We've seen plenty of developments in portable tech in recent years. LG's latest reveal is maybe one of the most surprising but also most obvious – it's putting a 27in touchscreen display inside a briefcase.
Yep, that might sound weird. Most portable tech now focuses on being small enough not to require its own luggage allowance. But there are times when you might want a larger display than that provided by most tablets, and many of the best portable monitors leave it to the user to work out how to protect them in transit.
There are plenty of portable touchscreen monitors about, but they tend not to be much bigger than laptop size. That kind of makes sense since anything much beyond 16 inches is going to be hard to fit into a bag with other items you might need to carry about with you, but it does limit their uses. LG's solution is the StanbyMe Go 27LX5QKNA, a 27in portable LED display that comes in its own dedicated briefcase.
The South Korean tech brand intends the product to be a multi-purpose device that can be used standing up in its case for watching streaming content but also laid flat to play digital board games via apps.
The promotional video does look a little funny with families taking a briefcase that could belong to a spy along to family picnics and camping trips. But if you can get over how strange the situation looks, the screen is quite smart, following the direction of LG's other StanByMe products like its wheeled display on a stand.
It runs LG's webOS and comes with a remote control for non-touch apps. An adjustable arm allows it to be lifted and rotated to the desired position, and the height and angle can be adjusted. The screen specs are a fairly standard FHD (1,920 x 1,080) resolution and 60Hz refresh rate.
It might seem like something of a novelty product, but I can see it as being genuinely practical for some people, particularly for large families or groups that might prefer to all watch or play something around a larger screen instead of each member of the group being isolated with their own device. It can also be used in the home as a more portable TV that can be stowed when not in use.
On the work side, it could be useful for anyone who has to give presentations outside of their own office. If you're going to a place and you don't know what kind of screen (if any) you might have access to, or what the connectivity options will be, this could be a reassuring solution.
The biggest drawback might be the battery life, with LG claiming up to three hours per charge. That's not even enough for some long films (or board games). LG says the device weighs 12.7kg and measures 67 x 43.3 x 11.9cm closed and up to 72.9cm all when opened in portrait mode. Dolby Vision and Atmos are supported and the four-channel speaker system is rated up to 20 watts.
The StanbyMe Go 27LX5QKNA has gone on sale in South Korea for 1.17 million won - around $900. We've no news yet on when it will reach other markets. Check out the best current prices on portable monitors below. We also have a guide to the best touchscreen monitors.
