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LG’s StanbyME Go is definitely probably the most Inspector Gadget factor I’ve ever reviewed. It’s a 27-inch touchscreen TV that’s constructed into (and guarded by) a big military-grade briefcase — full with an built-in sound system, HDMI connectivity, and the identical webOS software program that runs on the corporate’s common TVs.
Theoretically, you may convey it anyplace, however at 28 kilos, the StanbyME Go is way from a lightweight load, and it’s a stretch to name it very transportable. Street journeys aren’t any situation, however I by no means received daring sufficient to convey this factor on a flight. For one, I didn’t wish to cope with TSA scrutiny over this gadget that appears like a Mission Unattainable prop. However the briefcase is just too large to fulfill the carry-on necessities at most airways, regardless.
But it surely’s… it’s distinctive as hell. And that’s what has resonated with me over these final couple months of testing the terribly-named StanbyME Go. You possibly can take this briefcase TV tailgating; you may convey it tenting; in case you’re touring someplace, it may be a cell leisure and gaming resolution for your self or the youngsters. I’ve had buddies say they’d be open to utilizing one thing like this in lieu of a projector in rooms the place a everlasting TV could be unwelcome. When it comes time to elevate it up, that pleasure typically dampens.
Other than its heft, the largest factor going towards the StanbyME Go is the $1,200 that LG is asking for what, on the finish of the day, is a fairly unremarkable 27-inch LCD panel. It’s a 1080p display screen with so-so viewing angles and a peak brightness of 500 nits. That’s greater than high-quality for indoor viewing, and I’ve additionally discovered it enough for many outside utilization as long as you’re not in direct daylight. (The show’s anti-reflective coating helps out right here massive time.) However in case you’re judging this factor by show specs alone, paying $1,200 for it could be lunacy. I’d go wild for a 4K OLED model of the StanbyME Go, although that will doubtless rocket its value up into $2,000 territory. The nicheness of this product is inherently a part of why it’s dearer than many would like.
The claimed Dolby Imaginative and prescient HDR assist is laughable, contemplating this show’s restricted brightness. The identical goes for the four-channel “Dolby Atmos” speaker system, although I used to be stunned by its fullness because the audio is coming from drivers unconventionally constructed into one facet of a briefcase. And even if the audio system are positioned behind the display screen when it’s raised, the sound stays clear. Simply don’t anticipate a lot in the way in which of immersion or encompass trickery right here. For those who want extra impactful sound when tailgating, you may all the time pair up a big Bluetooth speaker.
To see any worth within the StanbyME Go, you’ve received to strive and admire the sum of its elements. That common display screen is connected to a really sturdy articulating arm that lets the show be utilized in three other ways. It will probably lay flat for touchscreen video games like chess or when enjoying music on the audio system out of your cellphone. Pull the display screen up and you may place it in both panorama or portrait orientations; the latter will be helpful if you wish to mirror your cellphone and scroll by your TikTok feed — or perhaps give a presentation on the street. I not often bothered with vertical mode, however the versatility is sweet.
The StanbyME Go is wise sufficient to mechanically flip off its show and energy down each time the briefcase is latched. The exhausting outer shell is a lot robust — LG claims it has handed 11 completely different sturdiness exams — and whereas I by no means deliberately tried to place LG’s evaluation unit by my very own torture take a look at, it actually took a couple of bumps throughout my weeks of testing and even had a minor fall whereas the case was open with the display screen up. It survived all that with no points. However the ruggedness solely goes thus far; the StanbyME Go doesn’t provide any water resistance, so watch out in case you’ll be utilizing it poolside or close to a lake when tenting. That’s a giant differentiator between this, a TV that can be utilized outside, and precise “outside TVs” that may face up to the weather and get vivid sufficient to fight the solar — for way more cash than the StanbyME Go.
There’s a devoted cradle for the distant contained in the case, and in case you pop that off, there’s a bit beneath for storing the facility cable everytime you don’t want it. The ability enter is roofed by a protecting flap, and there’s one other that guards the HDMI/eARC port, USB-A port (for media on exterior drives) and a swap that may flip off the battery to protect juice once you gained’t be utilizing the TV for some time. LG says the StanbyME Go will common round three hours of battery life. In my expertise, you may eke out an additional hour in case you activate webOS’s energy-saving options, however these normally come on the expense of brightness, which isn’t spectacular to start with.
Really utilizing this briefcase TV feels much like any of LG’s different fashions. All the usual image and sound modes are current. However most LG units lack a touchscreen. Don’t have the distant useful? You possibly can navigate round with smartphone-like gestures: swipe up from the underside of the display screen to go dwelling or swipe down for the highest for fast entry to brightness and quantity controls.
LG features a handful of quite simple video games just like the aforementioned chess and bar video games like picture hunt. However the novelty of these fades quick, so that you’ll wish to plug in a console for the actual factor. In fact, this implies you’ll want to supply energy for no matter HDMI gadgets you’re utilizing, which might get tough on the go and particularly exterior. A transportable energy station would show tremendous handy in these conditions.
All the favored streaming apps are accounted for in LG’s retailer, however if you wish to watch them from a cabin or tent whereas tenting, you’ll end up routinely tethering to your cellphone for an web connection.
I’ve received a delicate spot in my coronary heart for bizarre devices, which have a tendency to return alongside not often these days. Most massive tech manufacturers play their arms too safely and solely launch merchandise with mainstream attraction. From that viewpoint, I commend LG for doing one thing not only a little completely different however thus far off the overwhelmed path. If the StanbyME Go price a couple of hundred {dollars} much less, I’d have the ability to advocate it for causes past the distinctiveness issue. It’s weighty however thoughtfully designed. It’s a type of attention-grabbing gadgets that individuals will ask questions on each time they see you utilizing it.
However the TV that’s packed into this briefcase is merely common — and fewer so when you think about the worth. My hope is that the StanbyME Go gained’t show so area of interest that LG by no means offers it a second try. As a result of this primary strive is exclusive and infrequently simply plain enjoyable. However at $1,200, the straightforward actuality is that most individuals are higher off with a extra conventional pill or transportable monitor till LG nails the precise method (and value).
Pictures by Chris Welch / The Verge
