LG C5 OLED NZ: Price, Specs & Where to Buy

The LG C5 is the 2025 update to LG's best-selling mid-range OLED TV line, sold in NZ across six screen sizes. Here's what it costs and how it compares to the step-up G5.

What the C-series is for

LG's C-series has been the default recommendation for anyone wanting a genuinely great OLED TV without paying flagship G-series money, and the 2025 C5 continues that. It uses LG's OLED evo panel technology with an AI-enhanced processor (branded "AI UHD 4K") tuned for brightness and colour accuracy improvements over the previous C4 generation, while staying noticeably cheaper than the G5, which uses a brighter "Primary RGB Tandem" panel in larger sizes and typically wall-mounts flush rather than needing a stand.

Sizes and where they sit

The C5 is sold in NZ across an unusually wide size range: 42-inch, 48-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch, 77-inch and 83-inch, all confirmed as current Noel Leeming listings. That's a wider size spread than most rival OLEDs, which makes the C5 a common pick for smaller secondary rooms (42/48-inch) as well as main-lounge setups (65/77-inch). Pricing scales steeply with size — aggregated NZ pricing puts the 55-inch model in the low-$2,000s to mid-$3,000s range and the 65-inch around the mid-$3,000s, climbing sharply for 77-inch and 83-inch, which regularly sell well above $5,000-6,000 depending on retailer and promotions. Exact pricing shifts often with sales, so it's worth comparing at the time of purchase rather than trusting a single quoted figure.

Key specs

• Panel: OLED evo with AI-enhanced brightness processing
• Processor: Alpha 9 AI processor (varies by size tier)
• Refresh rate: 144Hz native on most sizes, ideal for PS5/Xbox Series X gaming
• HDMI: Four HDMI 2.1 ports supporting 4K/144Hz, VRR and ALLM
• Smart platform: webOS, with several years of guaranteed software updates

Where to buy in NZ

Noel Leeming carries the full C5 size range and is the most consistently stocked retailer for it. Harvey Norman, JB Hi-Fi NZ and PriceSpy-listed independents also carry it, and prices genuinely do move between retailers — checking two or three before buying a TV this expensive is worth the five minutes it takes.

C5 vs G5: is the step-up worth it

The G5 is brighter in the larger sizes thanks to its different panel tech, and usually ships with a flush wall-mount design as standard rather than a stand. For most lounges, especially anything under 65 inches, the brightness difference is less noticeable and the C5's price advantage is the more relevant factor. The G5 becomes more worth considering in bright rooms with a lot of natural light, where the extra peak brightness genuinely helps.

Who should buy the C5

• Want a genuinely excellent OLED without G-series pricing: the C5 is still the sensible default.
• Gaming on PS5/Xbox Series X: the 144Hz panel and full HDMI 2.1 support make it a strong pairing.
• Very bright room, lots of daylight glare: consider the brighter G5 or a Mini-LED alternative instead.