CES signals an abundance of new TV launches, and the one many of us look forward to most each year is LG's new lineup of OLED TVs. Well, we're happy to report that a full new range of B, C, G and M series OLEDs have now officially been announced and that all of them feature upgrades over their predecessors.
One model in particular has caught my eye, and it's not the one you might expect.
Usually, I'm a C-series LG OLED fan, as I prefer the smaller screen size options and appreciate the uncompromising gaming feature set. So naturally I'd be most keen for the freshly announced C4 right?
Plot twist; it's actually the new B4 OLED TV that's caught my eye. While the C4 does look like it could be a great TV, it doesn't look to be a whole lot different from the C3, which in turn wasn't a whole lot different from the C2. I'm certainly not writing the C4 off – upgrades in the form of a 144Hz maximum refresh rate and enhanced brightness look very tasty and we always reserve judgement until we've been able to fully test any product – but overall it seems like a safe update. True, our hope that Multi Lens Array (MLA) might trickle down to the C-series was probably always wishful thinking, but it's still a shame to see a lack of anything truly gripping with the C4. In fact, LG is actively cementing the C series as the step-down model in the overall range by giving the C4 a lesser processor than the G4 flagship – in previous years there's been processor parity.
This is where the new B series model comes into play, as although this iteration of LG OLEDs has never really grabbed my attention before, 2024 is looking like the year of the B4 OLED. LG has made some pretty surprising upgrades to the B4, including outfitting it with four full bandwidth HDMI 2.1 sockets for 4K/120Hz gaming. For reference, the B3 and B2 only came with two HDMI 2.1 sockets, as do most flagship TVs from most other brands, so this is a major upgrade for gamers.
The B4 also features a brand-new Alpha 8 processor. This is, as you'd expect, a slight downgrade on the Alpha 9 of the C4, and the fact that the C4 isn't a so-called 'OLED Evo' model means it won't go as bright as its C-series sibling, but the B4 could (again, only a full test in our dedicated labs will confirm this) get quite close to the C4 in terms of performance. They are certainly closer than ever before on paper, whereas, as mentioned, the C- and G-series are now further apart.
Seemingly unworried about any overlap between the C4 and B4, LG has also revealed that the B4 will be available in a 48-inch size option, something that was exclusive to the C series until now (not counting the A series which is only available in select regions). That suddenly makes the B4 an option as a second-room or even desk-based gaming TV – and makes me hopeful of a 42-inch B-series TV at some point in the future.
Ultimately, the defining factor will be pricing, which we don't yet have. With the C3 having been more expensive than the C2 it replaced, demand for a more affordable model has been huge, but the B4 will need to be usefully more affordable than the C4 if it's going to make sense. If LG gets the pricing right, though, I can see the B4 being ridiculously popular, particularly with gamers like me.
MORE:
Read our full LG C3 48-inch review
Check out LG's full new 2024 OLED lineup
As well as our picks for the best OLED TVs
