The LG G3 OLED TV is here, bringing another dose of brightness-boosting excellence to the OLED TV market.
We got our first look at the new G Series OLED on the showroom floor at CES 2023, alongside the rest of LG’s 2023 OLED range, which includes the LG C3, LG B3, LG Z3, and the new wireless M3. Following that, we were invited by LG to a comparative demo of the new G3 alongside other top OLED and QD-OLED TVs.
The G Series model is known for being the brightest of LG’s 4K OLED range, and this year is no different. New Light Control Architecture hardware (which is also known as Micro Lens Array tech) combined with LG's existing Brightness Booster Max technology purportedly makes it even brighter than last year’s OLED Evo panels, with 70% more brightness over more the more basic OLED screen in the LG B3, meaning the G3 is likely the best home theater screen in LG’s new range.
If you want the full lowdown on the LG G3 OLED, including its likely price, expected release date, and all the features packed into this premium screen, you’re in the right place.
LG G3 OLED: Price and release date
The LG G3 OLED will likely come in the same sizes as last year’s LG G2, from a standard 55-inch to a whopping 83-inch. There’s no talk of a replacement for the 97-inch G2, though last year’s model is still available should you need a super-size screen.
We expect the LG G3 to release around March/April and cost roughly the same as the G2’s launch prices, which we’ve listed below:
- 55-inch: $2,199 / £2,399 (around AU$3,200)
- 65-inch: $3,199 / £3,299 (around AU$4,700)
- 77-inch: $4,199 / £4,499 (around AU$6,100)
- 83-inch: $6,499 / £6,499 (around AU$9,300)
LG G3: Design and features – what’s new?
The LG G3 OLED has all the premium features you’d expect from an LG OLED and then some.
This TV was made to be wall-mounted, to start; while LG has ditched the ‘Gallery Series’ naming convention from last year’s model, this is still a screen designed to be displayed proudly, like a painting in the Louvre.
The G3 features a stunningly slim bezel and a ‘zero gap’ design that helps the TV sit flush against the wall when wall mounted (it comes with a special wall mount). The screen’s casing is made of a lightweight composite fiber to reduce its weight over previous years. The G3 doesn’t ship with a dedicated TV stand, though LG sells feet or a floor stand if want your TV to stand on its own.
The main talking point of the G3 is its brightness. LG traditionally debuts new light-enhancing tech in its pricier G Series models before bringing those features to lesser models, and it’s no different this year.
While the step-down LG C3 uses OLED Evo technology, only the G3 makes use of LG’s Brightness Booster Max technology, which LG says “incorporates brand-new light control architecture and light-boosting algorithms to increase brightness by up to 70 per cent. Brightness is mapped and controlled on a pixel-by-pixel basis, resulting in sharper, more realistic images.”
That 70% figure is compared to traditional OLED as used in the LG B3 – the screens LG was putting in flagship TVs about 3 years ago – so it’s not quite as drastic as it sounds. But given OLED’s notoriously limited brightness, any ground gained on this front is welcomed.
In addition, there's a new anti-reflective panel known as 'Vanta Black', which makes a huge difference to the subjective brightness in our experience, which boosts things even more.
The G3 uses a new sixth-gen Alpha a9 AI processor, which should run largely the same as previous models, with a few upgrades to LG’s AI Picture Pro and AI Sound Pro modes, which tweak audio-visual output depending on the content you’re watching. The former offers “improved upscaling” and object detection, while the latter imitates a “virtual 9.1.2 surround sound” on the TV’s 3.1.2 channel speakers.
You’ll get four HDMI 2.1 ports, with one port supporting eARC for handy two-way communication with a connected soundbar. There’s also the usual sub-10ms input lag, dedicated game modes, VRR support, and premium Dolby Vision / Dolby Atmos modes for the true cinephiles out there – alongside an upgraded webOS platform geared around custom user profiles, and a Quick Media Switching feature that jumps more seamlessly between content sources.
The G3 and Z3 models come with a built-in ATSC 3.0 tuner to meet the latest signal standard in TV broadcasts in the US – and you won’t find this in the cheaper C3 / B3 models.
LG G3 OLED: What we think so far
Like its predecessors before it, the LG G3 OLED is the smart buy for cinephiles who want market-leading picture quality. The G3’s OLED panel uses the latest brightness-boosting technology for startlingly bright highlights and vivid color output, and it's tailor-made for a flush, wall-mounted position.
The LG G3 OLED isn't a significant upgrade from TVs that came before it, but even small progress is good. LG’s OLED range is already an exceptional fleet of televisions, with breathlessly good picture quality, plenty of high-tech specifications, and features to flatter gamers, film buffs, and casual watchers alike. Even as LG experiments with wireless screens and transparent TVs, it’s clear that most shoppers are after a TV that does the main job exceptionally well – and the G3 fits the brief, with a dose of luxury design. We fully expect it to be one of the best TVs on the planet this year.
