Should I buy an LG C2 OLED TV?

The short answer is yes. The longer answer? It depends on which one you want

LG C2 42-inch OLED TV on coloured background
(Image credit: LG)

The LG C1 is one of the best OLED TVs in 2022, and its replacement looks even better. It takes everything that's great about the C1 and adds some really worthwhile improvements. But some sizes are also more expensive than the current models –so is there enough here to justify the extra expense? Let's look at the pros and cons.

Why you should definitely buy the LG C2 OLED TV

There are some important differences between the LG C1 and the LG C2. This year's model, the C2, has a brighter OLED Evo panel, which is a significant upgrade, and it also has a more advanced image processor: the Alpha 9 Gen 3. The display uses the same panel technology as the range-topping LG G1, and in our LG C2 vs LG G2 comparison we said that "LG is pushing the picture envelope with both its C2 and G2 models. We were wowed by the first-generation OLED Evo panel when it first appeared on the 2021 G1 model... it set a new benchmark for OLED screens from LG".

If you're a gamer or share your home with one, you'll appreciate the next-gen console support here too. There's HDMI 2.1 on all four HDMI ports. 

There are some other important changes too. For the first time, the C2 is available in a 42-inch size – which, for an OLED TV, is positively tiny. The price isn't quite so tiny, though: it's €150 less than the 48-inch, which isn't much of a saving.

Interesting things are happening at the other end of the range, too. The incredibly large 83-inch model is cheaper than before, coming in €500 less than the same sized C1.

But it's not all good news.

Why you should maybe not buy the LG C2 OLED TV

It's safe to say that the reaction to LG's OLED TV prices in 2022 has not been one of great delight. With the exception of the smallest and biggest models we're seeing price increases across the board of around 10% to 20%, so the 48-inch is up from €1,650 to €1,800, an increase of €150, and the 65-inch is up €400 from €2,800 to €3,200. In the UK, that's working out as a £100 price increase for the 48-inch model.

If that's a problem then it would be wise to wait: the C1 is down to £999 now, and LG often runs promotions that'll cut the cost of your TV if you buy a bundle – so for example you can currently get £350 off the C1 if you buy it with a high-end LG soundbar. There will no doubt be promotions too, so for example the C2 is currently available with free true wireless headphones. As ever, we'd recommend checking our best TV deals page so you can be sure you're getting the very best possible price on whichever model suits you best.

Carrie Marshall

Writer, musician and broadcaster Carrie Marshall has been covering technology since 1998 and is particularly interested in how tech can help us live our best lives. Her CV is a who’s who of magazines, newspapers, websites and radio programmes ranging from T3, Techradar and MacFormat to the BBC, Sunday Post and People’s Friend. Carrie has written more than a dozen books, ghost-wrote two more and co-wrote seven more books and a Radio 2 documentary series. When she’s not scribbling, she’s the singer in Glaswegian rock band HAVR (havrmusic.com).