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LG flagship TV's styling goes 'all picture'

The high-end LG LX9500 series of LED-based LCD TVs includes the company's strongest feature set, as well as striking design.

David Katzmaier Editorial Director -- Personal Tech
David reviews TVs and leads the Personal Tech team at CNET, covering mobile, software, computing, streaming and home entertainment. We provide helpful, expert reviews, advice and videos on what gadget or service to buy and how to get the most out of it.
Expertise A 20-year CNET veteran, David has been reviewing TVs since the days of CRT, rear-projection and plasma. Prior to CNET he worked at Sound & Vision magazine and eTown.com. He is known to two people on Twitter as the Cormac McCarthy of consumer electronics. Credentials
  • Although still awaiting his Oscar for Best Picture Reviewer, David does hold certifications from the Imaging Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Standards and Technology on display calibration and evaluation.
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David Katzmaier
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The LG LX9500 has the thinnest frame we've seen on any TV. LG
Watch this: LG LE9500 HDTV series

LAS VEGAS--An HDTV should be all about the picture, and LG's best television announced at CES, the LX9500 series of LED-based LCDs, has the design to prove it. This striking, inch-thin panel is nearly all picture when seen from the front, with a bezel that measures just 8.5 millimeters (0.33 inch) from the edge of the picture to the edge of the frame. It's the thinnest bezel we've ever seen, and results in a very slick look.

Packed into that thin panel is the company's best feature set. The LX9500 is the only TV announced by LG so far to include 3D capability, and although details were sketchy at this point, we do know that the company is using the same active shutter LC glasses technology as other 3D purveyors at the show. Sony, Samsung, Panasonic, Toshiba and Vizio also announced 3D-capable HDTVs products.

LG also endowed its flagship with what it calls a "Magic Wand" remote, which is supposed to behave much like the Wiimote controller used on the Nintendo Wii. According to the company: "This 'Magic' user interface brings together menus, component controls and even embedded games, which can be accessed using a simple remote that combines minimal buttons and gestures to control the on-screen activity." In our experience using a Wiimote to select screen icons is an experience that ranges from annoying to rage-inducing, but we'll leave off panning the Magic Wand until we actually get to use one.

One final step-up separates the LX9500 from its step-down brethren: the only 480Hz refresh rate we've seen announced so far. We're guessing that this set combines LG's scanning backlight and the motion-estimation motion compensation process used by Samsung and Sony (more info). Either way, we really doubt this higher refresh rate will have much of a discernible impact on picture quality.

LG LX9500 series features:

  • 0.33 inch bezel, 0.92 inch panel depth
  • 3D compatibility
  • 480Hz refresh rate
  • Magic Wand remote and user interface
  • Full array LED backlight with local dimming
  • THX certification
  • Netcast Interactive feature suite with Netflix, Vudu, Skype, Napster, YouTube, and Yahoo Widgets
  • DLNA compatible for music, photos and video
  • Optional "Wireless Media Hub" interface
  • Optional Wi-Fi connection

LG LX9500 series models:

  • LG Infinia 55LX9500: 55-inch, price TBD, availability April 2010
  • LG Infinia 47LX9500: 47-inch, price TBD, availability April 2010

Check out the writeup of the step-down LG LE8500 for more details on the other features listed above.

Update 03-31-2010: After LG originally announced this product with the model name "LE9500," it changed to "LX9500." This information has been updated to reflect that change.