LG OLED CX review: "A phenomenal TV"

Launched in 2020, the LG CX immediately caught the eye of many with a spec sheet that seemed to tick just about every box. An OLED TV offering 4K quality with 120fps performance? It sounds like a gamer’s dream.

When first released it certainly was a premium option with a premium price point to match. But it’s been in the market a couple of years now, so does the LG CX still stack up as one of the best gaming TVs, and also one of the best TVs for PS5 and Xbox Series X?

Features & Design

I’ve been using the 55" variant from the middle of the LG CX range and like the 48", 65" and 77" options it’s almost entirely screen. With bezels of just over half a centimetre and an almost non-existent physical frame, the LG CX is incredibly sleek. It’s incredibly thin too: just under 5cm deep in the bottom half and an almost alarmingly thin 4mm as you move up into the screen in the top half.

This makes it ideal for wall mounting, and while the super-slim top half is metal-backed so feels premium, it does rather get the heart rate going anytime you need to move it; plus there’s not much to grab on to. It’s also worth noting the VESA mounting points sit lower down than I’ve ever seen on a TV before, so if you’re recycling an existing wall mount you might find yourself a funny viewing angle.

This is a TV you’re going to want to wall mount too because the included stand is entirely impractical. Not only is it a whopping 25cm deep, but a majority of this space also exists as a bulky black unit behind the screen. The result is a side profile that’s comically unbalanced, leaving a load of dead air behind the panel which sits awkwardly far off the wall. 

Performance

With the screen on though, the LG CX is magical. Thanks to its OLED panel it delivers a stunning image with perfect blacks and vivid colour. Unlike LED or LCD panels, each pixel of an OLED panel is powered by its own backlight, meaning incredible contrast and an image that looks particularly impressive in dark rooms.

Enhancing that is the addition of Dolby Vision and the HDR experience is excellent across both gaming and watching. On more than one occasion I lost track of what I was watching because I was more focused on how good it looked on the LG CX. Sorry, David Attenborough, I love your voice but it played second fiddle to the visuals here. 

As impressive as the LG CX is for watching movies and TV, it’s gamers that’ll be particularly interested in what it has to offer. With four HDMI 2.1 inputs allowing 4K content at 120fps and full variable refresh rate support, the CX is capable of delivering anything a console can throw at it right now and is still one of the best 120Hz 4K TVs money can buy.

The CX ticks every box on my Xbox Series X’s TV checklist and is just a joy to play games on. Forza Horizon 5’s Mexican landscape is breathtaking and games that run happily at 120fps like Rocket League play silky smooth. Even 'older' titles like Shadow of the Tomb Raider look astonishingly good on the CX and even though the LG C1 and LG C2 have superceded it, it’s going to be a while before this screen really falls behind. Despite the LG CX being ready for it, you won’t find many games that will really max out both resolution and frame rate simultaneously. Yet.

Even at the other end of the spectrum, the LG CX impresses. Nintendo Switch games look notably better on the CX than they do on other screens, thanks largely to LG’s α9 Gen3 AI Processor and its clever upscaling. It does a remarkable job of making lower resolution content look better than it is; a very welcome feature, particularly on larger screen sizes.

Overall - should you buy it?

Simply put, the LG CX is a phenomenal TV. In terms of pure eye candy and enjoyment, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better option, even from newer models that have been released in the two years since its launch. There’s just not much that needs improving.

A mixture of crisp visuals with a high refresh rate lets it go head to head with high spec PC monitors and even gamers with new-gen consoles will still struggle to max out what LG is offering here.  

It’s not the easiest unit to find new anymore though, so if you're in the market for a new TV and happen to spy one hiding in the corner of a retailer - probably at a discounted rate - you’d be wise to snap it up.

How we tested the LG CX

I’ve used the 55” version of the LG CX as my primary living room for TV for nearly a year. During this time it’s been wall mounted throughout and used for everything from console gaming to streaming, to everyday Netflix binging.

For gaming it’s been paired with an Xbox Series X and Nintendo Switch, streaming using built-in apps and a Fire Stick 4K.

The LG CX is still a top bit of kit for any PS5 or Xbox Series X set up - so why not browse other top PS5 gear in the shape of our guides to the best PS5 SSDs, best PS5 headsets, and best Xbox Series X headsets to round out your setup. Or, check out your other TV options with the best QLED TVs.