LG’s pre-CES attention grab continues with the unexpected revelation of a new member of LG’s CineBeam living room projector range, in the highly distinctive shape of the LG CineBeam Qube.
The CineBeam Qube (also known more prosaically as the HU710PB) doesn’t actually look like a cube. It’s taller than it is wide, making it look more like a compact bookshelf speaker than either a cube or a projector. Even though the name doesn’t describe the projector’s looks, it does communicate the sort of potentially quite young, casual, lifestyle consumer it is aimed at.
It combines a compact (80(w) x (134(d) x 135(h)mm) and lightweight (1.49kg) chassis with a built-in carry handle capable of rotating through a full 360 degrees – and which can also give the projector more stability if rotated down to rest on the same surface as the projector when you have it set up.
Its ultra-convenient design also includes some interesting picture specifications. It uses an RGB laser light source which might be the main reason the projector claims to be capable of delivering 154% coverage of the digital cinema DCI-P3 color gamut. Using a laser light source also means that users won’t have to worry about replacing bulbs every few thousand hours as they would with a lamp-based projector.
LG says the Qube is capable of producing 500 lumens of peak brightness. This is quite a high figure for an ultra-portable projector, and contributes to an unusually flexible image size range of 50-120 inches. The Qube also claims a high contrast ratio of 450,000:1.
The LG CineBeam Qube features an Auto Screen Adjustment system that automatically fixes focus and geometry errors. If this works as expected, it should be a big plus for a projector designed to be carried from place to place enhancing its ‘plug and play’ potential.
The CineBeam Qube carries an HDMI port for connecting external sources and/or passing audio out from the projector to a connected AVR or soundbar thanks to its support for HDMI’s eARC feature, plus there’s a USB Type C port and wireless support for both Android and iOS devices.
In addition to claims of 4K video support, the Qube can handle HDR10 high dynamic range sources, and rounds out its living room appeal by carrying a built-in version of LG’s webOS 6.0 smart TV system, complete with built-in, device-optimized versions of such key streaming apps as Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video and YouTube.
As with LG TVs, you can also run a selection of digital images on the CineBeam Qube as an ambient effect when you’re not watching the projector. LG hasn’t yet announced likely pricing or a formal launch date for its new lifestyle projector, but it will be on show at the CES next month where more details might be announced.
