I’m a certified TV calibrator, and I tested the LG C6 and LG G5 OLEDs side-by-side to see which is better value — and I was surprised by the result

LG C6 (left) and LG G5 (right) with a shot of an owl on-screen. Both TVs deliver the shot with real precision and authenticity. — (Image credit: Future)

I’ve now fully tested the LG C6, the brand’s mid-range OLED for 2026, and can say it deserves every bit of its five-star rating. It delivers superb picture quality, with authentic contrast and punchy, natural colors, delivering a gaming experience that's up there with the best gaming TVs.

While I expect the C6 will be high of many people's list of the best OLED TVs to watch on Black Friday, when there should be plenty of deals, launch time is always an interesting time of year. This is because last year’s models are often available for significantly less, so despite the C6 being a major upgrade over its predecessor — and one of 2025’s best TVs, the LG C5 — it can be tempting to opt for last year’s equivalent instead.

We’re in an interesting situation, however, where the LG G5 — last year’s flagship LG OLED — is available for the same price as the LG C6. Naturally, you'd assume that it’s a no-brainer: buy the G5. But since I had both TVs available for testing, I decided to run them side-by-side using reference scenes to see which actually offers better value for money. All of these tests were conducted in Filmmaker Mode with default settings.

Brightness

LG C6 (left) and LG G5 (right) with a scene from Lawrence of Arabia on-screen, featuring Lawrence and a guide in the desert. The whites of the sand look brighter on the G5 — A scene from *Lawrence of Arabia* shows off the G5's higher brightness, with the sand looking bolder on the G5 compared to the C6. (Image credit: Sony Pictures / Future)

The LG G5 uses a Primary RGB Tandem OLED panel, while the 65-inch C6 I used for testing uses a standard WOLED panel. This means the G5 has a significant advantage in measured brightness over the C6. We measured the G5’s peak HDR brightness at 2,268 nits in Filmmaker Mode, compared to the C6's 1,438 nits, also in Filmmaker Mode. For full-screen HDR brightness, the G5 measured 331 nits, whereas the C6 measured 245 nits.

These are big differences in favor of the G5, but how does it translate in real-world viewing? Watching the desert scenes in Lawrence of Arabia, the G5’s higher brightness showed up as brighter white sands with more pop compared to the C6. The whites on the soldier and Prince Faisal’s uniform deliver more punch on the G5, too. The C6 still displays very good brightness throughout the movie, but the G5 has the edge.

Looking at some scenes showing snow from the Spears & Munsil demo footage, again, saw brightness on the G5 look punchier, with whites more vibrant in any scene with lots of bright tones.

Colors

Both TVs also delivered exceptional colors, with plenty of vibrancy and realism. In Lawrence of Arabia, the striking reds of the soldier’s sashes and flags looked more dynamic on the G5, boasting higher color brightness. While the same colors still looked punchy on the C6 with decent brightness, the G5 had that little bit more. The same was true of the blue sky in the early desert scenes: the G5 had that extra pop, but the C6 did an excellent job, too.

One color that had a more obvious impact on the G5 was the sandy browns of the desert dunes and rocks. The browns seemed to really jump off the screen in comparison to the C6, although it could be argued that the latter delivered these with a more natural look.

I switched to Wicked next, known for its vivid colors. Once again, both TVs did a fantastic job capturing colors throughout the movie, delivering them with plenty of pop and dazzle. But once again, the G5 had the edge: the pink flowers in a tree that Elphaba stands beneath looked more vibrant compared to the C6. The glittering green and gold of the train to Emerald City again looked punchier on the G5, aided by its higher brightness.

However, there were some scenes where the C6 looked better, in particular when it came to delivering natural colors. The green of Elphaba’s skin, more toned down than the Emerald City, looked more realistic on the C6. The sandstone-colored walls of Shiz also appeared more authentic on the C6, where they took on a more golden tone on the G5.

Contrast

Right off the bat (pun intended), both TVs showed superb contrast. As Batman stalks around the crime scene in Mayor Mitchell’s home, both TVs demonstrated an excellent balance between the light tones of lamps, torches and flashbulbs with the dark tones of Batman’s costume, the police uniforms, and the dark-wood room.

Looking closer, the G5 had the advantage when it came to highlights from the aforementioned torches, creating a stronger perceived contrast. However, viewing in dimmed conditions, I found myself drawn to the C6. While highlights weren't as vibrant, its contrast felt more authentic and natural, better suiting the tone of the movie.

In pitch-black conditions, during the subway fight scene, both TVs showed great shadow detail with the panelling of the walls in the background. While these details were clearer on the G5, it also demonstrated raised dark tones, with blacks took on a slightly gray hue. They again appeared more natural-looking on the C6, I thought.

LG C6 (left) and LG G5 (right) with a shot of a planet's edge from Alien: Romulus on screen. The C6 shows more natural contrast, but the G5 has brighter highlights — (Image credit: 20th Century Studios / Future)

Using a brighter but still high-contrast movie, Alien: Romulus, I was surprised by how close the two TVs looked in Dolby Vision. The G5 had slightly more brightness in the stars against the black of space or the various colored lights in the blacked-out hallways, but the C6’s contrast looked just as good. Switching to HDR, the G5 gained more brightness — but, again, the C6’s natural contrast stood out.

Price is important

LG C6 (left) and LG G5 (right) with a shot of a skyline ay sunset. Both TVs again have excellent color reproduction — (Image credit: Future)

So, which TV should you go for? My personal favorite is the G5 with its more colorful and brighter scenes overall, particularly those in Lawrence of Arabia. But I did still find myself drawn to the C6 for darker, more high-contrast scenes in movies such as The Batman as it looked more authentic.

Elsewhere, there really isn't much – if anything – to differentiate between the two TVs. Both boast a full suite of gaming features, including 4K 165Hz; both use LG’s webOS smart TV platform; and both deliver solid overall sound — although they could do with a soundbar. The C6 even has the Alpha 11 Gen 3 processor, the successor to the Gen 2 in the G5.

Really, it comes down to price — and at the time of writing (weeks before the C6’s launch), the G5 is better value. The 65-inch model will cost you about $2,499 / £2,299 (availability seems scarce in Australia), whereas the C6 65-inch costs $2,699 / £2,599 / AU$3,995. That means you can get a flagship OLED for cheaper than a mid-range model. As we near Black Friday later this year, the C6 could see some big discounts, at which point it becomes the better option.

On the surface, the G5 is the more striking TV and it really is fantastic. The C6 is also fantastic. You’re honestly spoilt for choice between these two and it really does come down to price and personal preference.

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James is the TV Hardware Staff Writer at TechRadar. Before joining the team, he worked at a major UK based AV retailer selling TV and audio equipment, where he was either telling customers the difference between OLED and QLED or being wowed by watching a PS5 run on the LG 65G2. When not writing about the latest TV tech, James can be found gaming, reading, watching rugby or coming up with another idea for a novel.