LG’s StanbyME Go is the best Inspector gadget I’ve ever reviewed. It’s a 27-inch touchscreen TV built into (and protected by) a large military-grade briefcase, with an integrated sound system, HDMI connectivity, and the same webOS software that runs on the company’s regular TVs. We are prepared.
You can theoretically take it anywhere, but at 28 pounds, the StanbyME Go isn’t exactly a light load, and it’s a stretch to call it extremely portable. It’s fine for car trips, but I haven’t been bold enough to take this on a plane. First, I didn’t want to deal with her TSA surveillance of this gadget. Mission Impossible Props. However, briefcases are too wide to meet most airlines’ carry-on requirements.
But it’s…really unique. And that’s what resonated with me during this two months of testing her terrifyingly named StandbyME Go. You can also tailgate this briefcase to your TV. You can also take it camping. If you’re traveling somewhere, you can use it as a mobile entertainment and gaming solution for yourself and your kids. I have friends who are willing to use something like this instead of a projector in rooms where a permanent TV is not desirable. When it comes time to lift it, that excitement often wanes.
Aside from its weight, the biggest thing against the StanbyME Go is that LG’s asking $1,200 is, after all, a fairly unremarkable 27-inch LCD panel. It’s a 1080p screen with decent viewing angles and 500 nits of peak brightness. I found it to be good enough for indoor viewing and also good enough for most outdoor uses as long as it’s not in direct sunlight. (Anti-reflective coating on the display helps a lot here.) But if you’re judging this by display specs alone, he’d be crazy to pay $1,200 for this. I’d be keen on a 4K OLED version of his StanbyME Go, but then the price could jump into his $2,000 territory. The niche nature of this product is one of the reasons it’s more expensive than many people would like.
Considering this display’s limited brightness, it’s funny that it claims Dolby Vision HDR support. The four-channel “Dolby Atmos” speaker system is similar, but I was surprised at how comprehensive it was, as the audio outputs from drivers unconventionally integrated into one side of the briefcase. Although the speakers are placed behind Even when you raise the screen, the audio remains clear. Just don’t expect too much immersion or ambient trickery here. If you want even more impactful sound when tailgating, you can always pair a larger Bluetooth speaker.
To check the values in StanbyME Go, you need to: try Then evaluate the sum of its parts. Its average screen is mounted on a very sturdy articulating arm that allows you to use the display in three different ways. You can lay it flat when playing touchscreen games like chess or playing music through your phone’s speakers. You can raise the screen to position it horizontally or vertically. The latter is useful if you want to mirror your phone and scroll through his TikTok feed, or if you’re giving a presentation while on the go. I rarely bothered with portrait mode, but the versatility is great.
StanbyME Go has the ability to automatically turn off the display and power down whenever the briefcase is latched. The hard outer shell is durable enough – LG claims it passed 11 different durability tests – and I never intentionally tried to subject LG’s review unit to my own torture tests But it certainly took a few knocks during my few weeks of testing, and even a mild drop when I opened the case with the screen facing up. It all survived without any problems. But its sturdiness only goes so far. The StanbyME Go is not water resistant, so be careful when using it near a pool or lake while camping. This is a big difference between a TV that can be used outdoors and a real “outdoor TV”, which is much more expensive than the StandbyME Go, stands up to the elements, and gets bright enough to fight the sun.
Inside the case is a dedicated cradle for the remote, and when you remove it, there’s a section underneath where you can store the power cable when you don’t need it. The power input is covered by a protective flap, and another flap protects the HDMI/eARC port, USB-A port (for external drive media), and a switch that can turn off the battery to save power when not in use. there is. I’ve been using the TV for a while. According to LG, the average battery life of the StandbyME Go is about 3 hours. In my experience, you can get an extra hour by enabling webOS energy saving features, but usually at the expense of brightness, which isn’t all that impressive to begin with.
actually using The feel of this briefcase TV is similar to other models from LG. All standard picture and sound modes are present. But most LG sets don’t have touch screens. Don’t have a remote control handy? You can operate it with smartphone-like gestures. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to go to Home, or swipe down to quickly access brightness and volume controls.
LG includes some very simple games, including the aforementioned chess and bar games like Find the Picture. But their novelty wears off quickly, and you’ll want to plug in a console for the real thing.Of course, this means that you need to provide Power All of the HDMI devices you use can be tricky to handle on the go, especially outdoors. In this situation, a portable power station is very useful.
All of the popular streaming apps are available in LG’s store, but if you want to watch from your cabin or tent while camping, you’ll need to routinely tether to your phone for internet connectivity.
I’m very interested in weird gadgets, but they tend to be rare these days. Most big tech brands play too safe and only release products with mainstream appeal. From that perspective, I admire his LG for doing more than just doing something. a bit It’s different, but it’s way off the beaten path. If the StanbyME Go was a few hundred dollars cheaper, I’d recommend it for reasons other than uniqueness. It’s heavy, but it’s a well-thought-out design. This is one of those attention-grabbing devices that people always ask about when they see you using it.
However, the TV packed into this briefcase is just average, and not so much considering the price. My hope is that the StanbyME Go doesn’t turn out to be too niche for LG to never try again. This first attempt is unique and often just simple, so fun. But at $1,200, the simple reality is that until LG gets the formula (and price) right, most people would be better off with a more traditional tablet or portable monitor.
Photo by Chris Welch/The Verge