Review: LG G5 (RGB Tandem OLED)
In 2025, LG's G-series is moving away from the MLA (Micro Lens Array) panel in favor of LG Display's new 4-layer WOLED structure – also known as Primary RGB Tandem or 4th generation OLED. The new panel promises several innovations including significantly higher brightness, a wider color gamut, and improved energy efficiency. The G series is LG's premium model, only surpassed by M5, which is essentially the G5 plus a wireless box. LG G5 is available in sizes ranging from 48" to an impressive 97", and we have the 65" model in for review. However, note that the 97" does not feature the 4-layer panel. Also read: LG 2025 TV line-up (with TV Compare tool)Price and retailers:
US retailerUK retailer
DE retailerFirst impressions
The G series is the more streamlined model in LG's line-up and is designed for wall mounting. The TV is delivered without a tabletop stand but includes a wall bracket, designed for a completely flush installation using the clever scissor-style mount that allows the screen to be pulled slightly away from the wall during installation and then disappear into a small recess on the back. Compared to the less expensive B and C ranges, G5 does not have the same "hump" on the back with electronics housed. Instead, the components are distributed evenly across the back of the screen. This makes the panel thicker than the thinnest points on the C series, but in return the rear is completely flat, allowing for neater wall installation. If you want cables (except the power cable) to be hidden out of sight of the TV itself, then consider the M5 instead, which comes with LG's external, wireless electronics box. Design-wise, the G5 has a silver-colored frame, and whether that suits your taste or not is a matter of preference. Personally, I do not find it as aesthetically pleasing as the black bezel on last year's C4, as it is the only part of the screen that is not black – but that is just my own opinion. Last year's G4 had the same look so this is not a change introduced with the 2025 model.LG insists on shipping their TVs with a power cord fixed in place, and not only that, it also has a round EU-plug head. If you – like me – have empty conduits for hiding cables from the TV, then you can forget about pulling LG's power plug through unless you cut it off or disconnect the other end from the motherboard first (both void the warranty). For this review, we borrowed LG's tabletop stand, which is an optional extra that mounts in the center of the screen. The stand is a couple of centimeters too low for us to place our Sonos Arc soundbar demo unit beneath the TV, so if you go this route and want to use a soundbar, be aware of the clearance up to the picture. Ports are arranged in an L-shape on the back of the TV and can be routed downward via recesses in the rear panel. Covers are included to conceal cables if the rear side will be visible. All four HDMI ports are HDMI 2.1, which has been standard on LG models for several years now. Reflections are handled well by the screen – one of the areas LG has improved since last time. The shift away from MLA also means the remaining reflections no longer show the rainbow effect we saw on the LG G3 and G4 as well as Panasonic's MLA-based OLED models (MZ2000 and Z95A).User experience & features
LG's webOS has reached version 25 (for 2025), marking the 10th generation of the platform. Four years ago, it underwent a layout change from a minimalist bottom menu to a fullscreen menu. This layout has since become the standard, and we find the same approach in Google TV, tvOS, Tizen, and FireTV. Using a full-screen interface for the homemenu opens up lots of opportunities to cram in content – but unfortunately also plenty of space for ads of various kinds. Roughly half the home screen is taken up by ads for LG's own services or partner content, making it hard for the user to avoid unwanted promotions. Additional ads were added last year via the screensaver, which now promotes LG's own "Channel" app, as reported by FlatpanelsHD in September 2024. So it is no longer possible to completely avoid ads, even if you try to steer clear of LG's webOS smart platform. Our previous gripe about platforms not receiving updates perhaps should be replaced with a campaign against ads. Of the various other TV operating systems on the market, LG's is now starting to feel the most dated and cluttered. You notice it in the somewhat clunky shortcuts to various sections like Games, Music, Sports etc., which launch apps that you then need to "exit" in order to navigate away from. For the Music section in particular, it is not always ideal that the music stops if you return to the main menu. For a video walkthrough of the various hubs, see our LG C3 review. Another area where the interface still feels a bit siloed is when selecting inputs. LG's main menu allows you to save shortcuts to specific HDMI inputs, but you have to go through their connectivity hub to access inputs in general, which makes manual input switching more cumbersome. webOS still looks and feels the same – for better or worse. The row of apps you can control yourself is a small strip placed near the top, and if you know what app you are looking for, that will likely be your go-to entry point. The rest of the homescreen is filled with content suggestions from streaming services that have front-page integration, which still is still not many streaming apps – that limitation applies regardless of TV brand. The look and feel of individual apps is as you would expect, and once you leave LG's home screen, you quickly forget that the starting point felt a bit clumsy. Things run at a decent pace, not great, but LG's strange motion input via the remote makes the experience different – and often more awkward – than just using directional pad. I personally use Apple TV across all my TVs – including LG models – because it delivers a consistent experience. One thing you will notice, which we will return to in the picture quality section, is that elements like subtitles are not handled quite as well in webOS as on Apple's tvOS platform. White subtitles appear as full-intensity highlights, so in HDR movies they will shine extremely brightly unless you change the color or appearance in the apps that allow this through workarounds. Few apps let you adjust subtitle brightness, and the result is often that you are practically blinded due to the extreme brightness the G5 is capable of delivering. Both AirPlay 2 and Chromecast are supported on LG G5, making it easy to share content from your phone, and it is a great fallback option for streaming services not available on webOS, or your photo library. There is integration with Apple HomeKit, and your connected devices can be added to the homescreen for a unified overview. Several streaming services out there aim to deliver a linear TV-like experience for users who have cut the cord, and LG Channels is LG's take on free streaming of various programs typically found on traditional TV. The offering is limited, and you will not find a wealth of local content, but there are some options if you are looking for a steady stream of reality shows, stand-up, nature documentaries, or cooking programs – interrupted frequently by ads. LG Channels is a fun gimmick comparable to services like Pluto TV, which also stream for free. LG's menu system is a bit clunky to navigate, and if you need to make adjustments frequently, it can feel frustrating to go through so many steps just to reach the settings you need. From a calibration perspective, there is solid access to adjustments, but the implementation is not very elegant, and LG could certainly benefit from refining this. Navigating the menus also feels somewhat sluggish, especially when HDR content is playing. LG has integrated several so-called "AI features" that span audio, video, setup and content. On the audio and video side, the AI typically applies some form of manipulation to the output, and particularly on the video side, we are firmly against letting the TV adjust settings based on content. On the audio side, which we will touch on in one of the next sections. the potential benefits are quite limited, as the hardware simply is not strong enough. LG's AI can also assist in setting up the TV, but how many people prefer to talk to their TV just to adjust the brightness... I am not sure. he one area where AI might actually prove useful is helping you find relevant content based on your preferences or a through dialogue with the assistant about what you are looking for. Unfortunately, we are not quite there yet, and the results you get still largely depend on which services can be interacted with. Until there is full freedom to pull content from all streaming services, it is hard to consider these tools a one-stop shop.webOS 25Operation
2025 is the year LG has finally updated its remote control, ditching the slightly chubby version overloaded with redundant buttons for a more streamlined flat remote with a trimmed-down layout. Unfortunately, in the push for minimalism, LG has removed the input button, so you can no longer switch inputs directly. Instead, there is a shortcut to the 'Home hub,' which gives you access to inputs, IoT devices, HomeKit, etc.The central navigation section is unchanged, meaning the "OK" button still has a small scroll wheel, and the arrow keys sit in a ring around it. Volume and channel controls have been replaced by the same kind of rocker switch found on Samsung remotes. However, LG has not adopted Samsung's neat feature where a press of the rocker triggers mute or brings up the program guide. In the middle, you still have the clickable scroll wheel flanked by navigation buttons. Unfortunately, the wheel, center button, and directional keys are all a bit too stiff to press, which makes navigating the menu feel less smooth than one would hope. Design-wise, the new remote is a step up, but it is still a far cry from the simple metal remote Samsung offered back in 2017 with its Q series or the minimalist remote bundled with an Apple TV. For years, LG has relied on a motion-controlled cursor on screen, controlled y waiving around the remote om the air, but in recent years, I have mostly just wanted to use the TV with physical buttons. Both options are available, but if you so much as set it down on the table, the little cursor will reappear. Over time, I have grown increasingly annoyed with the cursor, and combined with some mediocre physical navigation buttons, using G5 is still not a particularly good experience – despite the design refresh. There are six dedicated buttons for sponsored apps at the bottom of the remote, which we wish could be replaced with user-selectable shortcuts instead. But considering how streaming services incentivize manufacturers to prioritize their apps, that is unlikely to change any time soon.LG's new plastic remote with six sponsored buttons.TV audio
The sound from G5 will do – just about long enough for your external sound system to arrive in the mail after you place the order. It would be a real waste to invest in a high-end TV of this caliber and then skimp on sound. There is a lack of bass and clarity in the midrange, which is expected with speakers this small, but it can get loud enough for dialogue to be heard clearly in a medium-sized living room. At higher volumes, though, the sound becomes echoey and unpleasant to listen to, so for movies and music, external audio is the way to go. You will not get anything close to a cinema experience from G5 – even with the AI algorithms LG uses to enhance audio and video performance cranked all the way up. The TV does support spatial audio in the form of Dolby Atmos but no DTS of any kind, which most streaming services do not use anyway. Still, DTS was supported last year so it is a shame to see it removed again, because one of the exceptions is Disney+, which includes IMAX Enhanced with DTS_X on select movies. HDMI eARC is the way to pass DTS tracks to an external audio system instead. We tested the TV with a Sonos Arc and Arc Ultra via HDMI eARC, and everything worked smoothly throughout the entire test period.Calibration
LG has yet to trim down the number of available pictures modes, which is a confusing mess for new users. You should still focus on either Filmmaker or ISF Dark for accurate pictures. I choose ISF Dark for calibration, but you could just as well go with Filmmaker, as the color accuracy is identical. Both profiles are nearly spot on, and you only need to increase red a few steps and reduce blue a bit more to hit the mark. If you have access to Calman, the TV can be auto-calibrated all the way down to 3D LUT level, but few people will have this kind of equipment at home. Several retailers offer the same type of calibration for those who want to squeeze the last few percent out of the TV. G5's Game picture mode is still off, which is a shame, so instead you should activate ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) with a compatible game console to get both accurate colors and low input lag. The switch from micro lenses (MLA) to LG's new 4-layer WOLED structure comes with the promise of higher brightness, and this can definitely be confirmed. We measured 1650 nits on the G4 last year (1700 on Panasonic Z95A), and this year peak brightness has increased to 2200 nits on G5 in calibrated mode – even higher in the Vivid profile (which you should steer clear of). As such, LG G5 takes the crown as the OLED TV with the highest HDR brightness, by a margin – at least until we test more 2025 models. In fullscreen (100%), our 65" sample hit 360 nits, which is 50% higher than last year's G4, and an impressive number in itself. The new WOLED panel structure also promises an expanded color gamut and there has been a slight increase in Rec.2020 color gamut coverage. The previous MLA OLED TVs reached around 75% and the new 4-layer OLED hits 78%. However, there is still some way to go to match the 83% that QD-OLED achieves. The WOLED panel never reproduces fully pure primary or secondary colors in HDR, as there is always at higher brightness levels some amount of white mixed in via the white subpixel. On QD-OLED, the primary colors have typically delivered nearly twice the brightness compared to WOLED at the same pure white level, and proportionally, the three primary colors (RGB) on WOLED have delivered approximately 10%, 30%, and 5% of pure white brightness, whereas QD-OLED comes closer to 22%, 70%, and 6%. With the new 4-layer panel, white has increased to 2200 nits and we measure RGB brightness at 230, 760 and 95 nits respectively, corresponding to 10%, 35% and 4% of white brightness – so not a major improvement over G4. The graph below shows the comparison between Sony A95K (earlier QD-OLED model) and LG G5, illustrating how the ratio between white and primary/secondary colors still differs greatly between the two OLED panel types.Picture modes measured
Click to expand the view
Sport (SDR) ISF Dark (SDR) ISF Bright (SDR) Filmmaker Mode (SDR) Cinema (SDR) Game (SDR) Standard (HDR) Vivid (HDR) Standard (HDR) Here is the SDR picture quality before calibration (Standard picture mode) and after calibration:Brightness levels of the Sony A95K and LG G5 on an absolute scale (left) and relative to white (right).Measurements
In our "measurements" section we include all measurements and our suggested calibration settings. If you want to learn more about our test methodology click here. Note: Starting a few years ago, we implemented a new method for measurement of average power consumption in SDR and HDR, meaning that earlier measurements are not 1:1 comparable. The new method will be used in all TV reviews going forward.Note: We include calibration settings only for SDR, not HDR. For our calibration we have deactivated the ambient light sensor that automatically adjusts the backlight setting according to your environment. You may prefer to have it enabled.Picture quality
To begin, we tested G5 with software version 33.10.80, which fixes some HDR reproduction issues encountered by other reviewers. The big news in G5 is the introduction of the new 4-layer OLED structure, which LG revealed details about earlier this year. The new 4-layer sandwich brings improvements in brightness, improved energy efficiency and an expanded color gamut. It is still a WOLED panel, meaning that in addition to the red, green and blue subpixels there is a white subpixel used to boost highlights in the picture when needed. The downside of this structure is that colors get washed out in the HDR highlights, as a certain amount of pure white is always blended in. Looking first at brightness, we measured a peak brightness of 2200 nits in calibrated ISF mode – an impressive 33% jump over last year's G4! Vivid mode pushes it even higher, and although the number falls short of the promised 4000 nits from the press release, it still marks a massive increase both relatively and absolutely. The 2200 nits is maintained up to a window size (APL) of 10%, after which brightness decreases as more of the screen area is filled with white. At 100% white (fullscreen), G5 measures 360 nits, which does not quite meet LG's promise of 400 nits, but is still 50% higher than last year's MLA+ panel in G4. The 2700 nits peak in Vivid mode is only sustained for a few seconds, but the 2200 nits in the ISF profile remains stable for 2 minutes before the TV begins throttling to protect the panel from burn-in. How this high brightness will affect resistance to burn-in over time remains to be seen, but we did not observe anything unusual during testing. Burn-in is generally linked to heat in each pixel, which in turn is linked to power usage. So it may be reassuring that power consumption has not increased despite the significant brightness boost. In fact, we observed the opposite, which was LG's second promise. SDR content showed a drop in power consumption of roughly 20% (measured on a screen calibrated to 100 nits, intended for a very dark room), and HDR saw similar savings compared to Panasonic Z95A. While the 2200 nits are not in play for SDR content, the overall brightness boost is – and the ability to deliver 50% higher brightness on a fully lit screen – makes G5 an even more capable TV for very bright environments, such as daytime sports viewing. The final promised improvement is the expanded color gamut, which has been one of the areas where WOLED has lagged behind Samsung's competing QD-OLED panel technology, which uses purer primary colors without white mixed in. If we briefly dwell on color accuracy first, this TV hits excellent accuracy with very few tweaks. Even without adjustments, the deviations are so close to reference that you could argue there is no need to calibrate at all. Looking at the color gamut, G5 is still slightly better than G4, but does not match the QD-OLED TVs from Samsung and Sony, as seen in the previous section. Especially with primary colors, the luminance of Red, Green and Blue cannot match QD-OLED, which is also visible in practice. The colors are not as saturated as on Sony A95L or Samsung S95 series, which despite having half the peak brightness, deliver the same color intensity for each color and about double the relative luminance compared to white (except for the blue primary). Turning our attention to generic test patterns, our enthusiasm is slightly dampened when examining gradients. The king of this discipline remains Sony's A95L, with G5 looking up from below particularly in black-to-white transitions, where banding can be spotted in the darker areas. Whether this can be resolved via a future software update is unknown – LG did adjust things during the test period. With real movie content, the issue is not prominent enough to be distracting, and in today's streaming world, banding is often tied to source material and compression, so it is difficult to blame the TV unless you know the content intimately. I would not let this be a dealbreaker. Enabling Smooth Gradation can help make source banding less harsh, but keep it on the Low setting to avoid softening the picture too much. While we generally celebrate the rise in luminance, it also introduces a new issue in situations where subtitles are often enabled. Unfortunately, not all app developers have implemented a fixed brightness level for HDR subtitles, and as a result subtitles in webOS often display at full brightness, i.e. 2200 nits. In bright scenes this may be fine, but in dark scenes with no highlights, subtitles can burn into your retinas due to your fully dilated pupils – a real issue in a dark room. My kids often asked if we could either switch to our Apple TV (which handles subtitle brightness properly) or simply turn subtitles off. This is not strictly an LG issue, but rather a problem with the apps on webOS. Whether it can be resolved at the system level, like on Apple TV, I cannot say – and again it is not unique to LG – but it is just more noticeable on a TV that can hit such high brightness levels. The usual monologue about motion handling on OLED TVs applies to G5 as well; the ultra-low response time of the diodes makes slow panning in bright scenes look unusually jerky. You can partially mitigate it by activating LG’s TruMotion system but these algorithms quickly introduce other artifacts in the picture. Our recommendation is still to use LG’s 'Real Cinematic' system, which removes judder (frame rate mismatch) without inserting extra artificial frames. If you insist on smoothing the picture slightly, limit de-judder to level 1. Also read: Why 24fps is not enough for HDR movies Uniformity in dark regions looks decent but the tested sample showed some minor signs of vertical banding. Panel uniformity usually differs from sample to sample, but we have heard of similar issues elsewhere with G5, so it may not be an isolated case here.As a reviewer, you naturally have to consider how the embedded operating system handles content and what it is generally like to "live" with the TV, but as mentioned I am a fan of using an external box to deliver content (in my case Apple TV 4K), which ensures that content is viewed under the same conditions every time and reduces the TV to a "dumb" display". It also gives me a quick point of reference, as my own Sony AF9 typically hangs next to the tested TV, and with its relatively modest peak brightness of around 700 nits, the difference in HDR content to LG G5 is truly striking. G5 is simply vastly more capable when it comes to both HDR and SDR in a bright living room like mine, and combined with the seamless integration with external devices – including PS5, Apple TV, soundbar etc – it is hard not to get excited about G5. Upscaling and handling of full HD content is as good as you could hope for, and the only areas where you might wish for more are motion handling – if you want to enable motion smoothing – and gradients. Both my own Sony and our reference, A95L, still have the upper hand in these disciplines. The VRR frequency has been bumped up to 165 Hz, which is good by today's standards and, as far as TVs go, the highest yet at 4K. We do not have any media boxes that support this frequency, but it has been tested with a Mac Mini at 165 Hz without issues. It is worth noting that locked 144 Hz is no longer supported. Our test equipment cannot measure input lag in VRR, but our colleagues at Rtings report that the lowest input lag is not achieved at 165 Hz but rather at 120 Hz, which fortunately is also the frequency used by most game consoles including PS5 and Xbox Series X. At 120 Hz VRR, input lag drops to just 5 ms, while we measure closer to 10 ms at 60 Hz without VRR. It is still important to use game mode or ALLM to achieve this low input lag, as the input lag changes significantly in all other picture mode tjat are not suitable for gaming. In VRR, you will still experience slightly raised black levels, which is currently only an issue in games. LG previously added the HDMI 2.1 feature "QMS" (Quick Media Switching), which allows for frequency switching without the annoying black "bonk" between each format change. Unfortunately, QMS only works with frame rate switching and does not eliminate the black screen when switching between SDR and HDR, so you still do not get the full benefit of the feature. LG still stands somewhat alone in including this feature in their TVs (Samsung also has it), but I also have to admit that in everyday use it does not have a huge impact for me, since about 50% of the time it is switching between SDR and HDR, which causes a dropout in the signal regardless.Conclusion
LG G5 marks a visible leap in brightness for WOLED, and as usual, this innovation is reserved for the premium ranges, G5 and M5, with no indication of when the technology will trickle down to the cheaper TVs. We have also yet to see MLA introduced in the C series, so if you are hoping to bring +2000 nits of brightness into your living room, you must prepare to invest in one of the top-tier models again in 2025. WOLED has not caught up to QD-OLED in color saturation but it has caught up when it comes to power consumption. G5 positions itself as an energy-efficient display with an insane brightness surplus, although it still falls short in color and gradient handling compared to, for example, the Sony A95L.Ad:LG's G5 looks the same design-wise and is designed for wall mounting. A tabletop stand is not included, but a wall bracket is provided that allows for completely flush wall mounting. LG's webOS has not seen significant updates and is neither the most intuitive nor fastest TV operating system on the market. The homescreen is packed with ads and controlling it with the small on-screen pointer divides opinion. LG now offers 5 years of webOS upgrades (measured from the TV's release year). LG is still at the forefront when it comes to support for HDMI 2.1 features, and this year VRR has moved to 165 Hz (with 144 Hz dropped). The option for 3D LUT auto-calibration via Calman is yet another technical perk that gives LG a slight edge over competitors. If you already own an LG G4 with MLA OLED, then a 20% brightness boost is not necessarily enough to justify an upgrade – and may not even be visibly significant – but if you own an older TV with peak brightness below 1000 nits, the jump to G5 will definitely be noticeable. Both in HDR content and in the overall – fullscreen – brightness surplus and the ability to turn it up so high that you can watch the Tour de France in a living room regardless of the weather outside. Three years ago, it was hard to justify choosing LG's G model over a C model, but this year's 4-layer OLED panel has increased the gap to the cheaper models, so it is no longer just the design you are paying a premium for. Choosing between the market's highest brightness or the relative brightness between white and primary colors is tough. The more intense colors of QD-OLED are addictive, but WOLED packs just a bit more punch in overall brightness. LG's WOLED also does not suffer from the color-fringed edges introduced by the subpixel structure or the raised blacks of QD-OLED. While QD-OLED retains its spot as our Reference TV, G5 earns our Highly Recommended Award.Price and retailers:
US retailerUK retailer
DE retailerExcellent SDR & 4K HDR with 2200 nits
Pre-calibrated picture modes
HDMI 2.1 ports & QMS
webOS receives updates for 5 yearsBanding on gray gradients
Fullscreen webOS still not convincing
Raised blacks / flicker in VRR
DTS audio support removed
