Introduction
For decades, radio enthusiasts and casual listeners alike have had to navigate a clear divide in the audio world. On one side sits traditional off-the-air radio, encompassing local FM stations, Mediumwave (AM) broadcasts, and the mystical, atmospheric world of Shortwave (SW) bands. On the other side is the modern digital revolution, powered by high-speed internet, offering thousands of global streaming stations and millions of podcast episodes. Traditionally, bridging this gap meant cluttering your desk with separate devices—a dedicated shortwave receiver for static-filled late-night DXing, and a smart speaker or smartphone for crisp, digital streaming.
The Choyong LC90 Wi-Fi/4G Internet Radio is a bold attempt to dismantle this boundary. Priced at $249, this hybrid portable radio promises an all-in-one solution that combines classic multi-band analog reception (FM, MW, SW, and LW) with the limitless world of global internet radio. Offering access to over 40,000 streaming stations, cellular 4G connectivity, a massive rechargeable battery, and a surprisingly robust speaker system, the LC90 is designed to be the ultimate global listening device. But does this ambitious hybrid succeed in delivering the best of both worlds, or does it try to do too much at the expense of core performance? In this comprehensive review, we will dive deep into its design, specifications, strengths, and weaknesses to help you decide if it is worth a spot on your nightstand.
Product Overview
At first glance, the Choyong LC90 strikes a beautiful balance between nostalgic retro charm and clean, modern engineering. Out of the box, which itself is a premium gold-and-black package that feels worthy of a high-end electronics instrument, the radio immediate presents a solid, substantial build. Weighing approximately 650 grams and sharing the physical footprint of a classic paperback book, it feels incredibly sturdy. It is portable enough to be packed into a travel bag, yet substantial enough to sit firmly on a table without sliding around when you turn its dials.
The front face of the LC90 features a crisp, 2.5-inch diagonal IPS LCD screen. Because it uses an IPS panel rather than a cheap TN display, it offers excellent viewing angles and rich contrast, making it easy to read from almost any angle on a nightstand or desk. Below the screen lies a physical numeric keypad, allowing users to quickly punch in a known shortwave frequency or navigate through numbered menus. On the right side, the radio features three large, beautifully machined aluminum alloy knobs. These knobs control main-tuning, fine-tuning, and volume, delivering a highly satisfying, slightly weighted tactile response that traditional radio operators will immediately appreciate.
Under the hood, the LC90 is packed with modern tech. It is a true Software Defined Radio (SDR) that handles traditional FM, Longwave (LW), Mediumwave (MW), and Shortwave (SW) bands, complete with Single Sideband (SSB) capability for monitoring amateur radio operators. For its digital half, the radio connects to the internet via 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, a physical 4G nano-SIM card slot, or a mobile hotspot. Powering all of this is a massive 5000mAh battery pack, which is comprised of two standard 18650 lithium-ion cells. These cells are rechargeable via a modern USB Type-C port, and importantly, they are user-replaceable, guaranteeing a long lifespan for the device. Rounding out its features are Bluetooth speaker functionality and a TF (micro-SD) card slot for offline MP3 playback.
Pros of the Choyong LC90
Unmatched Hybrid Flexibility
The standout feature of the Choyong LC90 is its ability to seamlessly transition between traditional over-the-air broadcasting and modern internet streaming. If your local internet goes down or you find yourself deep in the wilderness, you can extend the robust telescopic antenna to tune into local FM or scan the shortwave bands for international broadcasts. Conversely, when atmospheric static ruins your favorite shortwave station, you can instantly switch to the internet mode to stream the exact same broadcast in crystal-clear digital quality. Having both options in a single, portable unit is incredibly convenient and represents the future of radio design.
Astounding, Room-Filling Sound Quality
Most portable radios are notorious for their thin, tinny speakers. Choyong has clearly prioritized audio engineering on the LC90, equipping it with a 15-watt stereo-capable speaker system that features a mid-bass driver, a silk dome tweeter, and a low-frequency passive radiator diaphragm. The result is an audio experience that is surprisingly deep, warm, and rich. Music has a clear, punchy bass, while vocals and spoken-word podcasts sound incredibly natural and forward. It easily rivals dedicated mid-range Bluetooth speakers, making it a joy to listen to for hours on end without ear fatigue.
True Global Portability via 4G LTE
While many internet radios are strictly tied to your home Wi-Fi network, the Choyong LC90 features a nano-SIM card slot with 4G LTE support. This means you can take the radio to the beach, on a camping trip, or in an RV and still stream over 40,000 global internet radio stations and millions of podcasts. Because audio streaming uses very little data, you can use a cheap, pay-as-you-go SIM card to maintain a seamless, noise-free connection to your favorite global news and music stations anywhere in the world.
Satisfying, High-Quality Physical Controls
In an era dominated by temperamental touchscreens and cheap plastic buttons, the LC90 feels like a breath of fresh air. The three aluminum alloy tuning and volume knobs on the right side of the unit are heavy, smooth, and precise. The dedicated fine-tuning knob allows shortwave listeners to search through crowded bands in small, precise steps, while the numeric keypad on the front makes typing in direct frequencies or searching for specific station numbers fast and frustration-free.
Rechargeable and Replaceable 5000mAh Battery
Equipped with a massive 5000mAh battery, the LC90 offers up to 48 hours of continuous listening depending on your volume levels and connectivity settings. However, the best part of this power system is that it uses two standard 18650 lithium-ion cells housed behind a simple battery door. Many modern portable devices become useless e-waste once their internal batteries degrade. With the LC90, you can simply purchase replacement 18650 batteries online and swap them out yourself, extending the life of the radio indefinitely.
Intelligent Voice Search and Active Software Support
Navigating 40,000 internet radio stations and 10 million podcasts can be overwhelming. To address this, Choyong has integrated a clever voice search feature powered by GPT and Google on their newer firmware versions (v4.8 and up). By simply holding down the search button, you can speak your desired station name, genre, or country, and the radio will locate it in seconds. Furthermore, Choyong regularly pushes over-the-air (OTA) firmware updates via Wi-Fi, showing a strong commitment to refining the user interface and fixing software bugs over time.
Multi-Functional Media Capabilities
Beyond its radio features, the LC90 is a versatile standalone media player. It features Bluetooth connectivity, allowing you to pair your phone or laptop and use the unit’s excellent 15-watt speaker as a standard wireless speaker. Additionally, it features a TF (micro-SD) card slot that supports cards up to 32GB, which is perfect for loading up your own MP3 files or pre-downloaded podcasts for offline listening in areas with zero cellular or Wi-Fi coverage.
Cons of the Choyong LC90
Weak Mediumwave (AM) and Longwave (LW) Reception
While the LC90 excels on FM and shortwave bands, its internal performance on the Mediumwave (AM) and Longwave (LW) bands is notably sub-par. Because the radio lacks a high-performance internal ferrite rod antenna, trying to pick up distant or even moderately local AM stations results in a weak, noisy signal. If your primary goal is listening to AM sports, news, or talk radio off-the-air, you will almost certainly need to plug in a high-quality external loop antenna to achieve acceptable results.
Surprising Mono-Only Headphone Jack Output
Despite boasting a fantastic, dual-driver stereo speaker configuration and advanced DSP processing, the 3.5mm headphone jack on the side of the unit only outputs in mono. If you plug in a pair of stereo headphones, you will hear sound in both ears, but it will be a combined mono signal. For an expensive $249 device that streams high-bitrate stereo internet music and local FM stereo, the lack of true stereo headphone output is a disappointing hardware oversight.
Wi-Fi Chipset Interference on Traditional Bands
A common issue with hybrid radios is internal electromagnetic interference, and the LC90 is no exception. When the radio’s Wi-Fi connection is active, it can introduce faint clicking, buzzing, or ticking noises while you are trying to listen to weak analog shortwave or FM signals. Thankfully, you can easily disable Wi-Fi in the settings menu when scanning the physical airwaves, but having to manually toggle connectivity on and off to avoid static is a minor annoyance.
Awkward External Antenna Port Placement
The LC90 includes a welcome 3.5mm external antenna jack on its right-hand side, which is essential for boosting shortwave and AM reception. However, this port is positioned incredibly close to the fine-tuning aluminum knob. If you use a standard right-angle antenna adapter or a slightly bulky cable plug, it can easily block or rub against the tuning knob, restricting its movement and making precise adjustments difficult.
Steep Learning Curve and Abbreviated Manual
The LC90 is a highly complex smart device, but the included user manual is incredibly brief and basic. It fails to explain many of the icons on the IPS display, the deep directory layout of the internet search engine, or how to manually add custom internet streaming URLs. As a result, non-technical users face a fairly steep learning curve and will need to spend time experimenting with the menus or joining online user forums to unlock the radio’s full potential.
Customer Reviews Analysis
With dozens of ratings on Amazon, the Choyong LC90 has cultivated a passionate and highly vocal user base. The general customer consensus is incredibly positive, but it is accompanied by some constructive criticisms that highlight the radio’s niche appeal.
The most praised aspect of the LC90 across almost all customer reviews is its outstanding audio quality. Many buyers state they were completely “blown away” by the deep, rich sound coming from such a compact unit, noting that it easily fills a bedroom or kitchen with clear, pleasant audio. Users also love the internet radio directory, reporting that the Wi-Fi connection is highly stable and that the database makes finding international stations incredibly fun and educational.
However, early buyers did express frustration with software bugs. When the LC90 first launched, users reported frequent stream disconnects, a confusing podcast menu that only linked to live radio streams, and unrefined shortwave SSB tuning. Fortunately, customer reviews from recent months highlight that Choyong’s over-the-air firmware updates (specifically versions 4.7 and 4.8) have dramatically improved the software. These updates successfully resolved the streaming drops, polished the SSB performance, and introduced the highly praised voice search feature.
The main physical complaint remaining among reviewers is the sub-par AM (Mediumwave) performance. Traditional radio hobbyists who enjoy DXing (tuning into far-away AM stations at night) advise that this radio is not a substitute for a dedicated, high-end AM receiver, though many acknowledge that the crystal-clear internet stream equivalent of those same stations largely makes up for the weak physical reception.
Who Should Buy This Product?
The Choyong LC90 is a unique, premium device that is best suited for specific types of audio lovers:
- The Global News and Culture Enthusiast: If you love listening to international news, foreign music, or cultural programs from across the globe, the ability to effortlessly search through 40,000 internet stations by continent, country, and genre makes this radio a dream come true.
- The Modern Bedroom or Desktop Listener: Its elegant gold-and-black styling, high-quality IPS screen, built-in alarm clock, and rich, room-filling 15W speaker system make it an exceptional bedside companion or office desktop audio hub.
- RVers, Campers, and Travelers: Thanks to the 4G LTE nano-SIM slot and the durable, replaceable 18650 battery system, this is the perfect radio for off-grid travel, allowing you to enjoy static-free digital radio and podcasts even when you are far away from home Wi-Fi.
- Tech-Savvy Radio Collectors: For those who appreciate the marriage of classic tactile hardware (like solid aluminum knobs) with cutting-edge SDR and smart AI features, the LC90 is a fascinating and highly satisfying device to operate.
Final Verdict
At $249, the Choyong LC90 is undoubtedly an investment, but it is one that largely delivers on its ambitious promises. It represents a significant milestone in radio design, successfully uniting the nostalgic, physical world of analog shortwave and FM tuning with the infinite, crystal-clear universe of global internet streaming. Its build quality is stellar, its physical controls are a joy to use, and its 15-watt speaker system delivers some of the best audio quality ever heard in a portable radio of this size.
It is not a flawless device; the sub-par AM reception, mono headphone jack, and minor Wi-Fi interference on analog bands prevent it from being the perfect all-in-one receiver. However, Choyong’s dedication to continuous improvement through over-the-air firmware updates has smoothed out almost all of its initial software issues, transforming it into a highly polished, smart media machine. If you value a rich, global listening experience and appreciate high-quality tactile hardware, the Choyong LC90 is a highly recommended and thoroughly enjoyable hybrid radio that is well worth the price.
