LG comes with cheaper A1 OLED TVs with 4k resolution, 60Hz panel and HDMI 2.0
LG is reportedly introducing a new TV series this year that will be positioned below the relatively cheap B1 OLED TVs. The A1 OLED TVs would have 4k OLED panels, but have a maximum refresh rate of 60Hz and HDMI 2.0.
LG previously mentioned the arrival of the A1-oled TVs and more details have now come out. The usually well-established website FlatpanelsHD, among others, comes with the necessary details about these new A1 OLED TVs, which will come out in screen sizes of 48, 55, 65 and 77 inches.
According to the site, these televisions will receive support for HDMI 2.0 instead of HDMI 2.1 in addition to the halved refresh rate. Television reviewer John Archer says on Forbes that the A1 will get HDMI 2.0b. In theory, Variable Refresh Rate would be an option, but he states, like FlatpanelsHD, that it will not be supported. However, Auto Low Latency Mode and eARC will be present. Also in the field of high dynamic range there seem to be no restrictions; the A1 supports HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision and Dolby Vision IQ.
Partly due to the lower refresh rate and the lack of HDMI 2.1, LG seems to mainly want to serve the mainstream segment with these televisions, such as pure film enthusiasts who do not need advanced gaming features. Information about the prices LG will charge for these televisions has not yet been released, but it is clear that these A1 televisions will be LG’s cheapest OLED televisions in 2021. The author of FlatpanelsHD writes that he has heard that the A1 is being marketed at a ‘significantly lower price’.
Previously, the OLED televisions designated with the letter B were the cheapest models, although there were no huge differences between, for example, the CX and the BX OLED TVs from last year. There will be some differences between the A1 and the B1, because the B1 TVs do get HDMI 2.1 functions such as VRR, including FreeSync and G-Sync Compatible, and 120Hz panels. The LG B1 will come in sizes of 55, 65 and 77 inches.
The B1 OLED televisions would also support OLED Motion Pro. This is an improved version of black frame insertion, which LG calls ‘OLED Motion’. The basic version of this technology is available with the A1. In the technique, black images are briefly inserted between the different frames to reduce the motion blur.
A similarity between the A1 and B1 OLED TVs is the presence of the Alpha 7 Gen 4 image processor. It is less advanced than the Alpha 9 Gen 4, which is integrated in the C1 and the more expensive G1 among others. Both TVs also get webOS 6.0, support for Apple AirPlay 2, HomeKit, Google Assistant and Dolby Atmos. Both models also have support for HGIG, a method to make HDR come into its own in console games.
Information about the prices is therefore not yet available and there are also no photos or images of the A1 OLED TVs. It is also unclear whether manufacturers other than LG will also come up with comparable, cheaper OLED models. That will depend on the extent to which panel producer LG Display also supplies these panels to manufacturers other than LG Electronics. It is still unknown when LG will release more details about the A1 OLED TVs.