OLED TV as a Monitor?

What's it like using an OLED TV as a PC monitor? I bought a 42" LG C2 to find out and it's better than you might think...

Timestamps:

0:00 - Intro
1:38 - Burn-in?
2:50 - Too Big?
4:04 - The Good
7:28 - The Bad

Team Credits:

Ken Bolido - Host & Writer
@austinevans - Executive Producer
@LukePollack - Shooter & Editor

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[ArthropodSpidey]

I like how he dresses like a toddler but speaks straight facts like an adult.

[Shakax]

I have been using the LG C2 55" television for several months now, and overall, I have been quite satisfied with its performance. The only minor issue I have encountered is the auto-dimming feature, which can be a bit bothersome. However, when paired with the powerful RTX-4090 graphics card, the screen truly comes to life, delivering an awesome visual experience in 4K resolution at 120Hz, especially when indulging in games like The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. The graphics are so immersive that it feels like a genuine work of art.

In terms of gaming, I have found the LG C2 to be more than sufficient, rendering a remarkable 120Hz refresh rate at 4K resolution. While some enthusiasts may strive for even higher frequencies for an even smoother visual experience, I personally find 4K at 120Hz to be absolutely stunning. In fact, I haven't felt the need to use a dedicated computer monitor for gaming in years because of the capabilities of televisions delivering such high quality nowadays.

Although the color mapping on the LG C2 may raise some questions, it is relatively easy to address. Unless I were engaged in computer-based artwork, I wouldn't invest additional funds in achieving perfect color accuracy. As long as skin tones, grays, and specific colors such as the Amazon yellow buttons appear satisfactory, I consider it to be good enough. Moreover, I have found that adjusting the digital vibrance settings on my NVIDIA graphics card greatly impacts the color performance of the LG C2.

I also purchased the service remote for the television, but it came to my attention that doing so would void the warranty. Therefore, I proceeded with caution and haven't even used it since buying it several months ago. I appreciate your video on utilizing the LG C2 as a monitor; it was interesting to witness someone else's perspective on the matter. I wholeheartedly agree with your assessment, and as a result, I have subscribed to your channel. It appears that your opinions and product reviews align closely with my own, and I appreciate your honesty in acknowledging any shortcomings a product may have. Thank you for creating such informative content, and I eagerly anticipate your future videos.

[craigrapp]

I have the 42. Use it daily for work as an attorney so lots of reading and emails. No burn in after over a year or use. Had the 48 before that and no issues with that one either.

[MarioCRO]

I went with the 48" C2 and didn't regret it. Thought about 42" due to size on the table but the sale deal was on the larger model and so far my Mac Studio works great in pair with this LG OLED. Colour out of the box look perfect, watching media is a bliss and not to mention that multiple windows open on screen still look very readable due to size. I can only recommend going the LG OLED route..

[jmichaelstone]

Nice video. I've been using a 48" LG CX as my monitor since March 2021, and I've loved it. I do a lot of video editing and motion graphics work, and I appreciate the screen real estate. My one issue was one that you mentioned: the auto-dimming. I had put up with it for a couple months before learning about the service remote trick to disable it. Since then, it's been excellent. It's logged over 9, 000 hours of usage since I've had it (9, 068 at this moment, to be exact)... and there has been zero burn-in. It's possibly not as bright as it was when I first got it, but I have no complaints about brightness. When this dies, I will immediately replace it with whatever the current LG OLED of similar size is. Y'all can keep your ultrawides and curved displays: I'll take vertical resolution and a big display for my tired old eyes any day of the week.

[One-mon]

Man i want to say that the aesthetic you have with every video hit just right.

[KevinNYank]

I use an LG CX 42” at my desk, and I would endorse everything in this video, with one word of caution:

With the auto dimming disabled in the service menu, you run a real risk of burn-in. I generally arrange my windows in 2:1 layout (one 2/3 the width of the screen, another using the remaining 1/3). After about six months of use, I began to see a noticeable vertical bright strip it the point where those two windows met. Some months later, I also began to see a fainter bright vertical strip down the middle of the screen, from when I run two windows each occupying half the display.

No amount of Pixel Refresher has removed these bright spots, and I have sadly resolved to live with it. I did eventually turn the auto-dimming features back on, however, to limit further damage.

[DDRPriest]

Well over a decade ago I used a 42" Wells Gardner arcade monitor for a monitor. It behaved like a regular monitor, standby mode and everything. It also overclocked to 90ish hz. So I had a taste of big screen high refresh, then it died after a few years.

Fast forward and just a month ago I found a floor model 55" C1 for $470. I took the risk and picked it up. No burn in at all and it's running solid. I'm loving being back in the big screen gang again!

[livingobject]

I'm so glad I found this channel. Your editing and review skills are great.

[sachak]

I have been using TV's as monitors for years now, since 2015 when 4K @ chroma 4:4:4 became a reality on these displays. I don't think I could ever go back to using a pc monitor, you just don't get the same bang for your buck. And that glossyness you speak of is one of the reasons I LOVE using a TV as a monitor. The clarity and vibrance is unmatched when compared to a matt finish monitor. Currently for the past 1.5 years I have been rocking the LG Oled CS 55" panel. I have never had the dust issue you are having though and I also wall mount my screen to get it exactly 1cm off the desk giving it a very flush clean look.

Awesome video by the way.

[marccretten]

So a year on how is the Screen doing? Very well spoken and clear, no BS and straight to the point. Excellent!

[jakehutchens]

I went the same route when looking for a new monitor, and went with a 55" LG C1 for my work/gaming station. It has been absolutely amazing with everything I've thrown at it, and highly recommend!

[sarba]

This video gave me the inspiration to put two desks together for crazy depth and use my 55 inch LG C2 tv as my pc monitor and it has been amazing so far.

[Monique-izlp]

Ended up buying the C2 after 6 months of waiting for the AW3423DW, and I'm super happy with it. Got a 27in monitor on each side, so I don't even mind the auto dimming, since it mainly happens when I'm not looking at the screen. Thought it would be too big, but got used to it pretty much immediately, almost wish I went with the 48in to be honest.

[ED-zmut]

I've been using 4K TVs as a monitor since 2014. I don't use a screensaver (but screen shuts off after 1 hour inactivity) AND keep my TV brightness very high to combat the reflection issues you mention. I regularly have static sections of my screen or even walk away for 30 minutes at a time, leaving the entire screen static.

I've had this TV for 4 years now and there is no burn-in or screen issues at all. Only ever had burn-in on one (the 1st one, so probably older technology).

I'm not recommending this to anyone, just sharing my usage and experience.

[MrKohi-fpko]

Ken, can we get links to those wallpapers?

[cosmindinaa]

43QN90B 144hz here, I sacrificed OLED blacks for 0% stress. No dark mode, no screensavers, no pixel shift/refresher, I sometimes forget docs open on it for hours, I just don't care.
Oh, and miniLED still does a wonderful job, 1000nits & no ABL at all. Did I mention sustained 600nits on a 100% window? (LG 42C2 can't do more than 130-150nits)
If you just plan on gaming and watching movies, OLED should be fine, but if you also use it as a monitor, QLED is way better and it comes with no pampering bs. Throw any static white content all day long, you won't care.

[bjinpass]

This looks really good on my 42" LG C2. I've been running this as my gaming (and daily) desktop monitor for about 10 months. I love it!

[Anna_Rae]

The price is what amazes me the most with the LG C1 and C2. It really makes “gaming” monitors in that price bracket feel like a scam.

I use a 55” C1 for all my PC gaming. I don’t really do any productivity on it, so it’s all chill. Laid back on a couch, controller in hand, and I’m having a fun time.

[garrisonfjord]

I have the 48" LG ultra gear OLED monitor and I love it. It's ridiculously huge, but for PC and PS5 gaming it's amazing. The auto dimming can get annoying if you're working on something like an excel doc, but it's easily fixed with just moving the window. Plus I got it at 40% off so I kind of had to buy it.