This gimmick TV was made for TikTok

Key Takeaways

Versatile and mobile with three-hour battery and vertical orientation for content creators.
Single HDMI + USB port limitation and resolution leaves room for improvement.
Innovative and unique, LG StanbyME is a lifestyle display offering supplemental versatility.

LG’s StanbyME is without a doubt one of the most innovative and unique displays I think I’ve had the pleasure of testing. I’m a vocal user of LG’s C-series displays and have been impressed by the company’s high-end OLED catalog. However, the StanbyME is unlike most of what LG supports. Rather than moving the benchmark for cutting-edge resolution and processing power, the StanbyME is unlike any other major display on the market. This 27-inch display is a rollable, battery-operated unit with a pivoting screen.

On the surface, you might think to yourself and question how this would ever come in handy. LG took such an unconventional path with the StanbyME, I can’t blame anyone for being perplexed when looking at it. After a couple of weeks of use, I’ve begun to find ways to incorporate StanbyME into my life. Due to some limitations, including the 1080p resolution and 3-hour battery life, this display is by no means going to replace my primary C1. However, it’s been a dependable display that I can roll from the living room to my kitchen while cooking. It’s also light enough to carry up my stairs and into the office. It’s a lifestyle display, offering supplemental versatility to my day-to-day life.

LG StanbyME

LG’s StanbyME is a rolling, portable 27-inch 1080p display with an LED screen. Offering a three-hour battery, the StanbyME is a versatile TV that can follow you from the living room to the kitchen or office. It also offers a swivel design, supporting portrait orientation for content creators.

Pros

Versatile and mobile with three-hour battery
Vertical orientation for content creators
Touch-screen use

Cons

Single HDMI + USB port is limiting
Resolution leaves a lot to be desired

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Price, availability, and specs

The LG StanbyME is a 27-inch LCD touch display, capable of supporting 16:9 aspect ratio. The device is available for $799 and comes with a mounting stand. Set up is practically effortless as the display clicks into place. The mount features a 90-degree rotation, supporting both landscape and portrait orientations. The stand itself also has built-in wheels that allow you to move the unit from one room in your home to another with ease. The StanbyME is 15.35 x 24.41 x 49.80 inches (39 x 62 x 126.5 cm) and 23kg (50.7lb).

LG StanbyME

Brand: LG
Display Size: 27 inches
Operating System: webOS
Display Resolution: FHD
Refresh rate: 60Hz
Price: $799
Dimensions: 15.35 x 24.41 x 49.80-inches
Display Type: LED
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Weight: 23kgs
Response Time: 3ms

The display offers up to 1080p resolution (‎1920 x 1080) and 60fps. LG’s StanbyME has a 3 millisecond response time, which is relatively respectable for its price point. It supports a viewing angle of 178 degrees. The rear side offers three rubber buttons, controlling power and volume. As for ports, the LG StanbyME only offers a single HDMI 1.4 port and a USB-A 2.0 input. It’s all powered by LG’s a7 Gen4 AI Processor, a moderately contemporary chipset for users. Of course, one of the marquee features is the 5,000mAh 74Wh battery, offering three hours of use. This allows the device to operate wirelessly around the home using Wi-Fi.

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What I like about the LG StanbyME

I’d never imagined rolling a TV around my home would be this much fun

Right off the bat, I have to give LG its flowers for the design of the StanbyME display. Once assembled, the TV is easy to move. It somehow brings me back to the days of elementary school when my teacher would bring in the TV to watch Bill Nye The Science Guy. The design of the stand and its base makes it so it feels like the StandbyME glides across my hardwood floor from my living room into my kitchen. Due to its size, the display can nestle into a corner in my living room and be the home for video podcasts or background shows while I play Dragon Age: The Veilguard on my main TV. Once dinner time hits, I can pull up Netflix, Disney+ or Prime Video and throw something on in the background as I cook. Even better, I can pull up a recipe on YouTube and follow along in my kitchen. I can also imagine a world where a user can pull it into their in-home gym to follow along with a workout. The beauty of it all is that, with three hours of battery, you can roll the StandbyME around without having to worry about an available outlet.

The LG StanbyME is also designed for content creators. Included in the box is a small phone mount that can clip to the bezel of the display without damaging the screen. With this, you can use the StanbyMe as a tripod as you record a video. With AirPlay 2, you can stream, share and mirror content from a device. Androids can use the NFC built-in connection and ThinQ app to establish a connection. You can then mirror the screen to the StanbyMe. Whether you want to use it as a confidence monitor or highlight a script while recording your video. Additionally, you can mirror the screen while taking a video call, which is a really nice perk.

Person playing saxophone watching someone on TV play saxophone

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What I don’t like about the LG StanbyME

It’s hard to go back to a 1080p TV after all these years

LG is an undisputed leader in quality displays. The StanbyME is certainly more affordable than many others of its premiere displays. However, when looking at the max resolution supported, the StanbyME isn’t able to impress. While streaming content, it’s clear as day that it’s rendering 1080p images. Even as I plugged in my Xbox Series X, the low resolution is apparent. Paired with some so-so viewing angles, content that’s rendered on the TV leaves a lot to be desired. That being said, I was surprised by the HDR 10 and HLG support LG includes. This does help improve whatever’s being played on the device.

On average, it takes around four hours to fully charge the display. It’s quite a good chunk of the day spent charging. Luckily, you can operate the TV as normal when charging.

On a surface level, the StanbyME is a wonder to have around the home simply due to its impressive three-hour battery life. What didn’t exactly astound me was its recharge time. After rolling the LG StanbyME around my home for upwards of three hours, I’d have to take it back to an outlet and plug the charger into the rear side of the base. On average, it takes around four hours to fully charge the display. It’s quite a good chunk of the day spent charging. Luckily, you can operate the TV as normal when charging. However, the charging cord and power brick aren’t long enough to give you any real mileage to move it around a room significantly.

Homescreen of an LG smart TV with a shadowed figure in front of it.

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Should you buy the LG StanbyME?

While far from a practical primary display, there are reasons to have StanbyME on your radar

Despite a middling resolution (likely to accommodate the battery life), the LG StanbyME is the most innovative and exciting piece of display technology I’ve used this year. It stands among other unique sets such as the Frame from Samsung. However, unlike Samsung’s art installation display, StanbyME’s uses encourage creativity and freedom around the home. There are so many practical uses for LG’s display outside of rewatching The Office from your couch. If you’re looking for a companion display, the LG StanbyME is certainly worth the asking price.