I have to say, as far as the big brands go, LG Electronics displayed the most innovative products that I saw at CES. We were able to check out a tour of LG’s booth this year and I was very impressed with what I saw. Even when we attended the other major booths, I couldn’t help but think about the very unique designs LG had on display. So, here are 5 devices that I saw this year from LG Electronics that I believe you should keep an eye out for in the near future.
CineBeam Laser 4K Ultra Short Throw Projector
I’m always wary when it comes to projectors. Most of the time you need a room that’s the right size, a projector screen and unless you fork out a good amount of cash, the projected image quality really isn’t that great. While we were touring LG’s booth, we got to see its new CineBeam Laser 4k projector. Now, unlike a lot of projector displays I’ve seen in the past. This one was not in an entirely closed off room with no lights. In fact, they didn’t even use a projector screen and they actually projected on a black painted wall. Not to mention, the projector was only about 2 inches from the wall!
The new projector has a new Ultra Short Throw, which means that it doesn’t need to be far from a wall in order to project a large image. You can literally place the projector 2.1 inches for a 90-inch screen or you can place it 7.1 inches from the wall for a 120-inch screen. Even at 120 inches, you will still be able to get 4k UHD quality video or use HDR10 support at 2500 lumens. The project, like almost all of LG’s new products, uses ThinQ AI. This allows you to use voice commands to increase volume or tell the projector to turn off once the movie you’re watching is over. The only lackluster part of the projector seems to be the speaker system, which was probably why they had one of their soundbars installed on the display. Still, the projector and what it can do is absolutely amazing.
There is currently no price tag on the CineBeam Laser 4k projector, but it is slated to be released in either quarter 2 or 3 later this year.
LG Signature Series 4K OLED TV R
Now to be fair, the LG’s OLED TV R was shown at last year’s CES, but this is the first time they’ve shown the full product line that will be released later this year. Chances are if you’ve seen any videos from this year’s Consumer Electronics Show, then you’ve more than likely seen a video of LG’s breathtaking full wall display of OLED TVs rolling up from seemingly nowhere. Flashy display aside, the TV does tote HDR10 support as well as Dolby Vision, which should pair nicely with its built-in Dolby Atmos soundbar.
LG’s OLED TV truly is an all-in-one television. It’s part TV, part soundbar and part entertainment stand, and that probably what makes me worry the most about this product. It’s not that I don’t appreciate how seamlessly LG has been able to blend three different products together. It’s just once one thing goes out on this TV, you have to replace the entire unit. What if the stand gets a dent? Replace the TV. What if one of the speakers blows out? Replace the TV. The TV doesn’t roll up all the way anymore? You get the joy of buying a whole brand new television. Now, LG has stated that they have tested the rolling feature up to 50,000 uses without failure. So at least there’s that, but I can assure this TV will not come cheap.
They are slated to be released later this year, but we didn’t exactly get a price point.
88″ 8K Z9 OLED TV
As if the rolling TV wasn’t enough, LG had to come out unveiling the largest OLED display in the world. Not only that, but LG’s new monstrous 88-inch OLED display supports 8K picture quality. It is definitely the first of its kind. This gigantic display also uses LG’s new Alpha 9 Gen 2 processor, which will help with upscaling the resolution to 8K. LG says that its unique combination of its powerful processor along with its ThinQ Ai will continue to improve picture quality on the screen. Now, as someone who used to do home theater installation and had to watch the disappointment on the faces of people who bought the first 4K TV, this really intrigues me. The fact that LG says the TV uses an algorithm that will continue to improve the picture quality sound just too good to be true. Obviously, the display only showed a loop of HDR footage that’s handpicked to display the TV in all of its 8K glory. It would have been nice if they could switch the inputs over to Monday Night Football or something to get a real sense of the how well the upscaling worked.
It is also worth noting that the TV will supports HDMI 2.1. The cable format is relatively new, but it allows for 8K video at 60fps and 4K at 120fps. It also supports eARC for enhanced audio channels and VRR for Variable Refresh Rates. As if the giant display wasn’t enough to impress you, the design for the sound certainly will. Similar to the OLED R model, LG’s new 8K TV has its own unique all-in-one design. The seemingly hollow stand that the TV sits upon acts as soundbar using Dolby Atmos technology to create simulated surround sound. This sound crazy, but there is a speaker under the TV that actually shoots down into the large hallow rectangle base that is then projected outward. I can’t make this up.
The TV will support Google Assistant, Alexa and even Apple Airplay. Of course, no price was revealed yet, but expect it to likely cost your first born.
LG V40 ThinQ
As someone who’s been in love with his Pixel 3 XL, it’s really frustrating when you see a better phone and realize that you’re stuck with what you got for the next two years. That’s how I felt when I got to see the LG V40. It’s a beautiful phone with a gorgeous 6.4 inch QHD+ OLED display. The V40 actually released in October last year, but it isn’t highly sought after as say the iPhone or the Pixel. Even when I first started doing research into what phone had the best camera, nine times out of ten, the articles I found mainly focused on the newest phones from Apple and Google.
The feature that is most talked about on the phone is the V40’s 5 camera system. Didn’t know you needed 5 cameras on your phone? Apparently you do. Each camera has a specific function or purpose, which makes the V40 so unique compared to other cellphones. There’s a 5MP Wide and an 8MP camera on the front and a 12MP Telephoto Zoom, a 16MP Super Wide-Angle and 12MP camera on the back. Of course, the phone uses LG’s ThinQ Ai to create some incredible images. Using the Ai, the phone can identify certain scenarios and will automatically adjust camera settings to get the best possible photos. It also has a Triple Shot feature where it will take three images from three different cameras so you can compare the shots from the various lens types.
As if that wasn’t enough, the sound on this phone is ridiculous. LG partnered with high-end audio company Meridian Audio to put some of the best audio quality that I’ve ever heard in the phone. The V40 has a Boombox Speaker mode, where the phone uses an inner resonance chamber along with top and bottom speakers to provide audio worthy of a good portable Bluetooth speaker. Not only that, but the phone also supports DTS:X Virtual Surround. You can use the simulated 5.1 surround sound for watching movies or even just playing some of your favorite music on Spotify.
The LG V40 is currently available for $949.99 without a carrier contract.
Final Reaction
Overall, I was very impressed with what I saw at LG’s booth. It’s one thing to do what everyone else is doing, it’s another to do something unique and out of the box. I’m eager to see how these products actually function in the real world. The only problem is if you’re the first adopter to technologies like this, they usually don’t have a lot of the kinks worked out until the 2nd or 3rd generation. But if you got the cash to burn and money is no object, by all means, do it big. Chances are the only time I’ll ever see any of LG’s new televisions will be on a Best Buy showroom floor.
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