review: LG OLED 55 C6

LG OLED55C6

HANDS-ON WITH THE LG OLED55C6 TV

Those pesky folk at LG sure are making us wait for the brand’s 2016 OLED TV range. We’ve been itching to get our hands and eyes on one of these new sets ever since they blew away the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas in January, but still nothing has arrived on our test benches.

We have, though, managed to get some time with a demonstration model of what may be the most attractive model in LG’s new OLED range: the OLED55C6 (which is similar in picture specification to the B6 series, except that it has a curved screen while the B6 models are flat, and supports 3D while the B6 models don't).

This 55-inch model belongs to the most affordable 4K series in the new OLED range, and is scheduled to ship with a price tag of £2,999. While the OLED55C6 lacks the spectacular design and audio solutions of LG’s new top-end OLED models, it still boasts essentially all of the picture quality chops of its much more expensive E6 and G6 siblings.

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DESIGN

While the 55C6’s design isn’t on the same level as the ‘pixels on glass’ effect of the ‘Signature’ G6 OLED sets, it’s hardly had a run in with the ugly stick. It’s still almost unfeasibly thin in terms of both its bezel thickness and its rear depth, while the use of a transparent ‘neck’ attachment to the unobtrusive silver pedestal mount really does make the screen look like it's floating. In other words, it still makes even the thinnest LCD TV look old fashioned and chubby.

The curved screen won't suit everyone, but it does contribute something extra to the TV's dazzling looks.

The only concerning thing about the OLED55C6’s design is the absence of any large speakers of the sort attached to LG’s new G6 and E6 models, raising questions over whether such a skinny chassis can deliver any sort of half-decent sound. Sadly, I wasn’t able to gain a realistic sense of the 55C6’s audio performance in the surroundings the preview took place in.

However, the set still boasts a four-channel, 40W speaker system designed by Harman Kardon. Also I suspect there’s a substantial number of people out there with soundbars, soundbases or surround sound systems who won't care that this OLED TV doesn’t feature an expensive integrated audio solution they won't even use.

WEBOS IS BACK

The 55C6 still gets the latest version of LG’s redoubtable webOS smart TV engine, complete with the latest Netflix and Amazon streaming apps, supporting both the 4K and HDR streaming features those services now offer.

The 55C6 also benefits from the Freeview Play catch-up service LG is introducing this year to ensure it offers on-demand support for all the ‘big four’ UK terrestrial broadcasters.

Also key for 2016 is the 55C6’s support for both a native 4K resolution and HDR (high dynamic range) playback. In fact, as well as the open HDR 10 standard the 55C6 supports the Dolby Vision HDR standard, which adds dynamic metadata to the HDR video feeds to continually optimise playback for the specific TV hardware you’re using. LG is currently the only brand supporting Dolby Vision in the UK.

Best of all, as noted before, the 55C6’s OLED-driven picture performance should be almost identical to that of LG’s new flagship OLED models, sailing past the specifications demanded by the Ultra HD Alliance's 'Ultra HD Premium' badge of performance honour. Particularly striking are LG's claims that its OLED screens are capable of delivering 99% of the DCI-P3 colour spectrum referenced by the Ultra HD Premium standard. That's more than any other consumer screen I've come across so far.

During my preview of the 55C6 I got to experience its performance with Dolby Vision 4K HDR feeds of Pan and, um, Jupiter Ascending. And it’s fair to say the resulting pictures never looked anything less than mesmerising.

The most surprising strength of the 55C6’s pictures during the preview was their brightness. LG’s rivals like to say that only LCD can deliver the sort of brightness peaks that HDR content needs, yet the 55C6 delivered Pan’s occasionally strong light peaks with a gorgeous amount of punch and intensity.

An LG spokesperson suggested that the latest LG OLED TVs are actually capable of hitting localised brightness peaks much higher – potentially up to 800 nits – than the 540 nits LG generally claims for its new OLED screens’ brightness. This claim does seem borne out by the beautifully luminous look to the 55C6’s HDR highlights.

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