00:04The LG G5 is one of 2025's best OLED TVs, earning a full 5 stars in our review for its
00:10excellent
00:11picture quality, superb gaming performance and its newfound brightness, so its successor had
00:16some big shoes to fill. We've fully reviewed the LG G6 and it's a more than worthy successor to the
00:22G5. Not only does it introduce an even brighter primary RGB tandem OLED 2.0 panel, but it makes
00:29subtle refinements in the right areas, mostly. Naturally, I decided to compare the two TVs
00:34side by side for people who were deciding whether to spend more on the G6 or saving some money on
00:39the G5.
00:41Here's what I thought.
00:45With its new panel, the G6 gets a real brightness boost over the G5. I measured its peak HDR
00:51brightness in filmmaker mode at 2475 nits, a nice jump over the G5's 2268 nits. This means brighter
01:00scenes and peak highlights on screen have more punch and more shine, which I especially found when
01:05viewing scenes with bright whites in, such as snow. The G6 also gets a substantial full-screen brightness
01:10boost. It's measured HDR full-screen brightness for 456 nits, compared to the G5's 331 nits.
01:17This means brighter daytime scenes have more punch, but it's also better for viewing in bright rooms,
01:22keeping clarity even when light is flooding over the screen.
01:25Another area the G6 really steps up over the G5 is in its reflection handling. The G5 was prone to
01:31mirror-like reflections when viewing in bright conditions, but the G6 has a seriously effective
01:36anti-reflection layer that I'd argue makes it the best OLED for bright rooms, dethroning last year's
01:42Samsung S95F. We'll see how this year's Samsung flagship will fare later.
01:50From when I first saw the G6 and G5 side-by-side at an event, I noted that the G6's
01:55colours don't
01:55look as bright. When I asked LG about this, it confirmed it was by design, as it was favouring
02:00accuracy over brightness after feedback from creators. I can confirm this is the case, and it's actually to
02:07the G6's benefit. Watching La La Land, colours seem more authentic on the G6, while also looking
02:13richer. In some scenes, the G5s look much brighter and don't feel quite as accurate, although they
02:19still have a lovely vibrancy. In the sound of music, the greens of the fields and the blues of the
02:24skies
02:24again look more accurate on the G6, delivering a better tonal balance.
02:29Colour banding is an interesting area, however. LG's OLEDs have struggled with their colour banding
02:33in the past, and initially, the G6 seemed to have improved that. A scene from The Green Knight in
02:38HDR10 shows better gradation of a large red area over the whole screen, with fewer blocky rings of
02:44colour present. It's a clear step up over the G5. However, in Dolby Vision, the G6 shows signs of
02:50banding as well. In fact, the G5 arguably performs better in Dolby Vision at the time of recording.
02:56Still, for overall colour accuracy and reproduction overall, the win goes to the G6, which is no easy
03:02feat, as the G5's colours are also excellent.
03:08As you'd expect for two OLED TVs, both the G6 and G5 have excellent contrast. Scenes from the Batman
03:15and Dark City, where lamps cut through dark surroundings, show excellent balance with bold
03:19highlights. However, once again, the G6 looks more refined. Contrast looks more authentic during those
03:25dark scenes, with a slightly better balance between the light and dark tones. Shadow details also
03:30stronger, with more objects legible in dark scenes, and black tones look more accurate. They sometimes
03:36looked a little raised on the G5 in pitch black viewing conditions.
03:42While I preferred the G6 in a lot of tests, when you're planning to buy effects what TV I recommend.
03:48Right now, a 65-inch G6 at launch costs $3,399 or £2,999, while a 65-inch G5 costs
03:58you around $1,949
04:00or £1,999. Now, the G6 is an upgrade, but it's not four figures worth of upgrade. When the G6's
04:08prices
04:08start dropping, that's when it'll be worth it. But if you're looking for the best bang for your buck
04:12right now, easily the G5. Got any questions about the LG G6 or G5? Let us know in the comments
04:18below.
