The best OLED TVs for 2022: LG, Samsung, and more
When it’s uncompromising color and contrast-rich picture quality you’re looking for, an OLED TV is the way to go. Unlike traditional LED sets, OLED TVs negate the use of regular backlighting altogether, employing a massive array of self-emissive pixels instead. The best part: These pixels are individually controllable, meaning that when one is turned off, that cell becomes completely black.
This is why OLEDs are hailed for their amazing inky black levels, a feat only rivaled by outdated plasma TV technology and some of the most expensive QLED sets on the market. LG is the brand of choice when it comes to OLED sets, and the company’s LG Display division produces OLED panels that other TV brands, like Sony, use to build their own OLED TVs. And right now, our favorite OLED on the market is the incredible LG G2 Gallery Series, a marvel of modern OLED tech.
From its arresting brightness (not something we usually say about OLED TVs) to its jaw-dropping colors and contrast, the G2 Series is the OLED to beat all OLEDs, but there are plenty of other great options, too. Whether you’re looking for the best OLED TV money can buy or want to invest in a budget-friendly model, we’ve gone ahead and rounded up all the best OLED TVs for 2022.
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65-inch LG G2 Gallery Series
The best OLED TV
- Class-leading brightness
- Outstanding color accuracy
- Perfect black levels
- Top choice for gamers
- Top-notch design
- Disappointing stand-mount option
Why you should buy it: If you’ve been hesitant about jumping the QLED ship in favor of the kind of color and contrast accuracy that only an OLED can deliver, LG’s G2 Series is the perfect transitional set. Who it’s for: Those of us that want the best OLED TV that money can buy, complete with all the latest webOS-powered smart features.
Why we picked the LG G2 Gallery Series: We can’t beat around the bush with this one: The LG G2 Series is the best OLED TV we’ve ever had the honor of testing, and with plenty of laurels to cover, let’s get things started by talking about just how breathtaking the picture is on this bad boy. Everything from movies and TV shows to video games will look and perform better than ever with the LG G2.
Not only does this 4K OLED achieve perfect black levels and beautifully deep colors (for both SDR and HDR content), but LG’s fine-tuned OLED EVO screen delivers some of the best peak brightness levels we’ve ever seen on an OLED set, trending ever-closer to the kind of brilliance you’ll only find on QLED TVs, which are known for brightness. The G2’s four HDMI 2.1 inputs all support 4K/120Hz, on top of NVIDIA G-Sync, AMD Free-Sync, and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), along with Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG support, making this an ideal TV for movie diehards and heavy-duty gamers. LG is one of a few TV brands that uses its own smart TV user interface, and the company’s latest iteration of webOS gets you connected to all of your favorite streaming services like Netflix and Disney+, and even allows you to pair and cast content to your LG G2 from a mobile device or a computer.
As part of LG’s Gallery lineup, the G2 is specifically designed to look its best hanging from your wall like a piece of art, and it even comes with a custom mount that gets the TV as close to the wall as possible.
65-inch LG G2 Gallery SeriesThe best OLED TVDan Baker/Digital Trends
65-inch LG C2 Series
The runner-up
- Slick new design
- Improved peak brightness
- Excellent black levels
- Solid color accuracy and gamut
- Great for gamers
- Some peak brightness artifacts
- Complex smart TV system
Why you should buy it: You don’t want to make the kind of investment that a flagship set like the G2 demands, but you still expect an amazing picture from your OLED TV. Who it’s for: LG devotees who want one of the best OLED TVs the company has ever made. Why we picked the LG C2 Series:
There’s not much in the way of picture quality specs to differentiate LG’s C2 Series from the G2 family, so if you’re looking to save a few dollars on your next big OLED purchase, opting for the former is not a bad idea at all. In fact, the C2 Series even comes in a few more sizes than its flagship older brother, offering a 42-inch and a 48-inch version of the premium set for those of us who may want to use an OLED TV as a gaming monitor. While the G2 looks its best when wall-mounted, there’s a little bit of extra bulk in the overall chassis to get the TV as close to the wall as possible, a design choice negated by the C2 in favor of a much thinner profile and an included pedestal that keeps the TV wobble-free on your entertainment center.
In terms of overall picture quality and performance, the C2 essentially checks all the same boxes as the G2. Four HDMI 2.1 inputs deliver 4K/120Hz, supported HDR formats include Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG, and the C2 is tailor-made for gaming too, thanks to the inclusion of NVIDIA G-Sync, AMD Free-Sync, and VRR support. The C2 is also equipped with the same lightning-fast version of webOS that the G2 uses.
Side by side, the G2 Series does deliver a slightly brighter and more colorful picture than the C2 model, but it’s a small variance of nits that separate the top dog from the much-esteemed runner-up.