Pics didn’t prepare me for how small LG’s 4K projector really is
The Cinebeam Q is barely bigger than a hardback book
Portable and compact projectors are having a moment at this year’s IFA, but none of ’em can hold a candle to LG’s diminutive beamer. I’ve seen milk cartons larger than the LG Cinebeam Q, which is pretty much as small as 4K projectors get. The high-end ‘lifestyle projector’ has officially been on sale in Korea and the US for the best part of a year, but only recently hit the UK and Europe. This was the first chance I got to see one up close and put those dimensions in perspective.
While most rivals at this scale make do with 1080p projection, the LG Cinebeam Q‘s 4K tri-laser light source throws a 3840×2160 image up to 120in across, with a maximum 500 nits ANSI lumens brightness and HDR support. For a lot of people that’ll be enough visual oomph to fully replace a traditional telly – and at £999, it’s cheaper than any LCD set with a screen that large.
I’m a huge fan of the sleek metal build, with a 360-degree rotating aluminum kickstand that doubles as a carry handle for carting it between rooms. At less than 1.5kg you won’t struggle to schlep it around. There’s no battery inside the svelte chassis, so you’ll need to stay within reach of a plug socket.
With WebOS smarts on board you won’t need to waste the single HDMI port on a streaming stick or dongle. There’s also a USB-C at the rear, while AirPlay and Android screen sharing let you stream content wirelessly from your other gadgets too.
The remote control will be familiar to anyone that’s used a LG TV in the past few years. I didn’t get to see it in person, but the white plastic remote apparently lets the side down a bit, lacking the polish and premium materials of the unit itself.
Auto screen adjustment should make setup a breeze, with focus and alignment both hands-free.
Episodes of Spongebob weren’t the best test of contrast or black levels, but the Cinebeam Q was impressively bright given how many harsh overhead lights were illuminating LG’s booth here at IFA Berlin. Colours had real impact, too. In a dark room it’ll do the big screen experience as well as any rival, only at a much more detailed 4K resolution.
I was impressed with how loud it could shout, too. There’s just a 3W mono speaker inside, but it sounded clear from a few feet away and I had no trouble hearing voices over the crowd at LG’s booth. Bluetooth pairing lets you hook up multiple external speakers or headphones if you want more audio impact.
The LG Cinebeam Q is on sale now.
Tom Morgan-Freelander
Deputy Editor 
