As thin as cardboard, LG’s ‘wallpaper’ OLED TV slaps on your wall like a poster
As the flagship of LG’s 2017 OLED TV lineup, the W-Series — previously referred to as “Wallpaper OLED” — exemplifies an OLED TV panel’s inherently thin and light form factor. At just 1/10 of an inch thick, the W-series’ panel is barely thicker than a piece of cardboard, and its bezel is nearly nonexistent, creating the effect of a picture that simply emanates from the wall.
The W series — which is available in 65- and 77-inch options — mounts to a wall with a remarkably simple system of two keyhole-style locks at the top, and magnets at the bottom to keep the TV snugly secured flush against the mounting surface — with no gaps. All of the TV’s hardware is stored inside an included soundbar armed with Dolby Atmos surround sound capability.
The included sound bar acts as a hub, accepting all of the TV’s various inputs, including HDMI, USB, Ethernet, and standard coax for over-the-air TV reception. Video signal and power is passed to the W-Series television via an ordinary ribbon-style cable, further simplifying installation.
The sound bar itself is something of a marvel, offering very convincing Dolby Atmos sound effects, thanks to to motorized speaker elements that refract sound off the ceiling for a very immersive Dolby Atmos surround sound experience. We were able to audition the sound bar at an exclusive event held prior to the W-Series announcement and were quite impressed with the sound bar’s convincing presentation.
In addition to HDR10 and Dolby Vision HDR support, LG’s new round of OLED TVs offers support for yet another type of HDR developed in a joint venture by Hollywood stalwart Technicolor and European electronics manufacturer Philips. Advanced HDR by Technicolor is said by LG to have widespread support in the film industry, though just how prevalent it will become remains to be seen. To be sure, though, LG’s OLED TV series is the only one to offer support for every type of HDR available so far.
The W-series offers no table-top or floor-stand mounting option — it’s meant for your wall exclusively. It is indeed a stunning television, offering even more subtle shadow detail and higher brightness than LG’s prior-generation OLED TVs. Combined with its convincing Dolby Atmos sound bar, the W-Series does represent a cinematic experience for the home.