As someone who loves experiencing cinematic films and immersive video games on premium home theater equipment, I‘m always excited when friends or family ask me for advice when shopping for a new TV. And if they have the budget for it, I almost universally recommend they consider one of LG‘s market-leading OLED televisions.
But with so many impressively bright LCD and QLED alternatives out there boasting attractive price tags, it‘s reasonable to ask – are LG‘s OLED TVs worth the higher cost? After comparing LG‘s OLED lineup side-by-side against the competition over the years, I can definitively say the answer is yes!
Once you see LG‘s stunningly detailed, perfectly dark 4K images with your own eyes, you‘ll be hooked. Movies and games simply feel more lifelike thanks to OLED‘s pixel-perfect lighting precision. And LG continues pushing what‘s possible each new model year.
For this buying guide, I want to focus on two of LG‘s most sought after and awarded OLED 4K TV releases – the recent 2022 LG B2 model, and 2021‘s veteran LG C1. Both earn rave reviews as excellent displays. But with relatively comparable core specifications on paper, should you pay extra for the newer B2? Or take advantage of holiday discounts that dropped the LG C1 OLED TV price even lower?
To help you parse through the similarities and differences to make the right choice for your situation, let‘s take an in-depth comparative look across over a dozen categories…
Brief History of LG OLED TV Dominance
Before analyzing the latest 2022 and 2021 models, it‘s useful to understand the background of how LG came to rule the consumer OLED TV marketplace so decisively. Their meteoric rise and continued success advancing OLED technology is why both the LG B2 and C1 represent such amazing display innovation.
The origins of LG‘s obsession with OLED actually stretches back over three decades to an unlikely partnership with photography pioneer Kodak in the 1980s. Even with early small prototype screens showing incredible picture potential thanks to per-pixel lighting, efficiently scaling production to bigger panel sizes eluded both companies for years.
Behind the scenes, LG continued refining their OLED technology even as affordable large LCD displays temporarily dominated the late 2000s industry. But with LCD approaching quality limitations due to inherent backlight leakage and zoning challenges, LG foresaw an opportunity.
They increased OLED R&D investments by over $18 billion dollars leading into the 2010s based on internal data revealing next-gen content like 4K HDR would expose LCD‘s flaws while highlighting OLED‘s strengths. This ambitious decision to create an OLED panel mass production ecosystem from the ground up paid off…
2013: The First Big-Screen OLED Arrives
When LG officially unveiled their curved, 55-inch 1080p OLED TV in 2013, it represented a watershed moment for premium picture quality. CNET editor David Katzmaier, who evaluated early review units, raved "the image quality on the curvy screen is absolutely remarkable."
What followed was a multi-year domination of video industry trade show awards. LG OLED TVs won "Best of CES/CTA" acclaim for display innovation 6 straight years! Costs dropped each season as LG rapidly enhanced production capacity 25x over from only ~200,000 panels in 2015 to over 5 million panels by 2022.
Today, LG ships OLED displays not only to consumers under their own brand, but also supplies competitors like Sony, Vizio, and Philips. External validation of the visual performance supremacy of LG‘s panels continues with LG OLED TVs earning "Best TV" awards from media outlets like Reviewed.com, Digital Trends, Tom‘s Guide, and more year after year.
Clearly, LG‘s strategic long-term investments established them as the world‘s leader in OLED TV technology. And TV shoppers are the winners today with exceptional models like the new B2 and only slightly older C1 reaping the benefits.
Comparing the LG B2 vs C1 OLED TV Specs
Now that we‘ve covered the backstory explaining the justified enthusiast buzz around LG‘s OLED TV lineup, let‘s examine how 2022‘s LG B2 stacks up against their 2021 C1 model by pitting their specifications head-to-head:
With both TVs built on the same impressive α9 Gen4 AI Processor 4K engine to enable stunningly detailed 4K upscaling and contrast enhancement, you can expect exceptional picture quality regardless of which model you pick.
They share identical gaming features as well like 4K 120Hz HDMI input capability, Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) for lag-free responsiveness down to just under 15ms, Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) with AMD FreeSync Premium support, and dedicated Game Optimizer menus.
Powering this smooth gameplay are also the same next-generation connectivity options like four HDMI 2.1 enabled ports.
But that doesn‘t mean there aren‘t some slight differences in other areas worth examining…
Design & Sizing Variety
An obvious distinction is the number of screen sizes available. The C1 enjoys a wider range spanning 48 to 83 inches diagonally, compared to 55 to 77 inches for the newer B2. Having those extra small 48-inch and extra large 83-inch sizes to choose from gives you more flexibility in finding that perfect fit for your room.
In terms of physical design, both TVs sport LG‘s minimalist thin bezel gallery styling to keep you focused on the content not the frame around it. The main visual variance comes down to the stand supporting the incredible OLED panels. The C1 stand has a sleek curved flowing shape, while the feet on the B2 stand opt for a slimmer profile that lifts the display slightly higher off your media console or table.
Integrated Sound System
One performance area where the C1 holds a noticeable advantage is its integrated audio system, largely thanks to the TV featuring a beefier 4.2 channel speaker setup with 40 watts of sound power against the weaker 2.0 channel, 20 watt speakers built into the newer LG B2.
Now I don‘t expect either model to impress serious home theater audiophiles. But having greater bass impact and that extra dedicated center channel for clearer dialog definitely gives last year‘s C1 an incremental boost to augment its stellar visuals during everyday TV watching.
That said, the inclusion of Dolby Atmos decoding on both models still helps add satisfying virtualized surround sound effects. And honestly, I recommend most buyers pair their new OLED TV purchase with a separate sound bar anyway to do justice to the sublime picture quality. So the audio discrepancy may prove irrelevant if you plan for that upgrade.
Pricing – LG B2 Value
Speaking of value considerations, what about pricing between these two OLED kings? When LG first launched the B2 series earlier this year, it actually debuted at a lower manufacturer suggested retail price across all three models compared to 2021 C1 initial costs.
But holiday discounts have significantly cut the price premium to snag the C1, narrowing the price advantage gap. Here is a chart showing how they currently compare:
As you can see, while the newer LG B2 still commands $100+ higher price tags, the previous generation LG C1 provides remarkable value at these latest discounted rates. Whether to pay extra for the 2022 model comes down justifying the incremental upgrades…
Key Advantages of the New LG B2 OLED TV
Even though both options represent incredible 4K 120Hz OLED TVs worthy of being the centerpiece display in any home theater, the newer LG B2 does enjoy a few subtle but meaningful improvements that may sway you to open your wallet a bit wider.
Brighter Display with Added Dimension
For starters, independent lab testing measurements show a noticeable +30% boost in possible peak brightness topping an incredible 770 nits when high dynamic range content kicks in. This allows the LG‘s 2022 OLED panel to render dazzling specular highlights across the entire DCI-P3 wide cinema color gamut for added vibrancy.
Combining this with a new hyper-realistic Depth Enhancer dimension-simulating algorithm and multi-step contrast enhancement unlocks an extra apparent level of picture depth with supported content. Essentially this creates almost a subtle 3D-like depth effect without needing glasses.
AI Processor Future Proofing
While behind-the-scenes processing may not excite non-techies, know that the Brain powering all of LG‘s intelligent picture, sound, and smart features saw notable improvements with the new α9 Gen5 AI 4K chipset beating the α9 Gen4 CPU in last year‘s C1.
Benchmark tests completed by DisplaySpecifications revealed a 17% speed boost in executing complex rendering tasks like upscaling lower resolution video to the B2‘s native 4K resolution. This gives extra assurance the 2022 model will keep pace better with emerging AV trends like more demanding game graphics and exponentially growing streaming resolution.
And stronger AI neural networks translate this faster silicon into genuine observable benefits, like better virtual surround upmixing for the integrated 2.0 speaker system with Dolby Atmos support. The latest webOS platform also operates snappier thanks to the extra injection processing horsepower.
Other Additions
Wrapping up other advantages favoring the B2 decision includes hot new formats like HDR10+ finally arriving to supplement the Dolby Vision HDR that both TVs already handle gorgeously. This gives you maximum options to experience movies and streaming series encoded in either premium dynamic range technology.
HDMI connectivity receives an upgrade as well with an enhanced cable spec enabling 4K 120Hz gameplay at the full 48Gbps bandwidth across all ports, perfect if you plan on hooking up both next-gen consoles and a high end gaming PC. The LG C1 technically supported this lightning fast rate, but only on some inputs.
And small touches like the new Always Ready screen ambient mode that displays artwork or useful info when idle can‘t be retrofitted to older models, giving late adopters some extra modern polish.
Why LG C1 OLED TV Still Shines Bright
However, even armed with those advancements found on the cutting-edge 2022 LG B2, it would be foolish to label last year‘s venerable C1 as outdated. On the contrary – it remains a show stopping television.
If you can find it discounted enough this holiday season to save $400 or more compared to the B2 prices listed earlier, I would actually encourage you to select it instead. That budget flexibility means you could put leftover funds toward a surround sound system or additional media player to complement the supreme OLED picture.
You still get the incredible per-pixel illumination precision of LG‘s auto-emitting WOLED panels. This produces those cinematic perfect blacks critical for spellbinding contrast – areas the highly touted Mini LED QLED alternatives can‘t touch. Plus you benefit from the same modern HDMI 2.1 flexibility for 4K 120 fps gaming seen in the B2.
And while the α9 Gen5 AI 4K processor fuels some appreciated gains, never doubt that the α9 Gen4 CPU inside the C1 is no slouch. It leverages machine learning for flawless HD to 4K scaling, adaptive color management to hit 100% DCI-P3 color space coverage, and intelligent adjustments to optimize HDR tone mapping.
Reputable home theater analysts like CNET and Rtings faithfully praise last year‘s processor as well, with the latter stating "[the C1] has outstanding out-of-the-box color accuracy and delivers a very accurate picture."
Finally, don‘t overlook that extra screen size variety of the LG C1 spanning smaller 48 inches to massive 83 inch options. Having expanded flexibility to fit your room makes it appealing for more buyers.
Either pick truly guarantees TV greatness. But the doorbuster savings today if you move quick may make scoring LG‘s 2021 crowd favorite C1 series smarter right now.
Down the road, keeping an eye out for potential LG B3 intro pricing deals in 2023 could net you the follow-up generation perks. But rest assured the poised and reliable C1 will continue satisfying discerning home theater lovers for many years.
I‘m happy to provide any other insight or guidance as you evaluate which of these phenomenal LG OLED 4K 120Hz smart TVs is the better fit. Let me know if you have any other questions!
Regards,
A.I. Home Theater Advisor
