He just has everything. Seriously, everything. LG OLED TV CX - review

Is it possible to improve last year's OLED TVs? Will there be any progress only with the switch to 8K resolution and new production technology? I had the opportunity to check it out.

LG CX is the successor of the LG C9 TV. A model that was difficult to attach to anything - maybe except for the still high price of the varieties with the largest screen diagonals. Even then, I was wondering what exactly LG would do next year to attract the attention of consumers. I was mainly thinking of small things, more suitable for being included in some OS patch - rather than as part of a brand new TV.

The C9 was certainly not perfect. There is still work to be done in OLED TV technology. We know that LG Display is working on increasing their brightness and expanding the color palette. These innovations, however, will probably not reach the company's products in a few years, when the production lines are ready for it.

LG OLED TV CX has something to tempt. In addition to the obvious in the form of an OLED matrix that ensures perfect (literally!) Contrast and full control over the color and brightness of each pixel and a very convenient webOS system in the model including Filmmaker Mode, HGiG, Dolby Vision IQ, new image processor, HDMI 2.1 connectors and support FreeSync.

The appearance of the LG OLED TV CX is essentially indistinguishable from previous models.

And that's good, because it's a good project. The display itself is extremely slim - I was not able to take even the usual photograph comparing the thickness of the TV to a coin, because it was impossible to put it on the screen. Of course, this is not the thickness of the entire TV set - there is a bulge for electronics in its lower part. However, whether on the wall or on the TV stand, the CX model will undoubtedly not scare you with its appearance.

The CX stands firmly on its foot, and what's very nice, it has been equipped with a cable guide, which helps to control the mess. When it comes to ports, there are four HDMI connectors (including one from the eARC), three USB connectors, an Ethernet connector, optical and antenna ports. One would like to say a standard - but not entirely. All HDMI ports are 2.1 compliant, which is still not obvious - including among competitors' flagship products.

Old, good and at the same time very modern webOS. Operating the LG OLED TV CX is a pleasure.

I have a weakness for Korean TV operating systems, but it's not just subjective preferences. LG webOS is simply extremely comfortable and responsive - and that hasn't changed with version 5.0 of this system, pre-installed on the CX. For a good change, almost nothing has changed in the visual design - which makes me happy, because the changes are unnecessary.

Still the main menu is a legible bar at the bottom of the screen, which does not obscure the content, and there is also a side pop-up menu for the most frequently used settings. You can still freely configure the arrangement of the application icons on the bottom bar (and there are many of these applications - almost every VoD provider has versions of its programs for webOS, including Apple, Disney, HBO Go, Ipla or Player. The most frequently updated ones also use the latest The webOS API, presenting the content proposed for us in the main menu and integrating with the search engine. The TV can also be controlled by natural speech in Polish.

webOS 5 also fully integrates with the set of Google and Apple services. The latter is relatively new, so it's worth noting that the TV receives AirPlay 2 streams, it can be part of a HomeKit smart home, and you can install the Apple TV app on it. As always, webOS 5 can also be the ThinQ and OCF smart home management hub. It is worth noting, however, that CX cannot be a HomeKit management center, but only its element. It's a pity, although I'm guessing this is due to Apple's licensing restrictions.

My favorite TV remote, the LG Magic Remote, has also not changed. Only the symbols on the buttons have been slightly updated to match the slightly refreshed icons of the new webOS. I love it for its amazing ergonomics - it is great in the hand, almost all buttons are within reach of the thumb, and the indicator function significantly facilitates the use of applications.

I'm sure you all wonder what this OLED… sounds like.

This is usually a very short section in a premium TV review. I almost always write that the built-in sound system provides an incomparably worse content consumption experience than the display and I emphasize that when investing in a decent TV it is definitely worth buying at least the cheapest soundbar or loudspeakers - because a great picture should be accompanied by great sound, and thin speakers in most televisions do not they are able to provide it.

In this case… I also recommend purchasing additional equipment. However, I must point out that it does not have to be an instant purchase. The sound system in the CX is really good - it lacks a lot in terms of bass reproduction, but after turning on the equalizer managed by artificial intelligence algorithms, the whole thing does not sound bad. It's loud and clean.

It is worth noting that the TV has a built-in Dolby Atmos sound decoder and an eARC connector - that is, that can forward the audio signal via HDMI in any format without compression. It is also worth emphasizing that the CX supports audio via Bluetooth 5.0 (i.e. you can also wirelessly connect to it rear home theater satellites in this format) and WiSA.

Okay, let's get to the most important. Does LG OLED TV CX offer such a beautiful picture as its predecessors?

Of course yes. OLED matrices, thanks to the fact that they do not have to use imprecise lighting lamps, offer the recipient unparalleled contrast and image without any distortions - unless a mistake is made somewhere at the stage of image processing by the built-in processor. However, LG also has extensive experience in image processing, and its OLED TVs are used as reference monitors in many Hollywood film studios. Nevertheless, something has changed - of course, a plus.

The first of the new products is Filmmaker Mode. This is the mode that Hollywood filmmakers agreed to introduce. All major TV manufacturers have introduced this mode to their devices this year. It is designed to perfectly reflect the intentions of the filmmakers, without the use of artificial enhancers such as enhanced contrast, more vivid colors or artificial liquefaction of the image. It's like a movie mode or Technicolor mode, but even more precise. After a future software update, Filmmaker Mode is to turn on automatically (you can turn this automation off) when it detects that the user turns on the movie. For now, we have to turn it on manually. Applause for its introduction, although here LG does not stand out from the competition.

What is welcome is the higher peak brightness: now at 740 nits. This is still far from the competition records, but it is worth noting that it is primarily important for the HDR effect. And this one is perfectly reproduced thanks to the above-mentioned perfect contrast. This brightness should also not affect the comfort of watching the TV in a bright room, although of course it can be slightly improved here.

Color reproduction is also great thanks to the electronics that are able to control each pixel individually. The only thing that disturbs the perfection is the unusual arrangement of pixels - due to the specificity of OLED matrices, the CX TV reproduces only 96 percent. DCI pallets and 71 percent. Rec. 2020 pallets. It's great, but it could get even better in the future.

An important novelty in terms of image quality is HGiG - although it is something that will only interest players. HGiG is an HDR effect mode, developed jointly with Microsoft and Sony, which is to ensure perfect mapping of tones in video games, which is influenced by game developers. It can be safely described as Filmmaker Mode for players - the intentions of both are exactly the same. So providing an image exactly as the game developers wanted.

The new processor in the CX further provides improved tone mapping relative to the C9. And these are not minor changes: CX realizes the HDR effect even better, being able to boost the brightness of individual pixel groups more strongly. LG also claims that it is even better at reconstructing a signal with a lower resolution to Ultra HD - take your word for it, although the differences are difficult to see. The algorithm itself, just like a year ago, works very well, noticeably improving image clarity without undesirable artifacts.

In fact, the only - and very minor - disadvantage of the LG CX in terms of the image is the lack of support for the HDR10 + format. However, HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision are supported - HDR10 + is an exotic format and usually HDR10 + content is also mastered to Dolby Vision.

The CX is also a great TV for players - it supports FreeSync, G-Sync and VRR mechanisms, which ensure smooth animation and stability of subsequent image frames. The control delay (input lag) remains at the level of 10 ms, so it is not detectable while playing.

It's just a revelation.

LG OLED TV CX is an almost complete product. Whatever you ask, in almost every answer you will hear the answer "yes, this TV can do it - and it does it perfectly".

The OLED matrix is ​​a guarantee of beautiful colors and absolutely sensational contrast, which is unbeatable by the competition. CX adds Filmmaker Mode, a very comfortable webOS, a decent sound system and support for all standards important to gamers. Even the sound system - although very far from perfect - is surprisingly good. The TV is also ready for the future: HDMI 2.1 and eARC guarantee full functionality of devices that will not be available on the market for some time.

It is far too early to call LG CX the TV of the Year. In the test queue, Spider's Web still has several competition models, including flagship models. However, I have a strong feeling that considering all the features - image quality, support for standards, ease of use and so on - this equipment will be second to none. Perhaps a competitor will turn out to be better in a specific element, and perhaps one of you will be particularly interested in it. When assessing CX as a whole, there is no other way, you just have to recommend it.

A sensational product, worth the money. I tested the 55-inch version of the TV, which is available for purchase at the price of 6.9 thousand. zł. This is not enough - but as an incentive, LG adds an Xbox One X console with Forza Horizon 4 and two gamepads to the TV for free. If you've been looking for the perfect TV set for movies, series and video games - you've just found it.

He just has everything. Seriously, everything. LG OLED TV CX - review