LG has unveiled another 'world first' at CES 2023 – a 4K TV that receives all of its video and audio wirelessly.
The 97-inch LG Signature OLED M3 is essentially a high-quality panel with speakers and a power cable. It receives audio and video from LG’s Zero Connect box, which can be positioned up to 30ft away.
- Read our first impressions: LG M3 wireless OLED TV review
LG reckons the box is capable of "real-time video and audio transmission at up to 4K 120Hz". There are three HDMI 2.1 ports, so you can plug in anything from a next-gen games console to a 4K Blu-ray player.
Why go to all this trouble? According to LG, the bare-bones nature of the M3 makes for an incredibly sleek design that can sit flush against the wall. Plus, with no tangled cables hanging around, viewers should be guaranteed a distraction-free experience… in theory.
HDMI streaming boxes aren’t a ‘new’ thing but LG’s version does appear to deliver better video quality. This is partly because the Zero Connect tech uses a new algorithm "to minimize transmission errors or disruptions", such as people or pets moving around the room.
The OLED M3 supports Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos and voice commands. It also ticks the usual gaming boxes, including Nvidia G-Sync certification. LG has not said whether the wireless wizardry will have a detrimental effect on latency. If it does, that could bother hardcore gamers far more than a few dangly wires.
Will LG’s unconventional Signature OLED M3 usher in a new era of cable-free convenience? LG has yet to confirm a price or availability, but the 97-inch G2 is currently £24,999 / $25,000 / AU$39,995, and it seems likely that the M3 will cost significantly more than that.
Thankfully, for those of us who aren't mega-rich, LG has also announced the new G3, which is supposedly capable of going 70% brighter than 'traditional' OLEDs but is expected to cost roughly the same as the outgoing G2.
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