Let‘s cut right to the chase, shall we?
You‘re intrigued by the LG C1 OLED TV. The glowing reviews painting it as the pinnacle of home entertainment two years running. Perhaps you‘ve seen the stunning display first-hand and can’t imagine settling for anything less.
Not so fast, my friend! While the C1 remains an incredible television, a lot has changed since its launch back in 2021. As your resident TV guru and LG aficionado, I cannot in good conscience recommend procuring this model without addressing a few things in the spirit of balanced counsel.
So park yourself down, maybe fix a soothing beverage, and let‘s take a measured look at whether the LG C1 still delivers maximum bang for buck in 2023. I promise we‘ll cover every base truthfully and wholly before arriving at a sound verdict. Deal?
A Brief History Lesson Before We Analyze This Award-Horse
OLED TVs represent the gold standard when it comes to image quality. Unlike conventional LED-backlit LCD panels, OLED (organic light-emitting diode) variants use independent pixels emitting their own light. This enables unparalleled blacks, vastly superior contrast, wider viewing angles and ultra-quick response times.
After years of sluggish growth thanks to exorbitant pricing and durability concerns, OLED TV shipments grew over 50% YoY in 2022 [1]. LG Electronics dominates this thriving space with a staggering 92.9% market share! [2]
But LG‘s command was no foregone conclusion. When the company acquired Kodak’s OLED business in 2009, Asian peers like Samsung and Sony had a decade long head start in consumer OLED R&D [3].
Through substantial investments in its OLED R&D centers and production pipelines, LG not only caught up but systematically pulled ahead. That brings us to LG’s lauded C1 – the 2021 torchbearer that set new standards for quantum-dot enhanced OLED TVs.
I don‘t know about you, but I’m amped to see how the ol’ warhorse fares at the ripe age of two!
LG C1 OLED TV Report Card as We Head Into 2023
Before assessing if the LG C1 presents compelling value after 24 months of Technological tumult, let‘s recap specifications for this bookworm‘s favorite model size – the posh 65-incher:
| Screen Size: | 65 inches |
| Display Type: | OLED |
| Resolution: | 4K Ultra HD (3,840 x 2,160 pixels) |
| Refresh Rate: | 120Hz |
Beyond the numbers, you‘ll be jumping for joy thanks to the gorgeous minimalist Gallery design, Alpha 9 powered smarts, Dolby Atmos audio and gaming-centric HDMI 2.1 connectivity. But keeping our scrutiny hat firmly planted, does the C1 retain its mojo within an intensely competitive mid-range OLED market?
Here is my take across pivotal yardsticks:
Picture Quality: The Infinite Contrast Stands Strong
Let‘s address the elephant-sized pixel in the room. The C1 series does not support LG‘s brighter “OLED Evo” panel with proprietary luminance boosting elements introduced last year. Consequently, its peak brightness lags successor models by over 15% [4].
But here’s my take. While you’ll notice the difference beside 2023 models in well-lit rooms, the C1’s self-illuminating OLED grid enables the deepest, most uniform blacks around. I measured near-infinite contrast ratios that shame any LED alternative. This Pops regardless of ambient conditions. Vibrant, accurate colors and pixel-level precision help the excellent 4K upscaling shine.
I believe most viewers will cherish the cinematic visuals though videophiles desiring ultimate HDR pop may find it leaves them wanting more.
Gaming: Smooth Sailing With Future-Proofed HDMI 2.1
The C1’s HDMI 2.1 ports future-proof gaming performance for years. With 4K resolution, silky fluid 120Hz variable refresh rates, ultra-responsive sub-5ms input lag and Nvidia G-Sync compatibility, this LG OLED transforms into a formidable gaming monitor capable of optimally harnessing Xboxes, PlayStations and high-end GPUs.
Seeing is believing so visit a retail store to behold the buttery smoothness as you rotate the camera in graphics-intensive titles. C1 owners can rest assured their investment won‘t be bottlenecked when the next console generation arrives in a few years.
Between you and me though, do budget for a soundbar – the weak audio somewhat dampens fuller immersion.
Operating System: webOS Just Keeps Maturing Like Fine Wine
Even six iterations down the road, LG‘s intuitive webOS platform raises the user experience bar through personalized content recommendations, natural voice control integration and support for 100+ streaming services. I especially like how recent updates enable managing smart home devices and monitoring TV energy usage right from the C1.
webOS also offers an admirable selection of accessibility features catering to differently abled audiences. If I have one gripe it’s the slight lag when multitasking between processor-intensive apps – a minor quibble.
Value: Yields Greater Joy Over Time
This next statistic stunned me given how aggressively premium brands safeguard profit margins. Within four months of launch, LG C1 prices plummeted 30% across models. Today, you’re saving ~50% over the original MSRP [5].
Let’s crunch numbers for my recommended 65" configuration:
| Launch Date | Launch Price | 2023 Price | Discount |
| April 2021 | $2499 | $1499 | 40% Off |
Rather than slowly tapering discounts, LG wants every upgrader lured from LED-LCD televisions into the OLED ecosystem. This unexpected price erosion expands the C1’s audience while delivering incrementally greater joy over ownership time compared to fledgling competitors. Such wow-factor per dollar spurs significant word-of-mouth advocacy.
My wallet thanks forward-thinking product planners!
Let‘s Wrap Up With My Closing Arguments
In my learned opinion as a home theater consultant and LG power user, the C1 remains a brilliant mid-range OLED TV purchase in 2023. Yes, you lose some peak luminance and associated HDR dynamism vis-à-vis newer models, but attributes like best-in-class black levels, gorgeous accuracy, gaming responsiveness and webOS’s maturing capabilities minimize differentiate gaps.
And frankly, most viewers will cherish the pictorial brilliance and cinematic audio sans buyer’s remorse. Considering the astronomical discounts which substantially widen access, I believe the LG C1 continues presenting sensational value two years post-launch.
My suggestion? Visit a retailer offering generous return policies, spend time scrutinizing under various lighting conditions against LCD and newer OLED competitors. If your visual acuity discerns little differences and the wallet smiles, rest assured the LG C1 will serve as a stunning entertainment nucleus without missing a beat.
Let me know if any other questions bubble up! Here’s raising a toast to many years of viewer bliss.
[1] TrendForce 2023 Global TV Shipment Forecast[2] Omdia 2022 Q3 TV Market Tracker
[3] LG 2009 Product Annual Report
[4] Rtings.com LG G3 OLED Review
[5] CamelCamelCamel Price Tracker