LG C5 OLED TV Review: A Stunning Picture That’s Hard to Ignore

In the world of televisions, there’s one metric that reigns supreme above all others: picture quality. While smart features, brand prestige, and refresh rates all have their place, it’s the visual experience that ultimately determines whether a TV is worth your hard-earned cash. And when it comes to visual excellence, LG’s 2025 C5 OLED is making waves that are impossible to ignore.

First Impressions That Wow

Picture this: you’re walking through Costco, and suddenly you’re stopped in your tracks by the breathtaking images dancing across a wall of big-screen TVs. That’s the power of visual stimulus—it overrides everything else in our brains. The LG C5 OLED delivers exactly that kind of arresting beauty right out of the box.

With its incredibly thin 0.25-inch profile (that’s about four times thinner than trendy Frame TVs), the C5 is a design marvel. The lower third of the screen is slightly more substantial, giving you something to grip when setting it up—a thoughtful touch for such a delicate-looking device. The back features an elegant black marble pattern, and the base plate comes with silicone pads to prevent sliding. These are the kinds of premium details that make you feel like you’ve invested in something truly special.

Setup That Actually Makes Sense

Let’s talk about packaging for a moment—because LG absolutely nailed it. When you open the box, the remote control greets you first, nestled in its own sleeve with batteries already installed. The stand components are neatly organized in their own styrofoam container. These small touches matter when you’re unboxing a 65-inch TV, and LG clearly understands the assignment.

The setup process is refreshingly straightforward. You can use either your phone (via the LG ThinQ app) or the included Magic Remote. The app-guided setup even asks whether your TV is on a stand or wall-mounted—a nice consideration for optimizing performance. Though I must admit, the app’s voice guidance sounds like it’s channeling the Micro Machines guy on fast-forward, which is both amusing and efficient.

Picture Quality That Justifies the Hype

Here’s where the C5 truly shines: its visual performance is nothing short of spectacular. LG has long been a pioneer in OLED technology, and this year’s model continues that tradition of excellence. The Alpha 9 Gen 8 processor powers an impressive array of AI features, from AI Super Upscaling (which makes lower-resolution content look surprisingly close to 4K) to AI Deep Learning that adapts to your viewing preferences.

But let’s cut to the chase: how does it actually look? In a word: phenomenal. Testing with demanding content like “Avengers: Endgame” revealed colors that pop with stunning vibrancy, contrast that’s pure and precise, and image details that are almost unnervingly sharp. From the darkest shadows in Tony Stark’s opening monologue to the explosive CGI spectacle of the final battle, the C5 delivers consistently breathtaking visuals.

Even when idle, the TV impresses with its “Always Ready” function, displaying wallpaper or motion graphics that showcase the true-black nature of OLED technology. It’s the kind of depth that approaches 3D, creating an almost magical visual experience.

The Remote Situation

Now, let’s address the elephant in the room: the Magic Remote. If you’ve never been a fan of the Wii-like cursor navigation, you’ll be pleased to know that LG has made it optional this year. You can now use the directional pad instead, which is a welcome improvement. However, there are still some head-scratchers—notably, the complete absence of a dedicated Mute button. Instead, you have to hold down the volume rocker for two seconds. And in 2025, a remote without backlighting feels like a missed opportunity for accessibility.

Performance That Delivers

The C5’s visual performance puts it among the best OLED TVs you can buy today. While it’s technically a step below LG’s flagship G5 model, the difference in real-world performance is minimal for most viewers. The TV comes with four HDMI 2.1 ports and three USB 2.0 ports, offering plenty of connectivity options.

One note about audio: while the AI Sound Pro feature does make the TV louder, it tends to push dialogue to the background in favor of treble-heavy output. For the best experience, you’ll want to pair this with a quality soundbar.

The Bottom Line

The LG C5 OLED is an exemplary television that delivers on its promises. At its current sale price (often more than $1,300 off), it offers meaningful upgrades over last year’s C4 model, though the improvements are evolutionary rather than revolutionary. If you’re looking for the absolute best picture quality money can buy and don’t mind paying a premium for it, the C5 is an excellent choice.

However, if you’re budget-conscious, you might want to consider the 2024 C4 series instead—it’s available for about half the price of the C5 and still delivers outstanding performance that will satisfy most viewers.

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