Small OLEDs have a reputation to protect. Ever since the C2 in 2022 became the first 42-inch OLED on the market, LG’s tiniest C-series set has been the default choice for people who want top-tier contrast without giving a wall to a 65-inch panel. What Hi-Fi? published its review of the 2026 edition, the LG C6 42-inch (OLED42C6), on 11 October 2026, and the verdict is clear: the picture is excellent, the sound is not.
Price and rivals
The OLED42C6 launched at £1300 / $1399, which undercut the outgoing 42-inch C5 in the UK (it launched at £1400 / $1399). Months of discounts have since brought the C6 down to around £999 / $1000. The main rival is the 42-inch Samsung S90H at £999 / $1000. Leftover C5 stock was still selling for around £849 in the UK when the review was published, and Panasonic’s 42-inch Z90B costs £1099.
Same look, new brains
The design is the same as the C2 through C5, which What Hi-Fi? jokingly compares to a game of Where’s Wally. Unlike the central stand on the 48-inch and larger models, the 42-inch sits on two blade feet 72cm apart. That’s wide enough for a soundbar, but the feet only mount at one height, 3.7cm, so a taller bar may cover the bottom of the screen. The Magic Remote still has its scroll wheel and motion pointer, but there’s no backlight and no dedicated input button.
Key specs:
- 4K WOLED panel (LG uses Primary RGB Tandem OLED on some other sizes)
- Alpha 11 AI Processor 4K Gen3 with a new 12-bit processing pipeline
- HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision (no HDR10+)
- 4 x 48Gbps HDMI 2.1, one with eARC, plus an optical output
- 4K/120Hz, 4K/165Hz, VRR, ALLM, Dolby Vision game mode, HGiG
- webOS 26, 2.0-channel speakers with Dolby Atmos
- 54 x 93 x 4.1 cm without stand; also sold in 48, 55, 65, 77 and 83 inches
Gamers also get cloud apps such as Xbox, Nvidia GeForce Now and Amazon Luna. LG claims the C6 is the first TV that can stream games at 4K/120Hz through GeForce Now. On the downside, webOS 26 is full of ads, though sponsored content can be turned off. The AI features include Dual AI Super Resolution, AI HDR Remaster and the Personalised Picture and Sound Wizards. The testers found them heavy-handed and recommend Filmmaker Mode instead.
Picture: five stars again
In Filmmaker Mode, with TruMotion set to Cinematic Movement, the 42-inch C6 delivered punchy highlights against inky blacks in the opening of F1: The Movie. It also gave natural, three-dimensional foliage in Civil War and handled motion without artefacts in Blade Runner 2049. The reviewers call it a careful refinement rather than a leap, which puts it closer to the 65-inch C6 than to the surprisingly bright 48-inch model.
Sound: the weak spot
The 2.0-channel system has no subwoofer. It sounds clear and surprisingly spacious, but even at 100 per cent volume you can talk over it easily, and a midrange dip makes voices sound hollow. The scores reflect that: 5 for picture, 5 for features and 3 for sound. A compact Dolby Atmos soundbar is the obvious fix.
The bottom line is that the C6 is a small TV that never looks like one. The cheaper C5 is still worth a look while stock lasts.
Earlier on GismoLand: LG Creator Original Picture Mode. When the director tweaks your TV.
