Expectations are high when it comes to the LG’s premium G2 OLED TVs. LG is the original innovator when it comes to OLED picture quality, regularly setting the bar high when it comes to picture processing and panel design - and its Gallery G-Series models are where the best tech lands first.
We’ve been taking a closer look at this new range-topper, which boasts a number of interesting improvements over the less-expensive LG C2 OLED, and can now say that it's a formidable competitor to incoming QD-OLED (Quantum Dot OLED) models like the Sony A95K QD-OLED TV and Samsung S95B range.
So should you be planning to hang a G2 on your wall, or just hang back?
Read on to learn exactly how this year’s G-Series screen differs from last year’s model, and what sets it apart from its red-hot rivals…
Price and release date
LG has yet to officially release UK prices, but we do have US and Euro price tags for most models, which gives us some ballpark figures. (And before you ask, yes, the G2 screens are a bit toppy - but that's not out of the norm for the G-Series.)
The OLED55G2 has a retail of $2,199 / €2,500 (approximately £2,081, AU$3,668).The OLED65G2 comes in at $2,999 / €3,600, (approximately £2,996, AU$5298). Finally, the OLED77G2 sits at $3,999 / €6,000 (around £5,000, AU$9160).
If you want anything bigger, you'll need the OLED83G2 that's priced at $6,499 / €9,000 (around £7,500, AU$13,740). There’s been no pricing details yet for the giant 97-inch G2, but let’s assume it’ll not be heading for the bargain aisles anytime soon.
All models are expected to begin shipping late March or April 2022.
Design and features
The G-Series has always been one of the fancier looking models in LG’s TV fleet, but for 2022 it’s getting a makeover, enabled by a slimmer, lighter chassis, thanks to the adoption of a new composite fibre backing material on the back of the display.
LG says this makes the screen significantly lighter (important for a wall mount model). To wit, the brand says the 65-inch G2 is 47% lighter than its G1 predecessor.
Another significant change to the G2 is the optional stand, which this year is a more practical and elegant central foot. It’s much easier to accommodate.
All four G2 HDMI inputs accept a 4K/120Hz input, with a full 48Gbps bandwidth. This gives the G2 an advantage over Sony’s QD-OLED debutant, which only has two 4K 120fps enabled HDMI inputs.
One final new feature worth noting is Dolby Vision IQ with Precision Detail. LG is the only brand to announce screens using this image processing refinement, which takes advantage of a picture technique developed by Dolby, called Dolby Vision Precision Rendering; it’s made possible by the processing power of the G2’s Alpha 9 Gen 5 processor. We’re told that this means the G2 should be able to present more contrast and detail from existing Dolby Vision content.
Given that Samsung snubs Dolby Vision entirely, and Sony doesn’t offer Dolby Vision IQ on its A95K QD-OLED, let alone Dolby Vision IQ with Precision Detail, this could be significant when it comes to any Dolby Vision image quality face off between the brands. Which brings us to…
Picture quality
It doesn’t take long to realize that the G2 is an elite performer.
Deserving much of the credit is the new Alpha 9 Gen 5 silicon, which employs deep learning and AI to bolster upscaling, and improve overall image quality.
Visual refinements are many, and include AI object enhancement, which attempts to make foreground and background elements even more distinct, and improved HDR tone mapping.
Of course, what you really want to know is how the screen compares to last year’s model, as well as this year’s C2 (which is also Evo class).
Long story short: it’s brilliant. From a panel perspective, what we have here is the latest Evo glass coupled to new Brightness Boosting technology. The result is a significant lift to the average picture level.
At its core, this Brightness Booster is algorithm based. Let’s unpick this a bit:
The Alpha 9 Gen 5 processor is smart enough to run algorithms that understand where an image is brighter and where it is darker; so it can intelligently steer where energy needs to go. In an image that’s largely dark and not drawing any power, it can give the brighter area of the picture a little boost. When this algorithm is coupled to Evo glass, you get an appreciable improvement in overall image brightness.
Two screens in LG’s 2022 line-up employ Brightness Boosting: the C2 and the G2 featured here. LG has confirmed that the Brightest Booster implementation in the C2 will give roughly 20% brighter whites, when compared to an A1 or B1 OLED panel.
OK, so now let’s dig down a little more, as there’s been some confusion about the differences in implementation between the C2 and G2.
The G2 uses the same clever algorithm as the C2, but LG designates the tech in the G2, Brightness Booster Max. That’s because built into the G2 is a heat dissipation hardware component (a heatsink if you will), that allows LG to get up to 30% extra brightness, so that’s 10% more than the C2.
Viewing the G2 and cheaper C2 model side by side, clearly shows the advantages of the G2’s enhanced hardware design.
The screen presents brighter, more dynamic whites. The picture has more vibrancy and snap than the C2, and remember that TV’s a doozy in its own right.
There is a caveat though. If you choose to watch movies on Filmmaker mode, or one of the set’s Cinema presets, these technical advantages become far less obvious. The type of content also has an influence.
A comparison of The Revenant, playing on the G2 and C2 side by side, showed only marginal benefits for the G2. As Leonardo stalks through a dimly lit forest, there’s arguably a little more shadow detail, but nothing to get excited about. An altogether brighter sequence from Scully, allows the G2 to show off the whites of the cabin crew and a brighter blue sky.
So yes, the G2 is brighter than the G2, and will give QD-OLED a run for its money, but it’s inevitably influenced by viewing mode and even the content screened.
Audio performance
The jury’s still out on the G2’s audio performance. While our hands-on focused on the image prowess of the set, we didn’t really get to hear it in detail. Given the physical limitation of its design, we perhaps shouldn’t expect too much.
That said, the new Alpha 9 Gen 5 silicon isn’t just for image processing. It enhances the audio capabilities of a TV too, courtesy of LG AI Sound Pro processing - and any post processing applied can be routed out to compatible LG soundbars, like the S95QR.
The set is Dolby Atmos compatible, so users can take advantage of eARC to route sound to an exterior sound system. The G2 is also compatible with LG’s new WOWCAST Wi-Fi audio dongle. This £99 optional extra enables Dolby Atmos audio to be sent wirelessly from TV to soundbar, which could be attractive given the wall-mounted nature of the G2.
Early verdict
The OLED65G2 is an immensely impressive 4K flatscreen, both in terms of cosmetic design and AV performance. The implementation of Brightness Booster Max technology gives it a luminance edge over other LG screens, including its Evo stablemate C2. It also enables it to convincingly throw shade at incoming QD-OLED models from Sony and Samsung.
That said, it won’t be for everyone. If you’re not wall mounting, then the stand is an optional extra, and you’ll probably want to augment its audio too.
But with cutting edge Dolby Vision for home cinema fans, and a host of next gen gaming features, including High Frame Rate provision on all four HDMI inputs and plenty of VRR, it’s easy to make a case for this being one to shortlist when it comes to naming the Best TV of 2022.
- Will the LG G2 OLED make our list of the best OLED TVs? Only time will tell...
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