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The LG OLED65C5PUA is a mid-range, feature-packed OLED TV that affirms the LG C-Series’ tradition of offering terrific bang for your buck. Last year, we reviewed the 65-inch LG C4, and it was one of the best TVs of 2024. The LG C5 now builds on an already popular OLED line, but comes with a wide array of new AI features and an Alpha 9 Gen 8 AI processor that brings along a remarkable picture brightness boost over its predecessor.
LG’s C-series remains the holy grail when it comes to features in the mid-range OLED category, and while it hasn’t received many new features, it carries over what made the LG C4 great. Picture quality is excellent on the LG OLED65C5PUA; backed by vibrant, accurate color, solid contrast, and true-to-life textures that combine to rival what you see on some of the best OLED TVs. Motion handling is great overall, albeit with some stutters on some scenes, but that’s corrected via picture settings.
Perhaps the only space where the LG C5 tends to struggle is screen reflections, especially in well-lit environments, which impacts darker images. But for dim viewing conditions, the LG OLED65C5PUA looks stellar. The same applies to sound quality; even with the built-in 2.2-channel Dolby Atmos system that sounds punchy and well-balanced, it isn’t peppy enough to beat one of the best soundbars, which I recommend for the C5.
For gamers, the LG OLED65C5PUA is going to be one of the best gaming TVs you’d buy this year. It comes with a full suite of gaming features, including 4K 144Hz, VRR, ALLM, and Dolby Vision gaming, that translate to buttery smooth, responsive gaming performance, and a horde of cloud gaming options for those without a console or gaming PC.
LG’s C-Series OLEDs have always been among the best TVs in terms of performance and value for money. While a little pricey at launch, they have become more affordable over time as prices drop and competitors become cheaper too. It’s not surprising that the LG C4 remains one of our best OLED TVs, and a better value option after numerous drops, making the LG C5 just an incremental upgrade. Still, if you’re looking for a new OLED TV, packed with the latest features, the LG OLED65C5PUA is an excellent choice.
About the LG C5 OLED TV
The LG C5 OLED TV in this review is the 65-inch LG OLED65C5PUA, but the C5 is available in six sizes ranging from 42 inches to 83 inches.
Here are all the TVs in that lineup:
- Release date: March 2025
- 42-inch: LG OLED42C5PUA
- 48-inch: LG OLED48C5PUA
- 55-inch: LG OLED55C5PUA
- 65-inch: LG OLED65C5PUA
- 77-inch: LG OLED77C5PUA
- 83-inch: LG OLED83C5PUA
The LG C5 was released in March 2025. It is the mid-range series in LG’s 2025 OLED TV range, sitting above the entry-level LG B5 and right below the flagship LG G5 and LG M5 series.
- Screen size: 65 inches
- Model: OLED65C5PUA
- Resolution: 3,840 x 2,160
- HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG
- Refresh rate: 120Hz native, 144Hz VRR
- Ports: 4 HDMI 2.1, 3 USB
- Audio support: Dolby Atmos
- Smart TV software: webOS 25
- Built-in tuner: ATSC 1.0 (US)
- Size (without stand): 56.7 x 32.5 x 1.8 inches
- Weight (without stand): 36.6 pounds
Design & Build Quality
The LG OLED65C5PUA is a good-looking OLED TV. Its frame sports a crisp metallic finish that breathes a premium tone, and the way the screen looks less than a handful of millimeters deep at its outer edge makes it look magnificently futuristic. The connections, including four HDMI 2.1 ports, can be easily accessed on the side of the screen – something that’s rare in TVs from other brands. In most cases, tall access ports are recessed to the back of the screen, which makes it complicated, especially when the TV is wall-mounted.
Thad said, the LG C5’s design doesn’t attempt to compete with the premium design of flagship OLEDs such as the Samsung S95D or the Panasonic Z95, but it gets a solid aluminum pedestal stand, and the newer AI Magic Remote looks and feels sleek, with a matte finish and new AI Home Hub and Accessibility buttons. However, the newer remote is only available to users in select regions, including the US; UK users will have to make do with the slightly updated version of the old Magic Remote with a similar look, but it doesn’t come with the new buttons.
Port selection is excellent, with the OLED65C5PUA offering four HDMI 2.1 inputs that handle everything from 4K/144Hz frame rate to variable refresh rate and auto low latency mode (ALLM) mode switching. It’s a pity that some major brands are still struggling to deliver a clean sweep of fully specified HDMI 2.1 ports, but LG has been offering that even on its mid-range models for years.
Other port options available on the LG C5 include three USB V2.0 ports, two RF inputs (one for cable, one for antenna), a CI Slot, an Ethernet port, and an optical digital audio output. Also, the TV includes a roster of wireless connections, including Bluetooth 5.3 support, Wi-Fi, Apple AirPlay, and Google Casting.
Features
The LG OLED65C5PUA uses the OLED Evo (EX) panel, the same panel used in its predecessor, the LG C4. At its core, the LG C5 features the upgraded LG Alpha a9 Gen 8 AI processor, which also brings new AI capabilities as well as a Brightness Booster that’s not supported in the small 43- and 48-inch models. Unlike the C4, the LG C5 only supports the Dolby Vision high dynamic range (HDR) format, but not HDR10+. The Dolby Atmos sound format is also supported here, but surprisingly, DTS has been removed.
Like the C4, the C5 uses the same 2.2-channel, 40W Dolby Atmos built-in speaker system for audio. It has various sound modes, including Standard, Cinema, and AI Sound Pro, and it adds a new AI Sound Wizard option.
The new AI Sound Wizard joins the previously available AI Picture Wizard. These modes let you customize your picture and sound settings by viewing different images and listening to different audio clips. Based on which images and audio clips you select, the system learns what kind of picture and sound elements you favor and then creates custom settings based on your preferences.
LG TVs are often well-equipped for gaming, and the OLED65C5PUA keeps that tradition with a full suite of gaming features, including 4K 144Hz, VRR (AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync), HGiG, Dolby Vision gaming, and ALLM. There’s also a Game Optimizer mode that lets you adjust the settings, including boost mode, to minimize input lag.
All LG C5 OLED TVs use the latest version of LG’s smart TV platform, webOS, which has a host of AI capabilities, including AI Search, an advanced search feature that searches for content based on the user’s criteria and questions.
Picture Quality
The LG OLED65C5PUA has an HDR peak brightness of 1,185 nits in Filmmaker mode and 1,201 nits in Standard mode. This is a remarkable increase over the LG C4, which hits 1,060 nits and 920 nits in Filmmaker and Standard modes, respectively. The LG C5 does a good job upscaling lower-resolution sources impressively, giving the content both a brightness and sharpness boost, resulting in a picture that has a 4K-like makeover. For standard-definition content (480p and below), the C5’s upscaling manages to clean up textures, though they remain understandably on the pixelated side.
Color on the LG OLED65C5PUA is spectacular. Watching a Dolby Vision of The Terminal List: Dark Wolf on Disney Plus, colors look vibrant and dynamic, especially in the scenes where Ben lives off-grid in Germany and gets ready to avenge those lost in operations. Another Dolby Vision stream of Star Wars: The Last Jedi highlights the dominance of reds in the throne room fight scene, which are displayed with real clarity and punch.
The LG OLED65C5PUA is a midrange OLED TV that delivers lush colors, sparkling highlights backed by advanced picture processing
The LG C5’s measured HDR color gamut coverage hits 99.4% of the UHDA-P3 color space and 75.1% of BT.2020. These are both great results and explain the OLED65C5PUA’s excellent color. Shadow detail and contrast are stellar on the C5: Watching the opening crime scene on the 4K Blu-ray sequence of The Batman, detail in every scene was well maintained in even the darkest scenes without sacrificing deep blacks. Textures in objects and clothing on the LG C5 are also realistic and give pictures a real sense of depth.
The LG OLED65C5PUA handles motion well. The intense flight scenes and long panning shots in Top Gun: Maverick looked smooth only with very minimal blurring. While the C5 struggles in some scenes, such as a panning shot of a rocky landscape in No Time To Die, switching over to Cinematic Movement in the TruMotion picture settings remedies everything.
One area where the LG G5 fails to really shine is handling reflections. If you’re watching in a room with overhead lights, the screen glare is pretty obvious compared to the best mini-LED TVs and more premium OLEDs, including the LG G4 and Samsung S95D. The reflections result in a loss of black depth and shadow detail in darker scenes.
Gaming
The LG OLED65C5PUA is an excellent gaming TV. It has a full suite of gaming features, including 4K 144Hz, VRR (both AMD Premium and Nvidia G-Sync), HGiG, Dolby Vision gaming, and ALLM support, all across the four HDMI 2.1 ports. The C5 also has a Game Optimizer mode where gaming settings can be adjusted, and the home menu’s Game Quick Card has cloud-based gaming apps such as Amazon Luna and Nvidia GeForce Now, as well as other gaming features and settings.
Gaming performance is excellent: Playing Battlefield V on Xbox Series X, fast-paced battle sequences that require fast movement and targeting feel smooth, resulting in an immersive gaming experience with no screen tearing or blur. The LG C5’s superb picture quality adds an extra layer to the game, displaying gorgeous visuals underlain by vibrant color, stunning contrast, and refined detail.
Smart Features
The LG OLED65C5PUA uses the LG webOS smart TV platform. The latest iteration, webOS 25, adds a ton of new AI features, including AI Search, AI Concierge, AI Art, and AI Sound Wizard. LG’s webOS operating system remains one of the strongest standalone options on TVs. It’s clear and intuitive, has numerous options, is well organized, and, in the cases of Smart Cards and the app bar, is highly configurable.
Google TV offers a more intuitive integrated experience as you’d expect from the company behind the search engine giant, but LG webOS is almost as good in most ways. It also gives you free access to LG Channels, LG’s own free service that streams tons of shows across all genres. You can share what you’re watching on your mobile device with Google Cast or Apple AirPlay 2. Also, you can pair the C5 with your smart home system via Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant, Matter, or LG’s own ThinQ.
LG OLED65C5PUA Review: Bottom line
The LG OLED65C5PUA is one of the top midrange TVs of 2025. Though its improvements over last year’s LG C4 are not breathtaking to justify spending incrementally more on it, the price difference between the two models has narrowed. As of writing, the difference in price between the 65-inch LG C5 and LG C4 is just over $100. Meanwhile, the 42-, 48-, and 55-inch C5 and C4 models are now selling at the same price.
That said, the LG C5 has become the better buy; thanks to its performance improvements (no matter modest), the inclusion of Auracast, new AI and profile features, support for the Xbox, and the new Magic Remote design, the LG OLED65C5PUA is money well spent.
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