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Every family with young kids knows this standoff. The kids want cartoons. Dad wants the game. Mom doesn’t want the kids disappearing into their tablets, which we keep on a short leash in our house.
There’s one big TV, and there are three opinions about what goes on it.
In our house, the kids usually win the big TV (shocking, we know). The difference now is that nobody loses. Dad rolls the LG StanbyME 2 over, puts the game on, and everyone watches what they want in the same room. Honestly, it’s one of the best things we’ve bought for our family.
We’ve had ours for about a year now. Most of the time it’s showing golf or the Chicago Bears (Bear down).
The short version
The LG StanbyME 2 is a 27-inch smart screen on a rolling stand. The screen comes off the stand and runs on a built-in battery, so it goes wherever you need it. It’s expensive for a 27-inch screen, and you’re paying for the flexibility, not the picture size. For a family that keeps fighting over one TV, that flexibility is exactly what’s worth paying for.
What the StanbyME 2 is
Think of it as a cross between a TV and a giant tablet:
- A 27-inch touchscreen with a sharp QHD (2560 × 1440) picture.
- A rolling stand that tilts, swivels, and rotates, so you can roll it to the couch, the kitchen, or the bedroom.
- A detachable screen. Lift it off the stand and set it on a table or carry it outside.
- A built-in battery that LG rates at up to 4 hours on low-power mode. The screen charges when it’s docked on the plugged-in stand, or over USB-C.
- A full smart TV inside. It runs LG’s webOS with streaming apps, and you can cast from your phone with Apple AirPlay or Google Cast.
How we actually use it
Game day, without the fight. The kids get their show on the big TV. Dad rolls the StanbyME 2 next to his spot on the couch and puts on the Bears or a golf tournament. Everyone’s together in the same room, and nobody’s negotiating.
A shared screen, not a personal one. This one matters to us. We limit tablet time because tablets pull kids into their own little world. The StanbyME 2 is a screen in the room that everyone can see, which feels very different from a tablet in a kid’s lap.
It goes where we go. Because it runs on battery and rolls, it ends up wherever the family is. A few of the ways we use it most:
- In the kitchen while cooking. The game stays on while dinner gets made, so you don’t miss a drive or a putt.
- In the garage while the kids play outside. When the kids are riding bikes and playing in the driveway or front yard, the StanbyME 2 comes out to the garage. We can keep an eye on them and still have the game on.
- Movie night in the toy room during parties. When we have people over and the main TV has music or something else on, we roll the StanbyME 2 into the kids’ toy room. All the kids pile in with popcorn for their own movie night, and the adults get the rest of the house.
What we like
It ends the “what are we watching” fight. That alone has made it worth it in our house.
It moves easily around a floor. The stand rolls smoothly from room to room, and with the battery, you aren’t hunting for an outlet every time you move it.
The picture is sharp. At 27 inches and QHD resolution, it looks crisp from the couch, especially for sports.
Casting is easy. If an app isn’t on the screen itself, you can usually send it from your phone with AirPlay or Google Cast.
It looks good. It doesn’t look like a second TV wedged into the room. It looks like a piece of decor, which matters to us.
What could be better
Moving it between floors is awkward. This is the one real complaint we have after a year. Rolling it around one floor is easy, but carrying the screen and stand together up or down stairs is heavy and awkward. Our tip: lift the screen off the stand first and carry the two pieces separately.
Worth knowing before you buy
None of these have bothered us, but they’re worth weighing:
- It’s expensive for a 27-inch screen. You could buy a much bigger regular TV for the same money. You’re paying for portability and the detachable screen, not size.
- The battery covers a game, not a whole day. LG rates it at up to 4 hours in low-power mode, and brighter settings use it faster. For a long day of games, dock it on the stand and plug it in.
- It’s a second screen, not a replacement. It works best alongside your main TV, not instead of it.
Who it’s for
The StanbyME 2 is a great fit if:
- You have one main TV and it’s a constant tug-of-war
- You want a screen kids can share, as an alternative to personal tablets
- You’d use a screen in more than one room, or outside
- You care how a second screen looks in your home
It’s probably not for you if you mainly want the biggest picture for the money, or if you’d leave it in one spot. A regular TV mounted on a wall is far cheaper for that.
Frequently asked questions
Is the LG StanbyME 2 worth it?
If your family regularly fights over one TV, or you want a screen you can move around the house, yes. If you just want a second TV for one room, a regular TV is much cheaper.
How long does the StanbyME 2 battery last?
LG rates it at up to 4 hours in its low-power mode. Expect less with brighter settings and constant streaming. Docked on the plugged-in stand, it runs and charges at the same time.
What’s the difference between the StanbyME and the StanbyME 2?
The StanbyME 2’s screen detaches from the stand, so you can use it like a giant tablet or mount it. It also has a sharper QHD picture, compared with the original’s 1080p.
Can you watch sports on the StanbyME 2?
Yes. You can use streaming apps on the screen itself, or cast from your phone with AirPlay or Google Cast.
Is the StanbyME 2 good for kids?
It works well as a shared family screen. Because it sits in the room where everyone can see it, it’s easier to keep an eye on what kids are watching than with a personal tablet. It’s also become our go-to for kids’ movie nights when we have friends over.
Is the StanbyME 2 heavy?
The screen on its own is easy to carry. With the stand attached, it rolls easily on one floor but is heavy and awkward on stairs. Take the screen off and carry the pieces separately.
The bottom line
The LG StanbyME 2 didn’t just give us a second screen. It ended the nightly negotiation over the remote, kept the kids off their tablets, and let Dad watch the Bears without banishing anyone to another room. It’s a splurge, and it’s the best one we’ve made in a while.