In August 2025, LG introduced its new CineBeam S projector in Canada, Australia, the UK and other European countries. In September, the South Korean giant began accepting pre-orders in the US. MSRP (Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price) is $ 1,299. This price is valid when pre-ordering from LG’s US online store. Until October 5th, buyers will receive a free LG S40TR soundbar (approximately $277 on Amazon). Price in the UK is £ 1,099. The model index is PU615U. Essentially, it’s an ultra-short throw (UST) version of last year’s mid-focal CineBeam Q HU710PB with similar specs.
Both models offer:
– triple-laser RGB light engine.
Instead of a cheaper ALPD 3.0 (Advanced Laser Phosphor Display) – based Laser Phosphor (LaPh) light engine, LG uses improved ALPD 4.0 – based triple-laser light module. It provides a wider color gamut that covers 154% of the DCI-P3 color space. For comparison, LaPh projectors cover no more than 100% for Rec.709.
– brightness – up to 500 ANSI lumens (ANSI IT7.228 standard).
The low brightness significantly limits projection size. It’s enough to create images with rich colors on screens up to 80″ in dark spaces. However, even low ambient light or increased projection size will make the image duller and more faded. Therefore, 80″ is a more realistic value, unlike the recommended 100″/120″ for CineBeam S/Q, which actually only characterizes the focusing range. But this is great value for a compact model;
– 450,000:1 dynamic contrast.
Unfortunately, the company does not specify the more informative native ANSI or FOFO (full on/off) contrast ratios;
– HDR10 and Filmmaker Mode;
– smart TV platform – webOS 6.0/webOS 24;
– pre-installed AirPlay 2 for Apple devices and Screen Share for other smartphones, tablets, and PCs provide wireless connectivity.
LG compact projectors
For several years now, LG has been focused on developing its line of compact projectors. In 2023, the company introduced the portable mid-focal CineBeam PU700R 4K LED projector. Last year’s mid-focal LG CineBeam Q (HU710PB) also supports 4K resolution, but uses a triple-laser RGB light engine with a wider color gamut.
The new CineBeam S (PU615U) UST 4K laser projector uses ultra-short-throw lens system. It’s slightly larger and heavier – (16 x 11 x 16 cm)@1.9 kg vs (8 x 13 x 13 cm)@1.5 kg. CineBeam S joins the extremely limited compact UST projector segment, which currently includes only the MosicGO MGFU-L1-FBA, INNOVATIVE DSX II, and Philips Screeneo UL5. However, theу support only Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) resolution. In fact, the LG CineBeam S is the first UST 4K laser Home Theater projector.
However, the lack of competitors is quite logical. UST projectors generate projections using re-reflections from complex aspherical mirrors. This allows them to display huge images measuring over 100″ diagonally from a distance of just a few inches. The placing a UST projector near a screen on a wall eliminates one of the main problems with mid-focal models. Situated several meters from the screen, they create the problem of the power cable underfoot. Of course, ceiling mounting solves it, but radically reduces the projector’s mobility. This advantage has been one of the main factors behind the meteoric rise in popularity of UST projectors. Today, they are positioned as a relatively inexpensive alternative to a huge TV in the living room.
Of course, in this case their size and weight do not matter and compactness is redundant. However, portability is always convenient, unless, of course, it comes at the expense of quality or price.
Contrast
The company only specifies dynamic contrast. Image quality depends primarily on contrast, brightness, and color gamut. Contrast affects color saturation and detail in dark scenes.
Today, only CLoS projectors provide superb contrast due to perfect black levels. However, their price starts at $ 6,000 and can reach tens of thousands. DLP and 3LCD projectors range from 300:1 to several thousand:1.
The most objective ANSI contrast method (native contrast) uses eight white and eight black rectangles. The luxmeter measures the brightness of all white and black squares, averages them, and calculates a ratio of the averaged white readings to the black readings.
In an effort to increase specs values, some companies have started using the FOFO (full on/off) method. However, using the full black 0 IRE test pattern doesn’t take into account the light scatter in the projector’s light engine and lens. As a result, its value is always higher than native ANSI contrast.
Many companies prefer to specify dynamic contrast. This is essentially Auto Dynamic Iris, which optimizes light output depending on the average illumination level of the scene. In fact, it opens/closes the iris or changes the laser power. In particular, lumen output decreases in a dark scene, increases black depth, and increases in a bright scene. Most modern projectors use this technology.
Furthermore, developers are actively using AI technologies. For example, Dynamic Tone Mapping (DTM) analyzes HDR video content on a frame-by-frame basis to adjust brightness, contrast, and color in real time. To some extent, it’s similar to local dimming technology in TVs. AWOL Vision has achieved impressive success, increasing contrast with the Enhanced Black Level (EBL) feature to an unprecedented 15,000:1 in Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2. To avoid accusations of using incorrect terms, the company called it ‘Viewing Contrast.’
CineBeam S vs CineBeam Q
Both projectors support 4K UHD (3,840 × 2,160) resolution. But last year’s CineBeam Q uses XPR (Extended Pixel Resolution) pixel-shifting technology. Its operating principle is simple and elegant. The projector divides the 8 million pixels of 4K content into four parts. It then sequentially displays four images using 2 million micromirrors of a relatively inexpensive Full HD chipset, shifting them diagonally by half a pixel relative to each other.
Of course, the projector displays only one Full HD image at any given time. But due to the high frequency, our vision and brain perceive them as a single, higher-resolution image. This technology has allowed manufacturers to replace expensive 4K chipsets with significantly cheaper Full HD ones.
Surprisingly, according to preliminary data, the new LG CineBeam S (PU615U) uses a native 4K chip. But this information may be inaccurate because the price seems too low in this case.
The focus range varies from 40-100 inches for the UST CineBeam S (0.25:1 Throw Ratio, 100″@55cm) and 50-120 inches for the mid-focal CineBeam Q (1.20:1, 100″@265cm).
The CineBeam S has several additional adjustment features. This list includes auto screen adjustment (quickly align and sharpen the projected image), screen scaling and shifting (changing image size and placement). When viewing without a screen, the projector offers Wall Color Adjustment, which compensates for projecting onto non-white surfaces. The last year’s CineBeam Q supports only auto focus and auto screen adjustment.
The LG CineBeam S (model PU615U) has 2x 4W speakers with Dolby Atmos support for spacious audio. CineBeam Q offers only 3.0W mono speaker.
Conclusion
With a slight price increase ($1,300 vs. $1,150), the South Korean developers have significantly improved the sound, expanded the adjustment features, and, most importantly, installed an ultra-short-throw lens system. Of course, these are significant pros in favor of the CineBeam S. In fact, the CineBeam S becomes the world’s first compact 4K triple-laser UST projector and and has no competitors. The MosicGO MGFU-L1-FBA, INNOVATIVE DSX II, and Philips Screeneo UL5 are Full HD.
But not everything is so rosy. Some compact mid-focal 4K projector competitors in this price segment:
– Philips GamePix 900 ~ $ 860, May 2025, LED, 1,000 ANSI lumens, 2.0 kg;
– JMGO N1 Ultra ~ $ 1,000, June 2023, RGB Laser, 1,900 ISO lumens, 4.5 kg;
– Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE ~ $ 1,050, August 2024, Laser/LED Hybrid, 1,900 ANSI lumens, 4.5 kg;
– Formovie X5 ~ $ 1,250, April 2023, Laser Phosphor, 2,450 CVIA lumens, 4.0 kg;
– Dangbei DBOX02 ~ $ 1,300, May 2024, Laser Phosphor, 2,450 ISO lumens, 4.0 kg;
– NexiGo TriVision Ultra ~ $ 1,500, January 2025, Laser/LED Hybrid, 2,600 ANSI lumens, 5.2 kg.
For reference, 1 ANSI lumen ≈ 0.8 ISO lumens.
For the same price, they are several times brighter. Consequently, they provide acceptable color saturation even in diffuse daylight. Furthermore, their brightness is sufficient for high-quality images up to 120″-130″ diagonally vs ~ 80″ for the CineBeam S. However, the final decision between the ease of UST projector placement and the higher brightness of a mid-focal model will be up to the consumer.
Video presents a new LG CineBeam S.