The retailer John Lewis has leaked the price of LG Electronics’ first-ever 42-inch OLED TV and, surprisingly, it will cost exactly the same as the bigger 48-inch model. 

The 42-inch LG C2 OLED TV will be priced at £1,399 if John Lewis is to be believed. John Lewis is a respected retailer so it’s rarely wrong. If it is correct, it would mean the 42-inch model carries the same price tag as the 48-incher, with the only difference being that it comes with a free pair of LG TONE Free HBS-FN4 Bluetooth In-Ear Headphones that normally retails for around £40. 

HDTVTest reviewer Vincent Teoh speculates that the 42-inch model might have a higher cost simply because it’s the smallest OLED TV the company has ever released, meaning demand might be at a premium. There may be a limited stock of the TVs at first, and it’s possible the price might be reduced later in the year. 

LG is likely expecting big demand considering the stunning success of its first ever 48-inch OLED CX model back in 2020, which launched with a price tag of £1,499. That was priced fairly expensively for a sub 50-inch model, but it saw huge demand from video games enthusiasts who prefer a more compact size. It meant many retailers actually ended up discounting the price of the 55-inch model so that it was cheaper than the 48-inch variant. Meanwhile, LG responded by ramping up production five-fold, from 220,000 units in 2020 to one million in 2021. 

With that context, the price parity between this year’s 42-inch and 48-inch models perhaps isn’t so surprising, as there could very well be similar demand for the smaller version from gamers confined to their bedrooms. 

The LG C range of OLED TVs are always popular, delivering great value with its most advanced display technologies, albeit lacking some of its sound upgrades and the more stylish design of the higher-end G and Z ranges. The LG C2 will this year feature LG Display’s brighter OLED Evo panel, though it’s noteworthy that the company says the two smallest versions won’t go quite as bright as the 55-inch and larger models. 

The John Lewis website says the 48-inch LG C2 OLED TV will go on sale in three weeks, while the 42-inch version will arrive in 5 weeks time. Not long to wait.