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LG finally priced its quirky 4K projector that looks like a hamper

By Kris Wouk Updated April 25, 2023

Even a mammoth 77-inch OLED is dwarfed by a 150-inch picture, and that’s exactly what the new LG CineBeam HU80KA 4K UHD projector brings to the table. Even better, the CineBeam is available now for a price that is close to what you’d expect to pay for a 75-inch 4K TV — not bad for what promises to be one of the best home theater projectors around.

Not only can the HU80KA deliver a huge picture, but it does so in a compact, portable form that doesn’t require you to find a table or stand for setting it at the exact right height. Not sure you want to spare the space on the floor? That’s not a problem, says LG, as the projector’s mirrorless I-shaped engine allows the projector to display without problems whether it’s mounted on the wall, hung from the ceiling, or placed on the floor.

This is also LG’s brightest projector yet, able to display a 150-inch picture at 2,500 lumens, while its HD projectors top out at 2,000 lumens. To take advantage of this extra brightness, the HU80KA also supports high dynamic range via HDR10, though unfortunately, Dolby Vision doesn’t appear to be supported. Two built-in 7-watt speakers provide enough audio power in case you’re bringing the projector with you, but you can easily connect it to an external speaker system or sound bar using the optical output, HDMI, or wirelessly via Bluetooth.

LG HU80KA 4K UHD projector

When it comes to content, you can obviously plug external streaming devices or Blu-ray players in via HDMI, but as the projector runs LG’s webOS 3.5, plenty of streaming apps are built in. Netflix, Sling TV, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu are just some of the apps available for the platform, with 4K streaming available for apps that support it. The projector can also play media off of a USB drive, giving you plenty of portable options.

The LG CineBeam 4K Laser Projector is available now at select retailers across the United States at a suggested price of $3,000, which is less than you’d pay for LG’s own C8 65-inch OLED. If you’re still not sure whether a TV or projector is the right pick for you, we have put together a guide to help you choose.

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Former Digital Trends Contributor

Kris Wouk is a tech writer, gadget reviewer, blogger, and whatever it's called when someone makes videos for the web. In his…

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Sony brings laser power, native 4K to every 2022 projector

Sony XW Laser Series Projectors.

Sony has updated its 4K home theater projector lineup for 2022, and in so doing has said goodbye to high-pressure bulbs. The entire range now uses lasers as its light source, including the new entry-level, $6,000 VPL-XW5000ES, marking the first time a native 4K laser projector has been sold for so little.

Most of the models have also been redesigned with smaller chassis. Sony has also taken its X1 Ultimate image processing chip for projectors, which it previously reserved for its most expensive flagship, and given it to every model. It has also ditched 1080p resolution, going native 4K and HDR across its collection.
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Furrion’s 4K HDR outdoor TVs can take the heat

furrion outdoor 4k hdr full sun partial shade tvs aurora tv featured

If you're fortunate enough to live someplace where the great outdoors forms part of your living space, you might want to equip your patio with a TV. But if you do, it will need to withstand sun, rain, or anything else that mother nature can throw at it. Furrion's new Aurora line of 4K HDR outdoor TVs are designed to do just that, and come in three models for full sun, full shade, or anything in between, with prices starting at $1,400. The partial sun and full shade models are available now, with the full sun models coming in May, according to the company.

All three Furrion Aurora models (Full Sun, Partial Sun, Full Shade) are 4K HDR LED TVs that have been weatherproofed to an IP54 rating, which means they can withstand some dust and grit, and they won't object to rain or being hit with a sprinkler -- just don't dunk them in the pool. Furrion says this protection is also sufficient for all-weather use, including snow. The Full Sun and Partial Sun models are also designed to be impact and scratch-resistant, given that they're more likely to be placed where they could be exposed to an errant baseball, frisbee, or pool noodle.

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Epson Home Cinema LS11000: $3999 for 4K, HDR projection

Side view of Front view of Epson Home Cinema LS11000 4K HDR laser projector.

After debuting its $4,999 flagship Pro Cinema LS12000 4K HDR laser projector earlier this year, Epson is back with a slightly more affordable way to project 4K HDR images at home with the $3,999 Home Cinema LS11000 4K Pro-UHD laser projector (V11HA48020). It's available starting in late March through the Epson online store and select retailers.

Other than the colors (black for the more expensive model versus white for the Home Cinema) and some performance differences, the LS11000 and LS12000 share a lot of the same features. Both use Epson's multi-array laser diodes as their light source, which is converted into a viewable image through a triple-chip LCD system. The company claims this gives the projectors incredible picture brightness, black contrast, and color accuracy, with 100% of the RGB color signal for every frame. It also avoids problems like rainbowing or uneven color brightness that can affect some other projection technologies.