The 10 coolest TVs from IFA 2023, from massive 4K wonders to designs for OLED TVs

 The 10 coolest TVs from IFA 2023, from massive 4K wonders to designs for OLED TVs

IFA 2023 took up a significant portion of my week, and as the biggest AV nerd on the TechRadar Berlin staff, it was clearly my responsibility to find cool TVs there. IFA is often a terrific event for TVs; it's not quite as exciting for them as CES, but in the years I've been covering the show, there has been a lot of great stuff. There, Samsung famously unveiled its first 8K TV, and even before the company announced it, a massive advertisement for it could be seen as you left the airport.

IFA frequently features a mix of recently unveiled sets that will compete for a spot on our list of the best TVs, concept TV designs from manufacturers showcasing what they might be able to do (but probably won't), and recently announced sets making their first physical appearance at a show where we can actually, 'know, see them.

Trifles like "pricing" or "release dates" are typically not our concern; instead, let's window shop on the show floor of the Berlin Messe complex.

1. Toshiba's idea of OLED TV in a retro design

Toshiba's idea of OLED TV in a retro design

Anyone who read our coverage of IFA last year may recognize this; Toshiba previously displayed an OLED concept that seems to have been influenced by the designs of Braun products from many years ago. But this is a new version that has undergone extensive revisions, increasing the likelihood that it will be released at some point. For one thing, it's now made of plastic rather than aluminum, which is arguably more realistic, and because its legs are shorter, it can sit directly on a TV bench. The final product is less obviously different, in my opinion, but it still looks fantastic. The Braun-style design would go perfectly with any mid-century or Scandinavian furniture, and I adore any TV that emphasizes the physical design.

2. LG StanbyME Go

LG StanbyME Go

Yes, that is the recently announced LG suitcase TV in real life! I had a chance to experiment a little with the TV's physical operation by rotating, altering the angle, and putting it back into suitcase mode. Its suitcase component is quite robustly constructed; it feels like high-quality plastic and has no give. There is no concern that placing a piece of conventional luggage on top will harm the screen. Although it seems usually strong and stable, the arm moves with ease. Having a fully functional TV for one minute, followed by clicking the gratifying latches shut, grabbing the handle, and dragging it away, has a certain air of enchantment. Although the TV screen itself isn't particularly noteworthy, this is one of the few TVs that isn't worth mentioning. Simply bring it with you.

3. Micro LED from Samsung

Micro LED from Samsung

Even while this was nothing new to IFA, it's still uncommon to see in person. Samsung has just recently been able to incorporate cutting-edge micro-LED technology into a product that is actually the size and shape of a TV unit as opposed to its odd modular "The Wall" product. 

Micro-LED TVs essentially function like OLED TVs in that each pixel emits its own light and can be individually muted to black. However, because micro-LED doesn't need organic materials (the O in OLED), it can be more brighter and last longer. The last iteration of TVs as we know them, although it's extremely difficult to produce.

The tremendous level of brightness combined with complete contrast perfection makes them unlike anything else, and they can currently be produced at very enormous proportions for outrageous prices.

4. "Blended" Hisense laser televisions

Blended" Hisense laser televisions

Even though Hisense's Laser TVs are effectively 4K ultra-short throw projectors with screens attached, the company likes to refer to them as televisions, so I'm going to indulge them here since I want to include this on the list. The projections from two Laser TV units placed side by side can be combined into a single, 200-inch ultra-wide screen. You can magnify a letterboxed movie to fill the entire width if it has black bars at the top and bottom. This gives you an absurdly cinematic picture from a (relatively) easy setup.

5. TCL X955

TCL X955

With this set, which boasts over 5,000 local dimming zones and reportedly has a peak brightness of 5,000 nits, TCL is pushing mini-LED technology further than before. This is roughly 25 percent more than the brightest mini-LED TV currently available and nearly 250% more than the Samsung S95C, the most brilliant OLED TV we have yet to evaluate. It's pretty light, then. 

Is all of this brightness really required? Well, that depends on your objectives. In order to avoid reflections when watching in a bright room with plenty of windows throughout the day, you need as much brightness as you can get. Additionally, additional brightness is helpful if you want your photographs to look as authentic as possible because, according to legend, ambient light on a sunny day begins at about 7,000 nits. Even if all this brightness might not be necessary to enjoy a movie, watching a nature documentary in such stark contrast brings you that much closer to actually feeling as though you are there.

6. Loewe Classic

 Loewe Classic

So, just by looking at it, this TV is pretty cool. Consider purchasing an OLED TV that is attached to a handcrafted "Syno-Stone" stand with a fabric-covered sound system underneath if you want something completely different from the slender gray/black frames we're used to seeing. Syno-Stone is a recycled product manufactured from genuine stone that resembles freshly hewn stone that has been meticulously treated. 

The finest feature, though, is how customizable it is. You may select from a variety of stone finishes, as well as from a variety of fabric options for the speaker cover and colorful inlays at the side, which add an extra touch of style when viewed from a certain angle.

It's exactly the kind of thing I want to see from a symbol of high-end German design, and it's what I want to see more of generally in TVs.

7. Hisense R7K

Hisense R7K

I adore how the design of this blends vintage television with an art frame. A fabric "bezel," a gleaming metal edge, and finally a more subdued frame with that large dial you can see on the edge closest to the camera are all present. No matter what is displayed on the screen, I find it to be interesting-looking and appealing to the touch. Speaking of the screen, this one has a high-end panel with a quantum dot color and a mini-LED backlight, unlike Samsung's art/design-focused TVs. This is a real product that you can purchase, unlike many of the TVs on this list, however not in the US or the UK. I suppose you should complain to your nearby Hisense office to get that fixed.

8. An OLED prototype from Toshiba with side speakers

An OLED prototype from Toshiba with side speakers

I adore the blocky style of yet another gorgeous OLED from Toshiba that will probably never be used. Two black bars at the side that serve as forward speakers are added, leaning into the sharp edges that TVs already have. This may be fantastic for positional sound to match what's on-screen in a "real" version. The final wonderful detail is a huge kickstand-style support at the back, which really seems clean-lined and unique to practically anything else. They are triangular at the back, giving it a smart, thin-edged design.

9. Hisense UXN

Hisense UXN

It was a pleasant surprise when Hisense debuted the year's flagship TV at IFA this year, even though it was only a prototype. Though the image quality was still quite good even as-is, the final version is expected to have more dimming zones and other adjustments. However, it did feature one improvement for which we can now be amazed: superb anti-reflection technology. Because it provides a simple method for lower-brightness TVs to become more visible in bright environments without requiring the addition of more expensive screen hardware, I think lower reflectivity will be a significant deal for TVs in the upcoming couple of years. Because of this, I've chosen the picture above, which doesn't show you anything on the screen, so you can see how the reflections differ between this Hisense model and a prior one. It will assist whichever high-end screen ultimately ends up in this model to look its best at whatever time of day. I asked Hisense to turn them both off so that I could acquire photographs that highlighted the enormous improvement I was seeing between generations.

10. The energy-saving TV from Vestel

The energy-saving TV from Vestel

Finally, we have the most deserving TV on the list despite having the least attractive design or image. Giant Turkish producer Vestel, which creates the actual TVs marketed under various well-known brands, demonstrated a TV that it claims uses 55% less energy than comparable mid-range LCD TVs while maintaining the brightness and uniformity of the screen. If the technology is ever used to produce an actual model, we will be able to assess its success, but even in prototype form, the trick is astounding.

It appears to use a different kind of LED than typical TVs would, and they are placed differently as well. At first glance, it didn't appear to be any weaker than many other inexpensive TVs, and I'm sure there's space for the technology to expand and improve more - I've heard that they've only recently completed building and activating this show floor model.