Switching to a 42-inch LG C2 OLED TV as a Monitor!

[@Thetechchap]

Hey Chaps! Would you be tempted to use a TV as a Monitor??

[@k.o.t.o.n.]

too late. such an avarage joe. boooring. :D

[@Photo0021]

I'd use a 32-inch QLED, like the Samsung Q60R 32-inch. And I'd definitely use anything OLED if I could afford it. 42" just seems massive for a monitor! Awesome for productivity but potentially harder to focus with all that space.

[@SCELO_MYEZA.]

Yes, I love big screens 😍❤💙🙌

[@HDRPC]

Why not due to oled

[@BaSiC47]

Not yet. Maybe in in the next 3-5 years.

[@SpawnPoiint]

This is awesome! Just unboxed mine yesterday, looking forward to seeing how it performs as a monitor.

[@luisfernando55]

How much did you pay ?

[@ToeLickerEater]

@@luisfernando55 $2.67

[@TheAppleLoadout]

When you test yours I would be interested in seeing the use as a monitor at native resolution and without scaling. Because of the size that should be just about perfect...

[@joeldiramon]

gotta check your review my dude

[@adrianalsina3435]

Is it available in the us yet?

[@nintariplays5654]

Switched to the 48" C1 several months back and LOVE IT! Think of it more like Quad 24" monitors, AND be sure to add ultrawide resolutions to your video card and you get the best of all worlds!!

[@jsonlee01]

I was a bit disappointed that you didn’t show more of your experience using it as a computer monitor to do work on. You showed a lot of gaming and video footage, but if you’re going to swap out a dedicated computer monitor for this, it’d be nice to see how its usability is for more text based activity. A common complaint is that the large screen size causes neck strain since you might be having to tilt your head up a lot to view content at the top of the screen. And what about how it represents text on the screen? It’s a 4K panel but sometimes text on a tv isn’t as sharp as text on a true monitor. By the way, looking at the document full screen was just too funny. 2/3 of the screen was wasted space. Lol. I look forward to your update.

[@raphmermontagne]

Agree, that's missing in the video...

[@romainprovost7164]

+1000 ! Agree

[@Thetechchap]

Appreciate the feedback - I’ll definitely show more of that in my follow up video

[@jsonlee01]

@@Thetechchap Thanks. Will keep an eye out for that!

[@bufordmaddogtannen]

I switched to a 40" TV a few years ago. I noticed I have more neck pain as I am moving my head around a lot even to just look at the clock. I think the best size for working is 32" which is more or less the size of the windows I keep on the center of the 40" area... For gaming, that's generally fine. Also oled for working? It's going to get Burn-in no matter what the manufacturer promises you.

[@02stampede]

I agree the 42" would probably be the sweet spot for a large screen without being ridiculous on a regular desk. I have the 48" C1 and it's great as a secondary monitor sitting a bit further away with a recliner.

[@Rightly_Divided]

That sounds pretty nice

[@NOTORIOUS404]

I got a C3 and paired it with an LG DualUp. Perfection!

[@lakshyamanhas2080]

@@NOTORIOUS404 can you plz show me how ur setup looks?

[@GeekStreet]

Looks really good, picture quality looks stunning. Would be interesting to hear your thoughts on any eye strain issues in the coming weeks.

[@colors6692]

Did you even watch the video🤦🏿‍♀️

[@M4rio21]

@@colors6692 I did. He said hopefully the smaller size will make a difference (to the eye strain). I'm interested as well for a follow up to see if the eye strain is an issue in the coming weeks.

[@cheeemzy6651]

ive got the FO48U oled monitor and eye strain is far less than a standard monitor theres honestly no return what so ever

[@buster7618]

@@cheeemzy6651 Are you using it on a desk? Because I had a 48 on a desk and it gave me lasting headaches

[@easytiger266]

The glossy monitor is def going to be an issue w/ eye strain, with all of the light bouncing off the oled panel right into your eyes.

[@mr_jarble]

As one of the first adopters of the 42in size I have been really looking forward to this screen. I have had the 43uf7600 for years and when I first got it gpu's only supported 30hz at 4k so it has been a long road. I would not trade the 42in size for anything else it just works so well for my workflow.

[@pod2801]

Hii

[@Patrick-y4d1z]

Hey, for a 1 year update, how are you finding the 42 inch size ?

[@mr_jarble]

@@Patrick-y4d1z I love the size and now have three of that size between work and home.

[@maips4996]

I just bought the same thing to replace my 48CX. Man, this 42C2 is amazing. PERFECT desk size, just perfect!

[@Fredo_Viola]

That dimming issue most certainly affects movie playback, as the tv will always confuse a long take as a blank screen and dim. It doesn’t even need to be a bright shot. I was haunted by this issue for an entire year and tried all the bandaid solutions you listed. Finally I discovered there is a secret menu which you can access online or with a tech remote where the dimming function can be turned off. You then just have to make sure to manually make sure the screen is not sitting in a bright image for too long. Or just turn it back on while you are not doing work that will be interrupted by the dimming issue. It is an insane “feature” that certainly needs a better solution!

[@steff-the-ghoul]

That problem is solved now. LG fixed it wirh the last firmware update.

[@faye8400]

​@@steff-the-ghoul that's good to know, thanks!

[@chriswho12345]

You need to enable amd freesync premium for vrr across lower refresh rates (increased range where max refresh >=2.5x min allows frame doubling when low fps) and you can get 4k120 with a Mac by using a thunderbolt adapter to DisplayPort 1.4+ instead of naive hdmi To get around abl dimming you can use the service menu to disable the limiter at risk of your warranty.

[@davidnguyen4880]

anyone tries it? does it work?

[@silverwatchdog]

A sort of workaround I found to the auto dimming is to max out the OLED light and use windows to manage brightness. You need windows 11 though to configure SDR and HDR brightness seperately. This will trick the screen that's its on max brightness and be less agressive with the abl. Of course you can also acess the service menu and actually disable it. It's just more work. Edit: With colour manager's LG remote in you can access the service menu with no service remote. The setting you need to disable is TPC. Really made using it with static HUDs a lot easier and less annoying.

[@cosmoscloud121]

how about warranty if doing so?

[@RedShark493]

It is now possible to disable auto dimming, check google about it.

[@silverwatchdog]

@@RedShark493 Yep I already did this and highly recommend doing this if you use it as a pc monitor. My edit on my comment showed how.

[@silverwatchdog]

@@cosmoscloud121 I don't know, but it should be safe. Just reset the service settings to factory if you have someone check it. I doubt they can prove that you disabled TPC at any point, if it isn't on at the moment they check it.

[@AuthenTech]

Looks pretty cool! Would love to see how video editing on that would look. Bummer about that auto dimming issue. For my new Mac Studio, I went with the GIGABYTE M32U, a nice 32" 16x9 ratio, that extra height is really nice for FCP timeline editing, plus 144hz on Mac is fantastic. It also has a nice KMV switch for toggling over to my gaming PC. I too had issues finding sufficient info on cable needed for 4k/120 on macOS, but I went with a USB-C to DP 1.4 cable and it worked out great!

[@samjung2297]

were you able to get 4k/120 with the USB-C to DP 1.4?

[@Indpendent01]

Yeah the auto-dimming on my C1 drives me nuts - it even dims at 0% OLED pixel brightness >.< I wish they would really have it disabled after lowering to a certain brightness like 30% or 50%, I doubt the C2 does that though.

[@Roxelchen]

@@Indpendent01 You can disable it in the service Menu

[@timojokilehto2482]

USB-C on M32U supports Displayport alt mode so you can get 4K/144hz with Thunderbolt.

[@JimRobinson-colors]

I thought that the auto dimming and other things could be shut off if you use the service code or a service remote. Didn't see mention og that in this review.

[@yunodiewtf]

I just want a FLAT!!! 32" 4K 144Hz GSync/Freesync Premium QD-OLED HDR10 monitor. That's it.

[@nickjacobsss]

I still want an even smaller verions 32-37”, but this is definitely a step “up” from the 48 that I tried last year!

[@modoulaminceesay9211]

Sometimes small is good

[@theryan519]

@@modoulaminceesay9211 😳

[@qupeter1224]

maybe try alienware new qd oled

[@sterlingbxyd]

the new QD OLED from alienware might be what you're looking for :)

[@nickjacobsss]

@@sterlingbxyd I am DEFINITELY interested in that, but as someone who uses a mac studio & ps5/xsx, a regular 16:9 screen would be more ideal

[@sullyy2k1]

I use the lg cx with my pc and it is absolutely stunning. I wasn’t expecting it to be so impressive. Like you say, the only down side is the size. I don’t know how or why but it seems to run better than my 4k 144hz monitor. And that hdr is perfect. If you have a high end pc, this is a perfect high end display (assuming this model is the same/better than the cx)

[@MillaGamer]

Same thing here, using a 3070ti pc and HDMI 2.1 for 4k/120hz/HDR+ its stuning, CX 55 Oled user here.

[@pocpc1788]

CX 48 here, best display I own so far. My IPS monitor can't compare.

[@Dionyzos]

I don't know which 144Hz monitor you're talking about but the perceived improvement could be due to the almost perfect response time and motion performance on the CX. I would pick 4k120 OLED over 4K144 IPS anytime for this reason.

[@JcRabbit]

I'm using a 48" LG CX as a PC monitor. After getting a service remote and disable the auto-dimming 'feature' on the service menu (which made it basically unusable for any kind of prolonged text work on the desktop), to me the biggest disadvantage of using this as a monitor is the lack of a standby feature. Unlike a real computer monitor, the CX will NOT enter standby mode when the screen goes off - instead it will display a bouncing 'No Signal' logo on the screen until it finally turns itself off 20 minutes or so later. Once it has turned itself off, wiggling the mouse does not bring it to life as it does with a real PC monitor on standby, you have to wiggle the mouse AND use the remote to wake it up. This is already annoying on a single monitor system, but it becomes almost a deal breaker on a multi-monitor system that is left running 24/7. You see, when the CX turns itself off, unlike a monitor in standby mode it disappears from the list of currently plugged in monitors in Windows. This means ALL the windows on the CX desktop are automatically moved to your secondary monitor, piling it up with whatever is already in there. Now, there are software workarounds (such as Monitor Keeper) which will remember window positions and reposition them when you turn the CX back on, but it's still a clumsy thing and does not work so well under Windows 11 (minimized windows are not moved back to the CX). All this could be easily solved via firmware if only LG added a standby mode to any input identified as being connected to a PC instead of that 'No Signal' action followed by turning itself off 20 minutes later (which makes sense for TVs but not for computer monitors).

[@he.lena21]

I use a 55 C9 as a monitor and I use a program called don't sleep, so I can set a screensaver after which minute I want.

[@BROWNMIST44]

Did the auto brightness limiter stay off after you used the service remote?

[@zigpop67]

stand by works fine for me, on the C1

[@JcRabbit]

@@BROWNMIST44 Yes. But it's not the brightness limiter, that is something else that has to do with power limits. It's the auto-dimming feature which has to do with anti-burn in: after a while with no apparent (to the tv!) activity on your desktop (for instance, you are reading or typing something) the screen will start to slowly get dimmer and dimmer. Do something that changes the AVERAGE brightness level of the whole display (like maximizing or minimizing a window or opening another window - just wiggling a window around normally won't do the trick because that will not change the average brightness of the whole display) and brightness goes back to normal.

[@JcRabbit]

@@zigpop67 What you call "standby" in a TV is not the same as the standby in a computer monitor - to you it might look like standby, to Windows the TV has been unplugged.

[@Movie_Games]

Been using the CX for 2 years. Love it. Just wish the refresh rate was higher. Sad to see this is still 120hz.

[@Nunoflashy]

The auto-dimming after long periods of showing the same static image can be turned off with a service remote, what you're referring to is ABSL (Automatic Brightness Static Limiter). I got the same issue working on my C1 48" and will probably turn that setting off, it might reduce the lifespan of the panel though, not too sure.

[@nojamz200]

for burn in

[@techmed-rainer]

Danke!

[@st3yn]

8:00 - You could get a service remote and turn off ABSL in the secret service menu. This solves your dimming issue 100%, the normal settings do not allow this. It's also not cooling/heat related like you stated, but it's supposed to prevent excessive burn-in. The algorithm detects the majority of the image is not moving for too long and thinks the image is paused. A certain percentage of the screen's pixels need to change colors. Otherwise it will dim all pixels to prevent increased pixel burn-in / retention. This feature increases longevity of the organic LEDs, but really sucks for monitor usage. That's of course because - at the end of the day - it has TV software. Lastly a question: did you try out the native ultrawide aspect ratio which is a new feature on the C2? It introduces black bars top and bottom and makes it more like an ultra wide. I heard the resolution and quality of this setting is shit and also HDR doesn't work properly then.

[@Thetechchap]

that's good to know - thank you

[@Yukeake]

I have a 48" C1 at my desk, and the dimming was driving me nuts too. Luckily, the service remote method worked. The remote cost less than $20, and handles both of our LG sets (though the other one is used in a more "traditional" fashion in the living room). So far after a year I haven't noticed any significant burn-in, retention, or pixel aging issues, though I'm usually pretty good about switching content around enough to minimize the risk.

[@johnnyp6202]

@Male Sensitivity I read the text thing a lot and do not get it. Text to my eyes is incredibly clear,

[@CraigB801]

I bought a service remote and disabled ASBL and can confirm the dimming is gone.

[@mghz01]

is there a specific lg service remote or model number that works with this 42 inch or any lg service remote should work?

[@MattTester]

I've been using 40" 4K TVs as my main monitor for about 4 years now, currently a Samsung 40MU6120. It's very tempting to upgrade to this for the 120Hz among other things. I've been very happy with the size, I found that having the backlight set to around half is enough and that wall mounting the TV so the weight of it is off the desk really helps deal with its bulk.

[@MattTester]

Just ordered the C2, couldn't resist any longer. £1209 from Richer Sounds with a £100 cashback offer from LG to claim making it £1109. Still steep but I use it all day, most days.

[@markmcguinness1433]

The bigger desk is the key. I tried a 48 inch on a 60cm deep desk and it was really sore on my eyes and gave headaches. I changed to a 100cm desk and mounted the monitor to the desk so it was as far away as possible. No issues since!

[@palmspar]

My eyes are 110cm away from a 48cx as a monitor, its great en not to big.

[@NC7491]

If your view of vision is filled with a smaller monitor being closer to you, why do you have to pay more so that you can have a larger display further away so that you get the same field of vision?

[@bars2585]

@@NC7491 it is a better monitor. it isnt about the size.

[@NC7491]

@@bars2585 If that's the case, why don't we hear more people clamoring for getting this good quality monitor at smaller sizes? I would buy a 24'' OLED!

[@robia7617]

@@NC7491 because it's much better for your eyes!

[@thirtyeighteen]

4k tv's pixel density matters, on 42" you get 105 PPI and on 48" you get 92. A desk with normal depth of 60-80 centimeters one would likely prefer the 42" with 105 Pixels Per Inch.

[@TechMikkel]

My own experience with 42": It'll take a week to get used to it and after that you'll learn to navigate and focus on the bigger screen and have a lot more benefits than the first newbie impression.

[@mahaneym5]

Do you have issues with auto dimming?

[@aneetlyfe3844]

@@mahaneym5 turn off auto dimming and auto brightness etc in your tv settings

[@TheStrangerJr]

Hello Chap! How deep is the desk you are using / how far away are you sitting from the 42" C2? I wanted to know if you have a minimum recommended desk depth, because I wanted to put a new desk next to me with this monitor on it, and I wasn't sure how deep of a desk would be the absolute minimum.

[@jackw9568]

The lux meter you are using measures illuminance = amount of light falling on a surface. You can't use it to measure luminance in nits = emitted light by a surface. Closest approximation would be lux/pi or lux/3.14 but you really need a proper luminance meter that measures in nits.

[@Thetechchap]

I will look into that! Thank you

[@sakracliche]

He didn't look into "that". Still uses it in his new videos.

[@skyllaros8725]

I've been using my LG C1 48" since last summer now and I love it. Kind of jealous now that the 42" is out, but I'm not sure it's worth it to switch at this point. I will say I'll never go back to a "normal" monitor again. Every time I use this thing I think how lucky I am to have it.

[@trevormurdok7666]

Why is it that good , and how is the HDR on it

[@trevormurdok7666]

i will get mine 42 inch lg oled this friday

[@bugged1212]

The issue with all these screens, and I have used upto 55 inch as a monitor is that it's all limited to 4k. And that makes the pixels more apparent as the screen sizes get larger but the resolution remains the same. These sizes will become more usable as a monitor when 8k becomes the norm and then using 42 inches at 8k would be a pixel perfect joy.

[@devinsparks1523]

Man I wish they’d make a 36”

[@jaysmith9496]

@Yashvir The Pentester Actually with higher pixel density it would not be cheaper at all. you figure a 32" 4k would be a quarter segment of an 60"+ 8k.

[@tomhunt3402]

Watching this from my LG OLED 42C2! I agree totally. The monitor is amazing. But for desktop productivity and working the auto dimming has been really annoying me. I have followed your advice to reduce the brightness down a bit. Aside from that its amazing.

[@eyeamdejesus]

I hear gaming is great on the 42 inch. But what is your experience with both 4k streaming and physical media? Looking good? Thanks man!

[@MadMetalMacho]

@@eyeamdejesus It's a TV first and foremost, watching things is what it's made for. I don't have this one but I have a 2020 LG lower tier 55" and I think it looks great.

[@j.a.3138]

This is the problem with all oled tv's. it is there to prevent burn ins

[@GuidodeVries]

You can turn off the auto dimming feature using the LG Service remote, which you can buy relatively cheap through Chinese suppliers (around €35). I had the same experience and after i turned it off, it is a lot better (LG C1 48)

[@auralxtc]

For your Mac, you just use USB-C to HDMI to get high refresh rates. Do a search for USB-C to HDMI 2.1 adapter and you'll find them that support 4k and up to 144hz.

[@reviewguy5140]

Hmmm not sure I buy this. I find the pixel density for text when being used with my MacBook Pro m1max 16” to be sub par. And the fact that I can only get 60hz blows when using a usb-c to hdmi(mbp to tv). Especially when I can get 144hz on my lg27gn950.

[@GeordiLaForgery]

How far do you need to sit so it doesn't stain your eyes? What's the minimum brightness level nits? Does reducing the pixel brightness below 50 completely stop the auto dimming? Is is certified flicker free for monitor use?

[@arman9175]

Anybody know what desk he is using here? I wish he made a recommendation or told us, because these tv/monitors require a fitting desk like this

[@strider5119]

Looks like stuff from ikea, I could be wrong

[@TheFalseShepphard]

Thanks captain obvious

[@arman9175]

@@TheFalseShepphard you are annoying my man helped

[@adex_smith]

Your videos are so clean that whenever I watch it on my 1080p toshiba smart it feels like 4k. And when i watch on my iPhone 12, oboyyy it feels so good

[@afterglow1478]

I've been using the 48inch CX for the last year and it's been on at least 8 hours per day and there's no burn in to be found yet. I love how massive it is, and I cannot go back to anything smaller. It feels like going back to a tablet in comparison

[@knightofwind2929]

do you feel any eye strain? i was considering the c1 or maybe save up for the c2 42, but not sure of eye headaches and stuff

[@afterglow1478]

@@knightofwind2929 I don't really get headaches unless I'm ill, and I have perfect vision so I don't need to strain anything. But yeah, I'm using it on quite a small desk and my eyes are about 50cm away from the screen and I never had any issues whatsoever. And I'm staring at it 4-8 hours per day. Only mildly annoying thing is actually having to move my head to look to from one corner to the other, but I'll just call that a first world problem.

[@knightofwind2929]

@@afterglow1478 it you were to buy this tv first time and had the option of the 42inch lg c2 same price per say which one would you go for to put on your desk?

[@afterglow1478]

@@knightofwind2929 I love it having it so large in front of me. Filling my whole field of view almost. An the pixel density is really good considering. So I'd still go for the 48inch. If you don't like it after a few weeks just return the TV and get the smaller one

[@robocop581]

I have a 43" DELL LCD monitor. I primarily use spreadsheets which has a white background so no ABL. I'll stick with OLED for TV use as there's no burn in issues with LCD PC monitors.

[@AmericaWhatsup]

@The Tech Chap You can use a thunderbolt to HDMI/DP cable to get 120hz or better on the Mac. Works with my MacBook Pro. Is a little tricky getting a cable that supports this correctly.

[@mgoff956]

The processor you mention is just the image processor. TV's use ARM based chipsets of various kinds to drive function. If snappier it likely has an updated chipset.

[@kaiichinose9590]

The lg c2 42 will get the wbe panel like the bigger and g series TV's. Lg recognized that the wbc panels were put on early models but should be rolling out the wbe panel shortly. I currently have the aorus fv43 QLED panel and it's pretty amazing. Colors are vibrant blacks are deep but oled is just amazing. I had the lg cx 48 and it was just to big. I'm not a fan of ultra wides for normal PC work use so I wanted a nice flat display. I will be picking up the c2 this fall once the new panels arrive.

[@raphmermontagne]

will it make a big difference?

[@snostorm100]

I have the FV43U and it is fantastic. I feel no need to go to a 42 inch OLED. Although it is pretty nice.

[@kaiichinose9590]

@@snostorm100 yeah I'm still thinking about it but the fv43 is great.

[@kaiichinose9590]

@@raphmermontagne for me the panel and design is much sleeker than the fv43u, a tad bit smaller as well. OLED for me has always looked more crisp and contrast ratio is way better and vibrant than QLED or lcd and no blooming. The speakers in the TV are better. But will it make a massive difference prob not but I use my PC primarily for gaming and PC stuff when I need it outside of work.

[@nitinkataria4108]

I was crazy after such a setup till my late 20s (2009-10). Now, after seeing your idea and facing huge losses due to moisture and old abandoned house, I would love to revive my long overdue plan. Thanks a lot !

[@Cotswolds1913]

Definitely would prefer 40” if available, but on OLED vs QLED, so long as it doesn’t use PWM flickering which makes me sick, would prefer OLED.

[@joyboy6535]

Theres a new 40 one that got released this month but its ultra wide 5k2k so might consider that

[@novifypt]

@@joyboy6535 What's the model on that 40 one?

[@joyboy6535]

@@novifypt Wp95C

[@Cotswolds1913]

@@joyboy6535 Gotta be 16:9 for me, but thanks for the heads up.

[@rootcao1360]

@@joyboy6535 ASUS PG42UQ will be released this year

[@wazuo8354]

I heard LG was using the C1 panels on the C2 because they couldn't get hold of the C2 panels and there was no way to tell the difference, was that true and is it still the case ?

[@markus.schiefer]

I would have preferred 42" as well to replace my 38" UW, but looking at the prices I went with the 48" C1 two weeks ago. 900 Euro are just unbeatable considering that the C2 42" is still not available everywhere and almost costs double. I don't regret it and also don't suffer from any eye strain and / or headaches no matter how long I sit in front of it. However, I wish we would see the support of DP and / or USB-C on TV's by now or at least some trend to consolidate this mess.

[@randybobandy9828]

Lol.. I literally did the same... waited forever for the c1 to release and grabbed the c1 instead because of the insane price drop. It went from $1500 to $900 in 1 year.

[@joyboy6535]

do not buy the 48 as monitor that sh1t will literally hurt ur eyes after week or two that why LG increased the price of the 42 to match the 48 cause they know everyone using this as monitor will go for the 42 to save their eyes

[@markus.schiefer]

@@joyboy6535 I have old eyes and everything is still fine. ;-) But yes, I would always recommend 42" as well. 48" is too big for most people and desks.

[@pocpc1788]

CX 48 here, once your eyes are use to it, it'll be fine.

[@thadgallegos2261]

@@joyboy6535 DOesnt bother me. I have had my cx for almost two years

[@MogsterKupo]

That auto dimming might be a good thing. I always dim my screens down to near minimum for work but go full brightness for movie watching.

[@theryan519]

Still way to big as a monitor for me personally. 32 inches is my max and even then I would prefer 27. Would rather just spend a little bit more and get 55+ inches for an amazing TV.

[@83442handle]

Agreed. 42" is just obnoxious size to do things besides watch movies and play games. I'm not sure what would be my perfect monitor size since it depends on what I am doing( I typically want multiple displays) but I used a 28" Surface Studio before and that might be the best display size I've used because it's a 3:2 aspect ration. Basically it's much more screen real estate over a 27" without being much bigger if that makes any sense. It's like that IMAX aspect ration and it's beautiful to be able to have more screen vertically.

[@romainprovost7164]

34" will be perfect

[@CraftMojo777]

27 is the sweet spot with 16:9!

[@NC7491]

@@83442handle 16:9 isn't a good aspect ratio for office work and browsing the web, but we are stuck with it, partly because people prioritize movie watching when they shouldn't and partly because I suspect it suits the manufacturers.

[@nerdstrangler4804]

@@83442handle I am gonna go out on a limb and guess you have never actually used a 42" monitor. In fact I am gonna guess all the people thinking it is too big have never used one. Am I a psychic? No. I just know there are two types of people in this world. People who think 42" is too big. And people who think 42" is too big, but then actually try it and realize they were wrong. Did you think the 28" Surface Studio was the best display size before actually using it? Probably not right. Probably might have even assumed it would be weird because of the aspect ratio. But what did you realize after trying it? More screen real estate is better. Which is why if you ever actually use a 42" 16:9 monitor, that will most likely become the best monitor you have ever used, because it offers even more screen real estate.

[@jrasero23]

November 2021 I bought the LG C1 48" for my PC setup on a 48"x30" standing desk and while the TV/monitor was beautiful and performed amazingly, it barely fit on my desk and I lost a lot of screen real estate since the monitor was too tall and too wide for me. So while the C2 offers really no worthy advancement in performance, the 42" model is the perfect size for a large noncurved or UW screen. The good news is that the C1 just went into my bedroom and replaced a 12+-year-old 42" LCD TV, which highlights the pro of buying a TV as a monitor. So the Tech Chap makes a good point of just waiting for a sale, but most sales would be in Q4 and maybe you would see $200 off at most. IMO, saving $200 but having to wait 6 months doesn't make sense. Alienware's 34" UW OLED is still $1300 and the C2 42" at some big box stores is $1350. If you need a monitor now, the C2 42" at $1350 is still a great value compared to other OLED or premium monitor options.

[@iantroup]

Hey Tom, Just to let you know I purchased this TV based on your recommendation & I am thrilled with it. Set it up today so still learning. I followed your advice & got it for £800.00 from Amazon. I love your reviews.

[@Patrick-y4d1z]

How are you finding it now?

[@GerardoPerez]

Im really loving how this 42 inch tv is looking. I currently have a 3 monitor setup but I really would love to be able to have my PS5, Series x, and gaming PC all in one setup. I definitely have plans of grabbing one of these this year for sure and finally start gaming and watching movies on an OLED screen.

[@FredrikSvensson1979]

I've been using TV's as monitors for the last 5-6 years and have nothing to complain about. I really like the large work surface I get (biggest one I used was 55 ") for my photo editing. Never really had any reason to complain about color accuracy. Also great for keeping multiple windows of different programs open and visible at the same time too. For instanec when using a DAW, amp sim, and drum track etc at the same time. It's great to have access to everything at the same time. The caveat for my experience is that I never do any gaming what so ever, so no idea what that is like compared to a good gaming monitor. .

[@AbdoTawdy]

Is the letters sharp?

[@FredrikSvensson1979]

@@AbdoTawdy Yes

[@1337kaas]

No burn in ? I need to do WFH but worried

[@FredrikSvensson1979]

@@1337kaas I don't think I can answer that in fair way. Has never been a problem for me, but I guess it's also a matter of brand and modell.

[@ClassyTechCalibrations]

You can disable the dimming over time by getting a service menu remote ($10) and disabling TPC and GSR.

[@lyteedge]

I have a 48" C1 and I love it for playing games and watching content, but I would not be able to use it as a primary display. Still concerned about burn-in, lack of wake from sleep options, etc. Would love to see them make a proper 32"-40" monitor using the same tech. Also, the size- the 32" monitor I use now feels absolutely massive on my desk and I don't think a 42" would work.

[@FsimulatorX]

can you please elaborate on "lack of wake from sleep options"? Thanks!

[@eventhorizon2873]

There is no burn in, if you set all these options. People are scaring you with fables. If you are so scared, setting a timer for sleep mode will do.

[@lyteedge]

@@FsimulatorX The TV will shut itself off after a certain period of inactivity and has to be powered back on, whereas with a monitor, it will sleep and can be woken up immediately by moving the mouse or pressing a key. This may not bother some people, but powering the TV on is not instantaneous and there is a short wait time while it boots up.

[@lyteedge]

@@eventhorizon2873 I've seen burn-in on an LG OLED before. I'm not that worried about it for normal use, but it would be a bit of concern to me if it were used as a monitor.

[@j.a.3138]

@@lyteedge just try it. you get 5yr of warranty anyways. I'm still rocking it and I got it since march

[@bilbobaggins7527]

I bought a 48" LG C1 about 2 months ago to use as a PC monitor and I love it!!! I was hesitant about the size however the price was great...and now that I have used it I am so happy I went with the 48" screen. I use a large harvest dining room table as my desk so I have plenty of space for it. My PC gaming experience is now the same as console but with better performance and graphics...and I do not have to choose between fidelity mode vs performance mode as I have to on PS5. I love gaming in 4k 120hz with true HDR...I even moved my PS5 and switch dock from the TV room to my desk... so I am in gaming Nirvana!!!

[@blasta444]

seems like we have the same life bro

[@jamesadkinsiii7925]

How deep is your table? I have a 32” deep sit/stand desk coming that I will probably mount the tv to and was just wondering if the 48” was too big for that and if I should just wait for the 42” to come back in stock

[@bilbobaggins7527]

@@jamesadkinsiii7925 My table is 44" deep... Although I was hesitant about the size prior to buying it, I am happy I did not wait for the 42" screen. The 48" screen at the distance I sit is awesome... I moved my PS5 and switch dock from my 65" 4k HDR LED in the TV room, so I have all my gaming options in one place... and everything looks so good on the C1!!!

[@raphmermontagne]

What about productivity? Is the PPI enough to get good text clarity? Can you split the screen well? Will you use it as your main monitor from now on?

[@AwSomeNESSS]

Same PPI as a 21" 1080p monitor, so a little sharper than the standard 24" 1080p.

[@cityofcambridge]

Well you were right about the discounts for Black Friday, seen prices as low as £799 for the 42" TV in the UK!

[@user-dg6lh2mt8g]

I hope you can answer this question... do you instantly get a motherboard + windows logo after boot, or do you get "No Signal" until the windows login screen?

[@longebane]

the former

[@Squ4lll584]

I get bios screens mobo and win logo immediately dont get any no signal

[@anvior45]

Is it not an easy fix to just set things up so that you have white text on black background for office kind of work? And in windows in general.

[@Thetechchap]

yes that definitely helps

[@tejas1090]

Long term burn-in the only thing concerns me...

[@sashakrstev344]

Does it make sense to get the LG C1/2 and do a 4 way split simulating 4 monitors?

[@glyph_official]

You should be able to get an adapter that will do HDMI 2.1. Thunderbolt 4 doesn't *quite* have the full bandwidth to drive HDMI 2.1 all the way to its max spec, but it *can* do better than the built-in HDMI 2.0 port. For example 4k/144 should be possible with the "HyperDrive USB-C to 8K 60Hz / 4K 144Hz HDMI Adapter" (no link because youtube will think that's spam, but you can just google for it…).

[@MatthieuDubet]

Unfortunately no, it's written in the spec of the HyperDrive "*Mac supports 4K@60Hz Max"

[@paulhorn24]

If I remember correctly, than the M2 Pro version of the new Mac mini has HDMI 2.1 while the M2 version has HDMI 2.0 as the M1 Mac Studios have.

[@pahtatoe6751]

Just got one today on Amazon for 796$! I’m super excited

[@JacobAndJamal]

Yo thanks for heads up, I was almost about to buy this for $998 in a local store. 😮

[@WRZ75]

Would love to see how 21:9 ultra wide gaming looks on the 42 inch oled vs your 38 inch. I have a similar 38 inch monitor and have thought about switching, but I love the 21:9 fov

[@SapiaNt0mata]

it has option for 21:9 and 32:9 ultrawide but it has blackbars on top-bottom. other than this it's like an ultrawide.

[@blasta444]

and the perfect black blackbars adds a nice cinematic effect to your games

[@WRZ75]

@@SapiaNt0mata Do you know what resolution it uses for the 21:9 mode? And does VRR still work during it?

[@laingadaing]

@@WRZ75 for 21:9 it would be 3840x1660 and for 32:9 it would be 3840x1080 (exactly half the screen) VRR still works.

[@LeoTelles]

i have a LG C1 55" for some months now and still loving it. Picture quality always impresses me, i''m using it as a media hub more than i was expecting. The compromises are manageable!

[@cantguarduno1478]

This is pretty much exactly what I want I just hate how pricey it is

[@losttime6104]

Can get it for like $799 at bestbuy rn. Just bought my own since it is like $500 off on sale.

[@TheAtl0001]

Go for the Samsung QLED 43 inch, half the price of the LG OLED, also better for working with Office Applications etc. because with QLED excellent brightness and no burn-in issues.

[@superfh123]

I got it for £700

[@Lolquake]

Also in my experience LG displays have manufactured lifetimes. I bought 3 monitors on the same day, and had them even on different pc's, and they all died within a week of each other.

[@matthewdale4135]

I just bought the 48 C2 and wall mounted it as a pc monitor, cost £880 off amazon. I have the 55 c1 as a TV and loved it so knew what I was getting with the C2.

[@SecondBrekfast]

I tried using the QN90B 43” as a monitor but it’s not a great experience. The viewing angles are so bad that the edges of the screen wash out even when sitting dead center.

[@Erlin-Urbano]

I was thinking of getting this 43" NQ90B too. Do you not recommend it? What do you use now instead?

[@SecondBrekfast]

@Erlin Urbano Switched back to my old LG 27UK600 for the time being. For me, the whole point of going mini LED was to get better contrast than IPS. The QN90B was a huge disappointment, only a small portion in the center of the screen was not washed out due to the poor viewing angles. Would not recommend.

[@KyleFalconer1]

Good to know the auto-dimming is still an issue. I returned my 48” C1 because of this issue, and was curious if LG had fixed it.

[@Hugo_R]

You can disable it

[@j.a.3138]

the auto dimming can be turned off but it is there to prevent burn-ins. Just like with any other OLED panel

[@Kapono5150]

As a C9 owner, the S95B is the best gaming TV you can get currently. The panel looks amazing

[@gabo12e30]

I think the perfect size for a monitor is 32". Anything bigger than that is just too big and can cause eye strain. I have the m7 to use with my windows PC and Nintendo switch and it works great. It's wall mounted so I can pull out if I want it closer to the couch when watching tv. Otherwise I go downstairs to the bigger tv and home theater setup.

[@delasse3178]

I love my CX 55", been using it as a desktop for over 4200 hours. No burn in! You can also get /4k/120hz on these TV's without HDMI 2.1, so long as you change the color settings in the nVidia software to 8-bit. That's how I rocked this TV when I didn't have a 30 series GPU.

[@RiderTO]

Hi Tom, i think you didnt mention anything on text clarity in the video. I am considering this for an office monitor and wonder if the text is as clear on the C2 as on a 27 inch monitor. Thanks!

[@322-Dota2]

no text is not clear in it cus it uses RGBW pattern!!!

[@veheikko]

Doesn't it hurt your eyes if you always keep the OLED brightness that high? I sit in front of the CX48, and only bring the OLED brightness above 50 for movies. In the evening it feels more comfortable around 30.

[@Watchandlearn91]

This looks really awesome. I just switched to the exact same ultrawide you're replacing ironically so i'm not looking to switch away any time soon but that does look incredible if I was to switch. I go back and forth on OLED devices but I never have bought any (other than my iPhone 13 Pro) due to my fear of burn-in. The picture quality is incredible though but probably not worth my anxiety about hurting it so QLED it would be for me.

[@MetaverseAdventures]

I have been using a 48" C1 for the past year and LOVE IT.

[@extectic]

42 inch would be a great size. The 38 inch ultrawide is by no means too large, and the 42 is the same width, just taller. I'm sorely tempted to upgrade, my own LG 38 inch is fantastic, but you can't really claim it can do deep blacks or anything remotely approaching HDR.

[@coleshores]

I love my 43in TCL($175) my DevOps work with a tiling window manager. It's exacly like 4 21.5 screens without the bezels. Keeps me very organized for my workflow

[@Rkcuddles]

Don’t do it! It will burn in and LG won’t help you. I have a $3k+ 65inch oled that’s unusable after 2 years. And that’s not even being used as a computer monitor. The LG OS elements and KZbin buttons and logo are what burned in

[@masteroogvvay]

I got a 5 year warranty with mine. For burn in.

[@Fakaccyoui]

Lg c1?

[@ahurafarahani7751]

I have used the LG C1 for just about 2 years now and it is litterally a god send. Don't notice the auto-dimming, and in terms of burn in I have best buy warranty so if it happens they just give me a new tv.

[@Thetechchap]

I haven't had burn in myself - but these products come and go so it's hard for me to run one long enough to be sure

[@Jakeznk]

So I’m building a pc later this year, definitely thinking about this 42 inch model as a monitor. I have the C1 and it’s the best tv I’ve ever had

[@lg07632]

I am going shopping this weekend!!

[@howardskeivys4184]

I’ve recently purchased an OLED with some reservations. IE, potential lack of brightness and ‘burn in’. I’ve had the set for over 2 months and have blown those reservations out of the water.

[@SimonKock]

You can disable the brightness descreasing by getting an LG service remote and disable it in the service menus you can access with it.

[@user-uq6po8dv6i]

I've been doing this for a few years now (LG OLED) and I've run into a few weird problems. After being on for a while, even if the monitor is off, the sync between the PC and the monitor will result in a weird frame drop and stuttering, and the PC will need to be rebooted to fix it. Second, full screen web apps flicker, for some reason. These are all issues that have persisted through three different PCs and two different HDMI cables, so I think it's the TV.

[@sportnation8885]

If a tv/monitor has more than one HDMI you must have PBP with at least 4 different ratios

[@Xoilen]

I would literally never go over 27in for competitive gaming, but the visuals are great

[@MW-nb7yy]

I just moved with my family and my office in my new house is not 100% dedicated to me so having a TV could be a bonus. I am thinking of getting this for sure. My 32 in 4k was damaged in the move so I need a replacement.

[@shaundasheepmurphy1589]

Just literally set mine up now and wow I must say this is great, coming from a 4K LG monitor this blows it away, lots more testing to be done but I am a happy chappy

[@PeterKaitlyn]

I have a 43 inch Samsung that I use as my main display... and agree that is a good size for a computer display... I recently moved to Mac Studio and HDMI out seemed to be great for normal work... since I still had my 2k Mac monitors I now have three... and am perfectly happy with this setup...

[@paulhorn24]

The new Mac mini with the „M2 Pro“ IMHO has HDMI 2.1 while the M2 Mac mini has HDMI 2.0 and the Mac Studio M1 chips have HDMI 2.0 right?

[@PeterKaitlyn]

@@paulhorn24 Yes, It works fine for my setup and needs... it's 2.0... From their website... HDMI for the Mac studio has support for one display with up to 4K resolution at 60Hz...

[@smokert5555]

Go big and just set up your desk further away from the screen. I'm using a 53" tv as a monitor and i set up my desk about 8' away and it works great.

[@20quid]

I did this a few years back, put FancyZones on your PC and it's just like having four 21-inch 1080p monitors without any bezels, and then you can hit fullscreen and pwoar! Seriously, FancyZones makes all the difference. Turns a setup like this into a productivity machine.

[@Mad.Maxx.77]

I think 43" is the sweet spot for 4K monitors. I've had a Samsung 43" Q60R as my monitor since 2019 and am ready for an upgrade. The Samsung 43" QN90B will be delivered tomorrow. I'll give it a try out for a week. If it fails to impress, I'll try this 42" LG OLED. Great video, mate!

[@jamesadkinsiii7925]

How are you feeling about it? Thinking about getting an OLED or are you happy with it?

[@Mad.Maxx.77]

@@jamesadkinsiii7925 I returned it the next day because of fuzzy text and motion blur. Can’t recommend it for monitor use. I’m going to try the LG 42" OLED.

[@sound4label]

Hello, did you keep the oled at the end ? :)

[@Mad.Maxx.77]

@@sound4label I returned both because text wasn’t sharp on either of them. My 3 year old Q60R is much better for text and my work.

[@sound4label]

@@Mad.Maxx.77 thanks â lot for your feedback :)

[@Natedaskate]

I use the 48” C1 as my monitor. Love it!! Had to wall mount it and move my desk back a bit but worth it

[@healthcat282]

IMHO 48” TV Is A Bit More Efficient Than The 42” TV However The Odds 55” TV’s Are More Popular I Wanted A 50” TV But Curry’s Didn’t Have It In Stock So I Got The 48” Philips OLED 4K Ultra HD Smart TV For £849 Which Is Better Would’ve Preferred A 50” Mind Yea Its Only 2inches Off Still A Pretty Good Size In Comparison

[@CriPPleR_HD]

My PC is connected to both a AW QD-OLED that rests on monitor arm attached to my desk and a 65” LG C1 OLED that is mounted on the wall behind my desktop setup. Use the TV when I want to Jack in a controller and hear Dolby Atmos out my speaker setup. The monitor is used for everything else including productivity and gaming with m/kb. The QD-OLED has no noticeable ABL switching when navigating or browsing the web. The HDR is actually more impactful and detailed on the AW vs the C1. You can still make out details in things like the sun and torches that have mad peak brightness. Color is also richer. Orange and Reds really pop in a natural way especially in things like fireworks and neon lights. Love my C1 but this AW QD-OLED is the best display I ever used for PC gaming! I had the AW for about a week and I find myself favoring it over the C1 even in controller based games now. So good!

[@MisterRhul]

You can use service control to stop it to getting dimmer.

[@brandonfrost9801]

Would use this mainly for console gaming at a desk, for movies I would use home theatre setup and a smaller monitor for PC use

[@RzachPrime]

I use the LG C1 55" as my desktop monitor. So far I love it. Also great for gaming with the PS5 and PC. I don't find that the size bothers me any. Best monitor I have ever had.

[@OGaurabless]

8 months later, hows it working out? eye strain? comfy size? any screen burn in since desktops are mostly static especially when browsing?

[@crush9262]

just a quick side note, the samsung he mentions is a great alternative you if are concerned about pixel burn in on the oled due to constantly showing a home screen or something. ive never personally seen a bad case of this but its a thought.

[@WovenSilver902]

Im still using the 48" LG CX, witch I still love, and is fine since I have it back far enough. I do love how Oled is becoming more popular though, cause Oled is king in the visual department.

[@doubledangerous7898]

I started using the C1 48 inch last year as my main work station/secondary gaming rig, and I'll never go back.

[@Thetechchap]

haven't found it too big? did you wall mount?

[@doubledangerous7898]

@@Thetechchap took a bit of getting used too tbh. I'd have preferred a 42 inch, but I've come to enjoy having so much screen real estate. No wall mount, just stuck it on the very back edge of my desk haha.