TECH PREVIEW

From transparent TVs to luxurious leather headphones…

This Jan, the annual Las Vegasbased Consumer Electronics Show (CES) returned to being a fully fledged in-person event. And there was plenty of home-cinema kit filling Sin City’s convention-centre halls. Here’s our pick of the tech coming your way in ’24…

LG SIGNATURE OLED T

OUT TBC £TBC

LG wowed the CES crowds with the world’s first wireless transparent OLED TV. Sporting a genuinely futuristic look, the see-through 4K panel works as a transparent display for photos or artwork, and can turn opaque when you actually want to watch something. And since it blends into its environment when turned off, there’s no need to stick it in the corner. What’s more, the clever wireless Zero Connect Box sits next to the plug socket, so you don’t have to position the TV by the wall either (if you’re got space to keep a 77-inch telly in the middle of the room, that is).

AUDIO PRO C20

OUT TBC FEBRUARY £450

This stylish all-in-one speaker from the Swedish audio brand is designed for both TV and music, so it’s a great choice if you’re limited on space. Sporting an ice-cool Scandi design, the C20 has an ARC input, which means you can get audio output via HDMI, cutting down on the number of unsightly cables you need. You can also plug it directly into your turntable, or stream from the likes of Spotify and Tidal. What’s more, the C20 can be paired, so you can use two for a stereo setup.

PANASONIC Z95A OLED

OUT TBC 2024 £TBC

For its new flagship TV, Panasonic has cleverly ditched its own smart-TV interface in favour of Amazon’s Fire OS. As such, you’ll enjoy quality on a par with Amazon’s excellent streaming sticks. Available in 55 and 65in, the panels pack a clever new processor that uses AI for better streaming picture quality. Dolby Vision IQ Precision works with the TV’s built-in sensors to alter light levels across the screen for top-notch brightness, without losing any of the detail on those moody movies that are often hard to make out. As with the maker’s previous top TV models, this one’s been colour-tuned by Hollywood colourist Stefan Sonnenfeld (Top Gun: Maverick, Wonder Woman, The White Lotus) and also features Alexa voice control.

DALI IO-12

OUT NOW £999

If you want to really push the boat out for on-the-go movie watching, check out these stunning headphones, which use the same tech as the maker’s high-end speakers for crystal-clear sound with no distortion. They’re also ideal for teaming up with mobile gadgets, connecting via USB-C or Bluetooth. A luxurious leather headband and oversized square-shaped ear cups mean they’re super-comfy, too. True, they cost a bomb, but that hasn’t stopped us adding them to our wish list…

TCL 115QM89

OUT TBC £TBC

Rapidly growing in popularity thanks to its feature-packed TVs at genuinely affordable prices, TCL has introduced a gigantic 115in panel that might cost just a tad more than its usual bargains. The enormous 115QM89 features a Mini LED backlight split up into an unprecedented 20,000 dimming zones, sure to provide excellent contrast across that massive screen. It also has a crazy-high brightness level of 5,000 ‘nits’, which should make for an excellent mini-home cinema screen if you have the room (and cash). A built-in 6.2.2-channel speaker system with upward-firing speakers for Dolby Atmos immersive audio completes the package.

SAMSUNG NEO QLED 8K

OUT TBC £TBC

Samsung is going all in on artificial intelligence with its new TV range. AI-powered features include the ability to upscale content to ultra-high 8K resolution, along with an AI motion enhancer (particularly useful if you’re into sports movies, or sports per se). An AI-driven depth enhancer detects the part of the scene your eye would naturally focus on, bringing it to the foreground for a more lifelike, threedimensional picture. On top of all that, the panel is just 12.9mm deep, and will hit the shelves in a range of screen sizes.

LG, SAMSUNG, AUDIO PRO, PANASONIC, DALI, TCL, SENNHEISER

SENNHEISER ACCENTUM PLUS

OUT 20 FEBRUARY £199.99

A relatively affordable option for mobile movie watching, these Bluetooth cans from the everreliable Sennheiser give you an impressive 50 hours of listening time per charge. Adaptive noise-cancelling continually adjusts to any nearby clamour, so you can watch films in peace. Meanwhile, touch-control earcups mean you can quickly pause and play without having to search for the buttons. Available in black or white.

LG CINEBEAM QUBE 4K

OUT TBC £TBC

Transform your living room into a mini-cinema with this cool ultra-portable projector, which rocks a decidedly retro vibe. While the CineBeam Qube is confusingly not cube-shaped, its distinctive 360-degree rotatable handle doubles as both a carrying handle and a stand for extra stability when the projector is in place. You can project 4K images measuring up to 120 inches, with easy access to all the usual streaming services. The projector automatically adjusts image placement and size to get the best picture. LIBBY PLUMMER