LG Electronics has said its much anticipated wireless M3 OLED TV is available now in South Korea and will soon go on sale in the U.K. and elsewhere.
When it launches in the U.K. in September, the M3 OLED TV will start at £5,999 for the smallest 77-inch model, rising to £7,999 for the 83-inch version. These prices are surprisingly more affordable than many had expected, given the level of innovation that’s gone into the M3. It’s basically the same as LG’s G3 OLED TV that features a much brighter MLA panel, except that it features bleeding-edge wireless technology that can deliver 4K 120Hz signals through the air from a separate “Zero Connect Box.” The result is that buyers will no longer have to put up with an unsightly mess of cables trailing from the back of the TV.
By comparison, the 77-inch LG G3 costs £4,999, while the 83-inch model retails at £7,499.
There is a third size option available too. Those who want to go the whole hog can opt for the enormous 97-inch LG M3 OLED TV, but be prepared for a much bigger dent in your bank balance if you do, for the price goes way up to £27,999.
The reason for such a big jump is that 97-inch OLED panels are notoriously difficult to manufacture – much more so than the 77-inch and 83-inch sizes. Because of the lower production yields, the 97-inch displays therefore have a much higher price tag. The 97-inch G3 is similarly expensive, with a price tag of £25,000. At least, the bigger version throws in some image processing and feature upgrades to sweeten the deal.
Buyers should beware that the LG M3 OLED TV is not completely cable-less, for it still needs a power outlet that connects to a plug. Even so, one cable is much better than a tangled mess and can be hidden away far more easily to achieve a super minimalist look. And all the other cables can instead be fed into the Zero Connect Box that can be located out of sight somewhere.
It should be noted that the LG M3 OLED TV’s Zero Connect Box only supports three HDMI 2.1 connections at any one time, which is one less than the four HDMI 2.1 ports on the LG G3. So that might potentially be a bit of a deal breaker for those who have multiple devices they want to connect. Some buyers may also be disappointed with the lack of aesthetic appeal on the back of the M3 TV. One of the advantages of not having any, or rather, not many cables is it allows people to put the TV in a more creative location in larger living rooms – including a place where people might sometimes see the back of the TV. But the design fails to take advantage of that, and may be disappointing for some.
LG does provide a flush-to-wall mount for the M3 OLED TV, and the single cable is ideal for that purpose. So that may well be the best option for many.
LG said the Zero Connect Box uses proprietary RF technology to wirelessly connect to the TV. According to the company, it can send data at up to three-times the speed of standard Wi-Fi. The TV also supports Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos for more realistic images and sound.
The LG M3 OLED is the company’s first take on a minimalist design trend that began with Samsung Electronics and its famed One Connect Box.
HDTVTest hasn't yet gotten its hands on an M3 TV to review, but check out our review of the LG G3 to understand what the TV is capable of:
