LG’s brilliant C-series TVs are our next-gen gaming displays of choice

We’re a solid month into the next-generation of console gaming, and by now you know the schtick: Games look better, 4K visuals are now becoming standard in high-end games and frame-rates have reached that delicious level of soap opera smoothness that many fans can’t get enough of. All of that hardware requires a decent display to send that image data through.

We’re fortunate enough to be living in a time where having access to such displays isn’t too far removed from the realm of affordability. A decent ultra high-definition TV will set you back a chunk of change, but you’ll only need to eat the cardboard box that it arrived in for a month, until the next payday gets you back on your feet.

For many of us, that’s the reality of our gaming setup. Dropping R12,000 on a new console doesn’t leave a lot of room in the budget for a new display, even if you’re working at a company that offers a 13th cheque. And that’s fine! With a range of LED TVs on the market, you’re still going to have a good time playing PS5 and Xbox Series X games. If you want to have the best time though? It’s time to invest in an OLED display.

I did that upgrade last month, dropping a considerable chunk of coin (thank goodness for the fact that I’ve been bought off by publishers eager for a 10/10 score this time of the year) on an OLED TV. Thanks to Geoff and Alessandro singing the praises of it, I can see why the technology is visually transformative.

The key selling point of an OLED TV is that its self-emissive setup, allows for each pixel to be capable of generating its own light. Using technical wizardry, that means that a pixel can switch on and off to achieve a perfect black and create a theoritical infinite contrast ratio. The long and short of it though, is that everything just looks better on an OLED TV. Sharper, more vibrant, and smoother in motion.

The question though, is which OLED TV is the best? There’s no shortage of brands offering their own take on the technology, but you will pay a premium price to own one of those sets. For pure bang for your buck value though, it’s hard to argue that LG has one of the best OLED TV models available right now.

Alessandro and Geoff both own an LG C9, while I have an LG CX. I’d been looking to upgrade from my older LG 42” UHD TV, and this 55” model that I paid a whopping R25,000 for has been one of the best gaming investments that I’ve made since I bought my first PlayStation console. If you want a revelatory comparison, just look at the gigantic Asus monitor that I reviewed a few months back.

That behemoth of a screen, so massive that I could barely fit its 65” shape onto my TV Unit, pales in comparison to what the LG C9 and CX has to offer. Not only do those TV cost a third of the price than what that monitor did, but it also doesn’t sound like a jet engine waiting to take off on the runway. Even better, LG’s C-series has everything you need for next-gen: HDMI 2.1 ports that can handle 120fps that select games offer, a decently-sized screen, and Nvidia G-Sync standard.

There’s obviously more technical stuff to be discussed (which Geoff and Al can easily wax lyrical about due to them being exponentially more intelligent than me), and there is competition knocking on LG’s door. The Sony A8H and Samsung’s quantum-dot powered hardware also make for an attractive proposition.

I’m a firm believer that with televisions, there’ll always be something better announced just when you buy yours. There’s no point in getting worked up about that though, and there’s a comfort in knowing that what you’ve bought is an excellent piece of hardware that will last you for years to come. LG’s C-series fits that bill perfectly, and for this console gaming generation, having a television that brings out the best in your gaming experience is an absolute must.

Last Updated: December 10, 2020