You may have heard about OLED being the ultimate display technology. I invite you to meet LG’s spectacular 97-inch G2 TV – the largest OLED television ever created. In this guide, I’ll serve as your personal tour guide to explore why this TV shatters size records, how it produces jaw-dropping image quality, and whether it may suit your needs.
OLED Technology Scaled to Massive Proportions
Today‘s largest mainstream TVs use LED displays. They place tiny LED backlights across the panel to illuminate the liquid crystals that form the pixels. But OLED (organic light emitting diode) works differently. Each pixel contains special organic compounds that emit their own light when electrically charged.
This fundamental contrast between self-illuminating OLEDs versus LED backlighting carries huge implications…
OLED can precisely adjust brightness down to the individual pixel level. This enables effectively infinite contrast ratios between intensely bright and perfectly dark regions of the picture. OLED also delivers wider viewing angles. Since pixels emit their own saturated color, images possess vibrant hues from any seat in the room.
Over the past decade, LG has invested billions developing large-scale OLED TV production. But sharply increasing screen size introduces manufacturing challenges…
According to Insider Intelligence, yields for 77 to 83 inch panels currently hover around 50%. In other words, only half of panels fabricated can meet quality requirements. This makes jumbo OLED TVs extremely expensive to produce today.
The 97-inch G2 represents the very bleeding edge of commercial OLED technology. As LG’s new flagship display hero product, I‘ll showcase how far OLED can be pushed and why this TV defines the future of big-screen home entertainment…
The Story Behind LG‘s Legendary Large OLED TVs
LG first unveiled a 65-inch rollable OLED prototype back in 2018. But transforming that proof of concept into a commercially viable product took years of refinement.
In 2020, LG launched its first 77-inch OLED – the LG Signature ZX. This groundbreaking model introduced LG’s stealthy “gallery design” with an ultra-thin form factor ripe for wall mounting. A custom flush mount bracket enabled knee-weakening near bezel-free aesthetics.
The following year, LG rebranded its flagship OLED series from ZX to G1. This newer generation gained a bigger 83 inch size plus the blazing fast α9 Gen 4 AI Processor to leverage the horsepower of deep learning.
LG continued this momentum in 2022, releasing its stellar G2 lineup. The second-generation Evo OLED panel boosted brightness by utilizing deuterium gas mixed with organic compounds. The larger 83 inch option now became more mainstream.
Then at Germany’s IFA technology show this September, LG unveiled its tour de force – the long-rumored 97-inch G2. For consumers and reviewers alike, this TV represented a dream come true…
Behold LG‘s Spectacular 97-Inch OLED Display
Words cannot adequately convey the exhilarating experience of standing before LG’s colossal 97-inch screen. This expansive OLED panel envelops your visual field of view with over 33 million self-illuminating pixels.
Thanks to thedisplay’s paper-thin depth from the wall and boundary-pushing size, content becomes a transformative immersive spectacle. You no longer just watch movies and shows – you feel part of the action as it fills space.
OLED‘s greatest strength has always been phenomenal contrast derived from perfect black levels. This trait helps images pop with dimensionality. Now at 97 inches, even the faintest details in complex shadows and specular highlights shine through.
Bright scenes also impress thanks to LG’s new Brightness Booster Max technology exclusive on 2022 G2 models. By raising peak luminance beyond typical OLED TVs, pictures avoid dimming excessively when displaying full screen white – great for sports viewing.
Of course, with 8.3 million pixels stretched across this vast canvas, a pristine native 4K resolution ensures no visible pixel structure during normal viewing distances. Photos and videos appear lifelike with stunning clarity.
Now that your eyes have feasted, let’s explore what’s powering this display behind the scenes…
An Intelligence Engine Designed for Spectacle
Driving the visual experience is LG‘s latest α9 Gen 5 AI Processor 4K – their most advanced chip yet. This specialized silicon was designed specifically for LG‘s 2022 OLED TV lineup with large screen sizes in mind.
The processor packs raw horsepower equivalent to a user-configurable desktop PC. This enables multi-layer detection and analysis able to distinguish individual on-screen elements like human figures, faces, lighting, motion and content genre.
For example, the chip can isolate a person‘s visage and selectively apply adjustments to reproduce tonality, texture and detail with exceptional accuracy. HDR dynamic tone mapping leverages scene-by-scene algorithms to optimize contrast automatically.
Gamers will appreciate support for 4K 120fps gameplay, VRR technology and ultra-low input lag. There’s also a dedicated Game Optimizer menu to quickly select genre-specific picture modes.
Make no mistake – this processing muscle empowers the 97-inch G2 to unlock OLED‘s true capabilities. Images exhibit a clarity and realism simply unavailable just a few years prior.
Building an Audio Experience to Match
You’ll be relieved to know the 97G2’s integrated 4.2 channel 60W sound system can adequately fill a room befitting of this TV’s staggering size. Four speakers located across the bottom produce well-anchored bass, while two additional drivers at the top handle mids and highs.
Dolby Atmos support enables decoding this premium 3D spatial audio format. You’ll hear richer soundstaging, airflow and enveloping ambient cues intended by content creators.
LG further augments the acoustic experience courtesy of its AI Sound Pro technology. The TV can listen to audio playback using its built-in mic to analyze room environment factors and identify areas for improving clarity or boosting low end.
But for the ultimate hard-hitting theater-grade surround sound, I recommend pairing your investment with a premium 7.1.4 channel LG soundbar also tuned by Meridian like the LG S95QR. Its wireless rear speakers and up-firing drivers will fully immerse you.
Smart Features to Explore
Underpinning the user experience is LG’s acclaimed webOS platform. Recently updated to version 6.0, its colorful menu system provides quick access to every major streaming service and casting mode.
Individual user profiles help personalize recommendations and viewing history – great for sharing this big screen TV with family members into different genres. Users also have access to cloud gaming services courtesy of integrated Nvidia GeForce Now support.
LG’s 2022 models gain "room-to-room" media sharing. You can group other compatible LG TVs on your Wi-Fi network to watch the same content across multiple screens simultaneously. This allows easily extending a movie from the living room to bedroom using webOS interface synchronization.
Finally, webOS offers compatibility with all major voice assistants. The G2’s integrated far field mics enable Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa support completely hands-free, while built-in AirPlay 2 lets you stream from Apple devices using Siri.
A Minimalist Masterpiece
A television this ambitious deserves an equally impressive design. Thankfully, the G2 Gallery series stays true to its namesake inspiration of elegant art.
The beguiling display blends perfectly into any space thanks to innovative near bezel-free construction. All underside ports and inputs occupy a compact recessed box to maintain streamlined aesthetics.
With an integrated flush mount solution, this titanic panel mounts completely flat just 1.11 inches from your wall. Combined with streamlined cable routing, you’ll think the TV seemingly materializes videos from thin air!
The phone-thin profile demands wall mounting, but exceptional build quality resists risk of long term sagging despite weighing 136 pounds. LG also offers an optional Gallery Stand providing robust stability on furniture.
If you seek huge screen immersion without forsaking interior design, the G2 checks every box as an incredibly functional work of technological art sure to astound guests.
Matches Luxury Standards at a Luxury Cost
Given bleeding-edge innovation and record-shattering scale, the 97-inch LG G2 appropriately commands an impressive but expected premium at $24,996.
Consider competing large-screen options struggle to reach 1,500 nits peak brightness and lack per-pixel lighting control. LG‘s self-emitting OLED pixels already achieve full-screen brightness exceeding 1,000 nits with perfect blacks and wide viewing angles – advantages no LED/LCD television can match.
This TV was tailor-made to flaunt cinema-grade contrast and color in a luxury living room or exclusive home theater. Discerning enthusiasts need not settle for anything less than the best.
That said, I expect yield improvements for larger OLED panels over the next 5 years allowing costs to gradually decrease. Early adopters pay a premium enabling wider future adoption.
For now, value hunting shoppers should consider LG’s smaller premium OLED models like the C2 and A2 series. But home technology gurus must experience the 97-inch G2‘s transcendent pictures firsthand to appreciate this monarch among TVs.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this tour of the current pinnacle of consumer display technology. Feel free to reach out with any other questions in your hunt for the ultimate dream TV!
