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Should have higher brightness, faster panels and better processing.
An M3 Evo OLED, last year’s top model from LG. A newer M4 series will be launched soon.
Camera stone Jarle Olsen/Tek.no
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Ahead of the major electronics trade fair CES, which begins next week, LG has announced this year’s OLED TV news. Among other things, they offer better image processing, brighter and faster panels than last year’s models.
Among the new models we find the M4 flagship series, which is wireless. There will also be updated models in the existing “G”, “C” and “B” series, ranging from the most expensive to the most affordable model.
M4 Evo OLED series
With the Zero Connect box, the M4 series allows you to eliminate all cables coming from the TV, except for the power supply. An external box, which can be stored in the TV bench or up to 10 meters away, sends signals wirelessly to the television. Apparently without compression.
The M4 models can also wirelessly transmit Dolby Atmos sound to some LG soundbars without any loss of quality.
This is what the box and design of the M3 Zero Connect series looked like:
Although LG’s system is “more” wireless, in practice it is reminiscent of Samsung’s One Connect system, in which power, images and sound are sent to the television via a cable.
The M4 models otherwise receive a new Alpha 11 AI processor. LG says the image processing has improved so much that they jumped straight from last year’s Alpha 9. They estimate that AI characteristics have improved fourfold, which should ensure improved upscaling and processing of images. The “AI Picture Pro” feature, which uses machine learning to improve the picture, should now work for all sources, including decoders and speakers connected via HDMI – and not, as before, only for selected apps.
Otherwise, the TVs can display up to 144 frames per second, which is an increase over the 120 Hz of previous generations. This will be especially useful for gamers with a powerful gaming PC, as today’s consoles support a maximum of 120 FPS. So far we have only seen such panel speeds on Samsung’s top models.
The panels support both Nvidia’s G-Sync and AMD’s FreeSync for a smoother gaming experience. Since the signal is transmitted wirelessly, you can probably expect a slightly higher delay or input lag when gaming.
With a new multiview system, you can display up to four sources on the TV at the same time, such as Live TV, Xbox, YouTube and Spotify.
For the first time, the M4 will be available as a 65-inch model, the smallest size.
Read more about last year’s M3 series here.
G4 Evo OLED series
Supports LG G3 Evo OLED.
CameraOle Henrik Johansen / Tek.no
The LG G4, the successor to the G3, also gets the new Alpha 11 AI processor and everything it brings with it: improved image processing, faster 144 Hz panel with G-Sync and Freesync, and similar brightness levels as the M4 series . In addition, the so-called microlens technology, which gives the televisions more brightness, will be available for the first time on the larger 83-inch model. A new 97-inch model, which will undoubtedly be expensive, is not so lucky and will therefore have slightly lower brightness than the rest of the range.
Otherwise, the G4 series will have one foot in several regions. It sounds obvious, but the predecessor only included a wall mount. The theory here was probably that the TVs in the series are so slim that most people would rather hang them, but maybe that didn’t come true after all.
The G4 series also gets the same multiview system as the M4 series and will be available in sizes 55, 65, 77, 83 and 97 inches.
C4 Evo OLED series
Last year’s C3 OLED from LG.
Camera Ole Henrik Johansen, Tek.no
The slightly cheaper LG C4 series, which is often referred to as the company’s most popular model, also promises “slightly improved brightness” for all models compared to its predecessor, the C3. The largest models in the series will continue to be the brightest, as neither the 42-inch nor 48-inch models benefit from LG’s “Brightness Booster” technology.
Otherwise, the models get a new LG Alpha 9 AI processor, as well as faster 144 Hz panels with G-Sync and Freesync as well as a few HDMI 2.1 ports for a better gaming experience.
The multiview system on the C4 series is limited to displaying up to two sources at the same time.
It will be available in sizes 42, 48, 55, 65, 77 and 83 inches.
B4 OLED series
The B4 series, LG’s cheapest OLED alternative, gets a new Alpha 8 AI processor that reportedly carries over much of the image processing from last year’s Alpha 9. The series will feature four HDMI 2.1 ports for the first time, allowing gaming in 4K resolution at up to 120 FPS. Note that the B series doesn’t have the fastest 144 Hz panels, which are reserved for the more elaborate “Evo OLED” series. Luckily, it has nothing to do with a gaming console.
Unfortunately, none of the B4 series models feature LG’s latest technology to increase the brightness of the panels. If you watch TV in a relatively well-lit room, you may need to upgrade to a slightly larger and more expensive C4 model to be happy with the picture without drawing the curtains.
The B4 will be available in sizes 48, 55, 65 and 77 inches.
Coming out next week
Neither pricing nor the launch date are known, but based on previous launches, the new OLED TVs could appear in stores around March or April.
LG will probably talk more about it and demonstrate the TVs during the CES electronics trade show next week.
Several current OLED TVs from LG are also on offer in January, including the C3 series, which we really liked in our test.
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