The LG G5 is LG's flagship OLED and the C5 is its best seller. The G5 is the better TV, but at 65 inches it costs about $340 more. Here's exactly what that buys you and who should pay it.
The LG G5 is better (about $1,600 at 65"): brighter in SDR and HDR, better at handling reflections, and 165Hz for PC gaming. Buy it for a bright living room.
The LG C5 is the better value (about $1,260). In a dark or dim room it delivers most of the G5's picture, with the same perfect blacks and Dolby Vision.
| LG C5 | LG G5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Panel | WOLED | WOLED, brighter panel |
| Max refresh rate | 144Hz | 165Hz |
| HDR formats | Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG | Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG |
| HDMI 2.1 ports | 4 | 4 |
| Reflection handling | Good | Better |
| Smart platform | LG webOS | LG webOS |
| 65" price | ~$1,260 | ~$1,600 |
The C5 is LG's mid-range OLED and the G5 is its flagship. They share the same smart platform, Dolby Vision support, four HDMI 2.1 ports, and perfect OLED blacks. RTINGS rates the G5 as the better TV, mainly because it's brighter. The question is whether that brightness is worth about $340 more at 65 inches.
In a dark room, the gap shrinks. Both TVs have the same perfect blacks, and the C5 is no slouch in HDR. RTINGS also found that the G5 shows faint diagonal lines in dark scenes when you sit up close, and some snow-like noise in certain dark scenes. If you watch movies with the lights off, the C5 delivers most of the G5's picture for noticeably less money.
Buy the C5 for a dark or dim room, a dedicated home theater, or if you'd rather put the savings toward a good soundbar or surround system. It's bright enough for a moderately lit living room too.
Worth knowing: glossy screen, so a lamp or window opposite it will reflect.
Check price on Amazon Prices change often — verify current pricing on Amazon.Buy the G5 if your living room gets a lot of light, you want the most impactful HDR from an LG OLED, or you game on a PC at 165Hz.
Worth knowing: the dark-scene lines and noise RTINGS found. And if your room is very bright, consider the matte-screen Samsung S95F instead.
Check price on Amazon Prices change often — verify current pricing on Amazon.LG's 2026 C6 and G6 replace these models. The C6 is RTINGS' current upper mid-range pick, and the G6 is a notable mention for 55 inches. They're improvements but cost more right now, so the C5 and G5 remain great buys while discounted. For a broader look at how OLED compares with Mini LED, see OLED vs QLED vs Mini LED.