I went to CES 2023 primarily so I could check out new TVs, but as I was walking through the wide and crowded corridors, I came across a category of related products: projectors.
The best 4K projectors now come in a variety of flavors, including long-throw, ultra-short-throw, and portable versions, and they were all represented at CES. To be honest, I was surprised by the number of brands with projectors on display at the show. We clearly live in the age of big-screen TV, where there is no shortage of options for getting cinematic-sized images at home.
While I didn't see every single projector at CES, I was lucky enough to have a good time with most of the ones out there now. The lineup is equally weighted between ultra-short-throw and portable DLP-based models, with JVC's long-throw DLP projector included largely due to its gaming capabilities and affordability.
1. AWOL Vision LTV-2500+
The AWOL Vision LTV-2500+ (€3499) was installed in an open cabin with bright lights overhead. Even so, the image it displayed had good brightness, contrast, and color saturation given the harsh environment.
Much of this was due to the projector's triple laser light engine (one each for the red, green, and blue primary colors) which offers 5499 lumens of light output and 2500% Rec coverage. . two thousand twenty. (AWOL also sells a similar 150-lumen model, the LTV-XNUMX, for $XNUMX.) The LTV-XNUMX+ uses a glass lens for clean focusing and can produce images from eighty to XNUMX inches.
One feature of the LTV-2500+ (and LTV-3500) not found on other ultra-short-throw models is 3D compatibility. Although new 3D Blu-ray movies are rare, there are always 3D fans out there with the best Blu-ray players and disc collections, and the company has added this feature in response to user requests. (AWOL includes active shutter glasses with the projector.)
The LTV-2500+ also handles HDR10 and HDR10+ high dynamic range formats, and Dolby Vision support is coming soon, added via a firmware update according to a company representative I spoke to at CES. Beyond that, the projector comes with an Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max for streaming and has an HDMI eARC port for connecting an external soundbar. It also seems to be a good choice for gaming, with a specified input lag of 30ms with 4K sources and 17ms with 1080P sources.
2. Hisense L9H Tricolor Laser TV
Hisense had a whole line of new projectors on display at CES, including an 8K and several ultra-short-throw 4K models, as well as a new laser-powered laptop. The one that caught my attention the most is the L9H TriChroma Laser TV, undoubtedly because of its triple laser light engine with exceptional brightness (3.000 ANSI lumens). Like the AWOL UST model, the L9H is designed to provide 107% coverage of the Rec.2020 color space and supports Dolby Vision High Dynamic Range right out of the box.
By 2023, the Hisense Laser TV lineup will be moving from Android TV (ugh...) to Google TV. This interface upgrade will make using the projector just like navigating on a regular smart TV, except in this case one with a 100-inch or 120-inch screen. The new ambient light-rejecting screens that come with Hisense projectors have also been upgraded from negative gain to gain ten to improve brightness.
Other features of the L9H include Wi-Fi 6e support for high-bandwidth streaming, AirPlay 2, and a built-in ATSC 3.0 tuner for watching next-generation digital TV broadcasts in the US.
3. Leica Cinema Laser TV
Right next to Hisense's main booth was a dark space that housed another impressive ultra-short-throw projector demo, this one from famed German camera maker Leica. The company's new Cine 1 Laser TV is a collaboration with Hisense, and like the Hisense L9H, it's a triple-laser model, but with a light output of 2500 lumens. Like Hisense, it also has Google TV's smart interface, a built-in TV tuner (although it doesn't support ATSC 3.0), and comes with 100- or 120-inch screen options.
As a camera company you would expect Leica to get involved in the projector lens design and that is exactly what happened. I must say that the image projected on the company's stand was perfectly clear. Leica Image Optimization (LIO) processing is also onboard to improve image quality, and there's that beautiful perforated aluminum with red-dot housing that echoes the sleek design of the company's cameras.
The Cine Laser TV will be available in Europe this spring and will arrive in the US later this year at a starting price of €8,295 (for the 100-inch model).
4. Samsung Freestyle (2023)
The Samsung Freestyle is currently our top pick for a portable projector due to its smart and versatile design, which allows for a wide range of indoor and outdoor projection applications. It's also an affordable portable projector option considering all the cool things it can do, including streaming from apps that use the same smart Tizen interface found on the company's TVs.
By 2023, the updated Freestyle will get Samsung's Gaming Hub for cloud-based gaming via apps including Microsoft Xbox, Utomik, and Amazon Luna. And a New Edge Blending feature allows two separate Freestyle projectors to be combined and create an ultra-wide 21:9 aspect ratio screen (shown in the image above) with automatic keystone adjustment. Game on, Samsung.
5. Formova V10
The portable projector space is becoming increasingly crowded, with laser-based 4K models offered by many well-known and unknown manufacturers. Stopping by the Formovie booth to see their excellent Theater projector, the world's first to support Dolby Vision HDR and one with a high-performance Bowers & Wilkins Dolby Atmos sound system built in, I came across an intriguing new portable model that was had recently launched. : the V10.
The V10 is a 4K projector with an LED-based light engine that is specified for a light output of 2500 ANSI lumens and is capable of projecting images from 60 to 150 inches. Its specifications also state a 240Hz refresh rate with HDMI 2.1 connections and a 12ms input lag when gaming. Streaming with the V10 is done through the Android TV smart interface.
While all of these specs look good, especially on the gaming front, the real reason you'd buy the V10, which is out there and is priced at around $2,000, is its looks. With a natural wood top control panel and mesh fabric covered casing, this is one of the best looking portable projectors I've ever seen and totally worthy of a place of pride in your living room.
6. Xgimi MoGo 2 Pro
I didn't get a chance to experience the Xgimi MoGo 2 Pro in person: At the CES event I attended, where it was supposed to be on display, a Xgimi representative was there, but the MoGo 2 Pro strangely wasn't. but given our positive experience with the Mogo Pro, as well as the company's track record of designing high-quality portable projectors, I'm confident this will be one of the best models to come out in 2023.
In terms of specs, the MoGo 2 Pro is a lightweight (2.2 pounds) 1080p model with HDR10 support. The image size is said to extend up to 200 inches, which means you can use this thing to project onto the side of a creepy barn. More importantly, the Mogo 2 Pro looks good and incorporates the company's intelligent display adaptation technology (version 2.0), which automatically aligns the image to be a perfect 16:9 rectangle and perfectly in focus no matter where you place it. The proyector.
The MoGo 2 Pro will be available "soon".
7 JVC LX-NZ30
Another projector I didn't get to see in person is JVC's LX-NZ30, in this case because CES is too big, encompassing the Las Vegas Strip and the main convention center. But I wanted to include it on this list because JVC hasn't made a bad projector yet and the LX-NZ30 seems like a great option for watching movies and gaming.
The LX-NZ30 is a 1080p DLP design that uses four-way electronic switching to achieve 4K screen resolution. According to JVC, it "supports up to 1080P/240Hz input with latency as low as 6,25ms." In addition to its HDMI connections, it has a DisplayPort uno2a input for direct connection to a PC. The LX-NZ30 features a dynamically dimming laser light source to enhance contrast and offers flexible setup options including horizontal and vertical lens shift and 1,6x optical zoom.
The LX-NZ30 is going to be available at the end of March for €3499.