LG has finally announced its 2024 OLED TV prices, showing just how far its innovations in AI, panel technology, and audio stand in relation to its previous lineups. On the mind of many is its LG G4 OLED evo TV, a behemoth of a display that ranges from 55-inch to 97-inch. It’s set to be one of LG’s most competitive models this year, making a name for itself among the best TVs at CES 2024.
Sporting that sweet MLA WOLED panel in tandem with a 144Hz refresh rate, the LG G4 OLED definitely looks the part. The inclusion of LG’s brand new a11 chipset offers this TV some serious legs, witnessed primarily in motion processing and color volume. We haven't run our suite of tests on the G4 to see just how far LG is pushing the limits, but specs-wise, it’s clear LG wanted to inject some serious firepower into this display.
The LG G4 OLED TV might pull out all the stops and will most certainly give the G3 OLED a run for its money, but the latter is by no means out of the race. The former might have won in our LG C4 OLED vs LG G4 OLED faceoff, but thanks to its its 120Hz refresh rate and a9 processor plus its ATSC 3.0 tuner, which all of LG’s 2024 TV lineup will be without due to an ongoing patent dispute with Constellation Designs LLC, the LG G3 OLED has got its perks, too.
Let’s dive in and see just how much either TV models compare against each other and experience LG’s TV innovations firsthand.
LG G4 OLED vs LG G3 OLED: Specs compared
LG G4 OLED vs LG G3 OLED: Picture performance
There’s no question that the LG G4 OLED outclasses and outpaces its rival model from yesteryear. LG’s new a11 chipset was the talk of the town at CES 2024 and will be empowering its G4 OLED and M4 OLED among its 2024 TV lineup. It boasts several powerful gains over LG’s 2023 TVs, which the TV manufacturer denoted as around 30% faster processing and 70% better graphics thanks to its use of LG Display's META 2.0 OLED panels.
We haven't had a chance to run our suite of tests on the LG G4 OLED just yet, so take it all with a grain of salt but, on paper, these improvements certainly seem pretty remarkable.
However, as mentioned previously, the absence of an ATSC 3.0 tuner really sours the experience for those who want the best picture and sound on their TV in tandem with more advanced controls. And this is where the LG G3 OLED proves its worth.
Not only does it have the superior tuner, but in our review, the 2023 G3 OLED TV garnered a near-perfect score. We highlighted its incredible brightness even as an OLED and beautiful physical design as being major reasons for its high score. It might not have that all-important META 2.0 panel for the best HDR performance, but even without it, the G3 provides a stunning viewing experience.
As for speakers, the LG G4 OLED will use a 11.1.2 channel speaker with upmixing against the LG G3 OLED’s 9.1.2-channel 60W speaker, which alone should show the gap in audio quality. We even noted in our review that it might be better to pair the G3 OLED with one of the best soundbars due to its limited resonance, while the G4 will come equipped with a powerful AI Sound Pro feature that will uplift audio quality, like dialogue and music, among other enhancements.
Gaming performance also will most certainly be quite tantalizing on the LG G4 OLED thanks to a number of baked-in technologies, like AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync, for screen tearing support and a new native refresh rate of 144Hz. Thus, it might already have a spot on the best gaming TVs, even in the face of the G3’s similarly high gaming-centric functionalities.
LG G4 OLED vs LG G3 OLED: Design
In our review of last year’s G3, we put major emphasis on its design as being a key element behind its high score, and the same will probably be said of the forthcoming G4, as well. Both TVs leverage LG’s so-called zero gap design, a feature that ensures the displays keep clean and snug to the wall when mounted, making them seem as if they’re literal fixtures of the home.
In reality there might not be that much of a difference in terms of design between the two. Amid CES 2024, our very first look at LG’s new TVs didn’t give us the best insight into their bases, as most of them were hung up on walls.
The good news is that the G4 OLED might well have some major upgrades on its side in terms of its stand, as LG says it plans to include a stand on the 55-inch and 65-inch models. Given its zero gap design in the larger models, LG really sees these displays as wall pieces, not unlike Samsung's The Frame, but it seems LG has heard the complaints of users who were tired of paying extra for a stand.
LG G4 OLED vs LG G3 OLED: Price and availability
LG has announced its prices for the LG G4 OLED and LG C4 OLED TVs, making this face off all the more interesting now that we know just how expensive the new and more advanced iteration will be: Starting at $2,599 for its 55-inch model, the LG G4 OLED is looking like one of the most expensive TVs of 2024, .
The price feels especially problematic when pitted against the LG G3 OLED from last year, which now sits at around $1,899 for its own 55-inch model. The LG G4's upgrades are tempting, but the fact that it's $700 more and missing an ATSC 3.0 tuner might mean that you're better off going with last year's G3 instead.
LG G4 OLED vs LG G3 OLED: Outlook
That being said, while more expensive, it’s pretty clear that the LG G4 OLED is going to be the better TV. The price is definitely high, but you’re paying for LG’s R&D, as well as all of its AI enhancements that will make the G4 truly shine — potentially most of all witnessed in brightness coverage, motion processing, and audio quality.
If you’re looking for one of the best ATSC 3.0 TVs, the LG G3 OLED is your claim to fame, plus it’s hard to beat its current MSRP of about $1,899, which is sure to slide a bit lower upon the G4’s release.
At $2,599, the LG G4 OLED is asking for quite a lot. But with it, you’ll be entered into a pretty remarkable ecosystem built on LG’s continued innovation. The firm is committed to improving upon its webOS software, which was last updated earlier this month and will see even more advancements later upon the G4’s arrival.
In short, the G4 OLED represents the cutting-edge of TVs and it has the price tag to match. The G3 OLED, just a year older, might not have all the new features, but it's cheaper and includes an ATSC 3.0 tuner. Both are great for different reasons, and both will likely hold a spot on our list of the best OLED TVs.
