LG OLED48C5 vs OLED48C4: which small OLED TV is better?

LG's C-series OLEDs are among the best TVs you can buy. They also come in a wide range of sizes, from 42 inches, all the way up to a colossal 83 inches.

If you're considering one of the 55-inch or over models, make sure to check out our main LG C5 vs C4 guide, where we give our opinion of how its larger sizes compare.

If, however, as for many of our readers, 48 inches is the more practical option, but you're not sure which generation of the C-series to get, then you're in the right place.

Both this year's LG C5 and last year's C4 scored five out of five for their 48-inch models, but there are some differences between them. Should you go for the most advanced model, or save some cash with the older but still capable set? Let's find out.

LG C5 vs C4: price

The 48-inch C5 and C4 launched at the same £1500 / $1599 / AU$2499, but that has come down for both models.

Unsurprisingly, the older model is substantially cheaper.

It current sells for around £800, while the newer model has been reduced to around £1300. So there's a good £500 in it.

LG's TVs almost always feature in the big sales events, so expect discounts come Black Friday. Again, you can bet the older model will see more money off than its newer sibling.

** Winner: LG C4 **

LG C5 vs C4: design

Design-wise, it’s really a game of spot the difference. LG’s C-series OLEDs haven’t changed much at all in recent years. These models look nigh-on identical to 2022’s C2.

On the one hand, that’s disappointing. On the other, it’s a fine design that does the job, and if it stops the price rising, most buyers would welcome its return.

Both 48-inch models have the same central pedestal stand as their bigger variants (only the 42-inch model has feet instead). This doesn't leave a lot of room for a soundbar, so you should measure up before you invest in one.

The C5’s Magic Remote has a new AI shortcut button and the ability to control smart lightbulbs, but otherwise it’s unchanged. And it is still not rechargeable or backlit. Sigh.

** Winner: Draw **

LG C5 vs C4: features

There’s not much to choose between them in terms of features either. The C5 still doesn’t have a heatsink, and it uses the same WOLED screen panel as the C4.

It does have a new processor though, the Alpha 9 Gen 8. This uses AI for everything from more advanced upscaling and improving colour accuracy, to a new chatbot to help diagnose and fix issues with your TV’s picture or sound.

Otherwise, both feature sets are almost an exact match.

You get three formats of HDR (HLG, HDR10 and Dolby Vision), but not HDR10+, four HDMI 2.1 ports, and a full suite of gaming features: 4K/144Hz (as well as the more common 4K/120Hz), VRR, ALLM and Dolby Vision gaming.

The C5 also has the Xbox app that was previously exclusive to Samsung TVs. This lets you stream games straight from the TV, no console required, and to connect a controller wirelessly to the set.

This comes courtesy of LG's webOS 25, as opposed to the C4's webOS 24.

** Winner: LG C5 **

LG C5 vs C4: picture

Out of the box, the C5 is just trying too hard; but a bit of time in the settings menu soon sorts that out. Its picture is wonderfully bright, but still packed with detail even in the brightest areas. Bright shading is strong, and motion natural.

But it’s not all good news. While the C5 does well rendering explosions with sufficient ‘pop’, colour volume tends to drop in darker parts of the image, especially when it comes to skin tones. It makes the image look flatter, and less natural.

It’s worth noting that this issue doesn’t always appear, even under similar conditions. It’s more something to be aware of than a reason not to buy.

Because, on the whole, the C5 is a wonderful performer – “superbly competent”, we call it in our review. And chances are most viewers won’t notice the issue we highlight above.

But then the C4 is no slouch, either, packing all the richness and solidity of its larger variants. Colours are punchy and warm, and the TV handles bright highlights very well – as we note in our review, “A glimpse of the sun through some foliage in Oppenheimer immediately draws our eye thanks to its punchy and vibrant presentation, while also remaining controlled and natural.”

Its picture is also meticulously detailed, picking out textures that other TVs miss – though it does feel a bit restrained in Dolby Vision Filmmaker mode. It just looks a bit dim here, though this is preferable to the artificial brightness some sets compensate with.

So, the C5 has the better picture, but it’s a case of modest gains, mostly due to the new processor rather than improvements with the screen tech.

** Winner: LG C5 **

LG C5 vs C4: sound

Audio has long been a weak point of LG's C-series TVs. That’s no problem as long as you can add a soundbar. But if you are reliant on the TV's sound, which model is better?

The C4 struggles with the tricky low-end effects of Bladerunner 2049, being plagued by distortion. It lacks projection and scale, and the bass notes don’t go nearly deep enough. But dialogue is nice and clear, and dynamics in explosions, for example, are delivered with suitable punch.

The C5 has the same 2.2-channel 40W speaker system as the C4, so its performance is much the same.

It sounds a little flat, with much of the sound coming from the centre of the screen. And its low end is as wobbly as the C4's.

LG's much-vaunted AI Sound mode does separate out the frequency range more, but it comes at the expense of fullness. Every part sounds thin. “Gunfire takes on a nasal, fizzy quality, and sibilance creeps into dialogue while the low end all but disappears,” we say in our review.

Even in Cinema mode, the sound remains flat and directionless. All in all, a poor show all round.

** Winner: Draw **

LG C5 vs C4: verdict

In terms of picture quality and features, the C5 is the better TV, but not by much in either regard.

When you factor in the parity of design and sound quality, and the £500 difference, the smart money would go for the C4 and put the saving towards a decent soundbar.

MORE:

Read our LG C5 review

And our LG C4 review

The new LG C5 OLED is a fantastic five-star TV – but here's why I won't be upgrading

LG G5 vs C5: which 2025 LG OLED TV should you buy?