Loewe Connect 55 review

The Connect 55 is much more logical to use than Loewe's previous few TV generations.

Its menus make good use of graphics and large text, and contain some logical links to other features and menus that make the menus almost feel like web pages at times.

Another friendly touch is the way you and other members of your household can set up your own home pages, containing links to your favourite TV channels and apps. Though obviously this good idea is reduced in its usefulness by Loewe's lack of video streaming apps.

There is something a bit old-fashioned about the way Loewe's menus take over the whole screen rather than being overlaid over the picture.

Also I'm not a great fan of Loewe's remote control.

It looks elegant and its cold, heavy metallic body feels lovely in the hand, but the layout isn't helpful at all. Some of the important buttons are really quite tiny, and it offers none of the 'point and click' or touchpad smart control options now offered with most rival premium TVs.

Sound Quality

There's plenty of power on hand to push the Connect 55's sound far beyond the physical confines of the TV, helping to immerse you in the action, and the speakers deliver a wider dynamic range than most. There's punchy bass at one end, good amounts of treble detail at the other, and an impressively open mid-range that leaves plenty of space most of the time for voices to sound rich and clear.

The sound isn't quite as direct and impactful as that of one or two rival TVs though - as well as some previous Loewe TVs we've heard - and also occasionally suffers with some unexpected distortions when pushed really hard.

Value

The Connect 55's price puts it up against some pretty stiff competition this year - especially Samsung's 55-inch UE55JS9000, with its high brightness panel, wide colour gamut technology, and most significantly, high dynamic range support.

The Loewe's lack of built-in video streaming options - including any 4K services - is also exposed by comparisons with the smart TV services of all the big-name brands this year.

The Connect 55 does deliver mostly excellent picture quality, though.

While it might not tick all the boxes for forward thinking AV fans, its gorgeous build quality, customisable design and built-in hard disk recorder will and should find it a devoted audience more than willing to pay a premium for its unique attractions.