5 things I learned when I tested the LG C5 OLED TV, from embracing AI to troublesome reflections

It’s no secret that one of 2025's most anticipated TVs has been the LG C5 OLED TV. LG’s OLEDs, especially its mid-range C-series, are always among the most popular TVs year-on-year and the C5 continues the trend.

As the successor to the LG C4, one of the best TVs of 2024, the C5 does everything the C4 does and adds a bit more. I’ve fully tested it and in my LG C5 review, it earned a full five-out-of-five stars. This was because of its incredible picture quality, full suite of gaming features that match the best gaming TVs, and its intuitive smart TV platform. Plus, it’s likely to be the most competitively priced TV in the mid-range OLED category, based on previous years.

There were a a few standout things I took away from my time testing the C5 , so I’ve picked the five that I think you should be aware of if the C5 is a TV you're interested in buying.

1. It still sets the bar for mid-range OLEDs

LG’s C-series TVs have been one of the standard bearers for what's possible in a mid-range OLED over the past few years. That’s not to say other mid-range OLEDs are bad; in fact some beat LG’s C-series in various areas. The Sony Bravia 8 had better sound than the LG C4 for example (and I suspect this will be the case with whatever Sony has for us in 2025 as well).

But, every year, no OLED can really compete with the C series in terms of its versatility and sheer bang for your buck. It often offers the most complete list of features with the best performance and often for the cheapest price (once prices have fallen for the C5 and its rivals).

The Samsung S90F, Samsung’s mid-range OLED, looked set to be the LG C5’s main rival for 2025. However, it seems the same panel lottery that plagued the Samsung S90D in 2024 is set to happen again, where at certain sizes you may not know what kind of performance to expect from it (I've asked Samsung to clarify this situation, but it won't say what the deal is in either direction).

As a result, the C5 looks like it’s going to be the measure for mid-range OLEDs to match up to in 2025.

2. Reflections – the C5’s weak spot

TV reflections can be a real problem and can really hamper the viewing experience. In fact, they’re effectively OLED’s kryptonite, with even the best OLED TVs struggling to overcome them in bright rooms (unless you have the Samsung S95D with its anti-reflection screen) and while there are ways to beat TV reflections, sometimes they are just unavoidable.

I expected some reflections before testing the C5, but their prevalence really stood out to me, especially in brighter conditions. In dark scenes in movies such as The Batman, there were obvious mirror-like reflections with myself and other objects appearing on screen whenever a strong light source was nearby in the room.

In dimmed conditions, the C5 fared a lot better – and this is a problem for all equivalent OLEDs – but it’s still worth noting about these reflections. If you’re interested in the C5, make sure you can limit the light in your room.

3. AI Sound Pro is the best sound mode

In my experience testing TVs, I’ve generally come to find that the best preset sound mode is Movie/Cinema mode. It usually has a bolder, richer and overall more rounded sound, with the best balance. While I found it to be a solid option for the C5, I was drawn to another sound mode; AI Sound Pro.

The Batmobile chase scene in The Batman serves as an excellent test for sound quality and I found that AI Sound Pro delivered an immersive, punchy and dynamic sound that had a little bit extra compared to Movie mode. As a sceptic of so-called AI tools in TVs, I found it surprising that I preferred the AI Sound Pro mode.

I still recommended hooking up the C5 to one of the best soundbars for a sound to match the C5’s picture. But, if you are using the C5’s built-in sound, give AI Sound Pro a try.

4. The arrival of more AI features

Speaking of AI, LG has introduced a host of AI features to its 2025 TVs via the latest iteration of its smart TV platform webOS 25. While there've been AI picture enhancements on LG’s TVs for a while now (Super Upscaling, AI Picture Wizard, AI Sound Pro), this latest group is aimed more at the smart side of things.

Highlights among these include AI Concierge, which recommends content based on your viewing history; AI Search, which can recommend content based on your search criteria across a large number of streaming services (this feature is only in the US and Korea currently) and lastly the AI (Personalized) Sound Wizard, where users can create their own sound mode created by AI after users listen to a number of audio clips to determine their preferred sound.

There’s even an AI Art Store where you can create your own artworks using prompts (although it costs real money to do so) and a nifty AI Voice ID feature so the TV switches to your user account if you use the voice commands, based on it recognizing your voice.

While I didn’t personally find I needed any of these AI features, some definitely had more potential to be useful. Undoubtedly, some users will revel in using these new AI tools, so it’s a welcome addition to the C-series overall.

5. It’s not that different to the C4

OK, let’s address the elephant in the room: how different is the LG C5 from its predecessor, the LG C4? The answer – not very. Other than the aforementioned AI features and an HDR peak brightness boost, the C5 is almost identical to the C4.

Currently, this is bad news for the C5. The C4, one of 2024’s best OLED TVs, is still widely available and getting discounts all the time. The C5 is at its most expensive, launching in March 2025 and although its prices will drop throughout the year, who knows if it'll fall to the C4's price in the current economic climate.

If you’re an LG C4 owner or if you’re thinking of buying one, I’d still recommend it over the C5. But, once the C4 does retire, the C5 is a more than worthy successor and it’ll be worth your time.

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