If you're set on buying one of the best OLED TVs money can buy then you'll almost certainly already be considering LG among your top list of candidates. Although LG makes TVs outside of OLED, it's this ultra-deep black technology for which it's best known.
I spent the day with LG to get a deep-dive into the company's 2023 LG range, with particular attention on the LG G3 OLED and all models' new-and-improved webOS interface, so I'm here to break down the differences between the sets, what's new compared to before, and which could be best suited to your demands and budget.
In this feature I'll explore LG's OLED TVs for 2023 (there's nothing new in the 8K category this year), including the G3, C3, B3, A3, and mention of the wireless M3 too. If other brands potentially interest you, then I've explored the Samsung 2023 TV range and also the Sony 2023 TV range in separate pieces.
LG G3 OLED
- Sizes: 55in, 65in, 77in, 83in, (97in as older G2 OLED only)
The champion of champions in LG's range – and you can read T3's G3 OLED review here – the G3 brings LG's third-gen OLED technology to the fore, which utilises an MLA (Micro Lens Array) panel that's 30% brighter than the outgoing G2 model's second-gen OLED Evo panel.
I've seen the G3 and G2 side by side and have to say the increase in brightness is substantial. Indeed, having seen the set compared to Samsung's S95 and Sony's A95 QD-OLED options, I think you'll be surprised by just how well it holds up and betters those models in some areas.
The G3 OLED comes with a wall-mount bracket in the box, no stand is included if you want to sit it on furniture (but you can buy one separately). That's because the TV's One Wall Design is, just as it says, super slim and designed to look at one with the wall.
If you want a stand included in the box then the C3 OLED (below) may suit you better, but as this uses OLED Evo panel technology it's not as bright as the G3 OLED. However, the processors between G3 and C3 are the latest Alpha 9 Gen 6, so the way pictures look, save for brightness, ought to be one and the same.
LG C3 OLED
- Sizes: 42in, 48in, 55in, 65in, 77in, 83in
- Note: 55/65/77in are brighter than other panels
The LG C2 OLED from 2022 is easily LG's best-selling TV because, well, I think it's the best OLED for most people. That could still be true even as I type these words, because the C3 just isn't all that different to its predecessor – as you can read in T3's LG C3 OLED review here.
Brightness difference are pretty much imperceptible between the two, so the generational jump is certainly geared towards the G3 (above), M3 (further below), and these models' newer, more impressive panel technology (albeit not in all sizes).
I think that raises an interesting opportunity for people who are likely to consider the LG C2 instead of the newer LG C3 for the sake of affordability. Both are available in the same sizes, too, although you'll need to buy the 55-inch or above model for the maximum brightness potential.
However, the LG C3 OLED does improve on its predecessor thanks to processing improvements. The inclusion of the Alpha 9 Gen 6 processor and its so-called Alpha Reality and AI Super Upscaling are designed to read more 'zones' and can better discern between types of objects to understand how to retain a better-upscaled image. It's a subtle change, therefore, but it's there.
LG B3 & A3
- B3 sizes: 55in, 65in, 77in
- A3 sizes: 48in, 55in, 65in, 77in
No eyes-on image to show of either of these OLED sets, as LG hasn't been showing them off at showcases nor behind closed doors. That may not matter much in the case of the A3 OLED, however, as that won't launch in the UK or USA.
The A3 OLED is LG's entry-level model for the year, with a 50/60Hz panel. The key step-up the B3 OLED offers is a 100/120Hz panel, ensuring compatibility with faster refresh rates and offering two HDMI 2.1 ports so Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 fans will be happy.
So why is the B3 OLED considered a step-down from the C3 OLED? The former model is traditional OLED, which I'll call first-gen, while the latter uses OLED Evo, LG's second-gen format, which brings a little more brightness.
Furthermore the B3 utilises the older Alpha 7 Gen 6 processor, not the C3's Alpha 9 Gen 6 processor. The material construction of the C3 OLED is also a woven fibre mesh, making it more lightweight and better looking. All of which will make it cheaper, despite pricing not yet being confirmed.
LG M3 wireless OLED
- Sizes: 77in, 83in, 97in
One of the highlights from CES 2023 was LG showing off it's wire-free OLED TV, the M3. Well, I say wire-free, but obviously it needs a power cable. Everything else is handled by what LG calls WOWCast, which is pretty 'wow' as the name suggests.
Of course such futuristic tech is likely to come at a steep price, especially given the smallest M3 that will be available later in 2023 will be a 77-inch model, including integrated stand as you can see from my image above.
Having said that, however, as revealed in August 2023 by LG, the M3's official pricing isn't wildly different to that G3. That could make this one of the most interesting Tv propositions of the year as a result, although the larger-only sizes aren't exactly going to hit the mainstream...
