LG Rollable TV First Hands-on: This is Beyond Amazing

You have to see it to believe it. And even when I saw it, I found it hard to believe that LG was able to make a 65-inch TV that essentially appears out of thin air. The world’s first rollable OLED TV is that impressive.

In fact, this TV has now spoiled all other TVs for me.

Expected to be available during the second half of 2019, the LG Signature OLED TV R (65R9) starts as an elegant aluminum box with the display hidden — called Zero View. But with a push of a button on the remote control, a gorgeous 4K TV emerges, complete with top-notch contrast and support for all the major HDR standards.

The panel is just about 3 mm thick, and the unrolling process is dramatic (in a good way).

In Full View mode, you can do everything you’d normally do with an LG smart TV, plus there’s some cool new features that are part of the new webOS 4.5. This includes a Dashboard view that lets you see all of your connected devices, and there's also support for both Alexa and Apple’s AirPlay 2 and HomeKit. This is in addition to Google Assistant.

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The interface is improved, too, as it can automatically re-order the apps along the bottom of the screen based on the ones you use most often.

My favorite mode is what’s called Line View, which retracts the screen into the base about three-quarters of the way. In this mode, you can listen to music, look at photos and enjoy fun animations and sounds in a Mood menu that includes everything from Rain to Fireplace.

And the sound is powerful. The OLED TV R packs a 100-watt sound system in its base, and its uses both AI sound and Dolby Atmos support to give you a very wide soundstage.  We’re talking virtual 5.1 surround sound. Plus, you can use your phone to beam music to the TV via Bluetooth, though you can’t initiate the transfer unless the TV is rolled out.

LG hasn’t said what this set will cost, but it should sit at the top of the company’s lineup — even above it’s new 88-inch 8K OLED TV — so you know this beauty is going to cost a pretty penny.

But if you want a TV that will turn heads, the LG Signature OLED TV R could very well be worth the splurge.









 

 


 

 

 

Mark Spoonauer

Mark Spoonauer is the global editor in chief of Tom's Guide and has covered technology for over 20 years. In addition to overseeing the direction of Tom's Guide, Mark specializes in covering all things mobile, having reviewed dozens of smartphones and other gadgets. He has spoken at key industry events and appears regularly on TV to discuss the latest trends, including Cheddar, Fox Business and other outlets. Mark was previously editor in chief of Laptop Mag, and his work has appeared in Wired, Popular Science and Inc. Follow him on Twitter at @mspoonauer.