Last year at CES 2018, LG’s HU80KA laser projector was the sleeper hit of the show. This year, at CES 2019, LG is showing off a new ultra-short throw projector which uses dual lasers to enhance color accuracy and punch. The HU85L, as it is called, can produce a 90-inch image when placed just two inches from the wall, while a 7-inch clearance nets users a massive 120-inch picture. The projector delivers 4K resolution with up to 2,500 ANSI lumens, but there is no mention of HDR processing.
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The new dual-laser projector takes on a more conventional design. It’s surprisingly compact, so it avoids the need for a wide or deep entertainment stand. Armed with dual five-watt speakers and LG’s WebOS smart TV interface with ThinQ artificial intelligence and a TV tuner, the HU85L is capable of providing complete home entertainment without the need of any other device. simply add a screen or even a white wall, and cinematic viewing is well within reach.
LG told Digital Trends the HU85L uses a blue and red laser but wasn’t able to confirm for us at the time how the color green is produced. It’s possible a yellow phosphor could be used with a second blue laser, or that some trickery with a color wheel is at play.
Like LG’s 2018 smart TVs with ThinQ A.I., the projector has Google Assistant built in with Alexa control available, though Alexa isn’t built into the device the way it is with LG’s 2019 TVs. WebOS makes a huge variety of apps available, including the usual suspects like Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, and Amazon Prime Video. With voice commands, users will be able to search for content using natural language and get search results back listing availability and price — even when that price is free.
If history repeats itself, the HU85L will be available this spring and will likely run a bit more than HU80L’s $3,000 coming-out price, though that remains to be seen. Regardless, Digital Trends is slated for an early review sample, so we will do a deep dive on the product and discover just how great it looks in a typical viewing environment soon.
