While AV enthusiasts with relatively deep pockets may still be drawn to LG’s premium G4 OLED TVs with their Brightness Booster+ Micro Lens Array technology or LG’s mid-range C4 models with their powerful processors and premium panels, the brand has confirmed today that its significantly more affordable B series are also seriously appealing this year to anyone with a tighter budget to work with.
The 2024 B4 OLED series are available from today in 77, 65 and 55-inch screen sizes, priced on LG’s website at $3,299.99, $2,299.99 and $1,499.99 respectively. At the time of writing, these B4 prices represent savings of $200, $200 and $300 respectively over the prices for the same-sized C4 series models.
The new B4 series is finally available, boasting improved features and gaming support.
If you’re wondering what you’re missing out on if you choose a B4 over a C4, there are four main things. Their panels lose the C4s’ Brightness Booster specification, their designs aren’t considered ‘Ultra Slim’, their processor drops down from the Alpha 9 Gen 7 platform of the C4s to the Alpha 8 AI Processor 4K, and gaming support tops out at 120Hz, rather than the C4s’ 144Hz. This latter point, of course, will only matter to PC gamers with rigs and games capable of supporting the still fairly rare 144Hz refresh rate.
One more peripheral difference finds the B4s losing the Far Field Voice Recognition feature of the C4s, meaning you’ll have to press the mic button on the B4s’ remote control to issue vocal commands.
Among the features you don’t get with the B4s’ Alpha 8 processor that you do get on the C4s Alpha 9 system is the most powerful version of LG’s Dynamic Tone Mapping Pro system, where HDR images are optimised per scene in real time to the screen’s capabilities. A significant new feature the Alpha 8 AI processor shares with the Alpha 11 and Alpha 9 processors of the G4 and C4 models, though, is Object Enhancing By Visual Perception, where the processing can detect faces and bodies in the image and subtly sharpen them against the background information, creating a sense of depth and image focus that more closely mimics the way your eyes interpret the real world.
The B4s also improve over their B3 predecessors by supporting 4K gaming at 120Hz as well as variable refresh rates (including both the Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync formats) across all four HDMIs, rather than just two. The Alpha 8 AI processor on the B4s additionally offers a decent step up in power over the B3s’ Alpha 7 system when it comes to the upscaling of sub-4K sources.
The LG B4s don’t feature Ultra Slim Designs and central desktop stands, but they still look sharp … [+]
Other notable features of the B4 series include LG’s Game Dashboard and Game Optimizer tools; a claimed 0.1ms GtoG response time; built-in support for Amazon Alexa, Apple Airplay 2, HomeKit and Chromecast; support for external Google Assistant devices; virtual 9.1.2-channel audio upscaling; and LG’s WOW Orchestra system, where the speakers in the TV can join forces with those in compatible LG soundbars.
Smart features, finally, are delivered by LG’s latest webOS 24 smart system, which now incorporates access to more than 300 free streaming channels within the LG Channels platform, as well as all the usual streaming services (Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, Apple TV+, YouTube etc) you would now expect to find on a premium TV.
The B4 series is also available now in the UK, with prices for all three models currently sitting at £3,299.98 for the 77-inch, £2,299 for the 65-inch, and £1,499 for the 55-inch.
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