LG 55" OLED evo C5 Smart TV (2025) Review 2026
The benchmark. Tom's Guide's #1 TV of 2026. The C5 does everything a TV should do and nothing it should not. If you can afford OLED, start here.
The C5 is the TV we recommend to anyone who can afford OLED. Perfect blacks, incredible gaming performance, and a processor that makes every source look its best. The benchmark others are measured against.
The TV Everything Gets Measured Against
Every year, the LG C-series OLED sets the standard. Not because it is the brightest, the biggest, or the cheapest. Because it is the most complete. Perfect blacks. Infinite contrast. Four HDMI 2.1 ports with sub-millisecond gaming response. Dolby Vision IQ. Wide viewing angles. A processor that makes every source look its best.
The alpha-11 Gen2 processor is this year's upgrade. AI upscaling is visibly improved -- 1080p content looks sharper, color gradients are smoother, and noise reduction is more aggressive without softening detail. The brightness bump to ~1000 nits makes HDR highlights more impactful than the C4 in the same content.
What Perfect Blacks Mean for Real Content
OLED's self-emissive pixels produce true black by turning off. This is not a marketing claim -- it is physics. The practical impact shows up everywhere: letterbox bars on movies are invisible, not dark gray. Space scenes have stars floating in void. Dark horror sequences maintain shadow detail instead of dissolving into murky gray.
The infinite contrast ratio also means that moderate brightness goes further. A 1000-nit highlight next to a 0-nit black has more perceived impact than a 2000-nit highlight next to a 50-nit "black" on Mini-LED. This is why OLED images look more three-dimensional despite lower absolute brightness.
Press the Settings button during gaming to access the Game Optimizer. It shows real-time FPS, input lag, VRR status, and genre-specific presets. The Black Stabilizer lifts shadow detail in dark games without washing out the image. Dark Souls and Elden Ring look better on OLED than on any other technology -- period.
Strengths
- ✓Rated #1 TV of 2026 by Tom's Guide
- ✓4x HDMI 2.1 with <1ms gaming response time
- ✓Improved brightness and α11 Gen2 processor over C4
Cons
- ✗Not as bright as Mini-LED in HDR highlights
- ✗Burn-in risk is low but still present with static content
- ✗No HDR10+ — LG uses Dolby Vision ecosystem
The Brightness Reality
At ~1000 nits, the C5 is the brightest standard OLED LG makes (the Tandem G5 hits ~1800). But 1000 nits is still half what flagship Mini-LEDs deliver. In a room flooded with afternoon sun, HDR highlights on the C5 are less punchy than on a TCL QM8K or Hisense U8QG.
This is the one scenario where OLED loses. Every other scenario -- dark room movies, evening gaming, mixed content viewing -- the C5 is the better TV. Know your room's primary viewing conditions before deciding between OLED and Mini-LED.
Why the C5 Costs What It Does
At $800–$1,200, the C5 costs more than many 65-inch Mini-LEDs. The premium buys: per-pixel contrast that no LCD can match. Four HDMI 2.1 ports versus the industry-standard two. Wide viewing angles from the self-emissive panel. The webOS ecosystem with Apple AirPlay and HomeKit. And a build quality that matches the picture quality.
Is it worth it? If you watch in controlled lighting and value picture quality above size, absolutely. If you need 65+ inches in a bright room, a large Mini-LED delivers more impact per dollar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the LG C5 rated the #1 TV of 2026?
It does everything well and nothing poorly. Perfect blacks for movies. Sub-millisecond response for gaming. Four HDMI 2.1 ports for every device. Dolby Vision IQ for streaming. Wide viewing angles for families. No single competitor matches this combination at any price.
Is the C5 bright enough for a living room?
At ~1000 nits, the C5 handles moderately lit rooms well. In direct afternoon sunlight, Mini-LEDs with 1500+ nits will outperform it. For evening and controlled lighting -- which is when most serious viewing happens -- the C5 is excellent.
Will the LG C5 get burn-in from gaming?
Extremely unlikely with modern OLED. LG includes pixel shifting, logo dimming, and screen refresh cycles. Varied gaming content (different games, different scenes) poses almost zero risk. Leaving a static HUD from one game visible for 8+ hours daily for months could cause retention. Normal gaming habits are safe.
How does the C5 compare to the G5?
The G5 uses Tandem OLED for roughly double the brightness (~1800 nits vs ~1000 nits). It also has a Gallery Design for flush wall mounting. The C5 includes a stand. For wall-mount enthusiasts in bright rooms, the G5 is worth the premium. For everyone else, the C5 is the smarter buy.
Does the C5 support HDR10+?
No. LG uses the Dolby Vision ecosystem exclusively. Netflix, Disney+, and Apple TV+ all support Dolby Vision. Amazon Prime Video uses HDR10+ -- on the C5, it falls back to standard HDR10. This is a minor limitation since most premium streaming content prioritizes Dolby Vision.
Final Verdict
Rating: 4.8/5
The C5 is the TV we recommend to anyone who can afford OLED. Perfect blacks, incredible gaming performance, and a processor that makes every source look its best. The benchmark others are measured against.
The TV we recommend to anyone who can afford OLED. Perfect blacks, flawless gaming, and the most complete feature set at any price. The benchmark.
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