Loewe has announced the U.K. release of its latest luxury OLED TV model, the Loewe Stellar OLED TV, which made its debut in Europe last month.
The new model is the first OLED TV from Loewe that features LG Display’s latest OLED panel featuring second-generation Micro Lens Array technology that pushes more light to the front of the screen to enhance brightness. But the incredibly stylish look of the TV is perhaps even more reason to get excited, featuring a back-plate made of luxurious “syno-stone”, a uniquely smooth and glossy, concrete material that looks and feels like a shiny., polished slab of natural stone.
Unlike other TVs featuring the MLA OLED, Loewe’s Stellar OLED sets itself apart as the panel has reportedly been finished at the company’s headquarters in Kronach in Germany, by a dedicated team of around 200 professionals, adding authenticity to the “Made in Germany” label that appears on each of the TVs.
Earlier this year, Loewe announced that it is the first TV maker in the world that’s opted to purchase open-cell WRBG OLED panels from LG Display, as opposed to the finished article. By buying an open-cell, Loewe gets more scope in terms of being able to customize the OLED panel by integrating its own heatsink and power supply, and optimizing its performance.
We’ve yet to see the benefits of Loewe’s customized OLED panels, but the TV has already claimed a prestigious IF Design Award even before it has gone on sale, having showed off the TV to competition judges earlier this year.
Besides the panel, it’s the Syno-Stone finish that really sets the Loewe Stellar OLED apart. The Syno-Stone material was first seen on the company’s Iconic OLED TVs that launched in late 2022, and adds a touch of class and luxury that no other OLED TV set can claim – not even those made by Loewe’s luxury TV brand rival, Bang & Olufsen, which sells some equally stunning OLED TV models.
Loewe said customers will be able to choose from a variety of Syno-Stone colours, so they have options for matching the TV with the interior of their living room, in-line with its historic luxury design ethos.
Another novel aspect of the Loewe Stellar OLED TV is that it’s one of the first non-Samsung OLED TVs to run the Tizen OS operating system, although the company doesn’t call it that. Although Loewe has licensed Tizen from Samsung, it has customized that platform and rebranded it as the Loewe os9 operating system. It’s said to provide a smooth user experience, combined with support for all of the major streaming services (such as Netflix) and other on-demand services. That said, it’s not clear yet if this extends to regional streaming services such as the U.K.’s Freeview Play or Freely service. On the other hand, if Loewe lives up to its “luxury” reputation, it will hopefully strip out the increasing number of ads that appear on Samsung’s Tizen. We’re not sure yet if that’s the case.
In addition, there’s a dual-channel digital recording system equipped with a triple tuner and integrated SSD to enable recording of live content and “seamless multi-viewing”, the company said. For those who intend to use the Loewe Stellar OLED as a luxury gaming platform, they’ll be pleased to know it has a 144Hz refresh rate with support for VRR and ALLM, while the company has generously added four HDMI 2.1 ports, which can be accessed on the back.
One disadvantage of using a Tizen OS is that it likely means the Loewe Stellar OLED will not support Dolby Vision HDR. Samsung has been notorious for refusing to implement Dolby Vision support at the OS level, although Loewe could potentially add some customizations to enable this. However, with no mention of Dolby Vision in the press release, it’s unlikely to have done that, though we can expect that the alternative HDR10+ and HDR10 formats will be available, as they are on most Samsung models.
The integrated audio system includes a built-in soundbar at the front that boasts 80-watts of power, together with “distinctive gloss-finished speakers” that add up to a combined 200-watts of audio output, which should be more than enough to deliver Loewe’s claimed “mighty sound that’s rich and precise”.
Rounding out the stylish look of the Stellar OLED is the high-quality, brushed aluminium frame and the Magic Light LED system that delivers a synchronized play of light beneath and around the display. This ambient lighting effect can even be customized to the user’s liking using the supplied remote control, though unlike Philip’s better known “Ambilight” tech, it does not dynamically adapt its lighting effects to match the on-screen action.
Without doubt, the Loewe Stellar OLED is a higher end TV model with high prices to match, but the good news is that those who have the cash to splash have plenty of options. Prices start at £3,299 for the 42-inch model that goes on sale in June, with the 48-inch and 55-inch models to follow in July, priced at £3,799 and £4,299 respectively. The 65-inch model, set to cost £5,299, will also go on sale in July, followed by the 77-inch and 83-inch versions that will launch in October, priced at £9,499 and £18,999.
If none of those models are big and bold enough, consumers can instead hold off until next year, when Loewe is plannin
