LG C2 OLED Evo 42-inch review: a fantastic, high-end OLED for gamers
Our take on LG's high-end, VRR-capable, C2 OLED Evo TV.
If you’re in the market for a new OLED TV, then chances are that you must’ve stumbled across LG’s exhaustive portfolio. For years, the company has dominated the OLED space and the brand hopes to further its dominion with the all-new 42-inch, LG C2 OLED Evo TV. For the uninitiated, the C2 – which supersedes the company’s C1 – is packed to the brim with enticing features, including but not limited to a stunning, HRR-enabled 4K OLED panel as well as support for Nvidia’s Gsync and AMD’s Freesync Premium display technologies. I managed to get my hands on a unit and here’s why I think the TV is worth every penny.
Lowdown
- The LG C2 OLED Evo is built like a tank and the TV offers a sturdy chassis that is void of any flex or give. The TV also looks superbly premium and features sleek bezels that blend seamlessly into the unit’s metallic frame. All said and done, LG’s latest looks striking and the TV will undoubtedly complement your room’s decor.
- I should also add that, unlike most modern TVs, the C2 OLED Evo doesn’t ship with a bulging back. Instead, the company has kept the design relatively uniform and the TV is a treat to look at from every which angle. What’s more, the device ships with a healthy assortment of ports too, including four HDMI 2.1 connectors capable of outputting a 4K feed at 120Hz. What’s more, the device gets a 3.5mm audio jack, an ethernet port, an optical connector and three USB Type-A connectors too, which is great.
- If anything, I would’ve liked to see a DP port with the set. Understandably, buyers looking to use the device as a monitor replacement will have to procure a modern GPU that features an HDMI 2.1 connector as well. In my case, my ageing GTX 1660Ti was limited to a 60Hz output and correspondingly, I couldn’t make the most of the TV’s HRR panel at 4K resolution. Be that as it may, I won’t be docking points for the same as the C2 OLED Evo is, first and foremost, a TV.
- Having said that, the TV could’ve done with sturdier legs. As things stand (no pun intended), LG offers two plastic legs with the set which feel flimsy, to say the least. Making matters worse, the plastic legs don’t come bundled with the retail packaging either. In fact, we had to get on a call with a service centre rep to deliver the legs, which took a day or so. On the bright side, the TV ships with a flap of sorts which allows users to neatly collate the cables at the back of the unit.
- Coming to the meat of the matter, the C2 OLED Evo offers stupendous picture quality. The panel gets extremely bright thanks to LG’s Evo tech which, by means of some hardware and software wizardry, outputs a noticeably brighter picture compared to a run-of-the-mill OLED set. Do note that you’ll want to disable the company’s energy-saving features to maximise the pixel brightness that much more. Thankfully, the pixel brightness is automatically set to 100 percent when consuming HDR media on the set.
- Speaking of which, the TV is compliant with the Dolby Vision HDR codec as well. Consequently, you’ll have a memorable time watching shows like the Witcher or Our Planet on OTT services like Netflix. In particular, the OLED panel reciprocates deep, dark blacks which convey a sense of immersion that is unmatched on the market. I watched my favourite shows using the company’s Cinema Home picture preset and I was blown away by the level of detail and the vibrancy of colours. Notably, I was taken aback by Our Planet’s ‘from deserts to grasslands’ episode wherein, the top-down shots of the planet highlighted the sheer brilliance of LG’s OLED technology – with the individual pixels turned off to relay a dark setting, the cinematic shots felt surreal, to say the least.
- Much like most other TV sets, LG allows users to fine-tune various aspects of the picture settings to their liking as well. To wit, buyers opting for the set will be able to choose from a bunch of picture presets, variate the white balance or gamma and even use the FilmMaker mode, which portrays a supported media the way it was intended by the film’s director.
- It goes without saying that the TV can double up as your gaming monitor too. To that note, the device supports 120Hz VRR and is backed by Nvidia’s Gsync and AMD’s Freesync premium display technologies too. What’s more, buyers can simply press the setting toggle on the magic remote to invoke the TV’s game optimiser overlay, which gives insights on the in-game FPS, among other things. I tested the TV with my PS5 and sure enough, I was able to leverage 120FPS gameplay in Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1 + 2 remastered edition. And, thanks to ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode), I didn’t run into any instances of input latency when playing games on the set either.
- Audio-wise, the TV ships with downward-firing speakers that offer a 20W sound output. The speakers get plenty loud for watching movies or playing games, which is great. The icing on the cake is that the TV supports Dolby Atmos too, so you can better the audio output tenfold by investing in an Atmos-compliant soundbar down the line.
- Software-wise, the TV boots the company’s WebOS from the get-go. The interface is quite intuitive and it is noticeably snappier than most Android TV-backed sets I’ve tested in the past. In fact, jumping from one input to the other happens almost instantaneously so, you can seamlessly transition from say, watching a show on Netflix to playing a game on a connected console. What’s more, the interface comes with a handful of media streaming apps and correspondingly, you can start binging on your favourite TV shows immediately after setting up the TV.
- Understandably, prospective buyers might be on the fence about LG’s OLED TVs owing to burn-in issues. While it’s hard to put a pin on when the issues might crop in, LG has furnished the C2 with a few tricks to mitigate the same. For instance, the TV comes with a Pixel Cleaning feature which checks and refreshes the individual pixels after some time has lapsed. The TV also features an auto logo brightness adjustment utility. As its moniker suggests, the tool allows users to variate the brightness of static images which tend to cause burn-in issues over a period of time.
Verdict
The LG C2 Evo 42-inch costs Rs 1,39,900 in India and for the price, ticks all the right boxes. The TV comes laden with top-notch features, the likes of which include VRR and Gsync tech and offers stunning picture quality out of the box. What’s more, the TV can double up as a gaming monitor too, and the unit’s robust build quality and premium design will undoubtedly spruce up your game room. Rest assured, if budget is no bar, then, by all means, get the C2 Evo – it will not disappoint you.
Editor’s rating: 4 / 5
Pros:
- Stylish, premium design
- Exceptional picture quality
- Healthy assortment of ports
- 120Hz display
- Support for Gsync and AMD Freesync Premium
Cons:
- Flimsy legs
