LG C2 Series OLED42C2PUA 42"

Still the best big-screen OLED you can put on a desk, but the honeymoon phase is over. Buy a stand, grab a soundbar, and be ready to deal with the occasional sleep/wake headache.

What surprised us most is how this TV absolutely crushes it for gaming. It's in the 96th percentile in our database, and that tracks. With a 120Hz refresh rate, 1ms response time, and full support for G-SYNC and FreeSync Premium, motion is buttery smooth on a PS5 or a high-end PC. The flip side is the built-in audio. The 20W speakers are a weak spot, sitting in the mediocre range. They'll get the job done for casual viewing, but for a screen this good, you owe it to yourself to grab a soundbar or headphones.

The C2's main rival in the 42-inch space is really the newer LG C3, which offers a slightly brighter panel and better processing, but you'll pay a premium for it. The competitive field has shifted a lot since this set launched. The LG C5 OLED55C5PUA is now the newer OLED to beat, with better brightness and processing, though it starts at 55 inches so it's not a desk option. The Samsung Neo QLED QN990F and Sony BRAVIA 9 K85XR90 are both massive, bright LED flagships that crush it in a bright room but cost a fortune and are way too big for a desk. The TCL QM8K Series 75QM8K and Hisense U8 Series 100U8QG are the value plays, delivering huge screens and strong brightness for less money, but they can't touch the C2's per-pixel contrast and perfect blacks. The C2's unique superpower is still being the perfect size for a desk, and no other premium OLED really competes in that exact niche.

Pricing for this set is all over the map, with a wild spread from $834 to over $26,000 across vendors. Obviously, ignore the crazy high outliers. The real sweet spot is around that $800 mark for a refurbished unit, which is an absolute steal for an OLED this good. At that price, it's a no-brainer. Even at a higher new price, the value is strong for what you get, just make sure you're not overpaying at a sketchy third-party seller.

The LG C2 42-inch is basically the ultimate flex for people who want a no-compromise gaming monitor that also happens to be a brilliant 4K TV. It's an OLED panel, so you get those perfect inky blacks and colors that pop like crazy, and it's packed with every gaming feature you could ask for. The one thing to know? If you're sitting at a desk, this is as good as it gets for a big-screen experience, but you'll need to budget for a stand or wall mount because LG doesn't include one in the box.

If you're looking for a bright room TV to fight intense glare, this isn't it. The OLED panel is stunning but doesn't get as bright as a premium LED, and our data shows it scores poorly for outdoor use. Go grab a Samsung Neo QLED, a Sony BRAVIA 9, or a TCL QM8K instead if brightness is your main concern. Also, if you want a set that just works without tinkering, the C2's sleep/wake quirks and missing stand might drive you nuts, and the newer LG C5 is the smoother experience if you can live with a bigger screen.

The LG C2 42-inch is still a phenomenal display that blurs the line between TV and monitor better than almost anything else. It's a top-tier gaming screen with stunning picture quality that makes movies and shows look incredible. That said, owner sentiment has cooled from the early hype, dropping to 82 out of 100. The lack of a stand, the so-so speakers, and the persistent PC sleep/wake annoyance are wearing on people. If you want a premium, do-it-all screen for a desk or small room, this is still the one to get, just go in knowing it's not perfect.