Even I was impressed by LG's gigantic transparent OLED chandelier of hopes and dreams, but I'm still not buying one

22 hours ago 4

A display at CES 2025 showing several huge transparent screens mounted and motorised around a chandelier, lit up in purple.

(Image credit: Future)

Many moons ago I wrote an article lamenting the rise of transparent displays. The tl;dr being, the practical usage is limited at best, and they only really work as a sales technique to get everyone to pay attention to your booth at a trade show.

Well, today I was at a trade show. CES 2025, to be precise, in the Las Vegas Convention Center. And, to my great shame, I was drawn in by a transparent TV display. Because honestly, when LG has gone to all this effort to put something this visually spectacular together, even I have to stop and ogle.

LG transparent TV display @ CES 2025 - YouTube

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I know, I know, it's just another expo gimmick. Mounting a load of 77-inch LG signature OLED T displays sideways, motorising them, and moving them in sequence while being rotated around a chandelier is nothi... actually what am I talking about, it's properly impressive.

As an effect, at least. Before you think my brain has entirely turned to mush, I'm not suggesting anybody run out and buy one of these things. They're $60,000 a piece, for goodness sake—and once again, you really, really don't need a transparent display in your home.

But gosh, I am a bit of a sucker for the whole cyberpunk aesthetic, and this display, nay, sculpture, made my brain go all fizzy on the inside. Just for a second, mind, before I shook my head from side to side like a cartoon character and went back on the hunt for other tech.

That being said, I did find another display that I'd desperately love to hook up to my gaming PC and blast out a bit of Forza Horizon 5. How about the glory that is the 163-inch Micro LED TCL X11H Max?

TCL X11H Max @ CES 2025 - YouTube

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TCL says it features a nanosecond-level response time, and can reach 10,000 nits brightness. That'll do then.

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Yours, for a mere *checks notes* $110,000. Gulp. But can you imagine playing racing games on this thing? The odd bit of Doom Eternal? Hell, what about a horror movie, if you're brave enough? The mind (and the eyeball) boggles.

Fine, I'll go back to hunting for interesting PC gaming hardware. But I get to see a lot of lovely displays in this job, and I have to say that both of these made me stop in my tracks—even if they're much more home consumer than pro gamer.

I still think transparent screens are an awful idea in general, though. Even if you do make them dance the fandango for the amusement of the press.

Andy built his first gaming PC at the tender age of 12, when IDE cables were a thing and high resolution wasn't. After spending over 15 years in the production industry overseeing a variety of live and recorded projects, he started writing his own PC hardware blog in the hope that people might send him things. And they did! Now working as a hardware writer for PC Gamer, Andy's been jumping around the world attending product launches and trade shows, all the while reviewing every bit of PC hardware he can get his hands on. You name it, if it's interesting hardware he'll write words about it, with opinions and everything.

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