby Vision Gaming support (4K/120Hz) for those of you with an Xbox Series console.

Features

• AI features
• Dolby Vision x Filmmaker mode
• FlexConnect support

LG’s Home Hub supports smart platforms such as its own ThinQ, Matter, Google and Apple Home. Voice control and search is possible through Google Gemini and Microsoft Copilot.

There’s more AI with LG’s AI Concierge that provides personalised recommendations, with In This Scene offering insight into cast and crew of a film and programme (like Prime Video’s X-Ray feature). There’s also the option to create Generative AI images… if you’re interested.

The UK finally has the Voice ID feature that remembers your voice and can automatically log you into a profile when you press the AI button and speak.

On the picture and sound front, it’s all overseen by LG’s Alpha 11 AI Processor 4K Gen3 with Dual AI Engine that can improve brightness, upscale to 4K and produce a more 3D image in real-time. With audio it’s a 60W, 4.2 channel system with AI Object Remastering Ultra that brings clarity to vocals and can boost audio to 11.1.2 virtual channels of sound with Dolby Atmos.

There’s no DTS support, which is a shame, but there is Dolby Atmos FlexConnect if you buy LG’s Sound Suite audio system. On the HDR front there’s HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision and the Dolby Vision x Filmmaker Mode.

Picture Quality

• Bright, natural images
• Very good motion
• Good Vivid mode

It’s been a while since I last reviewed a 65-inch C-series model, but this year’s effort feels like a substantial step-up.

There’s still an issue with the Filmmaker x Dolby Vision mode in that it’s not adaptive by default, and even when I turn the feature on, it’s still not as balanced as it should be. I’d avoid using that HDR mode for now, but aside from that, the LG OLED65C6 is a stunner.

Dark detail is well handled so you’re seeing most of the detail in the darkest parts of the image (though I wouldn’t say all the detail is visible with a watch of Zero Dark Thirty).

Levels of detail and sharpness are excellent with Alien: Romulus, and colours strike me as looking close to what they should be.

Highlights are bright, contrast is very good (though the extra brightness of the G6 is even better) and there’s a three-dimensionality and sense of depth thanks to the TV’s processing that you don’t get from rivals. It may not be strictly natural but it’s a nice effect all the same.

A 4K Blu-ray of Speed Racer looks terrific with colours that are punchy, bright and wide-ranging – the TV explodes with colour with black levels that are substantial in terms of depth but not impenetrable.

An HLG stream of The Capture on iPlayer offers excellent levels of fine detail and sharpness – the show looks phenomenally good in 4K HDR with saturated colours and terrific detail to the point of being able to see the fuzz on someone’s jacket or the pores on someone’s skin. Complexions are both natural looking and balanced, highlights are bright but not overwhelming. It looks fantastic.

And the Vivid mode that worked so well on the G6 has been translated to the C6. With Cinderella, there’s a boost to colours and brightness, and the film still looks relatively balanced and natural. There were moments where that wasn’t the case – some noise here and there, and complexions that seem too hot – and it’s not as bright or as sharp as the G6, but colours take on a vivid and punchy look that’s among the best I’ve seen from any TV this year.

Motion is mostly excellent. Smooth and Natural (ironically) still produce judder, stutter and motion blurring; but Cinematic is best for a smooth look without issues, and if you go down the User route, in the region of 4/5 De Blur/De Judder seems the best fit.

Upscaling

• Sharp and detailed
• Colours look a little dark

The good times keep rolling when the OLED65C6 has to upscale films and TV series to 4K.

Whether it’s a DVD of Jaws or a Blu-ray of Succession, colours look natural. Detail levels are resolutely solid with HD content, while There Will Be Blood, Inglorious Basterds and Jaws on DVD exhibit some noise and lack of detail, that doesn’t derail the presentation as the C6 manages noise well, and ensures jagged edges don’t stick out.

You’ll only notice the lack of detail in wider shots or jagged subtitles, but in close ups of actors it comes up trumps despite the lower resolution.

The Kissed by Fire episode from Game of Thrones season three features colours that are well judged, though not the most spectacular with the action taking place north of the wall. But clarity and detail looks super, especially a shot of Jamie Lannister and his muddied face.

The same can be said with a Bu-ray of Tomorrowland. Bright, colourful but natural looking – picture-wise there doesn’t feel like there’s a weakness the TV has.

Sound Quality

• Punchy sense of bass
• AI Sound Pro mode
• Good with dialogue

I won’t hide that I was a little disappointed with the OLED65G6’s performance. However, I’d rate the C6’s built-in sound system as being better.

There’s a choice of two modes: Standard and AI Sound Pro. Standard is not as loud, as detailed or as sharp. It’s better for native stereo or mono content.

AI Sound Pro is for immersive audio. It’s sharper, louder, more detailed and outputs more energy through the TV’s 60W speaker.

I play my usual test discs starting with Civil War. Gunshots feature good detail and explosions have weight to them, though it’s not as powerful, detailed or carries as much heft as TVs from other brands I’ve tested in the past (notably Panasonic and Philips). It spreads its sound across the width of the screen and further, with sounds placed accurately on the screen where they originate from. There are times where I can hear dialogue beyond the width of the TV’s frame.

To my ears it sounds better at lower and higher volumes than the G6 did, and while it’s not the most exciting listen through the action scenes, it maintains a good hold on dialogue clarity throughout them.

With Dune the bass frequencies don’t feature much depth from the speakers. That’s not to say there isn’t bass present, but it’s not powerful and in some scenes there’s a little distortion with the bass.

With The Housemaid the C6 has a better handle on bass levels (when it needs to go deep, it struggles), but lows are clear and detailed; plus dialogue sounds natural.

Returning to Alien: Romulus and again, like the G6, it’s not the most dynamic and energetic performance, but the C6 sounds a bassier with the low frequencies. Dialogue is clear and sharp, highs are also clear, and soundstage is spacious. Aside from some slight distortion, this was better than I was expecting from the C-series.

I’d still recommend a soundbar, and LG’s own M7 is an expensive but good choice. Expect to see that review soon. Otherwise, there’s a few to choose from in our best soundbar and best Dolby Atmos soundbar guide.

Should you buy it?