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The LG C6 is out. It's excellent. And it's knocked the price of the LG C5 down to levels that would have seemed extraordinary twelve months ago.
So here's the question everyone's asking right now: is the LG C5 still worth buying in 2026, or should you stretch to the C6?
The answer is clear — and the timing, with the World Cup two weeks away, makes it even more straightforward.
LG C5 vs LG C6 — What Actually Changed?
The LG C6 upgraded three things over the C5:
- Processor: Alpha 11 Gen 3 (vs Alpha 11 Gen 2 in the C5). TechRadar says this pushes noticeably more brightness and picture accuracy from the same panel technology.
- Brightness: The C6 is brighter than the C5 — meaningful for HDR highlights and daytime viewing.
- Picture accuracy: Improved colour processing out of the box, with less need for manual calibration.
Everything else — the OLED EX panel, four HDMI 2.1 ports, 120Hz refresh rate, webOS smart platform, Dolby Vision and Atmos support — is the same or near-identical.
Is the LG C5 Still Good Enough in 2026?
Yes. Unambiguously.
The LG C5 received 5-star reviews from What Hi-Fi?, TechRadar, and Expert Reviews when it launched as the best TV of 2025. None of those reviews have been revised. The picture quality has not changed. The panel has not degraded. It is still one of the finest TVs ever made at its price point.
What Hi-Fi? called it a "well-rounded performer" with brilliant gaming specs, stellar app support and a picture that holds its own against anything on the market. For football — fast motion, accurate colours, wide viewing angles so everyone in the room gets a good seat — it is exceptional.
The only reason to choose the C6 over the C5 right now is if you specifically want the extra brightness or are buying for a room with significant ambient light. For most UK living rooms, watching evening football at 9pm BST, the C5 and C6 are effectively indistinguishable in real-world use.
The Price Difference — That's the Real Story
The C6 launched at £1,799 for 55-inch. With the World Cup discount it's around £1,439.
The C5 65-inch — a bigger screen than the C6 55-inch — is now available at record low prices as stock clears. You can get a larger TV with near-identical picture quality for significantly less money.
That's the decision. Pay more for the C6's incremental upgrades. Or buy a bigger C5 screen for less. For World Cup viewing in a living room, most people should take the bigger screen.