Loewe is trying to corner what is likely to be a very niche market for high quality televisions with a premium look and feel that can fit into very small spaces with the debut of its new vega models, which will be sold in 32-inch and 43-inch sizes only.
The new 4K UHD Loewe vega TVs appear to be the successors to the German company’s small-but-slick We.SEE LCD TVs that launched in 2024, which were also only available in the same small sizes. They’re more expensive though – in fact, they cost more than some OLED TVs do, despite only having a “refined” direct LED panel.
Loewe said the 32-inch vega TV will cost £1,650, while the 43-inch model will retail at £1,900 – that’s a pretty high price tag for an LCD TV, no matter how “premium” it might be. All the more so when you consider that LG's 48-inch B5 OLED TV is currently retailing at just £599 online.
But Loewe may feel justified, considering that it’s trying to appeal to its usual market of more affluent consumers and give them a luxurious option that fits with the overall aesthetics of the multimillion-pound penthouse apartments and 8-bedroom mansions that such people tend to reside in.
While that may be a slight exaggeration, Loewe does typically target a certain kind of demographic, and if those people want a TV that fits into a smaller space, their options are fairly limited. The smallest OLED TVs money can buy are 42-inches and they’re generally cheaper, less stylish models. Meanwhile, the tiniest Mini-LED TV money can buy is just 43-inches, and once again you won’t find many premium models at that size, given the trend towards increasingly larger models.
So that’s the reason Loewe is going with a Direct LED panel, but bear in mind they’ve had a few tweaks. Loewe said it’s using “tailor-made” 4K UHD VA LCD panels with full-array DLED backlighting, and they’ll have significantly more local dimming zones than others in its class. In general, most 32-inch Direct LED TVs have very few, and sometimes even no dimming zones at all, so Loewe’s claim that the 32-inch vega has 260 is quite impressive. That number rises to 390 dimming zones on the 43-inch model.
Because of this, Loewe says the vega models have a “huge colour space and contrast range, as well as maximum brightness at maximum resolution.” In addition, it also quotes a peak luminance of 880 cd/m² on the 43-inch and 550 on the 32-inch model, meaning they’re quite a bit brighter than other TVs in this size category.
There are other premium features too, including support for Dolby Vision IQ, which is extremely rare on such small TVs, as well as HDR10 and HLG. There’s also an integrated soundbar system with “Class D” amplification that enables 60-watts of audio output, together with Dolby Atmos sound.
As always with Loewe, the TVs look the part, with their design based around an SL8 dual-channel chassis and the use of premium materials, such as a brushed aluminium frame and rotatable stand, plus wall mounting options. The TVs run Loewe’s os9 platform, which is a fork of Hisense’s VIDAA operating system, which means all the usual streaming apps are there. There are two HDMI 2.1 ports on the back, and the larger model boasts 120Hz refresh rates with ALLM and VRR, making it an ideal gaming companion. The smaller model maxes out at 60Hz.
There’s also support for Apple AirPlay, Miracast, DLNA and Matter, and video game streaming platforms include Blacknut and Boosteroid. Other connectivity options include Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and USB-A and USB-C, and there’s a nice touch with the magnetic rear covers that help to hide away your jumbled mass of cables.
The question remains, is anyone really going to shell out close to two grand on one of these admittedly very stylish Direct LED TVs when they can easily source a smaller OLED TV – and much better picture quality – for around the same price? Perhaps there’s a better case for the smaller 32-inch option, given that it’s impossible to find such a compact OLED or Mini-LED TV. But either way, it’s a steep price to pay for what is essentially yesterday’s display tech.
