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8.8 / 10 Score Cnet Score CNET provides expert, unbiased reviews of products and services. When we assign a score, we use a scale of 1-10. Each product we score is evaluated by criteria specific to its category with most assessing pricing, quality, features and performance. Read more on: How we test LG G5 Series $2,272 at Best Buy $2,497 at Crutchfield $2,500 at LG Pros Highest brightness of any OLED TV yet
Stunning image quality Cons Brightness boost not visible in all content
Remote is not as good as previous versions
Expensive
2026 LG G5 Series Buy Now
OLED TVs have consistently demonstrated the best picture quality according to our head-to-head tests -- with the best shadow detail, contrast, color and black levels. Yet, there is one thing LCD-based TVs have always done better: sheer brightness. That is, until the LG G5 came along. Finally, OLED can reclaim its place at the top of the TV technology leader board with a model that performs brilliantly in almost every single respect.
When LG claimed its G5 had a 40% brightness increase I was skeptical because companies make these types of announcements all the time. Furthermore, OLED has typically been an incremental technology, with small gains made every year. The year 2025 is an exception and LG has made a major leap forward in light output. The G5 is bright. Very bright.
Based on my measurements, the claimed improvement is right on the money. I have compared it against the brightness of the Samsung S95F and the LG C5, and it did very well, but there are still others, like the Panasonic Z95B, to come.
The catch to all that brightness is that its impact varies with different types of video. While I was watching typical Blu-ray movies or streaming HDR TV shows, it was difficult to tell the difference between the LG C4 from 2024, the less expensive C5 I reviewed earlier and the G5. It was mainly in console gaming or particularly well-mastered 4K material that I saw the advantages. The extra brightness helped in bright rooms too.
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