00:00What if I told you that you could get an OLED TV that gives you almost the exact same premium
00:06flex, but for a massive chunk of change less?
00:10Welcome back to the channel, and today I'm combining my LG B6 OLED review in our buy or skip style
00:17with a new franchise for the Tom's Guide savings squad.
00:21We call it Flex for Less.
00:23Because here's the question when shopping for a new LG OLED.
00:26Do you actually need to shell out for the top tier G6 or C6, or is the B6 right here
00:33more than good enough for your living room?
00:36Let's break it down.
00:40Let's start with the literal less part of the equation, because your wallet is where the B6 makes its first
00:47massive impression.
00:49I'll throw the prices and sizes up on the screen, but basically, you're under $2,000 for a 65-inch
00:56B6 OLED, and that's before any discounts.
00:59Now, the C6 does have more variety when it comes to sizes, but for the same 65-inch size, we're
01:05jumping up to $2,700.
01:08That means choosing the B6 saves you a whopping $700 right out of the gate, and you even still get
01:13four HDMI 2.1 ports.
01:15That's one of the reasons the B-series has become pretty much the most accessible entryway into the world of
01:22OLED.
01:23And, again, because it's a mid-range model, it's only going to get cheaper as sales roll in.
01:28Generally speaking, I don't think anyone should be paying full price for LG OLED TVs ever, so make sure that
01:35you check the deals in the description down below.
01:38But does paying less mean a lesser performance? I mean, guys, obviously, yes. But context is important here.
01:47When we put both the B6 and the C6 through our lab testing, the biggest difference boils down to one
01:53thing. Brightness.
01:54The C6 can crank out over 1,200 nits of brightness in the same 10% HDR window we use
02:01as our baseline for all TV reviews.
02:03The B6? It tops out at 700 nits. So, yeah, if you put them side by side in a room
02:09flooded with sunlight, you will notice that the C6 picture looks better.
02:14But here is the Saving Squad's secret. To the average eye in a standard dark room viewing condition, you aren't
02:21going to notice a massive drop-off.
02:23And if you are watching during a bright day, just switch the picture mode to standard or vivid to give
02:28the brightness a little extra kick.
02:30Plus, the B6 actually beats the C6 when it comes to standard dynamic range color accuracy, and they're pretty much
02:37neck and neck in SDR and HDR color gamut coverage.
02:42You guys know the drill. We also measure input lag as it relates to the gaming experience.
02:47The B6 clocked an insanely fast 8.9 milliseconds, which is actually a hair faster than the premium C6 when
02:56both were set to LG's Game Optimizer mode.
02:59No screen tearing, zero stuttering. Really, the only downsize, I suppose, is that you don't have a smaller option than
03:0665 inches for the B6.
03:07Great flex for less for the gamers looking for an all-in-one screen, but if you are looking to
03:13scale down, that's when the C6 in the 42 or 48-inch sizes might make more sense.
03:20You actually do have another option, though, if you want more size flexibility.
03:26You can still find the LG B5 on sale at sites like Amazon.
03:31I actually spotted the 55-inch version for under $1,000 before sitting down to film this.
03:37It's not as bright as the B6, but just barely.
03:40And in fact, some people online have said that they find the default color profiles of the B5 actually better
03:46than the B6.
03:48Pair that with the fact that LG is one of the better manufacturers when it comes to consistent software updates
03:53for existing TVs.
03:55And honestly, I really think the B5 is the best value here of them all.
04:03But going back to the B6, there are a few other corners LG had to cut to hit that lower
04:10price point than the C6.
04:11For example, the design.
04:13It still has that beautifully thin OLED profile, but instead of that premium metal central pedestal that we saw on
04:21the C6, we get dual plastic legs.
04:25It's a little flimsy. I'd personally plan to mount this on the wall.
04:30Second, the audio.
04:32It's a little thin, a little bit tinny.
04:34And while the AI speech enhancement mode helps for dialogue clarity, it also tends to wash out any background music.
04:40Put some of the money that you're saving towards investing in a decent soundbar.
04:44It doesn't need to be anything that fancy.
04:46In fact, I'll link my favorite budget pick down below.
04:49Lastly, webOS.
04:50Specifically how AI-ified it's become.
04:53It's still one of the better, more responsive TV interfaces out there,
04:57but it is starting to get a little bit bogged down with AI features.
05:01But isn't that the case for everything these days?
05:06So let me bring you on home for my final verdict.
05:10Should you buy or skip the LG B6 OLED?
05:13If you have a brutally bright living room with floor-to-ceiling windows,
05:18you might want to stretch your budget for the C6 peak brightness.
05:22But for probably 90% of people watching this, this is an absolute undeniable buy.
05:29The LG B6 gives you elite OLED black levels, world-class gaming performance,
05:34and is the absolute definition of a flex for less.
05:37But I've got to know what you guys think.
05:40Are you going to save the cash and go with the B6?
05:42Or save even more cash and go with the B5?
05:44Or none of the above?
05:45C6? G6?
05:47Just let me know in the comments below.
05:48And don't forget to like, subscribe to Tom's Guide,
05:51and check out the Saving Squad homepage for more of our top value picks.
05:55Thanks for watching.
05:56I'll catch you next time.
06:08I'll catch you next time.
