Update: LG has opened up preorders for its LG G4 OLED and LG C4 OLED with prices and shipping set for late March 2024.
LG announced its 2024 TV lineup with exciting promise. This year, the LG M4 OLED takes center stage as the company’s flagship display, leveraging some of the most advanced features in the market, with both its LG G4 OLED and LG C4 OLED taking somewhat of a back seat.
But both OLED TVs might well be some of the best TVs to release this year. The G4 OLED alone already was heralded as one of the best TVs at CES, a serious contender this year that’s well-adapted over the 2023 LG G3 OLED thanks to LG’s new a11 processor.
While the LG C4 OLED doesn’t look all too enticing from the outset, given its limited improvement over the C3 OLED, it could prove to come highly regarded if LG positions its price well enough. Still, the LG C4 OLED price won’t be nowhere near in the same ballpark as its LG B4 OLED counterpart, LG’s budget-tier 2024 model.
Both TVs, the LG C4 and LG G4 OLED, have quite a high premium to them. The LG C4 OLED kicks off at $1,499 price for its 42-inch model, while the LG G4 OLED wears the premium crown of $2,599 for its 55-inch TV model. Thus, it's clear the C4 OLED comes away with a better price bracket, but that doesn't yet prove its overall superiority.
With a veritable slew of TV reviews, face-offs, and roundups under our belts, we have more than enough data to tackle this TV bout. Can LG’s more middle of the road model in the C4 OLED beat out its higher-end G4 OLED? Let’s dive in and find out just how far LG is pushing its TVs into the future.
LG C4 OLED vs LG G4 OLED: Specs compared
| Row 0 - Cell 0 | LG C4 OLED | LG G4 OLED |
| Sizes | 42”, 48”, 55”, 65”, 77”, 83” | 55”, 65”, 77”, 83”, 97” |
| Refresh rate | 144Hz | 144Hz |
| HDMI ports | 4 (all HDMI 2.1) | 4 (all HDMI 2.1) |
| Tuners | ATSC 1.0 | ATSC 1.0 |
| Chipset | Alpha 9-7 | Alpha 11 |
| Display panel | WOLED | WOLED (MLA) |
| Special features | Brightness booster, Game Optimizer & dashboard, OLED Evo panel | OLED Evo MLA panel (55-83"), OLED EX, heatsink Brightness booster Max (55-83"), Game Optimizer & dashboard, Zero Gap Design |
LG C4 OLED vs LG G4 OLED: Picture and performance
It’s hard to quantify how great both displays look when not paired side by side, but the obvious winner in terms of just raw overall picture performance has to be the LG G4 OLED and it’s in part due to the latest META 2.0 panel it leverages. This panel, designed by LG Display, utilizes both a Micro Lens Array (hence “MLA panel”) in tandem with a Meta booster, which LG explains “maximizes light emission while enhancing brightness and color expression.”
The LG C4 OLED only uses a base WOLED panel, though it does have the Evo designation on its side. Beyond that, there’s little really to gawk at when it comes to the C4 OLED’s potential performance. Look no further than our most recent face off that saw the LG C4 OLED vs LG B4 OLED, which proved the latter might well be a better TV just in value alone.
Add to its panel woes the fact that the LG C4 OLED only uses the a9 processor against the LG G4 OLED’s brand new a11 chipset and you can see where the winner lies — at least in terms of performance.
But, what about audio quality? The LG C4 OLED uses an 11.1.2-channel Dolby Atmos-supported speaker, which its a9 chip upmixed from basic surround sound for punchy, full audio. Although, as Nick Pino explains in his LG C4 OLED vs LG C3 OLED faceoff, “neither TV is going to be a true replacement to a proper sound system,” and that’s true for these two displays, as well.
The LG G4 OLED will leverage the same upmixing, pushing audio to 11.1.2 channels of sound. Given we don’t have any real hands on with the G4 OLED just yet, we will have to wait and see just how well it sounds over the G3, which was 9.1.2 channels.
You may still require one of the best soundbars to get true and fuller audio out of both sets, but LG’s AI Sound Pro feature might alleviate some of the many pain points associated with LG TV audio performance.
One thing that users won’t dislike is both displays’ gaming performance. At a 144Hz refresh rate with all of the added screen tearing tech, like AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync, both the LG C4 OLED and LG G4 OLED are major gaming icons. The LG C3 OLED remains one of the best gaming TVs in the market and its successor probably won’t be far behind, especially given LG’s beloved Game Optimizer feature, found on both the C4 and G4 OLEDs.
LG C4 OLED vs LG B4 OLED: Design
Design-wise, it’s hard to tell where the two displays will differ all that much. Overall looks will appear the same on the outside, though as already mentioned much of the main differences lie within the LG C4 OLED’s a9 AI processor and the LG G4 OLED’s a11 AI processor. Additionally, the G4 OLED will sport the more advanced MLA panel, which might give it a bit better brightness and limited glare.
At CES 2024, where we were gifted a look into the future of LG’s TV lineup, most of its TVs were set up on walls, meaning we couldn’t get a good look at their bases. Similarly, most of LG’s marketing shows the OLED TVs attached to walls, so it’s hard to tell how different the stands will be, but the LG C4 OLED could be sporting a pedestal over the two leg design as per some recent photos of the TV.
The G4 OLED does prove somewhat superior over the C4 OLED via the inclusion of Zero Gap design, which allows the TV to fit snug against the wall or surface akin to a frame. Although the C4 lacks this, it’s not the most game-changing feature and isn’t exactly a must-have, but will make your entertainment setup look that much more Feng shui.
LG C4 OLED vs LG G4 OLED: Price and availability
LG has finally announced its LG G4 OLED and LG C4 OLED prices with preorders opening on February 28 and shipments planned for late March 2024.
As you might expect, the price disparity is pretty hefty, with the G4 OLED price starting at $2,599 for the 55-inch model, while the C4 OLED price starts at $1,499 for its 42-inch model.
In regards to 2023's C3 OLED and G3 OLED in March, pricing seems to have seen an average $200-$300 increase, highlighting the innovations in AI and panel technology pushed by LG in its brand new TV lineup.
You can see below the current preorder MSRPs of both the C4 OLED and G4 OLED across their sizes.
| LG C4 OLED | LG G4 OLED |
| LG OLED42C4PUA: $1,499.99 | LG OLED55G4SUB: $2,599.99 |
| LG OLED48C4PUA: $1,599.99 | LG OLED65G4SUB: $3,299.99 |
| LG OLED55C4PUA: $1,999.99 | LG OLED77G4WUA: $4,599.99 |
| LG OLED65C4PUA: $2,699.99 | LG OLED83G4WUA: $6,499.99 |
| LG OLED77C4PUA: $3,699.99 | LG OLED97G4WUA: $24,999 |
| LG OLED83C4PUA: $5,399.99 | Row 6 - Cell 1 |
Now that the prices and preorders are up, the surface-level takeaway is that the LG C4 OLED is a better value. The 48-inch model comes in at $1,599, and the 55-inch model is just under $2,000. However, while you might be paying just a bit more, around $600, for the LG G4 OLED's 55-inch TV, it may well prove to be the better option given all of its upgrades alone.
LG has stated that these TVs are set to ship around late March, but little else was voiced on the official debut date or when to expect them at retailers. Stay tuned to Tom’s Guide going into the 2024 TV launch season as we learn more about LG's forthcoming lineup.
LG C4 OLED vs LG G4 OLED: Outlook
Without either TV in our hands, it’s hard to give an overall winner just yet, but by all accounts the LG G4 OLED will prove to be the biggest draw in 2024 and easily beats out the LG C4 OLED just in terms of its performance upgrades.
It’s unfortunate that none of LG’s 2024 lineup will include an ATSC 3.0 tuner, but looking past that at the incredible performance gains afforded via the new a11 chipset in tandem with the META 2.0 panel and the LG G4 OLED proves to be the clear winner.
It’s pricing, however, will come at a very high premium. Thus, if you’re looking for something that has some sound specs at a reasonable price point, the LG C4 OLED might be the better bargain — that is, if you're willing to shell out nearly $2,000 for little upgrades over its C3 OLED iteration.
Against its predecessor, the LG C4 OLED doesn’t bring that many major updates to the table. We’re hoping it’s price can reflect that, but no matter the case it’s quite obvious that the LG G4 OLED is the true winner in this faceoff and could prove to be this year’s best LG TV.
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