We've reached the end of 2025, and it was a busy year for the TV industry. In my role as Senior TV Editor at Tom's Guide, I've seen value-packed QLEDs, bright, dazzling Mini-LED TVs, and some of the most impressive OLED TVs I've ever laid eyes on. But one TV rose above the rest and earned its place as my favorite set of 2025: the LG C5.
It's not the best-looking TV of 2025, nor does it come with the most amount of features. That said, it's the only TV we awarded a five-star rating this year.
The C5 earned this rating — as well as its place as my favorite TV of 2025 — for three reasons: performance, features and value. Such is the formula of one of the best TVs of the year.
The C5 is the latest in a long line of mid-range LG OLEDs whose sensational performance is among the best you’ll find at its price. It’s not as bright or colorful as more-expensive OLED TVs from LG or competing brands, but it’s a wonder to behold nonetheless.
Like all OLED TVs, every individual pixel in the C5’s display is self-illuminating, and that has a tremendously positive impact on nearly every aspect of its picture. For one thing, an OLED lets you bask in the glory of perfect black levels, entirely free of the hazy, bluish light bloom you’ll see on standard LED displays. An OLED-based picture also offers a ton of depth and clarity on account of its incredible contrast.
As mentioned, the C5 isn’t as bright as higher-end OLED TVs, but trust me: It’s plenty bright for sports, shows and especially HDR-mastered, 4K movies and games. The display’s self-lit pixels allow for bright, punchy visual highlights that add to the immersion.
But it’s not just the C5’s excellent, versatile performance that propelled this TV to the top of my list of favorites this year. It’s also packed to the brim with features for gaming and streaming. As a matter of fact, it comes with nearly every feature you’ll find on the higher-end LG G5 OLED for a much friendlier price.
The C5 has mass appeal, and there’s something about its approachability that I really respect.
These include support for 4K gaming at 120Hz and Dolby Vision, a full suite of HDMI 2.1-compatible inputs and LG’s super-nifty Game Optimizer Mode. The C5 is such a gaming beast that it leads its class in the category.
Lastly, I’d be remiss if I didn’t discuss the third reason that the C5 is my favorite TV of 2025: value. It’s true that the C5 doesn’t come cheap (the 65-inch C5 is $1,396 at Amazon right now). However, this is a TV whose picture quality and features ought to amount to a much higher price tag. At just under $1,400 for a 65-inch model, the C5 is actually a bargain.
I spend a ton of time chatting with friends, readers and acquaintances, and while some of them are interested in the flashiest, priciest TVs, the vast majority of people want to feel confident when buying something as significant as a TV. This is where models like the LG C5 really shine. It has mass appeal, and there’s something about its approachability that I really respect.
If you’re in the market for a new TV and you’d like to treat yourself ahead of the holidays, the LG C5 is waiting to be your favorite TV of 2025, too.
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