LG GX OLED TV review: The movie theater just came home

Does G stand for gorgeous? The first thing you’ll notice about the LG GX OLED TV (starting at $2,499, $3,499 as tested) is how this high-end set was made for wall mounting. It’s incredibly thin, radiating an elegance reserved for only the best TVs money can buy.

So yes, the LG GX OLED TV costs a pretty penny, maxing out at $6,000 for the 77-inch screen. But for the splurge you get all the marquee features of the top-selling LG CX OLED TV in a sleeker, 20-millimeter wide build with improved viewing angles.

While we wish this Gallery Series model provided more obvious performance upgrades for the price, this LG GX OLED TV review explains why the clever AI processing, familiar smart TV interface and distinctive flush-mount design make it worthwhile for anyone hoping to elevate their home theater experience.

LG GX OLED TV price and configurations

The LG GX is the top shelf set of the company's line of OLED TVs. The popular CX series is more affordable, but doesn’t don the same super-slim chassis of GX models.

The premium look of Gallery Series OLED comes at a premium price — it’s the most expensive set we’ve tested this year. The Sony Bravia A8H OLED TV is the only unit that came close, priced at $2799 for the 65-inch model at launch. Our 65-inch configuration of the LG GX costs $3499, while the smaller version model costs $2499 and larger 77-inch size costs a whopping $5999.

• 55-inch OLED55GXPUA: $2499
• 65-inch OLED65GXPUA: $3499
• 77-inch OLED77GXPUA: $5999

Luckily, since these sets are being replaced by the newer LG OLED evo lineup, you can find the GX models on sale with the best cheap TV deals. And if our ‘What size TV should you buy?’ guide suggests you’ll need a TV larger than 77 inches, check out our list of the best 85-inch TVs right now.

But no matter which LG GX OLED TV size you choose, you should expect to see similar performance compared to our 65-inch test model. All three sizes offer the same collection of features, from an impressive port array to LG’s α9 Gen 3 AI Processor 4K.

LG GX OLED TV review: Design

Unlike sets that are designed to either rest on a stand or be hung on the wall with a generic VESA mounting bracket, the LG GX OLED TV is made specifically for hanging with the company’s included, proprietary bracket — it doesn’t even come with a stand in the box. We had to request a pair of the L-shaped feet for testing, but they’re rather wide set and not as sturdy as I’d like, so I’d definitely wall mount the GX in more permanent scenarios.

If you’re familiar with LG's Wallpaper TV, the LG GX embodies many of the same design sensibilities, but the 20-millimeter build accommodates everything the TV requires, including sound. You could use one of the best soundbars with the GX, too, of course.

While most OLED TVs feature an ultra thin display with a protruding component box, the GX sports a uniform thickness with a recessed mount and input panels for concealing cables without disrupting the flush mounting.

Still, LG recommends professional installation with a recessed AV box for the full Gallery Series effect.

LG GX OLED TV review: Ports

The LG gallery series, along with the rest of the 2020 lineup, has 4 HDMI 2.1 ports for all HDMI inputs, offering support for improved bandwidth and an expanded feature set. This includes frame rates of up to 120Hz with 4K video, uncompressed audio formats via enhanced audio return channel (eARC) and variable frame rate for gaming. The set has 3 HDMI ports, too.

There's an optical digital audio output and a 3.5-mm port for wired headphones, while cordcutters will be happy to know there's an RF coaxial plug for an antenna. The Gallery Series OLED TVs also come with built-in ATSC 3.0 tuners, the first TVs we've seen offer support for the new broadcasting technology. In the cities where it has rolled out, ATSC 3.0 provides 4K picture over-the-air and a return channel that allows for interactivity and targeted advertising.

LG GX OLED TV review: Performance

The LG GX OLED TV is outfitted with LG's α9 Gen 3 AI Processor 4K, like the LG CX and LG BX OLED TV. The latest version of LG's processor, this chip promises a range of improvements over previous iterations, with refinements to picture enhancement, such as artifact removal, object and subject-based sharpness, and upscaling for lower resolution (non-4K) content.

The LG GX also supports two newer picture modes: Filmmaker Mode and Dolby Vision IQ. Filmmaker Mode is a growing picture preset that delivers the picture as the movie maker intended. Dolby Vision IQ is basically the Dolby Vision we know and love, but adjusts the brightness and dynamic range with respect to ambient light in the room.

For anecdotal testing, I watched Greyhound on Apple TV Plus in standard Dolby Vision. Across the vast darkness of the Atlantic, fiery distress rockets flared toward the sky signaling torpedo attacks among the ally supply fleet, showing off the set’s ability to provide crisp contrast in low-light scenes. Then, as another torpedo sailed towards Tom Hank’s ship, the GX similarly flexed its motion handling. The deadly missile soared with razor-sharp suspense just beneath the ocean’s wake, only releasing my breath when it ricocheted off Greyhound’s hull.

When the bridge switched to red lighting to preserve the crew’s night vision, the warm hues flooded Hank’s face without sacrificing the exhausted expression of a man who’s fended off U-Boats for 40 hours straight. I will say the Sony Bravia A8H OLED does better at handling subtle differences in blacks, though — at times I couldn’t see the shape of the captain’s inky uniform lapel as clearly as I’d like.

Switching over to a 4K disc of Planet Earth, I started to appreciate the Gallery Series wide-viewing angles. In shots of sunlit, snowy mountains, it’s normal for the powder to look blue and shadowy when I watch from off-center. But the GX maintained the brightness and color, even past a 45-degree angle. The clear skies in these scenes didn’t produce any unsightly banding, either.

LG GX OLED TV review: Test results

Our exclusive Tom’s Guide TV testing results backed up what I saw in hours of watching, for the most part. The results are also practically equivalent to the LG CX OLED TV’s, which is good and bad. It’s encouraging to see LG’s processor offer consistency across the brand’s lineup, but I wonder if the set should provide performance upgrades for the higher price.

Like the LG CX, color accuracy is a highlight of the GX. It earned a Delta-E score of 1.73. Any result of 2.0 or lower is good with the lower scores being better. It’s a slight improvement over the CX (1.95) and much better than the Vizio OLED TV (4.32) and Samsung Q80T QLED TV (3.91). Only the Sony Bravia A8H OLED (1.54) offered superior accuracy among last year’s sets.

But the GX has an edge over the A8H when it comes to delivering color. In fact, it provides one of the widest color gamuts we’ve ever seen, producing 134.42 percent of the Rec 709 color space, exceeding the basic color standard by a significant margin. The Sony Bravia A8H OLED only produced 108.94 percent and the Samsung Q80T QLED only 99.93 percent. Surprisingly, the affordable Vizio OLED TV came the closest to matching LG with a score of 130.06 percent.

All told, the LG GX OLED earns a spot with the best LG TVs and best OLED TVs you can get.

When it comes to lag, the LG GX is among the best-in-class. It can ditch all of its video processing for an auto low latency mode during gaming. In our tests, it measured a lag time of just 14.9 milliseconds. That's an improvement over results we have seen from other top sets, including the Samsung's Q80T QLED (26.9 milliseconds) and the Sony A8H OLED (18 milliseconds). For the price and practically, the LG CX (13.1 milliseconds) is a better option for gamers, but the LG GX is similarly one of the best gaming TVs you can buy, especially if you want the luxurious design.

LG GX OLED TV review: Audio

One of the few non-aesthetic upgrades you get with the LG GX OLED TV compared to the LG CX OLED TV is boosted sound performance. Since the speakers can be distributed throughout the chassis, the LG GX has stronger 60-watt speakers versus the CX’s 40-watt array.

In addition to speaker hardware, the α9 Gen 3 AI Processor 4K provides advanced sound capabilities. AI Acoustic Tuning uses the remote control's microphone to calibrate the sound and tailor the audio to your particular room, while AI Sound Pro establishes optimal sound for the genre of whatever you’re watching. After performing the Acoustic Tuning calibration, I noticed a welcome difference in the sound profile, but AI Sound Pro was harder to recognize. Only when I toggled it on and off while watching a basketball game did I notice better clarity between the on-court action and play-by-play announcer’s voiceover.

The LG GX OLED also supports Dolby Atmos, which created an immersive soundscape for the war-ridden Atlantic ocean in Greyhound. During daring brushes with German U-boats, I felt enveloped in the command room’s chaos. Even with coordinates and orders being shouted from every corner of the room, individual voices sounded precise.

Although it notably lacked Dolby Atmos, I think the Samsung Q80T QLED TV’s Object Tracking Sound technology provides slightly superior exactness on a fuller range of content. While the GX’s sound is powerful compared to the larger TV category, consider investing in the matching LG GX soundbar to make the most of the Gallery Series TV experience.

LG GX OLED TV review: webOS and smart features

LG’s webOS smart TV software is arguably the best on the market, providing a compact, user-friendly interface that won’t interrupt what you’re currently watching. Although webOS doesn’t offer quite the same expanse of apps as Roku or Android TVs, you’ll still be able to watch every Star Wars movie on Disney Plus, all the best Netflix shows and more. You can keep up with your favorite streamers on Twitch and catch the big game on NFL Game Pass.

The webOS store even offers an Apple TV app, so you can watch your content you’ve purchased or workout with Apple Fitness Plus without needing a separate Apple TV 4K streaming box.

This set’s smart features aren’t limited to content. LG ThinQ’s smart home platform gets a dashboard on the GX that can be used to manage anything from your Blu-ray player and PS5 to your LG InstaView fridge and other best smart home devices. With this TV at the center of your smart home, you can dim your smart lights before watching a movie without having to grab your phone or get up from the couch. I paired my living room’s floor lamp, for example.

Better yet, the LG GX offers both Alexa and Google Assistant built-in, so you can use your TV to field queries as you would any of the best smart speakers. Most smart TVs are compatible with at least one of these AI butlers, but few let you beckon them just using the remote.

LG GX OLED TV review: Remote

There are things I like and things I dislike about LG’s Magic Remote. Once you get the hang of it, the wireless cursor is easily controlled using the scrolling/clickable wheel, but it reminds me of using a Nintendo Wii remote. I appreciate how the key controls are shaped to reflect their functions, but it doesn’t look as uniform as, say, the Roku TV remote. I like the addition of a mic status light for privacy purposes, but I wish the remote offered more backlight buttons.

If you love a lot of buttons, you’ll have a field day with the GX’s remote. While some TV makers have swapped out physical controls with ones you can navigate on-screen, LG lets you manage almost everything with specific buttons. This version of the remote also offers dedicated launch buttons for Netflix and Prime Video, which is handy for those who use these streaming services often.

LG GX OLED TV review: Verdict

Let’s get this out of the way: Opting for the pricier LG GX over the cheaper LG CX won’t get you improved OLED picture quality. Instead, you’re paying a premium for a sleek flush-mount design. Though they’re certainly welcome, the other tweaks like stronger speakers and wider viewing angles feel like an afterthought.

If there ever was an Aphrodite of TVs, this set is it. So if you’re going to get the LG GX OLED TV, treat it like a goddess. Invest in professional installation and purchase the matching soundbar. Sounds fussy? Then this set probably isn’t for you, and that’s okay. The LG CX and Sony Bravia A8H offer similarly excellent OLED picture for a lower cost. You can also wait for the next-generation LG OLED evo Gallery Series, which is launching soon and promises a performance boost over what we experience in this LG GX OLED TV review.