LG's Cinebeam 4K portable projector hits stores in the US

In case you missed the memo, 4K isn’t the flavor of the month - it’s the new default resolution, and one that LG is embracing wholeheartedly. From its line-up of OLED TVs to its Ultra-Fine Monitors, LG’s displays are all-in on 2160p. 

The latest tech from the South Korean manufacturer to embrace the Ultra-HD revolution is its Cinebeam Projectors - specifically the all-new HU80KA 4K Projector that we saw at CES earlier this year: LG has just announced that the portable projector will be available starting on June 4 for around $2,999. 

What separates the HU80KA from, say, the 4K projectors that Sony is making, is that LG’s latest projector is designed with portability in mind - with a built-in handle, LG wants you to bring the HU80KA from room-to-room with you. 

Perhaps more surprising is that its $3,000 price tag makes it just slightly cheaper than the Sony VPL-VW285ES, which will run you an eye-watering $4,999. 

But, just because it’s portable and slightly cheaper than the beamers from Sony doesn’t mean that LG is skimping on the visual fidelity - the HU80KA can create a 150-inch screen at 2,500 lumens, making it LG’s brightest projector. 

The icing on the cake is that it also supports HDR content via HDR10 as well.

Need 4K content? WebOS has you covered

Of course, the biggest criticism levied against 4K beamers in the past is that Ultra-HD content can be hard to come by. (It's not, honestly, but that's a myth that's been perpetuated for the last few years.) 

To finally put that myth to rest, LG is packing webOS straight into the HU80KA.

With the latest version of webOS, the the HU80KA can stream 4K content from Netflix, YouTube and others, all without taking up room on your wall. 

Will the projector outclass OLED in terms of black levels? Probably not - especially without the aid of more advanced HDR formats like Dolby Vision or HDR10+. But, that said, its portability and price may help LG's latest beamer beat out the competition in its design class.

Nick Pino

Nick Pino is Managing Editor, TV and AV for TechRadar's sister site, Tom's Guide. Previously, he was the Senior Editor of Home Entertainment at TechRadar, covering TVs, headphones, speakers, video games, VR and streaming devices. He's also written for GamesRadar+, Official Xbox Magazine, PC Gamer and other outlets over the last decade, and he has a degree in computer science he's not using if anyone wants it.