LG G5 OLED TV review & testing: the brightest OLED TV on the market?
Reviewed By: Aaron Ritchie
Table of Contents
The LG OLED TV range is one of the most consistently highly rated across the board, and the LG G5 OLED TV is the flagship for the 2025 lineup. Whilst not as popular as the cheaper C-models in the SKU below, which are generally regarded as the ‘best OLED TV for most consumers', the G-range is the more premium offering, pushing the envelope in terms of tech and features, so are the ones favored by those looking for the very best the retail OLED market has to offer. The G5 is the only model in LG's lineup that comes with the much-vaunted new ‘four-stack' OLED panel, which supposedly brings with it great enhancements in terms of brightness over the previous generation. We were sent the 55-inch model of this new TV to review: let's see how it held up in our testing.
- Screen Size: 55-inch
- Resolution: 3,840 x 2,160
- Max refresh rate: 165Hz
- HDR support: HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision
- Operating system: webOS 25
- Processor: α11 AI Processor 4K Gen2
- I/O: 4x HDMI 2.1 (48Gbps), 3x USB, 1x LAN, 1x optical digital output, 1x RF & satellite, 1x IR blaster port
- Dimensions: 48.1″ x 27.7″ x 1.1″ (without stand)
- Weight: 37lbs (without stand)
The LG G5 OLED TV has the best generational uplift in terms of peak brightness that we’ve seen, and takes the top prize for brightest OLED TV of 2025 (so far). It’s almost as good for gaming as it is for watching TV and film, and comes with a range of new AI features that improve image and audio customization. We would have liked to have seen some changes to the basic design over the previous gen, and the remote is showing its age relative to the competition, but besides that it remains a great premium TV.
- Terrific generational uplift for SDR and HDR brightness
- 165Hz refresh rate, G-Sync/FreeSync & excellent response times for gamers
- Genuinely useful new AI features
- Superb build quality
- Remote showing its age relative to the competition
- Mediocre speakers are the same as in previous gen
- WiFi 6E rather than the latest WiFi 7 standard
Pricing & Availability
Thankfully the G5 pricing for each of the different size variants hasn't increased over the previous generation pricing when the G4 released. In fact pricing actually seems to have dropped slightly in a couple of cases, with the the 55-inch, and 77-inch models being $100 cheaper – not a huge amount of difference but better than nothing.
Below we've listed all the different size options that are available, along with their US and UK pricing. The 48-inch model hasn't currently been listed on the LG store so we're still waiting for confirmation on this.
Pre orders for the LG G5 are now live, so you can buy them, with the delivery date expected to be on April 6th, which we know is when the C5 is coming out.
- LG OLED48G5 (48”): $ TBC / £1,799.99
- LG OLED55G5 (55”): $2,499.99 / £2,399.99
- LG OLED65G5 (65”): $3,399.99 / £3,299.99
- LG OLED77G5 (77”): $4,499.99 / £4,999.99
- LG OLED83G5 (83”): $6,499.99 / £6,999.99
- LG OLED87G5 (87”): $24,999.99 / $24,999.99
Design & specifications
As mentioned, the big selling point of the LG G5 is the fact that it comes with the latest in OLED panel technology: specifically a Primary RGB Tandem OLED panel. This is made with a ‘four-stack' design: essentially four layers (red, green, and two blue) that reportedly increases the overall peak brightness as well as the overall color purity. LG claims that the uplift in peak brightness is around 33% over the already impressive MLA (Micro Lens Array) panel tech in the LG G4, besides this it's cheaper for the company to make, which is another big reason for the shift. Unlike the C-series, the G5 (like its predecessors) comes with its own heatsink, better allowing it to reach those higher brightness levels without burning out.
As was the case with the last couple of generations of their G-Line, LG has sought to improve the anti-reflection tech. The G4 was already pretty good in this department, but the latest light-rejecting technology in the G5 reportedly reflects just 6% of the ambient room ligh, which is very good indeed. It's still a glossy screen of course, but between this and the high peak brightness, you should be able to use it in very bright environments without suffering from the glare which often plagues glossy displays.
The maximum refresh rate has now increased slightly to 165Hz, in contrast to the 144Hz of the C5 and the G4 – it's not exactly a huge leap that most people will notice, but it’s certainly preferable to no uplift. You also get NVIDIA G-Sync support as well as AMD FreeSync Premium and VRR. All of this, along with the unbeatable response times that you get with OLED panel tech, is a boon for gamers. The whole thing is powered by the latest Alpha 11 Gen2 chipset (compared to the Gen1 in the G4 and the Alpha 9 Gen8 in the C5) which helps with upscaling and motion processing, along with that higher refresh rate.
Connectivity is the same as that on the G4: with three USB ports, four 48Gbps HDMI 2.1 inputs (with one supporting eARC/ARC for soundbar connection), a LAN socket, an optical digital output, RF and satellite connections, plus an IR blaster port. WiFi support is limited to WiFi 6E, rather than the latest WiFi 7 standard, which is a bit of a disappointment. There are rubber cable management grips included which are quite useful in maintaining a tidy setup.
Disappointingly, the ‘Magic Remote’ control is either very similar or identical to the one you received in the last few generations of LG OLED TVs, with the exception of the new AI-activation button. US consumers and those from some other regions will get a newer, thinner version, but besides a slimmer profile, it’s the same plastic remote with no backlighting, which compares unfavorably to the latest Samsung remote, for instance. UK customers (like us) and those from certain other regions don’t even get the thinner remote – it’s the same old design from the last few years.
Unboxing the LG G5 and putting it together was your typical experience – something we'd definitely recommend two people for given the size, weight (and price!) of the TV. Inside the box you'll find the remote control, two AA batteries, the user manual and other paperwork, some stickers, and the IR blaster kit, as well as the main section of the display. If you've bought the version which comes with a stand this will also be included plus screws. Towards the top of the back of the screen is a panel that can be removed to reveal the wall mount section. The standard base has two different height ‘settings' but these aren't exactly easily adjustable – you have to unscrew the base and unhook it before moving to the higher/lower position and rescrewing it. It would be nice if there was a more easily adjustable design, particularly given the weight of the TV.
Compared to the LG C5 it's a bit heavier (37lbs vs 31.1lbs for the 55-inch version of both TVs without the stand), and the majority of the screen is thicker, though it's of a fairly uniform thickness overall, and lacks the chunky central hub section visible on the back of the C-series. Aesthetically it remains pretty much the same as the G4 did, with nice thin bezels around the front and a horizontal ridge design on the reverse. Of the two we think the C-series looks a bit better in this regard, but it's only something you'll really notice if you spend time looking round the back and sides of the TV.
OSD, features & settings
The LG G5, like the C5, is powered by the new webOS 25 operating system. Aesthetically it's a pretty similar offering to webOS 24, though it remains quite a nice user experience, with Quick Cards in particular helping with ease of navigation. There's once again a wide-range of inbuilt streaming applications, which includes all the usual suspects: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, Disney+, Netflix, and other region-specific services. One new feature is the Xbox app that lets you stream console games directly from the TV (simply set up a Bluetooth controller).
The main thing to note with webOS 25 is the new plethora of AI functions, some of which are pretty useful additions, and not just the usual AI marketing guff. When you're watching films or TV there's a Voice Remastering feature within AI Sound Pro that boosts dialogue in a seamless way that doesn't disrupt the other elements of the audio experience. You can boost the image in a way you like (e.g. make the colors more vivid or increase brightness) by simply pressing the AI button and using the voice-activated system to make your request. The AI can also be used for technical troubleshooting or to help you find something with AI search. Finally, you can set up a personal profile with all your favorite images, audio, and other settings applied automatically that are linked to your personal voice.
Audio
The speaker system for the LG G5 is identical to that of the previous two generations: a 4.2 speaker system with 60W of power. This doesn't necessarily mean there's been no improvement however, as G4 came with improved bass and object tracking thanks to software and firmware improvements, particularly with the AI enhancements, so too does the G5 benefit from the AI enhancements mentioned above. It's only an incremental improvement though, and though the G5 sounds better than the C5 with its 2.2 40W speaker array, it certainly remains a weak point of the TV as it did with previous generations. We'd certainly recommend pairing it with a soundbar or similar.
Like the C5, it has virtual 11.1.2-channel up mixing with AI Sound Pro enabled, as well as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.
Screen testing
There's no doubt that the LG G5 looks fantastic in person – even our jaded eyes were blown away by the vividness of the images we tested it with, but how did it hold up in our tests?
Color accuracy & preset testing
We tested each of the presets available in the LG G5 settings menu whilst in Standard Definition mode, and achieved the results you can see in the table below. We did not alter any of the settings of the presets, including the brightness levels, so these represent the standard preset settings.
The ideal results for each category can be seen in the top row. In the case of the average deltaE*00 result (which measures color accuracy), the desired result is below 2.5 if you want to partake in any color-accurate work on a screen.
Obviously, black point and contrast ratio was perfect across the board as you'd expect from an OLED panel. ‘Standard' mode had the highest brightness, with a very high white point. ‘Cinema' mode had the best average deltaE*00 result by some margin, with a very impressive 1.09, as well as a near-perfect white point and solid gamma result, so is definitely the preset we'd recommend for doing color-accurate work. The color accuracy for most of the other presets was fairly poor, although ‘Game Optimizer' had a good average deltaE*00 score of 1.58, its white point was very high. ‘ISF Expert dark space, night' was the next best overall after the Cinema preset. Ultimately though this all represents technical accuracy, and in real-world scenarios, you'd pick whichever of these meets your subjective tastes.
| white | black | contrast | average deltaE*00 | gamma | brightness | |
| Ideal | 6500K | 0.0 cd/m² | infinity:1 | 0 | 2.2 | |
| Standard | 10166K | 0.0 cd/m² | infinity:1 | 4.15 | 2.09 | 572.2cd/m2 |
| Vivid | 10893K | 0.0 cd/m² | infinity:1 | 7.02 | 2.12 | 454.76cd/m2 |
| Cinema | 6477K | 0.0 cd/m² | infinity:1 | 1.09 | 2.12 | 472.97cd/m2 |
| Sports | 10832K | 0.0 cd/m² | infinity:1 | 7.46 | 2.12 | 467.4cd/m2 |
| ISF Expert bright space, daytime | 6490K | 0.0 cd/m² | infinity:1 | 3.83 | 2.16 | 446.27cd/m2 |
| ISF Expert dark space, night | 6431K | 0.0 cd/m² | infinity:1 | 2.3 | 2.38 | 273.99cd/m2 |
| Filmmaker Mode | 6486K | 0.0 cd/m² | infinity:1 | 3.37 | 2.39 | 466.62cd/m2 |
| Game Optimizer | 9221K | 0.0 cd/m² | infinity:1 | 1.58 | 2.16 | 533.4cd/m2 |
Color gamut
There are different color gamut settings available within the Advanced Settings > Picture > Color > Color Gamut sub-menu, including ‘Auto', ‘Native', ‘Dynamic', and ‘Adobe RGB'. With Adobe RGB selected we recorded the following results. The DCI-P3 results were worse than we expected, but the 98.2% sRGB gamut coverage is good enough for color-accurate work in that space. Running the test under different presets will give varying results, so it's worth experimenting with.
Brightness
And now the part we've all been waiting for, does the LG G5 OLED TV meet the claims made as to its enhanced brightness? Yes, indeed it does.
We played around with the various presets and then altered the brightness from there for the SDR testing. OLED Pixel Brightness is locked to a maximum of 80/100 as standard, but you can unlock it by playing around with the Energy Saving settings. Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL) tech, which is common in all OLED TVs, does cause fluctuations in brightness (particularly for HDR) but the results we recorded were as close to stable as possible.
Starting from the ‘Standard' preset, we went to Advanced settings > General > Energy Saving > Energy Saving Step and turned it from ‘Auto’ to ‘Off’. We then increased the OLED Pixel Brightness from 80 to 100, which increased the recorded brightness from 572.2 cd/m² to 690.64 cd/m² – the highest recorded SDR brightness we achieved. This is almost 200 nits more than the peak SDR brightness we saw with the G4 and is a very impressive result for an OLED TV.
The lowest brightness we achieved on the Standard preset, by turning the Pixel Brightness to 0, was 137.80 cd/m². To see if we could achieve a lower minimum brightness, and a setting closest to 120cd/m², (the approximate value for natural light) we switched to the ‘Cinema' preset and altered the brightness from there, achieving 60.82 cd/m² at 0 OLED Pixel Brightness and 121.61 cd/m² at 11 OLED Pixel Brightness.
SDR ‘Standard' preset
100 OLED Pixel Brightness: 690.64 cd/m²
0 OLED Pixel Brightness: 137.80 cd/m²
SDR ‘Cinema' preset
100 OLED Pixel Brightness: 532.97 cd/m²
11 OLED Pixel Brightness: 121.61 cd/m²
0 OLED Pixel Brightness: 60.82 cd/m²
Moving onto the HDR testing, we looked to the standard 10% size window and 100% size window test. Besides the usual difficulties in making the entire screen as bright as specific, smaller areas, OLED TVs also have to contend with the effect of Automatic Brightness Limiter (ABL), which dims larger scenes once they pass a certain threshold of brightness. The HDR results were hugely impressive, with the 10% window result hitting 2,519.7 cd/m² – meeting LG's claims of 2,500 nits and representing around a 700nits uplift over the already impressively bright G4. The 363.62 cd/m² result for the full-size window was itself around 130nits brighter than the same test on the G4 – an uplift of more than 50% between the generations.
HDR ‘Filmmaker Mode' preset
10% size window: 2,519.7 cd/m²
100% size window: 363.62 cd/m²
Panel uniformity
The last major test we do is for panel uniformity, which measures how consistent the luminance and colors are across the whole screen. The display is split into a 5×5 grid, the central square being the starting reference point; all the other squares are then tested to see how far they differentiate from the central square.
The desired result in each case is for the variance to be below 1.00, which causes the square to appear green. A yellow square represents a greater degree of variation, between 1.00 – 3.00 specifically, but this is still unlikely to be discernible by the naked eye, and doesn’t preclude the display from color-accurate work. Greater variance is more of a problem, and shows up as orange, then red.
Looking at the results as shown in the image above, the LG G5 gave a solid showing overall, with the most notable variation being across the bottom of the screen and in a couple of the squares on the top row. The only major variation was found in a single square at the bottom, which is less than ideal although the rest of the screen could still be relied on for fairly color-accurate work. It's also worth noting that every individual TV could have some variation in these results – such is the panel lottery!
Viewing angles
As you'd expect from an OLED panel, the viewing angles on the G5 are top-notch. Viewing the screen from the side causes very little color shift, with good visibility even as you approach a 180° angle.
LG G5 OLED TV (55″)
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