LG's latest ultra-portable 4K projector is here to challenge Samsung's The Premiere 5

LG is rolling out its CineBeam S, a 4K ultra-short throw (UST) projector which the company says is “designed to deliver premium home entertainment and unprecedented flexibility”.

You can position the RGB laser projector 8cm away from a screen to create a 40-inch image, all the way up to 39.3cm away from a screen to create a 100-inch image.

The LG CineBeam S also claims 500 ANSI lumens of brightness and a 450,000:1 contrast ratio.

It's not all about the picture, though. For sound, the projector manages to squeeze in Dolby Atmos-compatible stereo speakers, which LG says provide "spacious and dynamic audio."

LG’s webOS smart TV platform is on board, giving you access to streaming services such as Apple TV, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.

In terms of physical connections, the LG projector has one HDMI eARC and two USB ports.

Measuring in at just 11 x 16 x 16 cm (hwd) and weighing 1.9 kilograms, this dinky projector looks to be easy to take on the go. Its Auto Screen Adjustment option is meant to make setup simple as well, with LG claiming it “enables sharp, perfectly aligned visuals in practically any viewing environment.”

As well as including a physical remote, the LG ThinQ app means you can operate the projector with your smartphone.

YS Lee, head of IT Business at LG, comments: “This isn’t just a projector; it’s a premium lifestyle solution that combines design and technology excellence to deliver unprecedented flexibility and a new kind of customer value".

Bold promises, indeed.

The CineBeam S is launching at £1099 / AU$2,499 (around $1460), placing it firmly in the premium ultra-portable projector category.

We are yet to get the projector in our test room, but we have tested its predecessor – the CineBeam Q.

While we liked this model’s vibrant colours and excellent design, the “wholly inadequate sound” and lack of brightness on some presets meant it received a three-star overall rating.

That also means it is challenging the Samsung The Premiere 5, another 4K UST which costs an even pricier £1999 / AU$2999 (around $2700). It failed to dazzle during testing, with our biggest criticism being the overall dull and unrefined picture that earned it a three-star rating.

Can LG’s latest portable projector trump its competitors? We’ll let you know.

MORE:

Check out the best portable projectors

Here's our review of the LG CineBeam Q

And these are the best projectors on the market