Every time I pass by the LG MyView Smart Monitor that I installed in my home, I think that life would have been so much better if it had existed when I was in college. The idea of a 32-inch 4K monitor that doubles as a TV just makes sense, especially for people living in confined spaces and/or those who can’t afford two devices. I actually wonder if I could have seriously investigated if the latest streaming services had been just a click away at that time, but I digress.
Key takeaways from the LG MyView Smart Monitor/TV
- LG’s MyView Smart Monitor is exactly that: a monitor for your PC that doubles as a smart TV, with a starting price of €240.
- The device’s dual function and large screen size (32 inches) make it ideal for the office, dorm life, and other tight spaces.
- You will still need an external speaker or soundbar in order to have an optimal entertainment experience.
Over the last two weeks, I have specifically tested the 31.5” model of this LG MyView Smart Monitor series with the reference 32SR85U. This is the highest configuration for the MyView series, but comes with a 4K UHD display with 95% DCI-P3 color space, 90W USB-C passthrough charging, and a modular webcam included in the box . I found all of these features useful for workflows that required photo and video editing, writing, and collaboration. And there are other good things.
Content arranged by tiles
Installation of the LG MyView is quite simple: a click mechanism allows you to attach the monitor to the height and tilt adjustable base, a power cable ensures the operation of the device and you can connect a PC or computer laptop via one of the two HDMI ports on the back. Of course, you can also connect a gaming console to the monitor, but with a maximum refresh rate of 60Hz, don’t expect to see the smoothest animations even if you’re on a PlayStation 5 or Xbox One .
The back of the monitor has three USB-C ports and two HDMI ports. Kerry Wan/ZDNET
You can technically operate the monitor without any input source, since it is, after all, a smart TV. The MyView runs through LG’s webOS 23 platform, which is more user-friendly than I expected, with just about every major streaming service represented on the home screen and several “Quick Cards” (of types of tiles) above to access content folders such as games, music, sports and telecommuting.
In theory, this categorization of apps and services should make it easier to navigate the TV. But I often found myself thinking long and hard about what I should do or what I wanted to watch on the screen… only to end up on YouTube or Netflix, which defeats the purpose of the user interface.
The design of the MyView is remarkably similar to Samsung’s, from the white finish to the magnetic slot for the webcam, to the handy remote control. This similarity is not surprising, given the competition between the two brands in the home entertainment space. I look forward to seeing more options in this ever-evolving niche monitor category.
A beautiful display for working well and a socket for recharging your cell phone
The MyView is better than Samsung’s M8 Smart Monitor in several ways, the first being the IPS panel compared to Samsung’s VA panel. The LG monitor’s matte-coated IPS screen makes it ideal for photo and video editing, use cases where color accuracy and wide viewing angles are advantages. I’m also a fan of LG’s 90W charging via USB-C (compared to 65W for the M8): it keeps my MacBook Pro powered all day long.
Kerry Wan/ZDNET
Unfortunately audio quality is one of the areas in which this MyView monitor lags: the integrated 5W speakers are not up to par, even though the product is still geared towards entertainment. The sound is muffled, I was forced to look for a third-party speaker from the first listen. For documentaries and podcasts, the monitor speakers are passable. For everything else, I’d connect a secondary source or, simply put, a pair of wireless headphones.
Where the LG MyView Smart Monitor falls short on the audio front, it makes up for it on the display quality front, with a default color setting that I found easy on the eyes and not at all distracting (which some TV screens tend to be with the factory setting). Whether streaming shows on webOS or editing photos on Adobe Lightroom with my MacBook connected, the MyView didn’t overcompensate for scenes and images. So much so that I had to dim them myself in the monitor settings, which was refreshing nonetheless.
Purchasing advice for the LG MyView Smart Monitor/TV
The LG MyView Smart Monitor isn’t able to outperform a standalone professional monitor or high-end TV, but it offers a level of convenience that neither can, and at a price relatively accessible.
As I mentioned before, this is the kind of product I wish I had in my dorm room, where I probably would have opted for the cheaper one with fewer ports and a smaller 27-inch screen .
Source: “ZDNet.com”