Japanese multinational electronics company Seiko Epson Corporation, headquartered in Suwa, Nagano, Japan, hardly needs an introduction. It has subsidiaries worldwide. The company manufactures scanners, laptops, video projectors, watches, point-of-sale systems, robots and industrial automation equipment, and all types of printers.
The quartz wristwatch movement of 1969 was the Japanese giant’s first product. Since the 1980s, the company has become one of the world leaders in the projector segment. Since 2012, Epson’s 3LCD models have rightfully been considered among the best on the market.
Moreover, in 2010, the company introduced its first ultra-short-throw (UST) projector. Unlike traditional mid-focal projectors, they form an image using aspherical mirrors, providing a huge projection of 100 inches or more from a distance of just a few inches.
Placing the projectors close to the screen eliminates the problem of running power cable on the floor. Of course, it can be solved, for example, with a ceiling mount, but this significantly limits the projector’s mobility. This aspect has led to the incredible popularity of UST projectors, which many have come to see as an affordable alternative to large living room TVs.
In 2025, the company released a new line of 3LCD projectors called Epson Life Studio. It includes the portable Flex and Pop LED models, and the 3LCD Grand UST model. They use built-in Google TV and Bose sound. Today Lifestudio Grand costs about $ 2,700.
However, the Japanese giant did not stop there and this year introduced the brighter Epson Lifestudio Grand Plus. Thus, the series of new Lifestudio 3-chip 3LCD UST projectors includes the Grand EH-LS670B/W (September 2025, $ 2,700, 3,600 ISO lumens) and Grand Plus EH-LS970 (March 2026, MSRP $ 3,800, 4,000 ISO Lumens). Additionally, this model replaces the discontinued Epson LS800.
Main specs
Brightness, price, size, and weight are the main differences between the models. The new Grand Plus is brighter (4,000 ISO lumens vs 3,600 ISO lumens), more expensive ($ 3,800 vs $ 2,700), and significantly larger (12.5kg@16x70x34cm vs 7.5kg@16x47x40 cm).
As known, ambient light makes images appear dimmer and washed-out. The projector’s brightness compensates for this factor, reducing room darkening requirements. However, even 3,600 ISO lumens is an superb result for UST models. In addition, the actual brightness of 3LCD models significantly exceeds the brightness of DLP projectors with similar specs. This is due to the absence of a color wheel, which DLP uses as a filter, passing only one color in each cycle.
Accordingly, the lack of loss for colors output ensures equal White Brightness and Color Brightness (Color Light Output), resulting in more saturated colors in the image.
Otherwise, the models are virtually identical. Both projectors come with built-in Google TV and use Bose sound technologies, including:
— Direct/Reflective (reflecting sound off walls);
— CustomTune (adapting sound to the ear shape);
— Acoustimass (compact subwoofers);
— QuietComfort noise cancellation;
— Waveguide (waveguides for rich bass);
— Smart Speaker 500 multidirectional drivers.
The built-in 2.1-channel Bose sound system delivers a total output of 20 W with 2x 45 mm full-range drivers and 80 mm ported enclosure.
The native FOFO Contrast Ratio of the Grand Plus was approximately 1,800:1. The Lifestudio Grand’s contrast is approximately 1,400:1 in Natural picture mode with Dynamic Contrast disabled. However, enabling the Dynamic Contrast setting at High Speed significantly enhances performance in this area, as users familiar with Epson projectors would typically expect.
Both projectors use ALPD (Advanced Laser Phosphor Display) 3.0 light engine (Laser Phosphor) with 100% coverage for Rec.709 syandard (~ 80% for DCI-P3).
XPR vs 4K-Enhancement
Both models use 4K PRO-UHD technology with dual-axis shifting plates, which increases the resolution of the projected image. Like XPR (eXpanded Pixel Resolution) technology from Texas Instruments in DLP projectors, it uses pixel shift. In this case, the 2 million micromirrors of the XPR-enabled 1080p chipset display 8 million pixels of the incoming 4K image at full 4K UHD resolution (3,840 x 2,160). Essentially, the algorithm divides the 8 million pixels into four parts and sequentially displays four 1080p images, shifting them diagonally by half a pixel relative to each other. At any given time, the projector displays only one 1080p image. But due to the high frequency, our vision and brain perceive them as a single, higher-resolution image. The shift is achieved by tilting the lens using four electromagnets in the XPR module. Despite the chipset’s native 1080p resolution, manufacturers of XPR-enabled DLP projectors initially market them as 4K models.
Epson is more meticulous about this aspect and, to avoid criticism, lists the native resolution of projectors with pixel shift as 1080p. Epson pixel shift-based 4K-Enhancement technology duplicates a single 1080p image, shifting it by half a pixel. The algorithm then combines the two images, creating the illusion of a higher-resolution image.
This feature is similar to upscaling in TVs and is designed for use with Full HD content only. In contrast, XRP is designed to reproduce native 4K content. Epson’s two-way pixel-shift technology provides better color accuracy and higher brightness, while XRP offers the highest possible sharpness and the fastest response times. Of course, the usefulness of each directly depends on the content resolution. 4K PRO-UHD does not improve 4K content, and XPR is useless when playing Full HD.
Settings
The models use four color modes, including Dynamic, Standard, Cinema, and Natural. Measured brightness (Grand Plus vs Grand, SDR/HDR Mode, ANSI lumens):
— Dynamic ~ 4,450 vs 3,770;
— Standard ~ 4,050 vs 3,550;
— Cinema ~ 3,785 vs 3,440;
— Natural ~ 3,695 vs 3,320.
The controls include basic options:
— Brightness;
— Contrast;
— Saturation;
— Tint;
— Sharpness.
Advanced options:
— Gain and Offset controls;
— full color management system (CMS);
— gamma selection (Dark, Normal, and Bright with values of 2.3, 2.1, and 1.9);
— Projection Preference (Fine or Bright settings);
— Dynamic Contrast (Normal or High-Speed options);
— additional picture options include Local Contrast Control, Dynamic Color Booster, the AI-based AISR and AIPQ image enhancements.
AISR (AI-based Super Resolution) increases image sharpness and is most effective with Low or Medium settings. AIPQ (AI Picture Quality) performs image adjustments on a scene-by-scene basis. The Low and Medium settings provide the best results without overly processing the image.
The Lifestudio Grand Plus has great pre-settings and is ready to work in any mode immediately after unpacking. To be fair, the modes have a slight bias towards green or blue tones, but they are insignificant and do not interfere with viewing. The Natural and Cinema modes are the most accurate-looking image, Standard and Dynamic are traditionally brighter and ‘cooler’.
Unfortunately, the projectors do not support HDR10+ or Dolby Vision, but dynamic tone mapping provides sufficiently high quality for HDR.
Unlike last year’s Lifestudio Grand, the new model comes with newest Gemini option, which replaces traditional voice search with conversational AI, offering content recommendations and smart home control.
Gemini option.jpg
It also handles more complex issues, including searching for specific movies or using natural language to adjust picture/sound settings.
Conclusion
Pros (Lifestudio Grand and Lifestudio Grand Plus):
— superb brightness with identical White Brightness and Color Brightness due to the absence of a color wheel;
— HDMI 2.1 and eARC support;
— GoogleTV;
— Bose sound system;
— Projection Studio App for Interactive Gatherings (sharing slideshows, movies, and other media between Lifestudio projectors).
Cons
— limited gamut coverage;
— no 3D support and RJ45 port.
Lifestudio Grand Plus vs Lifestudio Grand
— Epson Lifestudio Grand is $ 1,000 cheaper;
— Grand Plus is brighter (4,000 vs 3,500 ISO Lumens), more contrasty (1,800:1 vs 1,400:1 FOFO contrast) and comes with newest Gemini AI feature;
— Grand Plus is heavier and larger — 12.5kg@16x70x34cm vs 7.5kg@16x47x40 cm.
The new projector has a launch price of $ 3,800 and offers excellent White Brightness and Color Brightness (Color Light Output) up to 4,000 ISO lumens, Google TV with the newest Gemini AI feature, a Bose sound system, and the Projection Studio app. For comparison, the new flagship Hisense PX4-Pro laser 4K UST projector is expected to retail for around $ 4,500 (€ 3,500–€ 4,300). To be fair, it has higher contrast (6,000:1 with the new IRIS lens system) and covers up to 110% of the BT.2020 color space with a triple-laser light engine, but the Epson is significantly brighter (4,000 lumens white/color brightness vs 3,500 lumens white brightness only).
But compared to last year’s Lifestudio Grand, the extra $ 1,000 seems like a steep premium for ~15% extra brightness and the Gemini AI feature. However, traditional launch price adjustment could significantly change these ratios.
This video presents Epson Lifestudio Grand Plus projector.