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LG OLED Flex: Watch This Huge Monitor Bend From Flat to Curved

We go hands-on with a screen that really does flex at the touch of a button. And it's not cheap.

Justin Eastzer Former Senior Video Producer
Prior to CNET, Justin_tech ran his own YouTube channel with a focus on the smart home and lighting, VR/AR, wearables and more. Diabetes tech became a new passion after his type 1 diagnosis in May 2021. If you enjoy terrible puns and emerging tech, then you'll enjoy his tech-ventures.
Expertise Five years of tech YouTube-ing and two years of experience with diabetes wearable tech, which is used daily to foster better relationships with technology. Credentials
  • Audience-building across multiple social networks, including over 5 million subscribers for America's Got Talent and a niche diabetes tech education and community building platform
Justin Eastzer

The LG OLED Flex is both a TV and a monitor, but its coolest feature is a unique motorized screen. The 42-inch OLED panel goes from flat to curved using a dedicated bend button on the remote. After using it for a week, I found it offers an immersive viewing experience for gamers with its curved screen and built-in bias lighting.

You can adjust the level of curvature with three presets and fine-tune it even further thanks to the motorized system. The monitor also has an X-shaped light on the rear that syncs to video and sound or cycles through colors. 

The games I played definitely felt more immersive with the combination of the lighting and the curved screen. It felt like I was using my own private arcade system as I leaned back in my chair with the screen lifted high and tilted down. 

The biggest drawback to the LG OLED Flex is the high price and large size. Not only does the stand measure 10 inches deep, but I needed to sit at least 20 inches from the screen to feel comfortable. That calls for a desk 30 inches deep or more, which is impractical for a lot of people. Not to mention, the monitor costs a whopping $2,500 -- a steep price indeed when LG is selling a standard flat 42-inch OLED TV for $800.

To see the screen in action along with my full hands-on impressions, check out the video at the top of this article.