LG G1 OLED TV with brighter next-gen 'OLED evo' display revealed

LG has just revealed the follow-up to the LG CX at CES 2021 – called the LG C1 – but the most interesting new TV in its line-up for this year is the LG G1, which is the follow up to the higher-end LG GX. 

That's because it features a new type of panel, which LG is calling 'OLED evo'. Notably this panel is not coming to the LG C1 or even the high-end 8K Z1, at least in 2021. Previously, the G-series has used exactly the same screen as the C-series, but in a more premium design as with a speaker upgrade. This year, the more expensive LG OLED model looks set to actually offer higher image quality. Could it take the crown in our list of the best OLED TVs?

What are the benefits of 'OLED evo'? LG says that it "delivers better luminosity for higher brightness and punchy images with amazing clarity, detail and realism". Most that is just words you say to make it clear that a TV looks nice, but the bit we're interested in is "higher brightness".

• Is the LG A1 the cheap OLED TV of your dreams?

Brightness is the key flaw that OLED TVs have when compared to flagship LCD TVs. The key question here is just how much brighter we're talking with the new panels. Will it be a major boost in the way that the Panasonic JZ2000 will offer a huge brightness improvement over other OLED TVs?

We suspect the difference will be more modest, but even a change of 10% or so would be a noticeable improvement, so hopefully we'll hear exactly what's possible soon.

Next-gen processing

The G1 will also feature a new generation of image processor, named the Alpha 9 Gen4, imaginatively. The follow-up to the Alpha 9 Gen3 used in 2020's TVs will stick with current trends by adding in extra 'AI-based' enhancements, including smarter upscaling, and the ability to distinguish between different types of subject on-screen (and whether they're in the foreground or background) so it can apply custom adjustments to them.

The new 83-inch model will bring 4K OLED up a size tier – you could already go up to 77 inches, mind, so it'll probably be a select niche of sportspeople and yacht owners who feel the need for even more scale.

Last year's G1 TV was also made to be wall-mounted, with its design focused around that. It's true this year too, but LG has also made a point of showing off a fetching stand that brings to mind B&O's minimalist and furniture-like TV designs. We like it.