LG’s StanbyME Go is definitely essentially 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’ll be able to convey it anyplace, however at 28 kilos, the StanbyME Go is way from a light-weight load, and it’s a stretch to name it very transportable. Street journeys are not any situation, however I by no means obtained daring sufficient to convey this factor on a flight. For one, I didn’t wish to take care of TSA scrutiny over this gadget that appears like a Mission Inconceivable prop. However the briefcase is just too large to fulfill the carry-on necessities at most airways, regardless.
However it’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 may take this briefcase TV tailgating; you’ll be able to convey it tenting; in case you’re touring someplace, it may be a cellular leisure and gaming answer for your self or the children. 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 carry it up, that pleasure typically dampens.
Apart from its heft, the largest factor going in opposition to 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 with so-so viewing angles and a peak brightness of 500 nits. That’s greater than advantageous for indoor viewing, and I’ve additionally discovered it sufficient for many out of doors 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 might go wild for a 4K OLED model of the StanbyME Go, although that may seemingly 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 favor.
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 aspect of a briefcase. And even though the audio system are positioned behind the display 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. Should you want extra impactful sound when tailgating, you’ll be able to all the time pair up a big Bluetooth speaker.
To see any worth within the StanbyME Go, you’ve obtained to strive and recognize the sum of its components. That common display is hooked up to a really sturdy articulating arm that lets the show be utilized in three other ways. It might probably lay flat for touchscreen video games like chess or when taking part in music on the audio system out of your telephone. Pull the display up and you’ll place it in both panorama or portrait orientations; the latter may be helpful if you wish to mirror your telephone and scroll by your TikTok feed — or perhaps give a presentation on the highway. I hardly ever bothered with vertical mode, however the versatility is sweet.
The StanbyME Go is sensible sufficient to routinely flip off its show and energy down each time the briefcase is latched. The laborious outer shell is loads powerful — LG claims it has handed 11 completely different sturdiness checks — and whereas I by no means deliberately tried to place LG’s overview unit by my very own torture take a look at, it actually took just a few bumps throughout my weeks of testing and even had a minor fall whereas the case was open with the display up. It survived all that with no points. However the ruggedness solely goes to date; the StanbyME Go doesn’t supply 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 “out of doors TVs” that may face up to the weather and get shiny 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 piece beneath for storing the facility cable everytime you don’t want it. The facility 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 change that may flip off the battery to protect juice if you received’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’ll be able to eke out an additional hour in case you activate webOS’s energy-saving options, however these often 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 helpful? You may navigate round with smartphone-like gestures: swipe up from the underside of the display to go residence 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 may 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 telephone for an web connection.
I’ve obtained a tender spot in my coronary heart for bizarre devices, which have a tendency to return alongside hardly ever 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 to date off the overwhelmed path. If the StanbyME Go price just a few hundred {dollars} much less, I’d have the ability to suggest it for causes past the individuality issue. It’s weighty however thoughtfully designed. It’s a kind of attention-grabbing gadgets that folks 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 value. My hope is that the StanbyME Go received’t show so area of interest that LG by no means provides 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 fitting components (and value).
Pictures by Chris Welch / The Verge