LG has a reputation to uphold as the pioneer of OLED TV. We have known for some time that OLED TVs provide almost infinite contrast. But can the maximum brightness still be increased? With this stylish G2, LG has given a clear answer. Yes, there is even more potential in OLED.
LG OLED65G26LA
Price € 3,499
Screen size 65 inches (165 cm)
Connections 4x HDMI (4x v2.1 (48 Gbps), ARC/eARC, ALLM, VRR, 4K120), 3x USB, 1x optical digital out, 2x antenna, 1x IR blaster, bluetooth 5.0, WiSA
Extras HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision IQ, Dolby Atmos, WiFi (802.11ax) built-in, WebOS 22, AirPlay 2, USB/DLNA media player, DVB-T2/C/S2, CI+ slot, Alpha 9 Gen 5 processor Dimensions: 1,446 x 821 x 24mm (excl. foot)
Dimensions 1,446 x 821 x 24mm (excl. foot)
Weight 22.8 kg (excl. foot)
Consumption SDR 95 (F) / HDR 213 watts (G)
Website LG.com 9 Score 90 
- Pros
- Alpha9 Gen5 processor with excellent image processing
- Almost reference image quality straight out of the box
- Fantastic HDR images in HDR10 and Dolby Vision
- Nice design, the wall bracket is included
- Dolby Atmos and good sound quality
- WebOS 22 runs smoothly
- Very good gamer support
- Negatives
- Stand for TV cabinet is an optional purchase
- Few adjustments possible on Home screen
- No HDR10+ support
- Relatively high launch price
Buy the LG OLED65G26LA TV at Bol.com
OLED screens are very slim, and hardly have a frame. They are therefore ideal for wall mounting. LG is clearly committed to this with the G-series. The device is only 24 mm deep and thanks to the flat back it fits perfectly against the wall.
The finish is excellent and the subtle alloy frame enhances the luxurious impression. You don’t have to look for a wall bracket, LG supplies it. It fits in a recess at the top of the back for that perfectly flat wall mounting, but you can also pull the device forward about ten centimeters and turn it a bit left or right.
If you still want to place the device on a TV furniture, you must purchase the optional foot. That is a nice central position that allows you to turn the TV left or right and on which the screen leans slightly backwards. If you want to go completely for the lifestyle option, choose the Gallery stand, a three-legged floor stand.
Read more about mounting your TV on the wall here.
Special connections
The four HDMI ports all offer the maximum HDMI 2.1 bandwidth of 48 Gbps. There is support for ARC/eARC, ALLM, VRR and 4K120. In addition to the three USB connections, there is an optical digital audio output, Ethernet, WiFi and Bluetooth (for the remote and wireless headphones).
Sufficient attention has been given to cable management and all connections are directed to the side or downwards. We still hope that LG will one day opt for a solution such as the Samsung One Connect Box, but on the G2, all connections are still on the device. Do you want to put peripherals neatly in the cupboard? That’s possible, you can operate them using the LG remote and the supplied IR blaster. You put it in the cupboard, a short configuration on the TV is enough to control everything centrally.
This LG also supports WiSA (Wireless Speaker and Audio Association), but we must disappoint those who hoped to make a wireless surround setup in this way. The G2 can create a maximum of a 2.1 setup via WiSA, the LG G1 did support a 5.1 surround setup.
New OLED panel with more brightness
In the G2, LG uses the latest LG Display panels (the so-called EX panels), with extra cooling, but markets it under the name OLED evo with Brightness Booster Max. And yes, that panel provides extra brightness. On a 10% window it gets 950 nits (about 20% more than the G1) and on a completely white window still 173 nits.
The improvement in brightness is especially visible in the highest brightnesses, which it only achieves in smaller areas of the screen. The TV clearly still needs to scale down the brightness on larger bright areas. Yet the panel, together with its 97% P3 color range, delivers a significantly better HDR display, although the processor also has something to do with it. More on that. The added cooling also has a reduced susceptibility to image retention as a bonus.
Switch the G2 to Filmmaker mode and enjoy excellent image quality right out of the box. Our sample just missed the limit of reference quality, but the calibration is definitely top-notch. There is a bit too much red in the image, and the relatively high gamma value suppresses a bit of black detail. Easy to solve by choosing, for example, gamma 2.2 in the menu.
In HDR, it supports HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision IQ. Here too, Filmmaker Mode delivers images to feast on.
Smart image processing
LG’s Alpha9 processor has been delivering excellent image processing for several years now. So you can count on smooth and good deinterlacing, and excellent noise suppression.
OLED panels deliver very good motion sharpness, and together with the LG TruMotion technology, this produces very beautiful, detailed film images without annoying judder. Not everyone is a fan of Motion interpolation, so adjust that setting to taste. You can still activate a Black Frame Insertion technique (Clear Motion), but because it works at 60 Hz, it causes an exhausting flicker in the image. Rather not.
This fifth-generation processor features a new, simplified upscaling process that delivers better results, especially for very low-resolution images. It preserves fine detail better, and even more avoids seeing step effects in lines. For deep black tones, the dithering technique is now somewhat less aggressive, which gives dark images a slightly softer look and avoids annoying flickering in those dark tones. He can also get rid of color bands relatively well.
But you see the most striking improvement in HDR. For HDR10 images, the processor itself can apply Dynamic tone mapping. Until last year, he did this with one tone map for the entire image. This year, the Alpha9 divides the image into 5,000 zones and creates individual tonemap curves for each. In this way, it guarantees optimal results in both the dark and the bright parts of the image.
You see more white detail, more black detail and color reproduction is richer, especially in very clear images. The processor really makes the most of the improved performance of the OLED panel.
Beautiful audio performance
That slim profile, it is often a harbinger of rather mediocre audio quality, because “You cannot change the laws of physics, captain!”. But look, LG surprised us there anyway. The 60 Watt 4.2 channel solution comes out very full and warm. And with more than enough volume to give movie soundtracks the punch they deserve. Really deep bass work is missing, but that is the case for almost every TV.
Distortion can occur if you turn the volume (uncomfortably) high, but even then the G2 keeps everything relatively well under control. Dolby Atmos support provides a beautiful surround experience. A good soundbar is still the better solution, especially if you want sound that better matches the excellent image quality, but for many viewers that will not be necessary.
WebOS 22 has something for everyone
WebOS 22 has a wide range of apps and features, and it works very smoothly. It thus crosses the two most important requirements for a smart TV platform. However, the Home screen wastes a lot of space and you cannot adjust the recommendations in the center of the screen.
A selection of the features. Thanks to profiles, everyone in the house has their own Home Screen and recommendations. With Always Ready, the TV shows photos, art or info when it’s off. In the Home dashboard you have an overview of all connected devices and all smart devices in the house. The Multi View option allows you to view two sources at the same time.
There is Google Cast support for Netflix and YouTube, and Airplay 2. It is striking that the TV only offers a single DVB tuner, those who want a double tuner can look for the German model, the G29LA.
Gamers will have a hard time finding a better equipped TV. The HDMI 2.1 connections support ALLM, 4K120 and, in addition to HDMI VRR, also offer AMD Freesync and NVIDIA GSync. The input lag clocks in at 14.0 ms (4K60) and 5.5 ms (2K120). You can adjust settings while gaming via the game dashboard. LG has, for example, provided a Dark Room mode that is slightly less intense for your eyes.
Conclusion
LG shows with the OLED65G26LA that its OLED technology can be improved even further. The combination of the new panel, more efficient cooling, and top processor ensures impressive images with intense colors, bright highlights and refined shadow nuances. The TV comes with an excellent calibration. It should be clear that HDR images benefit the most from this upgrade, but every content is a feast on this screen.
The excellent audio, the extensive webOS 22 range and the excellent gaming qualities make this a richly equipped device. We don’t take too seriously the lack of support for HDR10 +, but it would really make it complete. The sleek design might convince you to opt for wall mounting. Keep in mind that the TV cabinet stand is a paying option.
The price is higher than we had hoped, but online we see it already falling considerably. This is definitely one to keep an eye on.
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