Verdict
One other gorgeously designed OLED TV from Loewe that conjures up a formidable audio and film efficiency, although the shortage of some superior gaming options, greater peak brightness and costly worth means this can be a TV for particular viewers. A category act nonetheless.
Professionals
- Stunning design and construct
- A number of stand/mount and speaker choices
- Robust sound high quality
Cons
- Dearer than much less designer rivals
- Can’t play 4K/120Hz gaming feeds
- Photos lack brightness by at the moment’s OLED requirements
-
55-inch 4K OLED display screenOLED expertise permits every pixel to supply its personal mild and color independently of its neighbours -
Two Audio improve choicesHelps Klang Bar i soundbar or the a lot bigger Klang Bar 5mr -
A number of stand and mount choicesA alternative of the essential desktop stand, floorstanding pole mount, a ground to ceiling pole mount, or wall mount choices -
4 HDMI ports4 HDMI inputs assist variable refresh charges over a restricted frequency vary, ALLM and Dolby Imaginative and prescient video games at 60Hz -
HDRHelps Dolby Imaginative and prescient, HDR10 and HLG HDR
Introduction
After what Gwyneth Paltrow would possibly politely name a ‘aware uncoupling’ from the UK market again in 2019, a restructured, reinvigorated Loewe model is now nicely and actually again on the UK AV scene.
And proper on the entrance line of Loewe’s renewed UK cost is its Bild i vary of TVs: fashions that search to mix all the conventional Loewe points of interest of excellent, bespoke design with a new-found nimbleness in relation to delivering the form of efficiency requirements and options that at the moment’s fast-moving TV market calls for.
Availability
- UKRRP: £2999
- USAunavailable
- EuropeRRP: €2999
- Canadaunavailable
- AustraliaRRP: AU$4999
The Loewe Bild i.55 is out there now within the UK and EU, in addition to Australia. Within the UK it prices £2,999, within the EU it prices €2,999.00, and in Australia it prices AU$4,999. If you need one thing greater, the 65-inch Bild i.65 prices £3,899 / €3,899 / AU$6,499. Loewe doesn’t at the moment distribute its TVs in North America.
It must be careworn that these are beginning costs as one of many Bild i vary’s star points of interest is its skill to be fitted to completely different stand/mount choices and be partnered with extra highly effective built-in sound choices.
The mounting choices embrace a desktop stand, a floor-standing pole-style stand, wall hanging brackets, and even an extremely fashionable pole that runs the total peak of your room, from ground to ceiling.
Essentially the most elegant speaker improve is the marvellously named Klang Bar i, which prices £299 further and has been specifically designed to connect seamlessly to the Bild i TVs’ backside edge because it goes about including extra energy, extra audio system and a extra direct really feel to the TV’s built-in audio system.
You may also connect Loewe’s a lot greater, standalone Klang Bar 5mr soundbar if you want, although this sits on a shelf attachment for one of many pole mounts relatively than being a completely built-in, specialist resolution just like the Bar i. I’ll truly be wanting on the Bar i as a part of this assessment.
Design
- Premium construct and end
- Improve speaker and stand choices
- In depth cable administration
The very first thing die-hard followers of Loewe TVs of previous will likely be joyful to listen to is the brand new 55-inch Bild i.55 retains two traditional Loewe design traits: the designer clothing-like Loewe model tag on its proper hand aspect, and Loewe’s distinctive giant chrome-edged round IR receptor and LED show hanging off its backside edge.
It’s additionally nice to see that Loewe has misplaced none of its urge for food for actually premium construct high quality. Each mannequin continues to be in-built Loewe’s manufacturing facility in Kronach, Germany, and combines an ultra-thin bezel with in depth use of steel and an uncommon however very welcome splash of top of the range cloth masking the TV’s comparatively chunky central part (which homes connections, processing and built-in audio system).
In addition to wanting beautiful in its personal proper, it additionally completely matches the material end of the optionally available Klang Bar i, that means the soundbar blends in completely if you connect its wrap-around type to the TV’s backside edge.
The heavy obligation fundamental desktop plate stand is as imperiously constructed because the TV, whereas the pole-style floorstand and full room peak pole mount choices add critical drama to the Bild i.55’s in any other case impeccably minimalistic presence.
As you’ll anticipate with a TV that trades on its look as a lot because the Bild i.55, all of its varied mounting choices go to nice lengths to offer channelling for all of your cables.
Options
- 4K WRGB OLED panel
- Audio improve choices
- Dolby Atmos sound
The very first thing to determine in regards to the Loewe Bild i.55 is that it doesn’t use one of many new Micro Lens Array OLED panels present in LG’s new flagship G3 OLED TV, or the Quantum Dot OLED expertise in Samsung’s S95C and S90C OLED TVs. It’s a straight WRGB panel of the kind that’s had relative small year-on-year enhancements for years earlier than the brand new brightness boosting applied sciences sauntered into city.
It might need been good if Loewe had gone for an OLED panel with a built-in warmth sink to assist it deal with a bit extra brightness than the 736 nits I measured utilizing a white HDR check window that coated 10% of the TV’s display screen. That’s 100 to 150 nits or so beneath what I’ve seen from the present WRGB OLEDs from the likes of Sony and LG, and solely round half the brightness achieved by the G3 and S95C.
I’ve been reviewing TVs for lengthy sufficient to know that there’s way more to good image high quality than easy brightness.
Essentially the most uncommon characteristic of the Bild i.55 past the stand/mount and audio improve choices I’ve talked about needs to be its DR+ built-in video recording system. This allows you to report losslessly as much as 1TB of video from the built-in tuners. This characteristic is much less more likely to have large enchantment in streaming-obsessed instances, nevertheless it works nicely sufficient and I’m positive there are some who will make the most of it.
Intriguingly, Loewe has moved away from its personal proprietary sensible TV engine on the Bild i.55, turning to Hisense’s VIDAA platform as an alternative. This is smart given the difficulties a comparatively small model like Loewe is certain to face with securing native app assist from all of the streaming companies – particularly as VIDAA has now progressed from its second-tier standing into a sensible platform that runs slickly and stably, and covers a lot of the key apps at the moment’s TV patrons demand.
The one main exception I noticed was Apple TV+ – although Loewe claims this will likely be added at an unconfirmed future date.
The Bild i.55 helps three flavours of excessive dynamic vary by its HDMI ports: Dolby Imaginative and prescient, HDR10 and HLG. There’s no HDR10+ assist, which is a slight disgrace given Panasonic and Philips cater for all 4 HDR codecs. Many different manufacturers additionally solely assist Dolby Imaginative and prescient on the expense of HDR10+ too, although – and HDR10+ content material at the moment stays a lot rarer than Dolby Imaginative and prescient content material.
The Bild i.55’s Dolby connection extends to Dolby Atmos playback, which it will probably additionally cross on losslessly through HDMI eARC to suitable soundbars and AV receivers.
Not every part in regards to the Bild i.55’s 4 HDMI ports is sort of as much as the specification I’d hope for on a premium TV, as they’re solely able to dealing with 18Gbps of information. This implies no assist for the 4K/120Hz alerts players can output from the PS5, Xbox Sequence X and high-end PC graphics playing cards.
That’s to not say the Bild i.55 is a complete bust for gaming; it does nonetheless assist variable refresh charges in a restricted 48 – 60Hz vary, auto low latency mode (ALLM) switching as your console or PC switches between video and recreation sources; and Dolby Imaginative and prescient gaming as much as 60Hz.
There’s one additional little bit of unhealthy information for players within the form of a 43.5ms lag in rendering picture knowledge when utilizing the TV’s Recreation mode. That’s greater than 4 instances longer than the newest TVs from some rivals take, and will likely be sufficient to price you just a few deaths in Name Of Responsibility or make recreation worlds really feel a contact unresponsive.
Delving into the the Bild i.55’s image options reveals an affordable quantity of the same old arrange suspects, together with varied movement processing choices, noise discount and so forth. One putting factor about the way in which the arrange menus are organised is how comparable they seem to these used on Hisense’s most up-to-date high-end TVs, suggesting a deeper collaboration than merely the usage of Hisense’s VIDAA sensible platform.
Image High quality
- Gorgeously deep, pure black ranges
- Spectacular sharpness and detailing
- Not as shiny as the newest OLED panels
The brightness measurements I reported earlier didn’t lie: it’s clear to the bare eye the Loewe Bild i.55 shouldn’t be as shiny as the newest superior OLED TVs I’ve seen from Samsung and LG – not even shut. However that is true additionally of any new mid-range OLED TV from LG, Samsung, Sony, Hisense, Philips et al that doesn’t use both MLA expertise or Samsung’s second-gen QD-OLED expertise.
It’s completely not the case that the Bild i.55 is a few form of old skool outlier. And within the context of all these different conventional WRGB OLED TVs nonetheless round this yr, the Bild i.55 is a really satisfying watch.
For starters, its black ranges are as impeccably deep, wealthy and pure in tone as any you’ll discover wherever within the OLED world. What’s extra, with most of its presets this black degree prowess is married to wonderful finesse and subtlety in relation to reproducing refined color and greyscale element in even the darkest image corners.
The one exception to this shadow element prowess happens if you’re watching Dolby Imaginative and prescient sources (particularly utilizing probably the most correct ‘Darkish’ Dolby Imaginative and prescient preset), with which you turn out to be conscious of fairly noticeable crushing out of refined particulars in darkish areas. The Bild i.55 shouldn’t be the one TV I’ve seen in current instances that’s suffered with this Dolby Imaginative and prescient difficulty, so it’s maybe extra one thing Dolby should be investigating relatively than a fault particular to Loewe’s TV.
Refined particulars are delivered in darkish scenes with out being accompanied by fizzing or blocking artefacts, too, suggesting good processing competence/panel management in relation to dealing with close to black picture content material. The set’s wealthy, black tones present the right counterpoint, too, for the Bild i.55’s fantastically wealthy, daring color replica.
There’s greater than sufficient tonal subtlety and steadiness on this color efficiency to make sure that footage by no means look compelled, cartoonish or in any other case unnatural in any preset, and I didn’t detect any main points with banding in areas of fantastic HDR mixing.
Colors don’t endure a serious shift or any brightness discount for those who watch the Bild i.55 from a extreme angle, both, whereas the picture processing’s precision at choosing the right shade for the fitting pixel contributes to an image that feels pleasingly dense, three-dimensional and detailed.
It’s not fairly as mind-bogglingly sharp with both native 4K sources or upscaled HD as one or two rival OLED footage, most notably these achieved by Philips and Samsung, however its marginally softer footage arguably truly look extra pure. Particularly as they don’t remotely really feel in need of texture or 4K high quality.
Whereas the richness and steadiness of the Bild i.55’s footage ensures a stunning viewing expertise with actually any video supply thrown at it, it does must be mentioned that in addition to being considerably much less shiny than 2023’s new OLED ‘hero’ TVs, its footage are literally rather less shiny and punchy than even these of most of at the moment’s conventional WRGB OLED TVs. A limitation that inevitably restricts the color volumes the display screen can hit, and the depth of the HDR expertise you get with each small shiny highlights and full display screen shiny HDR photos.
The set’s subtlety and steadiness actually does present good compensation for its barely restricted brightness, nevertheless it’s a difficulty which may be notably value making an allowance for for those who’re in search of a TV for a really shiny room.
One different image high quality niggle considerations the bild i.55’s movement dealing with with 24p sources. Judder and a discount in decision when exhibiting digicam pans and shifting objects are extra noticeable than I’d like with no movement processing in play, however a lot of the Bild i.55’s movement processing choices trigger so many undesirable unintended effects that they find yourself being extra distracting to look at than the native judder and blurring.
Happily, simply one of many movement choices accessible, appropriately referred to as Movie, proves delicate sufficient to save lots of the day, in any other case we’d have needed to knock a full mark off the TV’s total rating.
Sound High quality
- Pretty rounded, highly effective sound
- Wealthy, impactful sound – particularly with the Klang Bar i
- Slight lack of enlargement throughout the loudest film moments
Loewe has an extended historical past of mixing its uncompromising method to design and construct high quality with superior audio efficiency, so it’s nice to search out that if the Bild i.55 is something to go by, Loewe has misplaced none of its audio contact throughout its temporary time away from the UK TV enterprise.
Beginning with the set’s default 2 x 20W efficiency, the audio system can go loud sufficient to sound cinematic with out succumbing to harshness, drop outs or different distortions. Quite the opposite, the louder you push them, the richer and extra detailed they begin to sound, and the extra you begin to respect how open and expansive their mid-range is.
Voices at all times sound extremely clear with out turning into disconnected from their wider film combine context, and the sound tasks nicely sufficient out from the TV’s bodywork to create an a minimum of respectable sense of additional area and placement detailing when taking part in Dolby Atmos mixes.
Good although the Bild i.55 sounds out of the field, although, I’d say the Klang Bar i is nicely value including for those who can afford the £299 further. This not solely provides a whopping 80W of energy to proceedings, however delivers that energy by an array of ahead going through drivers that cling behind a sensible felt cowl beneath the TV’s backside edge.
The result’s an instantly way more room-filling, direct sound that makes the world of the movie or TV present you’re watching appear much more alive and immersive. The forward-facing audio system of the Bar i additionally create a a lot bigger soundstage that doesn’t really feel trapped contained in the soundbar’s compact type. It even manages to create a light sense of peak when listening to Dolby Atmos soundtracks.
Bass reaches deeper with the Klang Bar i than it does within the fundamental two-channel in-built speaker configuration. Voices can often sound locked contained in the Bar i, in order that they don’t appear to be coming from the photographs on the display screen, and surprisingly the Bar i’s normally resolute quantities of energy and impression can fall away a bit throughout actually loud, dense sound observe moments. Total, although, the Bild i.55 is a significantly good audio performer in each its commonplace and Klang Bar i configurations.
Newest offers
Must you purchase it?
Distinctive construct high quality and improve choices: If you need a fantastically constructed TV that permits you to improve its sound high quality as and if you want and allows you to select from quite a lot of fashionable mounting choices, the Loewe Bild i.55 is uniquely certified for its cash.
It’s not an incredible possibility for innovative players: The Bild i.55 doesn’t assist 4K/120Hz gaming and its enter lag in Recreation mode is a little bit too excessive for actually responsive, aggressive play.
Remaining Ideas
The Loewe Bild i.55 is a deeply beautiful TV. From its pristine, fantastically constructed bodywork and distinctive design and audio improve choices by to its typically lovely (if not spectacularly so) footage and clear, potent sound high quality it proves that Loewe has misplaced none of its uniqueness and really feel premium really feel throughout its temporary time away from the TV recreation.
The truth that even the most cost effective model of the Bild i.55 prices a whole lot of kilos greater than the 55-inch variations of this yr’s ultra-bright new Samsung S95C and LG G3 OLED TVs does imply that you could be invested in the entire premium Bild i.55 bundle relatively than simply being a straight-up image high quality junky.
That’s at all times been the case with Loewe, although, and when the bundle is as class an act because the Bild i.55 it’s not possible to not embrace the return of a model that’s courageous sufficient to carry one thing a bit completely different to the TV world.
How we check
We check each tv we assessment totally over an prolonged time frame. We use business commonplace exams to check options correctly. We’ll at all times let you know what we discover. We by no means, ever, settle for cash to assessment a product.
Discover out extra about how we check in our ethics coverage.
Examined for greater than per week
Examined with actual world use
FAQs
VIDAA is a great TV system and interface designed by Hisense, however licensed to different manufacturers.
Each pixel in an OLED display screen produces its personal mild, leading to black degree consistency and native distinction management you’ll be able to’t get with LCD TVs. Although OLEDs sometimes can’t get as shiny as LCD TVs.
You’ll be able to mount it on a floorstanding pole, a ground to ceiling pole, and a wall mount in addition to its desktop resolution. And you’ll add a screw-on Klang Bar i soundbar, or connect the a lot bigger 5mr soundbar to a assist shelf that may be connected to the TV’s pole stand.
Sustainability
Trusted Critiques’ holds the truth that world warming shouldn’t be a fantasy as a core worth and can constantly endeavour to assist shield our planet from hurt in its enterprise practices.
As a part of this mission, every time we assessment a product we ship the corporate a collection of questions to assist us gauge and make clear the impression the system has on the setting.
We at the moment haven’t acquired solutions to the questions on this product, however will replace this web page the second we do. You’ll be able to see an in depth breakdown of the questions we ask and why in our sustainability data web page.
Jargon buster
Dolby Atmos
Dolby Atmos is an object-based audio format. It expands on 5.1 and seven.1 soundtracks by including overhead channels. Sounds are known as “audio objects”, of which there might be as much as 128 audio channels, and these ‘objects’ might be precisely positioned inside a 3D soundscape. This permits soundtracks that assist the expertise to put sounds above and across the listener with suitable equipment.
Verdict
One other gorgeously designed OLED TV from Loewe that conjures up a formidable audio and film efficiency, although the shortage of some superior gaming options, greater peak brightness and costly worth means this can be a TV for particular viewers. A category act nonetheless.
Professionals
- Stunning design and construct
- A number of stand/mount and speaker choices
- Robust sound high quality
Cons
- Dearer than much less designer rivals
- Can’t play 4K/120Hz gaming feeds
- Photos lack brightness by at the moment’s OLED requirements
-
55-inch 4K OLED display screenOLED expertise permits every pixel to supply its personal mild and color independently of its neighbours -
Two Audio improve choicesHelps Klang Bar i soundbar or the a lot bigger Klang Bar 5mr -
A number of stand and mount choicesA alternative of the essential desktop stand, floorstanding pole mount, a ground to ceiling pole mount, or wall mount choices -
4 HDMI ports4 HDMI inputs assist variable refresh charges over a restricted frequency vary, ALLM and Dolby Imaginative and prescient video games at 60Hz -
HDRHelps Dolby Imaginative and prescient, HDR10 and HLG HDR
Introduction
After what Gwyneth Paltrow would possibly politely name a ‘aware uncoupling’ from the UK market again in 2019, a restructured, reinvigorated Loewe model is now nicely and actually again on the UK AV scene.
And proper on the entrance line of Loewe’s renewed UK cost is its Bild i vary of TVs: fashions that search to mix all the conventional Loewe points of interest of excellent, bespoke design with a new-found nimbleness in relation to delivering the form of efficiency requirements and options that at the moment’s fast-moving TV market calls for.
Availability
- UKRRP: £2999
- USAunavailable
- EuropeRRP: €2999
- Canadaunavailable
- AustraliaRRP: AU$4999
The Loewe Bild i.55 is out there now within the UK and EU, in addition to Australia. Within the UK it prices £2,999, within the EU it prices €2,999.00, and in Australia it prices AU$4,999. If you need one thing greater, the 65-inch Bild i.65 prices £3,899 / €3,899 / AU$6,499. Loewe doesn’t at the moment distribute its TVs in North America.
It must be careworn that these are beginning costs as one of many Bild i vary’s star points of interest is its skill to be fitted to completely different stand/mount choices and be partnered with extra highly effective built-in sound choices.
The mounting choices embrace a desktop stand, a floor-standing pole-style stand, wall hanging brackets, and even an extremely fashionable pole that runs the total peak of your room, from ground to ceiling.
Essentially the most elegant speaker improve is the marvellously named Klang Bar i, which prices £299 further and has been specifically designed to connect seamlessly to the Bild i TVs’ backside edge because it goes about including extra energy, extra audio system and a extra direct really feel to the TV’s built-in audio system.
You may also connect Loewe’s a lot greater, standalone Klang Bar 5mr soundbar if you want, although this sits on a shelf attachment for one of many pole mounts relatively than being a completely built-in, specialist resolution just like the Bar i. I’ll truly be wanting on the Bar i as a part of this assessment.
Design
- Premium construct and end
- Improve speaker and stand choices
- In depth cable administration
The very first thing die-hard followers of Loewe TVs of previous will likely be joyful to listen to is the brand new 55-inch Bild i.55 retains two traditional Loewe design traits: the designer clothing-like Loewe model tag on its proper hand aspect, and Loewe’s distinctive giant chrome-edged round IR receptor and LED show hanging off its backside edge.
It’s additionally nice to see that Loewe has misplaced none of its urge for food for actually premium construct high quality. Each mannequin continues to be in-built Loewe’s manufacturing facility in Kronach, Germany, and combines an ultra-thin bezel with in depth use of steel and an uncommon however very welcome splash of top of the range cloth masking the TV’s comparatively chunky central part (which homes connections, processing and built-in audio system).
In addition to wanting beautiful in its personal proper, it additionally completely matches the material end of the optionally available Klang Bar i, that means the soundbar blends in completely if you connect its wrap-around type to the TV’s backside edge.
The heavy obligation fundamental desktop plate stand is as imperiously constructed because the TV, whereas the pole-style floorstand and full room peak pole mount choices add critical drama to the Bild i.55’s in any other case impeccably minimalistic presence.
As you’ll anticipate with a TV that trades on its look as a lot because the Bild i.55, all of its varied mounting choices go to nice lengths to offer channelling for all of your cables.
Options
- 4K WRGB OLED panel
- Audio improve choices
- Dolby Atmos sound
The very first thing to determine in regards to the Loewe Bild i.55 is that it doesn’t use one of many new Micro Lens Array OLED panels present in LG’s new flagship G3 OLED TV, or the Quantum Dot OLED expertise in Samsung’s S95C and S90C OLED TVs. It’s a straight WRGB panel of the kind that’s had relative small year-on-year enhancements for years earlier than the brand new brightness boosting applied sciences sauntered into city.
It might need been good if Loewe had gone for an OLED panel with a built-in warmth sink to assist it deal with a bit extra brightness than the 736 nits I measured utilizing a white HDR check window that coated 10% of the TV’s display screen. That’s 100 to 150 nits or so beneath what I’ve seen from the present WRGB OLEDs from the likes of Sony and LG, and solely round half the brightness achieved by the G3 and S95C.
I’ve been reviewing TVs for lengthy sufficient to know that there’s way more to good image high quality than easy brightness.
Essentially the most uncommon characteristic of the Bild i.55 past the stand/mount and audio improve choices I’ve talked about needs to be its DR+ built-in video recording system. This allows you to report losslessly as much as 1TB of video from the built-in tuners. This characteristic is much less more likely to have large enchantment in streaming-obsessed instances, nevertheless it works nicely sufficient and I’m positive there are some who will make the most of it.
Intriguingly, Loewe has moved away from its personal proprietary sensible TV engine on the Bild i.55, turning to Hisense’s VIDAA platform as an alternative. This is smart given the difficulties a comparatively small model like Loewe is certain to face with securing native app assist from all of the streaming companies – particularly as VIDAA has now progressed from its second-tier standing into a sensible platform that runs slickly and stably, and covers a lot of the key apps at the moment’s TV patrons demand.
The one main exception I noticed was Apple TV+ – although Loewe claims this will likely be added at an unconfirmed future date.
The Bild i.55 helps three flavours of excessive dynamic vary by its HDMI ports: Dolby Imaginative and prescient, HDR10 and HLG. There’s no HDR10+ assist, which is a slight disgrace given Panasonic and Philips cater for all 4 HDR codecs. Many different manufacturers additionally solely assist Dolby Imaginative and prescient on the expense of HDR10+ too, although – and HDR10+ content material at the moment stays a lot rarer than Dolby Imaginative and prescient content material.
The Bild i.55’s Dolby connection extends to Dolby Atmos playback, which it will probably additionally cross on losslessly through HDMI eARC to suitable soundbars and AV receivers.
Not every part in regards to the Bild i.55’s 4 HDMI ports is sort of as much as the specification I’d hope for on a premium TV, as they’re solely able to dealing with 18Gbps of information. This implies no assist for the 4K/120Hz alerts players can output from the PS5, Xbox Sequence X and high-end PC graphics playing cards.
That’s to not say the Bild i.55 is a complete bust for gaming; it does nonetheless assist variable refresh charges in a restricted 48 – 60Hz vary, auto low latency mode (ALLM) switching as your console or PC switches between video and recreation sources; and Dolby Imaginative and prescient gaming as much as 60Hz.
There’s one additional little bit of unhealthy information for players within the form of a 43.5ms lag in rendering picture knowledge when utilizing the TV’s Recreation mode. That’s greater than 4 instances longer than the newest TVs from some rivals take, and will likely be sufficient to price you just a few deaths in Name Of Responsibility or make recreation worlds really feel a contact unresponsive.
Delving into the the Bild i.55’s image options reveals an affordable quantity of the same old arrange suspects, together with varied movement processing choices, noise discount and so forth. One putting factor about the way in which the arrange menus are organised is how comparable they seem to these used on Hisense’s most up-to-date high-end TVs, suggesting a deeper collaboration than merely the usage of Hisense’s VIDAA sensible platform.
Image High quality
- Gorgeously deep, pure black ranges
- Spectacular sharpness and detailing
- Not as shiny as the newest OLED panels
The brightness measurements I reported earlier didn’t lie: it’s clear to the bare eye the Loewe Bild i.55 shouldn’t be as shiny as the newest superior OLED TVs I’ve seen from Samsung and LG – not even shut. However that is true additionally of any new mid-range OLED TV from LG, Samsung, Sony, Hisense, Philips et al that doesn’t use both MLA expertise or Samsung’s second-gen QD-OLED expertise.
It’s completely not the case that the Bild i.55 is a few form of old skool outlier. And within the context of all these different conventional WRGB OLED TVs nonetheless round this yr, the Bild i.55 is a really satisfying watch.
For starters, its black ranges are as impeccably deep, wealthy and pure in tone as any you’ll discover wherever within the OLED world. What’s extra, with most of its presets this black degree prowess is married to wonderful finesse and subtlety in relation to reproducing refined color and greyscale element in even the darkest image corners.
The one exception to this shadow element prowess happens if you’re watching Dolby Imaginative and prescient sources (particularly utilizing probably the most correct ‘Darkish’ Dolby Imaginative and prescient preset), with which you turn out to be conscious of fairly noticeable crushing out of refined particulars in darkish areas. The Bild i.55 shouldn’t be the one TV I’ve seen in current instances that’s suffered with this Dolby Imaginative and prescient difficulty, so it’s maybe extra one thing Dolby should be investigating relatively than a fault particular to Loewe’s TV.
Refined particulars are delivered in darkish scenes with out being accompanied by fizzing or blocking artefacts, too, suggesting good processing competence/panel management in relation to dealing with close to black picture content material. The set’s wealthy, black tones present the right counterpoint, too, for the Bild i.55’s fantastically wealthy, daring color replica.
There’s greater than sufficient tonal subtlety and steadiness on this color efficiency to make sure that footage by no means look compelled, cartoonish or in any other case unnatural in any preset, and I didn’t detect any main points with banding in areas of fantastic HDR mixing.
Colors don’t endure a serious shift or any brightness discount for those who watch the Bild i.55 from a extreme angle, both, whereas the picture processing’s precision at choosing the right shade for the fitting pixel contributes to an image that feels pleasingly dense, three-dimensional and detailed.
It’s not fairly as mind-bogglingly sharp with both native 4K sources or upscaled HD as one or two rival OLED footage, most notably these achieved by Philips and Samsung, however its marginally softer footage arguably truly look extra pure. Particularly as they don’t remotely really feel in need of texture or 4K high quality.
Whereas the richness and steadiness of the Bild i.55’s footage ensures a stunning viewing expertise with actually any video supply thrown at it, it does must be mentioned that in addition to being considerably much less shiny than 2023’s new OLED ‘hero’ TVs, its footage are literally rather less shiny and punchy than even these of most of at the moment’s conventional WRGB OLED TVs. A limitation that inevitably restricts the color volumes the display screen can hit, and the depth of the HDR expertise you get with each small shiny highlights and full display screen shiny HDR photos.
The set’s subtlety and steadiness actually does present good compensation for its barely restricted brightness, nevertheless it’s a difficulty which may be notably value making an allowance for for those who’re in search of a TV for a really shiny room.
One different image high quality niggle considerations the bild i.55’s movement dealing with with 24p sources. Judder and a discount in decision when exhibiting digicam pans and shifting objects are extra noticeable than I’d like with no movement processing in play, however a lot of the Bild i.55’s movement processing choices trigger so many undesirable unintended effects that they find yourself being extra distracting to look at than the native judder and blurring.
Happily, simply one of many movement choices accessible, appropriately referred to as Movie, proves delicate sufficient to save lots of the day, in any other case we’d have needed to knock a full mark off the TV’s total rating.
Sound High quality
- Pretty rounded, highly effective sound
- Wealthy, impactful sound – particularly with the Klang Bar i
- Slight lack of enlargement throughout the loudest film moments
Loewe has an extended historical past of mixing its uncompromising method to design and construct high quality with superior audio efficiency, so it’s nice to search out that if the Bild i.55 is something to go by, Loewe has misplaced none of its audio contact throughout its temporary time away from the UK TV enterprise.
Beginning with the set’s default 2 x 20W efficiency, the audio system can go loud sufficient to sound cinematic with out succumbing to harshness, drop outs or different distortions. Quite the opposite, the louder you push them, the richer and extra detailed they begin to sound, and the extra you begin to respect how open and expansive their mid-range is.
Voices at all times sound extremely clear with out turning into disconnected from their wider film combine context, and the sound tasks nicely sufficient out from the TV’s bodywork to create an a minimum of respectable sense of additional area and placement detailing when taking part in Dolby Atmos mixes.
Good although the Bild i.55 sounds out of the field, although, I’d say the Klang Bar i is nicely value including for those who can afford the £299 further. This not solely provides a whopping 80W of energy to proceedings, however delivers that energy by an array of ahead going through drivers that cling behind a sensible felt cowl beneath the TV’s backside edge.
The result’s an instantly way more room-filling, direct sound that makes the world of the movie or TV present you’re watching appear much more alive and immersive. The forward-facing audio system of the Bar i additionally create a a lot bigger soundstage that doesn’t really feel trapped contained in the soundbar’s compact type. It even manages to create a light sense of peak when listening to Dolby Atmos soundtracks.
Bass reaches deeper with the Klang Bar i than it does within the fundamental two-channel in-built speaker configuration. Voices can often sound locked contained in the Bar i, in order that they don’t appear to be coming from the photographs on the display screen, and surprisingly the Bar i’s normally resolute quantities of energy and impression can fall away a bit throughout actually loud, dense sound observe moments. Total, although, the Bild i.55 is a significantly good audio performer in each its commonplace and Klang Bar i configurations.
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Must you purchase it?
Distinctive construct high quality and improve choices: If you need a fantastically constructed TV that permits you to improve its sound high quality as and if you want and allows you to select from quite a lot of fashionable mounting choices, the Loewe Bild i.55 is uniquely certified for its cash.
It’s not an incredible possibility for innovative players: The Bild i.55 doesn’t assist 4K/120Hz gaming and its enter lag in Recreation mode is a little bit too excessive for actually responsive, aggressive play.
Remaining Ideas
The Loewe Bild i.55 is a deeply beautiful TV. From its pristine, fantastically constructed bodywork and distinctive design and audio improve choices by to its typically lovely (if not spectacularly so) footage and clear, potent sound high quality it proves that Loewe has misplaced none of its uniqueness and really feel premium really feel throughout its temporary time away from the TV recreation.
The truth that even the most cost effective model of the Bild i.55 prices a whole lot of kilos greater than the 55-inch variations of this yr’s ultra-bright new Samsung S95C and LG G3 OLED TVs does imply that you could be invested in the entire premium Bild i.55 bundle relatively than simply being a straight-up image high quality junky.
That’s at all times been the case with Loewe, although, and when the bundle is as class an act because the Bild i.55 it’s not possible to not embrace the return of a model that’s courageous sufficient to carry one thing a bit completely different to the TV world.
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We check each tv we assessment totally over an prolonged time frame. We use business commonplace exams to check options correctly. We’ll at all times let you know what we discover. We by no means, ever, settle for cash to assessment a product.
Discover out extra about how we check in our ethics coverage.
Examined for greater than per week
Examined with actual world use
FAQs
VIDAA is a great TV system and interface designed by Hisense, however licensed to different manufacturers.
Each pixel in an OLED display screen produces its personal mild, leading to black degree consistency and native distinction management you’ll be able to’t get with LCD TVs. Although OLEDs sometimes can’t get as shiny as LCD TVs.
You’ll be able to mount it on a floorstanding pole, a ground to ceiling pole, and a wall mount in addition to its desktop resolution. And you’ll add a screw-on Klang Bar i soundbar, or connect the a lot bigger 5mr soundbar to a assist shelf that may be connected to the TV’s pole stand.
Sustainability
Trusted Critiques’ holds the truth that world warming shouldn’t be a fantasy as a core worth and can constantly endeavour to assist shield our planet from hurt in its enterprise practices.
As a part of this mission, every time we assessment a product we ship the corporate a collection of questions to assist us gauge and make clear the impression the system has on the setting.
We at the moment haven’t acquired solutions to the questions on this product, however will replace this web page the second we do. You’ll be able to see an in depth breakdown of the questions we ask and why in our sustainability data web page.
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Dolby Atmos
Dolby Atmos is an object-based audio format. It expands on 5.1 and seven.1 soundtracks by including overhead channels. Sounds are known as “audio objects”, of which there might be as much as 128 audio channels, and these ‘objects’ might be precisely positioned inside a 3D soundscape. This permits soundtracks that assist the expertise to put sounds above and across the listener with suitable equipment.
