LG 42-Inch Class OLED evo AI Super Upscaling 4K C5 Series Smart TV w/Dolby Atmos & Vision, HDR10, Filmmaker Mode, Wow Orchestra, Alexa Built-in (OLED42C5PUA, 2025)

Comparison: My new LG 4K Smart OLED TV (OLED55C5PUA, 2025) vs my old LG 4K Smart OLED TV (OLED55CXPUA, 2020) Sources Used: Sony UBP-X700 4K Ultra HD Player (October 2024) and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray discs. Connectors: Zeskit Maya 8K 48Gbps Certified Ultra High-Speed HDMI Cable 16ft CL3 In-Wall Rated Remote Control Solution: As others rightly indicate, the new remote that comes with this TV is not up to the tasks required. I ended up using the remote that came with the previous version of this TV - the "LG Remote Magic Remote Control" (AKB75855501) - which is available on Amazon. LG TV's UNIQUE STANDOUTS SUMMARY - "Nightmare Alley" (2021, 4K, Guillermo del Toro) joins perfect details and colors to allow the genre's nihilism free rein. - "Pinocchio" (2022, 4K, Guillermo del Toro), a brilliantly filmed, very dark stop-motion animated film that hits every button (Note: not for young children). - "TRON: Legacy" (2010, 2K upscaled to 4K, Joseph Kosinski) is everything a gorgeous Sci-Fi drama - with stellar soundtrack - should be thanks to LG and Disney. (DETAILED EVALUATIONS BELOW) Preface: All my viewing was in HDR mode for 4k. I used the movies listed below, all of which benefitted from excellent motion smoothing, without awful sheen/glow, when rendered using moderate level of this TV's Black Frame Insertion (BFI) in Game Mode and a touch of extra brightness. Bright or dark room did not matter. (See bottom of page for comments on 2K SDR/Regular Blu-ray.) THE HOBBIT - THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG (48fps): If you hated the 48fps of The Hobbit, your troubles are over! Watch this movie with correct BFI and generally accepted parameters for Game Mode on this TV. Then the natural appearance of everything in this movie will bowl you over. Faces are normal. The spiders of Mirkwood show markings that are easier to see and have colors that make sense on those horrid creatures. Seeing the etching on Smaug's hide (without the sheen) is worth every penny. STAR WARS (2020 UHD Release)(24fps): The movie is fun and impressive to watch given how old it is. The color and lighting are very good. Its sheen was tamed very well on this TV, and scenes filmed outdoors were very natural. (When I watched this movie on my previous LG TV - the OLED55CXPUA, 2020 - I was distracted by the less manageable sheen/glow.) DUNE, PARTS 1 and 2: - (Dune1, 24fps) The abundance of sand colors and sunlight make the DUNE movies bright overall. Beautiful browns in their various shades are a treat. In the midst of all that brown, you should notice subtle dark shades of green on clothing, and quilt-like stitching on the jackets. Facial features are beautifully rendered. The Bene Gesserit ship passing through and out of The Spacing Guild's Heighliner (at 20m:50s) and the Worm Spotter aircraft's flight (at 1h:01m:50s) should not break up in their movements across the screen. In the battle scenes when the Harkonnen invade, you should see no tearing or empty space in the rolling flames. - (Dune2, 24fps/48fps) It took almost the entire movie for me to register that there was no lag or choppiness in Dune Part 2 at all... none (at least with BFI engaged). Turns out Dune Part 2 occasionally used 48fps in some places instead of 24fps only, an approach that worked almost magically. It now takes 1st place as the best all-around film in my collection. BLADE RUNNER 2049 (24fps): The BFI nailed the surrounding colors and movement of K's police vehicle as it passed behind buildings. The vehicle's movement was smooth and the snow/rain contrails moving over and past the back of the vehicle were easy to pick out. Colors were incredibly detailed and vibrant at every turn. 1917 (24fps): This movie benefits enormously from BFI and reduces the number of "jittery" scenes to two: 1) the stuttering movement as the camera views an embankment and pans left to right just after the two soldiers narrowly escape the collapsing tunnels, and 2) the panning left to right as the two soldiers are in a barn looking through wood slats at a plane in the distance. OBLIVION (24fps): I've watched this movie many times and this LG TV brought out colors better than the previous LG. The motions were very smooth and details abounded. Things to look for are Vicca's tears running down her face and off her nose as she betrays Jack, and the flickering lights when Julia and the hapless people are in the sights of the drone programmed to kill them (the flickering lights should not tear or have holes). FORD v FERRARI (24fps): The most interesting and exciting (and perpetual) visual experience I had with this movie was the heightened detail seen on clothing I don't recall seeing on the previous TV. But most of all the colors of red and brown in their various shades were able to make me fall further into the movie as everything seemed so very natural. THE PRESTIGE (24fps): This is a very detailed movie where the differing shades of brown are everywhere. Especially look for the brown variants (and other colors) in the weave of the tweed coats, especially prominent near the end of the movie. GEMINI MAN (60fps): I know what you're thinking: this movie is intolerable for its irremediable sheen/glow. You're right. It's also too intimate: it's as close to "being there" than I could tolerate... feels creepy, like eavesdropping. I played this all the way through again but came away with no changed opinions, except for very slightly better colors all 'round. HOWEVER, the climax near the end of the movie is visceral in how it renders the minigun being used to shred the store where the heroes are sheltering. TECHNICALLY SPEAKING, I must say that one of the most impressive demonstrations of BFI motion smoothing is how, in the opening scene, the filmmaker was able to sweep the camera across the ribbed structure above the train station and not induce seizures. (On the other hand, you might want seizure medicine handy if you try to view that panned ribbed structure with no BFI enabled.) On the whole, its motion smoothing and details are absolutely amazing. Regarding 2K SDR (i.e., regular Blu-ray), my results were either very good or very poor. For instance, the original releases of Avatar, Total Recall (2012), and The Imitation Game rendered outstanding results. On the other hand, The Last Samurai and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows were a disappointment. While the upscaling and motion smoothing were excellent on all these 2K movies, the Last Samurai and Sherlock Holmes renderings were too dark or dull, foggy, and wispy. The previous model of this same TV (OLED55CXPUA, 2020) did not have such challenges and disparities. As I write this, I notice the screen's gradual dimmer is working very well to ensure no image burn-in occurs when I stop typing for a while. (At the moment, I am using the TV's input connected to my computer.) Even though the dimming feature is not good for watching movies, it is a must for anything else. Thankfully, when using the 4k input for movies, and Game Mode is enabled, the TV will not dim on its own.

I really like this TV so far. Even though I use a sound bar the built-in speakers on this thing are actually pretty impressive. The remote is a bit different but I honestly love it. It has a scroll wheel and you can use it almost like a Wii remote which feels so intuitive that going back to a standard remote is going to be tough. My only gripe is that they replaced some of the standard button icons with their own symbols which makes things a little confusing. For example you have to hold down a specific button for a few seconds just to find the input menu. If they kept the Wii functionality and the scroll wheel but used more traditional buttons this remote would be perfect. The build quality seems solid. To be honest I am coming from a QLED and the picture hasn't completely blown me away yet. However the 144Hz refresh rate is awesome and the price was definitely right.

If you rely on headphones to hear clear dialog but still want your family to enjoy the TV through speakers, this is absolutely the one to get. After testing modern TV audio architectures, I want to be clear. LG is one of the last major manufacturers preserving critical analog hardware, and that single decision makes all the difference for hearing impaired users. While other brands have moved to digital only outputs that force an either or listening choice, LG has kept the 3.5 MM analog jack. This allows a simultaneous signal flow that is essential for accessibility. THE WORKING SIGNAL PATH, THE SIMULTANEOUS MODE Unlike other TVs that mute the room when you plug in headphones, LG allows a specific output mode. Internal TV Speaker plus Wired Headphones. ENGINEERING LOGIC Video source goes to TV processor. Path A digital goes to internal speakers, keeping room audio active. Path B analog goes to the 3.5 MM jack, feeding RF headphones. This design preserves the analog circuit that newer models delete, keeping the headphone output path that makes assistive listening work effortlessly. WHY THIS MATTERS Engaging external digital outputs often triggers a system interrupt that kills the headphone feed. By using internal speakers for the room and analog output for the user, you preserve two active streams. The family hears the TV normally. The hearing impaired user controls volume independently. Zero latency, no lip sync delay. WHY LG DESERVES REAL PRAISE LG made a deliberate engineering choice that most manufacturers abandoned. They kept the analog output because they understood something others forgot, accessibility is not optional. By preserving the 3.5 MM headphone path, LG allows real people with real hearing challenges to stay part of the family viewing experience instead of being forced into isolation. Combine that with LG’s stunning OLED picture quality, deep blacks, perfect contrast, and best in class motion handling, and this becomes the easiest recommendation I can make. If you care about both image quality and audio accessibility, this is absolutely the TV to buy. THE ALTERNATIVE MODE When headphones are not needed, simply switch to. Optical Out for soundbar or surround system. This TV is currently the only viable solution for true simultaneous listening. QUICK SETUP GUIDE Plug RF headphone base into the 3.5 MM jack. Go to Settings, Sound, Sound Out. Select Internal TV Speaker plus Wired Headphones. AN OPEN LETTER TO AUDIO MANUFACTURERS Samsung, Sonos, and others that have removed the 3.5 MM analog output Please reconsider your actions. Imagine how difficult it is to be in a room with your family, enjoying a film or listening to the news, and you are straining to follow the action while understanding what is being said. For years, the analog output was the bridge that allowed us to use assistive devices without silencing the room for everyone else. By removing it, and by designing HDMI eARC protocols that ruthlessly cut off simultaneous outputs, you have removed the key ingredient that allows hearing impaired people to enjoy this long time family entertainment. You have built amazing displays, but you have quietly broken the family living room for millions of your customers. Innovation should open doors, not close them.

This is an excellent television. Amazingly thin screen, was easy to assemble and the setup straightforward. The clarity of the picture is outstanding and the audio quality is quite good as well. I would highly recommend it. The delivery was very quick and it came in perfect condition.