If you want cutting-edge home entertainment technology, then Berlin is the place to be right now. The annual IFA expo is a sprawling smorgasbord of tech, from outrageous TVs to inventive personal audio.

The IFA show is rivalled only by CES in sheer size.

Nestled within the sprawling expanse of the Berlin Messe, this AV extravaganza is a tech-lover's paradise, with dozens of halls packed to the brim with cutting-edge kit from some of the world's most renowned brands.

In truth, IFA hasn't quite recaptured its pre-COVID lustre, with several big brands currently AWOL in 2023 (including TV goliaths Philips and Sony), but there's still plenty of new kit to covet.

Read on for our Top 5 most notable new reveals from the show…

LG STANDBYME GO TRANSPORTABLE TV

There's something a little bit secret agent about LG's StandbyMe Go portable TV. Unveiled in all its fold-up glory at IFA, the 27LX5 features a large (for a portable) 27-inch LCD screen that folds flat inside an attaché-style carry case.

Boasting totally wireless connectivity, the screen has a three-hour battery life but runs off a cabled mains supply. The case itself has a 20W four-channel sound system integrated into its design.

Up close, it's easy to appreciate the innovative design of the StandbyMe Go. When unfolded, the panel can rotate 90 degrees from landscape to portrait; alternatively, you can put it in Table mode, wherein it sits in the case itself. LG's webOS smart platform comes with all the usual apps.

The lifestyle TVC category is a hotbed of design innovation, and long may it continue. Expect a global roll-out over the next few months. Case proven, m'lud!

HISENSE C1 4K LASER PROJECTOR

If you hanker after a home theatre projector but dislike the idea of bolting a conventional long throw beamer to your ceiling, Hisense may have the solution.

Its C1 range of 4K laser cube projectors is far less obvious than traditional projectors, yet still delivers very convincing cinematic images. Hisense showed off a three-strong range: the C1, the portable C1 Air with carry handle, and the C1 Pro.

All 4K models feature a Trichrom tri-colour laser light engine, capable of casting an image 65-300 inches across. Brightness is rated at 1600 Lumens, with 110 per cent BT.2020 super wide colour gamut. The trio also support Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos audio.

I actually saw the C1's images before I spotted the projector itself. Its pictures in a darkened IFA booth were bright, colour rich and sharper than a tack. There's no clear indication when the C1 will make it to Europe or the UK or how much it might cost, but it would certainly compliment the brand's Laser TV Ultra Short Throw models. One to watch.

PANASONIC GNW10 SOUND SLAYER

Having tried out Panasonic's new GNW10 Sound Slayer wearable gaming speaker at IFA 2023, I may now have to retire my gaming headphones.

Employing four newly developed 38mm speakers, the housing is 60 percent larger than Panasonic's current SC-GN01 wearable speaker, but it only weighs 400g. It's wireless, connecting to a small USB transmitter. It can transmit 6-channel audio with a latency of less than 20 milliseconds.

I loved how unobtrusive it was to wear and how immersive the effect was, without the need to divorce myself from reassuring ambient room noise (playing horror games on headphones is just too stressful!).

The GNW10 is compatible with Windows 10/11 PCs, PS4/PS5 consoles, and the Nintendo Switch, but not the Xbox Series X/S for some reason. It'll be available direct from Panasonic in December 2023, priced at £300.

TCL X11G 115-inch QD-Mini LED TV

TCL used IFA to lay claim to offering the world's largest QD-Mini LED TV with the X11G.

I caught the display fresh from its box, protective wrapping still applied, and it looked sensational, offering outstanding brightness, vibrant hues and inky blacks.

The panel spec suggests a colour gamut with 99 per cent DCI and a native contrast of 7000:1. TCL says peak brightness is a searing 5,000 nits. That's a lot of nittage!

The screen also has an anti-reflective treatment and an input lag conducive to gaming - but the idea of playing CoD on this monster borders on the mind-boggling. There's no news when we might see this humongous flagship on sale outside of China, where it sells for $11,000, but TCL has undoubtedly shown off its QD prowess!

DTS PLAY-FI HOME THEATER FOR SPEAKERS

Could connected wireless audio platform DTS Play-Fi be about to find global traction?

Following a partnership announcement with TP Vision, which allows compatible Philips TVs to operate as part of a wider Play-Fi speaker ecosystem, the company announced a DTS Play-Fi Home Theatre standard at IFA 2023.

All Play-Fi speakers are interoperable, regardless of brand. Now, it's added an immersive audio component that allows users to build and assign a multichannel home theatre system using Play-Fi compatible speakers. The DTS Play-Fi Home Theater standard can support 12 channels of sound over Wi-Fi and is compatible with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X content from a compatible TV.

What makes this particularly exciting is the ease with which you can add wireless speakers to build your theatre.

I tried the system and was impressed by how quickly it could be set up and the seamless panning that followed.

There is some devil in the detail, though. While the system can deliver 12 channels of sound, it requires the TV to be able to output 12 channels wirelessly. At the moment, there are none with that particular skill. The first models with DTS Play-Fi Home Theater enhancements will likely be announced by Philips later this year.

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