LG G3 vs. Samsung S95C: Which flagship OLED TV should you buy?

The OLED arms race is in full force, and if you're in the market for a new television, you'll find two names at the top of the heap for 2023 — the LG G3 and the Samsung S95C. And there's a reason these two names keep popping up: They simply blow away the competition.

Also: I watched Avatar on Samsung's S95C OLED and it spoiled every other TV for me

Both of these are top of their class, offer some of the best image quality in an OLED, and are absolutely fantastic choices for your entertainment needs. I strongly feel you wouldn't be disappointed buying either. 

They're also relatively expensive, have nearly identical specifications, and put out virtually the same image, meaning deciding which is better is an awfully tough task. While there's no clear winner between the two, choosing which one is best ultimately comes down to the very subtle areas each excels at and which of those areas matter to you. Here's the breakdown.

Specifications

You should buy the LG G3 if…

1. You want a mounted TV that looks luxurious

With its sleek metallic bezel and zero flush mount that makes the set sit as flat against the wall as possible, the G3 looks like a premium television right out of the box. 

Also: Best TV wall mounts (and how to install them safely)

While both the LG and Samsung feature an “art gallery” mode, the feature works better here because of the super-slim design. If how your TV looks when it's not being used is important to you, the LG G3 is the way to go.

2. You're watching in a bright room

If you'll be watching in a room with a lot of natural light or a room that's simply bright, look to the LG G3. Both options here are plenty bright (the G3 is actually the brightest OLED available though), but the Samsung struggles with extremely bright scenes (like live sports with ice or snow) due to its more aggressive Automatic Brightness Limiter. 

3. You insist on Dolby Vision

Is Dolby Vision a must-have in your television selection? If so, there isn't a choice here as the S95C doesn't support it. There's endless debate about whether Dolby Vision is truly better than HDR10, but if you're in the camp that insists it is, you'll need the G3 to enjoy that content. 

You should buy the Samsung S95C if…

1. You're a serious gamer

Either of these televisions is perfectly fine for gaming, but if you're a serious gamer where every nuance matters, the S95C is your choice. 

Both have a relatively low input lag, and both support Auto Low Latency, meaning you don't have to switch to gaming mode for the fastest input. But the Samsung has a slightly lower lag, both in and out of game mode, even with LG's Boost Mode which lowers input by a few milliseconds. It's not a huge difference, but the smallest things can be huge if you're a competitive gamer. 

Also: Best TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, and TCL compared

Additionally, when gaming, the G3's brightness takes a noticeable dip while the S95C holds steady. Samsung also takes the edge in supporting 4K at a 144Hz refresh rate while the G3 supports 4K at 120Hz.

2. You have multiple input devices

Samsung wins a point here simply because of how sleek the One Connect Box looks. If you have multiple video game consoles or satellite boxes connected to your television, it can be a pain to fish wires through a wall (letting cables hang down just isn't an option if you're curious). But with One Connect, all of your devices connect to a box and there's only one wire running to your TV. 

3. You won't be mounting your TV on a wall

While wall-mounting is all the rage these days, there are plenty of people who choose to have their television freestanding. And if you're one of those people, the choice here is essentially made for you. LG has so much of a focus on a flush wall mount that the G3 doesn't even include a stand. A stand is available for purchase, but when prices are nearly identical, an additional purchase tips things a little. 

Alternatives to consider

BEST LG ALTERNATIVE

LG G2 OLED

The G2 has a lot of the same features as the G3, with the biggest exception being a lack of micro-lens array technology, which greatly improves brightness on the latter.

BEST SONY ALTERNATIVE

Sony A90J

If you don't mind a model that's a few years old, the A90K still beats many OLED displays of today and it's great at hiding inputs in the back.

BEST AFFORDABLE ALTERNATIVE

Sony A80K

The most affordable alternative to the G2 and the S95C, this TV has a fantastic display that does the job just fine for most people and has top-notch sound quality.

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