LG had just unveiled its latest flagship TV and it’s a baffling combination of bookshelf and TV. The crucial technology of the new LG Signature OLED T screen is a transparent OLED panel that’s held in a metal frame that looks like a minimalist piece of furniture. When you want to watch the screen, a black canvas rolls up behind the panel, making the image visible.
The new LG TV was revealed at its CES 2024 press conference, where the company demonstrated the compelling ability for the screen to have an image appear almost from nowhere. In truth, the clear OLED panel is never truly entirely transparent, so it’s not an entirely convincing trick, but it does open up a world of interesting new ways to use and position a TV.
For instance, you could have a TV like this in front of a window and it wouldn’t completely block the view until in use. Likewise, you could use it as a room divider – like the popular way many people use backless bookshelves to break up a space – allowing you to see through from your kitchen, say, through to your guests in the dining/living space. Or you could just have it against a wall that has some art you still want to see.
That’s why LG has designed the TV to have this otherwise slightly strange bookshelf frame appearance. Not only does the TV need the depth to store the rolled-up blackout screen and provide some protection for the otherwise easy-to-miss screen but the frame literally lends itself to being a piece of furniture.
LG has further embraced this idea by having the brains of the TV completely housed in a box that sits on one of the TV’s shelves. In fact, the TV is completely wireless other than this box, further enhancing the slightly magic feel of this TV.
As for the gaming credentials of this new panel, there isn’t actually anything too notable as compared to many other OLED TVs. However, this is still a massive 4K 120Hz OLED so it’s going to provide a compelling experience for most games regardless of whether you’re plugging in a console or gaming PC.
For more of the latest stories from the CES 2024 tech trade show, check out our CES story page.