If you need a portable projector that doubles as a showpiece, LG’s got you covered. The new LG CineBeam Qube weighs just 3.28 pounds and looks like it came from the space age, yet it can project a 120-inch 4K image with HDR10 enhancement.
This is a very interesting offering from LG. Portable 4K projectors tend to be a lot bulkier than they should be, but the CineBeam Qube weighs less than a two-liter soda bottle and is just 5.3 inches tall. It also has an integrated 360-degree carrying handle—something that other portable projectors lack.
Style is another selling point. LG calls this projector an “interior accessory” with an “eye-catching minimalist aesthetic,” and I’m inclined to agree. The CineBeam Qube is styled like a spaced-out Brownie camera. It’s got a good mix of retro flair and modern flashiness. That said, the projector’s exterior (which appears to be aluminum) may attract fingerprints and dents. I’d also like to point out that LG omitted the power cable from its photographs.
Anyway, the CineBeam Qube’s image quality seems pretty miraculous. The similarly-sized XGIMI Halo+ outputs at 1080p, but the CineBeam Qube can project a 4K image. It has a 1.2 throw ratio, which is pretty comfortable for indoor use (a distance of 12 feet will get you the 120-inch projection size). And LG promises that its laser projection technology will achieve a 450,000:1 contrast ratio with 154% DCI-P3 coverage.
The only major downside is the 500 ANSI lumen rating. This projector isn’t bright enough for daytime use, and in fact, it’s dimmer than the aforementioned XGIMI Halo+. It may also struggle with nighttime outdoor use, at least in areas with lots of light pollution. Of course, the CineBeam Qube is very lightweight and has an automatic keystone feature, so if you’re struggling with brightness, you can just put it closer to your wall or screen. A shorter throw distance gives you a smaller, brighter picture.
Unfortunately, LG hasn’t revealed all the CineBeam Qube’s specs. We know that this projector supports HDMI eARC, but we don’t know how many video ports it has. The projector runs on LG’s webOS smart TV software, but Chromecast and AirPlay 2 connectivity haven’t been confirmed. Pricing is also a mystery, though the similarly-spec’d LG CineBeam PU700R sells for $1,500.
The LG CineBeam Qube will make a proper debut at CES 2024, which begins January 9th. We should learn more about this projector when we see it in person on the showroom floor.
Source: LG
