When Loewe withdrew from the UK TV market back in 2019, it wasn’t clear if the premium German brand would make a comeback. With more competitively priced rivals flooding the TV market, the odds seemed stacked against it.

However, given Loewe's history of delivering beautifully built TVs with innovative designs, strong performance, and unique upgrade options, we were thrilled when they announced their return in late 2021. Excitingly, Loewe also mentioned that they would adopt a faster product design cycle, ensuring their new TVs could keep pace with the rapid innovation in today's TV scene.

The Bild i.55 is the first product of Loewe's ‘rebirth’. While it retains some of the classic Loewe charm, it also indicates that Loewe in 2022 is a much more agile and focused brand than before.

Price

The £2999 / AU$4999 (around $3400) price tag for the Loewe Bild i.55 places it firmly in the premium segment of today's TV market. To put this into perspective, LG’s OLED55C2 costs just £1199 / $1300 / AU$3195 at present, while Sony’s XR-55A80K OLED TV is £1499 / $1300 / AU$2595. Even the notable new QD-OLED TV models, the Samsung QE55S95B and Sony XR-55A95K, are currently priced at £1199 / $1500 / AU$2995 and £2199 / $3000 (around AU$3895) respectively.

This pricing strategy places the Bild i.55 at a clear disadvantage, especially since it utilizes traditional 'WRGB' OLED technology rather than the newer QD-OLED technology. However, Loewe justifies the cost with some unique features.

For instance, its design and build quality are exceptional. The chassis is designed to accommodate an elegant soundbar upgrade when desired and includes a built-in hard disk video recorder with 1TB of storage space, a rare feature in today’s TV market.

Additionally, the Bild i.55 offers various stand and wall-mount options, including a floor-to-ceiling pole mount, providing a versatile setup.

While these premium features may not make the Bild i.55 a mainstream TV option, they significantly appeal to Loewe’s target audience of affluent, design-oriented customers. This high-end proposition could certainly attract many to its premium offering, especially considering that the cheapest 55-inch TV from another renowned premium designer brand, Bang & Olufsen, costs £5800 / $6975 / AU$14,091.

Design

Our latest product design strikes the perfect balance between form and function. Meticulously crafted, it integrates seamlessly into any modern space, bringing an air of sophistication. Each detail has been thoughtfully considered, ensuring that both aesthetics and usability shine, making this an essential addition to your lifestyle.

Performance

Experience unparalleled performance with cutting-edge technology designed to exceed your expectations. Our product delivers speed, efficiency, and reliability, making everyday tasks a breeze. Dive into a new level of productivity and enjoyment, with features specifically tailored to meet your needs.

Value

Invest in a product that offers exceptional value. Competitive pricing combined with premium features ensures you get the best bang for your buck. It's a smart choice that doesn’t sacrifice quality for affordability, making it an unbeatable option in its category.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this product stands out for its innovative design, top-tier performance, and tremendous value. Whether you're looking to upgrade or make a first-time purchase, it's crafted to meet your highest expectations. Make this savvy investment today and elevate your everyday experience.

The Loewe Bild i.55 truly stands out as a masterpiece of design and functionality. Its OLED screen is set against a beautifully crafted brushed black metal panel, which is impressively slim at the edges. The frame around the screen is incredibly thin and appears to merge seamlessly with the display, ensuring minimal distraction from the stunning visuals.

To excel in sound quality without adopting Acoustic Surface technology, used by Sony’s OLED TVs, the Bild i.55 has a larger rear section. This design choice is executed elegantly, with a substantial portion covered in a sophisticated graphite-grey cloth.

The distinctive Loewe ‘label’ on the TV's upper right and the classic large circular LED display and IR sensor on the bottom edge are iconic design features that Loewe enthusiasts will appreciate.

Our model is mounted on a robust and beautifully finished pole-style desktop stand, which sits atop a finely crafted brushed metal plate. The pole stand allows for neat cable management, with channels in both the pole and the recessed connection area on the back of the TV.

Together, these elements create a television that looks exceptionally elegant and premium from every angle.

Remarkably, the Bild i.55’s unified design allows for the addition of an optional 'soundbar' speaker without compromising its aesthetic appeal. The Klang Bar i accessory attaches to the TV’s lower edge and, with its matching fabric finish, seamlessly integrates into the overall look.

As highlighted in the pricing section, you can elevate the Bild i.55’s dramatic appearance even further with optional elegant wall mounts, a floor-standing pole mount, or a striking ‘floor2ceiling’ pole stand.

The Loewe Bild i.55 is accompanied by a stunning metallic remote control, which is not only a pleasure to hold but also perfectly complements the TV’s premium design.

Features

Discover the standout features of our latest product, designed with you in mind. From cutting-edge technology to user-friendly interfaces, every detail has been crafted to enhance your experience.

• User-friendly interfaces for effortless navigation

• Advanced technology ensuring top-notch performance

• Seamless integration with various platforms

• Reliable and durable construction for long-term use

Our goal is to provide you with a product that not only meets but exceeds your expectations, offering unparalleled convenience and efficiency in your daily life. Stay ahead with our innovative solutions, designed to keep you connected and productive.

Explore More

For more details, feel free to visit our official website or contact our support team for personalized assistance. Experience the future with our state-of-the-art product lineup, tailored to suit your needs.

The Loewe Bild i.55 is designed with a 4K-resolution WRGB OLED panel supporting HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision HDR formats. However, it does not support HDR10+ like some of its competitors.

It's uncertain if the Bild i.55 uses one of the latest 'EX' OLED panels, but its brightness levels suggest it doesn’t. Unlike many premium OLED TVs this year, the Bild i.55 lacks a heat sink layer, which means it can't run as brightly without the risk of screen burn.

Like other OLED TVs, the Bild i.55 boasts advantages such as a pixel-level degree of local contrast, deep and uniform black levels, and wide viewing angles.

The smart system of the Bild i.55 is the VIDAA platform by Hisense. Although not exclusive to Hisense models, it's surprising to see Loewe adopt this platform instead of its proprietary one. This change reflects Loewe’s practical approach to delivering all the features consumers expect, especially as VIDAA has evolved into a user-friendly and content-rich platform.

Moreover, the Bild i.55’s setup menus have similarities to recent Hisense TVs, indicating a broader collaboration.

Connectivity-wise, the Bild i.55 appears strong with four HDMIs, all claimed to support HDMI 2.1. However, none of these support 4K/120Hz signals from devices like the PS5, Xbox Series X, and high-end PCs. Nonetheless, the HDMIs provide eARC support for lossless Dolby Atmos audio, as well as VRR gaming up to 60Hz, and ALLM.

Although not primarily aimed at gamers, it would have been advantageous for the Bild i.55 to support 4K/120Hz, a feature now common in other premium models. The 43.5ms input lag in Game mode might not impress serious gamers.

The Bild i.55 supports Dolby Atmos audio, matched with its Dolby Vision video, delivered by a 20W speaker system. An upgrade to an 80W system with forward-facing drivers is possible by attaching the Klang Bar i to the TV's bottom edge.

A notable feature of the Bild i.55 is its DR+ system, a built-in 1TB hard disc recorder for recording shows from the built-in Freeview HD tuner. While recording from a tuner might seem outdated amidst streaming services, the generous 1TB storage is useful, and the popularity of platforms like Sky Q indicates that time-shifting live broadcasts remains important to many viewers.

Picture

Our latest review brings you an in-depth look at the stunning visual performance of this product. With its enhanced color accuracy and richer contrasts, this device truly redefines your viewing experience. Whether you're watching movies, gaming, or simply browsing your favorite content, the picture quality is nothing short of spectacular.

Key Features:

• Color Accuracy: Experience colors as they were meant to be seen, with vivid hues and natural tones.

• Contrast: Enjoy deeper blacks and brighter whites for an immersive viewing experience.

• Resolution: Stunning clarity and detail, even in the most fast-paced scenes.

This product is designed to make every moment count, offering a visual feast that keeps you coming back for more. It's time to elevate your entertainment with a display that delivers excellence, whether you're marathoning your favorite series or diving into the latest blockbuster. Don't miss out on this premium viewing experience.

With the Bild i.55 OLED TV, picture quality is a standout, often achieving stunningly beautiful visuals. The TV’s combination of perfect black levels and pixel-level contrast and light control truly sets it apart. Even the top LCD TVs can't match the Bild i.55’s capability to showcase scenes like stars against a night sky or torchlight in a dark room with such purity and impact.

Its OLED panel ensures that the darkest pixel can sit next to the brightest one without compromising quality. The bright pixels retain their brightness, and the black pixels stay true to black, without sliding into greyness. This creates a powerful impact, especially in dark HDR scenes. Although it's not the brightest OLED TV available, the black levels remain steady even when viewed from an angle, unlike many LCDs.

These excellent black levels lay the groundwork for impressive color handling. The Bild i.55 delivers rich and vibrant colors in both bright and dark scenes, blending tones smoothly to create natural, three-dimensional images. The nuanced color presentation also enhances the picture's sharpness and detail. Even on a 55-inch screen, native 4K sources look emphatically 4K, and it upscales HD content well, though not quite to the level of top upscaling brands.

When it comes to HDR10 sources, the Bild i.55 performs well with tone mapping, delivering with good punch, control, and minimal clipping. It also handles Dolby Vision sources nicely, offering more dynamic range impact compared to most premium TVs.

However, the Bild i.55 does have some shortcomings. Its pictures aren’t as bright as those of top rivals, even in its Dynamic preset. It doesn’t deliver HDR images with the same punch and intensity as competitors like the LG C2, Panasonic LZ1500B, Sony A95K, or Samsung S95B.

You can improve its out-of-the-box performance by turning off the ambient light sensor, which can make the screen very dark in low light, and maximizing the Backlight setting. However, the TV has an upper limit on brightness that it can’t exceed.

This slight lack of brightness can affect Dolby Vision content, as dark scenes might lose some shadow detail, making certain areas appear hollow. Another area for improvement is motion performance. Without motion processing, judder and resolution loss can be noticeable. Most of the motion processing options cause issues like stuttering or distracting effects. The Film motion processing option is a workable solution, improving the panel’s motion performance without unnatural results, but it’s an area Loewe could enhance in future models.

Sound

Experience the magic of crystal-clear audio with our latest sound system. Designed for a seamless blend of technology and style, it delivers an unparalleled auditory journey. Whether you are a casual listener or an audiophile, our system ensures every note, beat, and melody is heard in perfection.

With cutting-edge features and user-friendly controls, it is ideal for every household. Embrace the future of sound today!

• Sleek and stylish design

• Easy to use

• Advanced technology

We tested the Loewe Bild i.55’s sound using both its default speaker system and the optional Klang Bar i ‘soundbar’.

Starting with the default speakers, they perform well above their 20W power rating. They produce robust volume levels without harshness or restriction, and the dynamic range offers an open, well-rounded sound that holds up even during dense soundtracks, avoiding distortions or dropouts.

Voices come through clear and convincing, the soundstage is reasonably large, and the speakers are sensitive enough to reveal plenty of clean, detailed audio. These details are precisely positioned within the TV’s soundstage when playing Dolby Atmos soundtracks, though they're limited in creating a room-filling forward impact.

This is where the Klang Bar i shines. Its smart design uses an array of forward-facing drivers, immediately delivering a more impactful, direct, and dramatic sound. The sound expands significantly as it leaves the Klang Bar i, creating a larger soundstage that benefits the Bild i.55’s Dolby Atmos capabilities with some vertical as well as horizontal presence.

Having eight drivers and significantly more power also brings out even more detail and clarity in dense movie mixes, while adding a welcome boost to the bass.

However, there are a couple of minor issues with the Klang Bar i. Occasionally, voices may sound as if they’re coming from slightly below the on-screen action, and it can slightly recede during escalating soundtrack moments heading towards a crescendo. Thankfully, these moments are rare, and it's a common issue in many integrated TV sound systems. Still, it seems unnecessary for such a powerful system as the Klang Bar i.

Verdict

After an in-depth review, it's clear this product stands out for its innovative features and user-friendly design. The intuitive interface and responsive performance make it a top choice for both tech enthusiasts and everyday users. With a sleek exterior and robust functionality, it seamlessly blends style with practicality.

Overall, this product goes above and beyond expectations, offering exceptional value and reliability. It's a solid investment for anyone looking to enhance their tech setup.

The Loewe Bild i.55 marks the German brand's strong and desirable re-entry into the UK market. It embodies the classic premium Loewe TV elegance, while also showcasing a more pragmatic and responsive approach to staying current with TV technology advancements. Both picture and sound quality are impressive, particularly with the addition of the Klang Bar i. Although the Bild i.55’s price may limit its audience, it manages to offer an all-round package that will undoubtedly satisfy its target market.