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The LG B3 is LG’s 2023 entry-level organic light-emitting diode (OLED) TV, and in 2026 it’s still a great dim-room movie and gaming TV if you find it at a clear discount. It gave buyers the core OLED experience, with self-lit pixels, perfect blacks, and a 120Hz panel for gaming, for less than the popular C3. LG has replaced it three times since then, with the B4, B5, and now the 2026 B6, so most B3s you’ll find today are open-box, refurbished, or used. This LG B3 review explains how the TV performs according to major reviewers and whether a discounted B3 still beats a new budget OLED in 2026.
Quick verdict: The LG B3 still delivers excellent contrast, accurate color, low input lag, and LG’s polished webOS software. Its weak points are modest brightness, only two High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) 2.1 ports, and thin built-in sound. At a clearly lower price than a new LG B5, a used or open-box B3 is a great dim-room movie and gaming TV. Check the LG B3 price on Amazon.
Key takeaways
- What it is: LG’s 2023 entry-level 4K OLED TV, sold in 55-, 65-, and 77-inch sizes, with a 120Hz panel and Dolby Vision.
- Price: The 55-inch launched at $1,699, according to TechRadar. Buy a used or open-box B3 only well below a new LG B5, which Tom’s Guide reported dropping below $1,000 (65-inch) during sales. Prices change often.
- Main strengths: Perfect blacks, accurate color with 99% coverage of the P3 color space in Tom’s Guide’s testing, and 9.2 milliseconds of input lag in Boost mode in TechRadar’s testing.
- Main weaknesses: Modest brightness of about 619 to 635 nits in reviewers’ tests, only two HDMI 2.1 ports, weak built-in speakers, and no HDR10+ support.
- Successor: LG replaced it with the B4 (2024), B5 (2025), and B6 (2026), which all offer four HDMI 2.1 ports.
LG B3 at a glance
| Spec | LG B3 |
|---|---|
| Release | Spring 2023 (replaced by the B4 in 2024) |
| Sizes (U.S.) | 55, 65, and 77 inches |
| Panel | 4K white OLED (W-OLED), without the brighter evo panel used in the C3 |
| Processor | α7 Gen6 AI Processor (the C3 uses the α9 Gen6) |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz native |
| High dynamic range (HDR) | Dolby Vision, HDR10, and Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG); no HDR10+ |
| Measured HDR brightness | About 619 to 649 nits on a 10% window (TechRadar) and 635 nits (Tom’s Guide) |
| Gaming | 4K at 120Hz, variable refresh rate (VRR), Nvidia G-Sync Compatible, AMD FreeSync, Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), and Game Optimizer |
| Input lag | About 9.2 to 10.1 milliseconds (ms) with Game Optimizer’s Boost mode |
| Inputs | Four HDMI ports: two HDMI 2.1 and two HDMI 2.0, with enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC) on one HDMI 2.1 port |
| Audio | 2.0-channel down-firing speakers with Dolby Atmos decoding |
| Smart platform | LG webOS 23 at launch, with the Magic Remote; eligible for later webOS upgrades |
| Launch price | $1,699 for the 55-inch at launch, according to TechRadar; prices fell quickly afterward |
Specs and measurements come from Tom’s Guide’s B3 review, TechRadar’s B3 review, and TechRadar’s B3 vs. C3 comparison.
Is the LG B3 discontinued?
Yes. LG updates its B Series every year, and each successor has added features the B3 lacks:
- LG B4 (2024): Upgraded to the α8 processor, added a 48-inch size, and moved to four HDMI 2.1 ports. Tom’s Guide’s B4 vs. B5 comparison measured 653 nits of HDR brightness and 9.2 ms of input lag.
- LG B5 (2025): Added webOS 25, LG’s newer AI features, and a redesigned Magic Remote, with four HDMI 2.1 ports. Tom’s Guide’s B5 review measured 632 nits and about 9 ms of input lag, and noted performance nearly identical to the B4.
- LG B6 (2026): The current model arrived in May 2026 with the α8 AI Processor Gen3, webOS 26, and four HDMI 2.1 ports. TechRadar’s B6 review measured up to 835 nits in Filmmaker Mode and 8.9 ms of input lag, though the reviewer still called the cheaper B5 the better value while stock lasts.
Because LG has kept its B Series pricing similar each year, the B3’s value depends almost entirely on how much less it costs than a new B5 or B6. Tom’s Guide has reported the 65-inch B5 dropping below $1,000 during sales, so a used or open-box 65-inch B3 should cost well under that to make sense.
Common claims that don’t hold up
Several common claims about the B3 don’t hold up:
- The stand doesn’t hold the speakers. The B3 uses a simple centered pedestal stand. Its speakers sit inside the TV and fire downward. There’s no built-in soundbar.
- Brightness is its weakest area, not a strength. Tom’s Guide called HDR brightness the B3’s main limitation, and it measured well below the C3 and far below Mini light-emitting diode (Mini-LED) TVs.
- Only two of its HDMI ports support HDMI 2.1. The other two run at HDMI 2.0 speeds, so you can connect only two consoles or PCs at 4K and 120Hz.
- The finish isn’t brushed aluminum. TechRadar described a plastic stand that felt cheaper than the C3’s.
- Voice control uses the remote. The B3 lacks the hands-free microphone found on the C3 and G3, so you press a button on the Magic Remote to talk to it.
Design and setup
The B3 has the thin OLED profile buyers expect: Tom’s Guide measured the panel at just over an eighth of an inch thick, with a deeper section of about 1.8 inches at the back that houses the electronics. The centered stand fits narrower furniture than wide-set feet, though it raises the screen only slightly, so a tall soundbar may block the bottom of the picture. The TV uses a 300 x 200 Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) mounting pattern on the 65-inch model, so it works with most standard wall mounts.
Picture quality
Contrast and color
Every OLED pixel produces its own light and turns off completely for black, so the B3 delivers perfect blacks and infinite contrast without the blooming you see on LED TVs. Reviewers praised its color: Tom’s Guide measured 99% coverage of the UHD Alliance P3 color space and a Delta E error of about 1.9, and TechRadar measured an average color error of about 1.3, both of which indicate accurate color out of the box.
Brightness and HDR
Brightness is where the B3 trails its siblings. TechRadar measured 619 nits in Filmmaker Mode on a 10% window, compared with about 830 nits on the C3, and only 133 nits on a full white screen. Tom’s Guide measured 635 nits and noted that Mini-LED rivals such as the TCL QM8 topped 2,000 nits. In a dim room, the B3’s HDR still looks rich and dramatic, but in a sunny room, it can look washed out. The B3 skips the C3’s evo panel and the G3’s heatsink, which LG uses to push brightness higher.
Processing and upscaling
The α7 Gen6 processor sits a step below the C3’s α9 Gen6, but reviewers didn’t flag major upscaling or motion problems, and TechRadar rated the picture 4.5 out of 5. LG’s automatic AI picture settings work fine for casual viewing, while Filmmaker Mode gives the most accurate image for movies.
Gaming performance
The B3 is a strong gaming TV, with one catch. Its two HDMI 2.1 ports support 4K at 120Hz, VRR, G-Sync, FreeSync, and ALLM, and TechRadar measured 9.2 ms of input lag in Boost mode, matching LG’s pricier G3. The Game Optimizer menu puts every gaming setting in one place. The catch is that the other two ports top out at HDMI 2.0, and one of the HDMI 2.1 ports also handles eARC, so if you use a soundbar plus two next-generation consoles, you’ll run short of full-speed inputs.
Newer B models fix that with four HDMI 2.1 ports. For more options, see our guide to the best gaming TVs for PS5 and Xbox.
Smart features
LG’s webOS 23 brought a cleaner two-page home screen with Quick Cards, which group apps by category, and reviewers rated it among the best smart TV platforms. It includes every major streaming app, Apple AirPlay, and Apple Home support, plus Amazon Alexa through the Magic Remote at launch. The Magic Remote works like a pointer, which makes navigation quick, though Tom’s Guide found the pointer a bit jittery. LG’s webOS Re:New program also brought webOS 24 and webOS 25 to 2023 OLEDs, according to TechRadar’s webOS update schedule, so a B3 can run newer software than it shipped with.
Sound quality
The B3’s 2.0-channel speakers decode Dolby Atmos, but they don’t include upward-firing drivers, so the effect is virtual. Tom’s Guide reported weak bass and shrill treble, and TechRadar flagged poor speech clarity. A soundbar makes a big difference, and the eARC port can pass lossless Dolby Atmos to one. Browse Dolby Atmos soundbars on Amazon.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Perfect blacks and excellent contrast
- Accurate color out of the box
- 120Hz gaming with VRR, G-Sync, and FreeSync
- Low input lag in Boost mode
- Polished webOS software with upgrade support
- Much cheaper than newer OLEDs on the used market
Cons
- Lower brightness than the C3 and newer OLEDs
- Only two HDMI 2.1 ports
- Weak built-in speakers
- No HDR10+ support
- Plastic stand and no hands-free voice control
- Discontinued, so warranties on used units are limited
LG B3 vs. current OLED TVs
Amazon is our main affiliate partner, and it carries the B3’s successors and the strongest rival OLEDs in most sizes. Prices change often, so treat the figures below as recent examples.
Compare similar OLED TVs on Amazon
| TV | Panel | HDMI 2.1 ports | Max refresh rate | Best for | Shop |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LG B5 (2025) | W-OLED | Four | 120Hz | The best-value LG OLED while stock lasts | Check price |
| LG B6 (2026) | W-OLED | Four | 120Hz | The newest entry-level LG OLED | Check price |
| LG C5 (2025) | W-OLED (evo) | Four | 144Hz | Brighter OLED for gamers | Check price |
| Samsung S90F (2025) | Quantum dot OLED (QD-OLED) in 55, 65, and 77 inches | Four | 144Hz | Bright rooms and vivid color | Check price |
| Sony Bravia 8 (2024) | W-OLED | Two | 120Hz | Movie fans who want Sony processing | Check price |
- LG B5 and B6: The B5 offers four HDMI 2.1 ports and newer software for far less than the B3’s launch price, and TechRadar recommends it over the B6 while it’s cheaper. The B6 adds more brightness, launching at $1,999 for 65 inches. See the LG B5 on Amazon.
- LG C5 and C6: The C-series uses LG’s brighter evo panel. The C5 has sold for $1,099.99 in 65 inches at Best Buy, and the 2026 C6 adds a 165Hz panel. See the LG C5 on Amazon.
- Samsung S90F and S85F: Tom’s Guide found the S90F roughly twice as bright as the B5, though it lacks Dolby Vision. Read our Samsung S90F review for details. The cheaper S85F tops out at 120Hz. See the Samsung S90F on Amazon.
- Sony Bravia 8: Sony’s W-OLED rival offers excellent processing and sound but only two HDMI 2.1 ports. It replaced the Sony A80L, which we cover in our Sony A80L review. Sony is moving its TV business into BRAVIA Inc., a joint venture majority-owned by TCL, so watch for lineup changes. See the Sony Bravia 8 on Amazon.
Who should buy the LG B3?
Buy a B3 if you find one open-box, refurbished, or used for clearly less than a new LG B5, you watch mostly in a dim or controlled room, and you own no more than two 120Hz devices. It’s a big step up from a basic LED TV such as the LG UQ8000, and it beats budget Mini-LED models such as the 2023 Hisense U6K on contrast and viewing angles. Inspect used units for burn-in, a permanent ghost image from static content, before you pay.
Skip it if your room gets lots of daylight, if you need four full-speed HDMI ports, or if a new B5 or C5 costs only a little more. You get a warranty, more ports, and newer software with a new set.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the LG B3 and C3?
The LG C3 is brighter and better equipped than the LG B3. The C3 uses a brighter evo panel, the faster α9 Gen6 processor, four HDMI 2.1 ports, and hands-free voice control. The B3 uses a standard W-OLED panel, the α7 Gen6 processor, and two HDMI 2.1 ports. In TechRadar’s tests, the C3 reached about 830 nits versus 619 nits on the B3.
Does the LG B3 support 120Hz?
Yes, the LG B3 supports 120Hz. It has a native 120Hz panel and supports 4K at 120Hz on its two HDMI 2.1 ports, along with VRR, G-Sync, and FreeSync.
What replaced the LG B3?
The LG B4 replaced it in 2024, followed by the B5 in 2025 and the B6 in 2026.
Is the LG B3 still worth buying in 2026?
Yes, the LG B3 is still worth buying in 2026, but only at the right price. Its picture and gaming performance still hold up, but buy it only if it costs clearly less than a new LG B5, since newer models add more HDMI 2.1 ports, newer software, and a full warranty.
Final verdict
The LG B3 brought true OLED picture quality and strong gaming features to LG’s lowest OLED price in 2023, and it still looks superb in a dark room. Its modest brightness, two HDMI 2.1 ports, and weak speakers show its age next to the B5, B6, and C5. Buy a B3 only at a clear discount, budget for a soundbar, and check used units carefully. Check the current LG B3 price on Amazon, or compare the LG B5 on Amazon.