In a year that saw the arrival of next-gen RGB mini-LED to the mass market and elite OLEDs get more impressive and flexible than ever for brightness, my TV of the Year at the TechRadar Product of the year Awards 2026 is, in fact, the mid-range LG C6 OLED TV. The latest in the LG C-series lineage, the LG C6 earned the full five stars in my LG C6 review , delivering what has always made LG’s C-series TVs among the best TVs around, but taking a few key features to another level (more on that below). When I compared it to its predecessor , the LG C5, my admiration for the C6 was further solidified, again as the latter showed major upgrades over the former — that’s not something you always see in newer TV models. At the time, I said I thought the C5 was better value — but six months on, the C6’s price has dropped significantly, and it’s now phenomenal value. This win actually marks LG’s first return to the top of the TV of the Year podium since 2022, with Samsung’s mid-range QD-OLED the S90C taking the crown in 2023 , with subsequent victories for Samsung’s flagship OLED models, the S95D in 2024 and the S95F last year . While Samsung released very impressive TVs in 2026, one of the key things we’re all looking for even more than usual this year is value, and C6 has a few key elements that make it the best bang for buck. Accuracy, brightness and power

The LG C6 (left) has a new, improved processor that means it deliver better brightness and colors over its predecessor the LG C5 (right) (Image credit: Future) One of the LG C6’s big upgrades was to its processor. While previous generations of the C-series had used LG’s Alpha 9, the C6 was fitted with the Alpha 11 AI Gen 3: LG’s most powerful chip, and the same one used in the flagship LG G6 . This meant faster processing times for easier use and navigation, as well as upgraded picture features including 13-bit image processing for reduced color banding, and an upgraded brightness booster. But did these features actually translate into real-world improvements? When I compared the C6 to the C5, the answer was a resounding yes. The C6 registered 1,438 nits peak HDR brightness in Filmmaker Mode in a 10% window — a notable step-up over the C5’s 1,180 nits in the same test. It even hit 245 nits fullscreen HDR brightness, which was 50 nits higher than the C5. That may not sound like much, but for an OLED battling against reflections in bright rooms, it makes a clear difference. As for actual real-world viewing, the HDR brightness boost was best demonstrated in scenes with a sunset on horizon, such as Wicked and Top Gun: Maverick , where the C6 clearly had higher peak brightness, resulting in punchier HDR highlights. Bright scenes and colors also looked more impactful and engaging on the C6, particularly when large areas of white, such as snow, were on screen. It was the C6’s (left) improved color temperature accuracy that impressed me the most, making movies like The Batman look even better than they did on the LG C5 (right) (Image credit: Warner Bros…