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At first glance, you could mistake it for a small home speaker. It is the sort of thing you can carry from room to room, though it is not truly portable.
It is not a speaker at all. It is the LG CineBeam S, LG’s newest ultra-short throw (UST) projector.
LG managed to fit a complete UST projector into that tiny body. The result brings big-screen viewing to a living room without taking much space.
It is also packed with features, from 4K visuals and cinematic audio to wide color coverage and more.
Small Body, Big Picture
The CineBeam S is 4.3 inches wide, 6.3 inches tall and 6.3 inches deep. That makes it easy to place, even in a crowded media cabinet.
As a UST model, it does not need a long gap between the device and the projection surface.
Placed just three inches from the wall, it casts a 40-inch image. Moving it 15 inches away gives the maximum size of 100 inches.
That flexibility is very convenient.
Picture Quality and Color
A triple-laser light source gives red, green and blue their own separate channels. It also covers 154 percent of the DCI-P3 color space, which supports accurate color reproduction.
Images reach 4K (3,840 x 2,160), and the projector supports several aspect ratios. That lets you watch just about any kind of content.
The contrast ratio is 450,000:1. LG says this keeps light and dark areas strongly separated.
Brightness is limited to 500 ANSI lumens. Because of that, the projector works best in a fairly dark room.
HDR10 and HLG are both supported, which brings out more vivid color in content that uses them. A Film Maker mode shows content the way the director intended.
A 4K upscaler also handles older, legacy media.
Smart Features and Connections
The projector runs webOS, so it offers the wide selection of streaming apps found on LG’s smart TV platform.
iOS devices use AirPlay 2 to send content, and Android devices use Screen Share.
Planning to add a game console or an outside media player? There is an HDMI eARC port for that, though the framerate tops out at 60Hz.
Two USB-C ports handle accessories such as a keyboard or a controller.
Sound, Setup and Power
Despite its compact size, this projector is not meant for portable use. There is no battery inside, so you plug it in like any other home projector.
Built-in audio comes from dual 4W speakers. You may still want to connect a soundbar.
Automatic focus adjustments and automatic keystone correction take care of setup chores. A remote is included for making changes on the fly, including moving the picture around.
Screen scaling and shifting also happen through that remote. Eight color presets help match the picture to the color of your wall.
Operation is quiet, and LG claims the noise tops out at 29 dB.
Ethan Brooks
A decade in digital publishing has taught me one major lesson the best articles are the ones that respect your time. I cut straight to the chase with well structured, punchy pieces designed to give you the exact answers you need without the runaround.