One way to declutter an interior is to do away with a physical screen altogether. We’ve selected seven contemporary projectors to help you find the right device to transform a room from screen-free sanctuary to private cinema space. With new projectors like the Openhagen Lightboks, companies are placing more emphasis on making these boxes look better, emit less noise and work well without requiring a complete black-out. Read on to shine a light on the latest projection technology.
XGIMI Horizon Ultra
XGIMI’s Horizon Ultra is a 4K home theatre projector, pairing an ultra-high resolution with Dolby Vision-driven HDR visuals. Android TV 11.0 is also on board, along with a suite of technologies to make automate the screen and picture size and intensity depending on placement and time of day. Two Harman Kardon speakers provide the onboard Dolby Audio sound, with Bluetooth connectivity for additional speakers. The resolution should cope easily with a picture size of 100” or more.
XGMI Horizon Ultra, £1,749, XGMI.com, Amazon.co.uk
LG CineBeam Q
The CineBeam Q is LG’s compact short throw 4K projector, a beautiful and ultra-compact piece of industrial design that can still pump out a 120” picture. With its integral rotating handle that doubles up as a stand, the CineBeam Q can easily be flipped to project on the ceiling. Integrated webOS provides access to the streaming services.
LG CineBeam Q, £998.98, LG.com
Samsung Freestyle
Samsung has incorporated their smart TV know-how into the tiny Freestyle, a highly portable projector that looks like an overgrown downlighter. The little cylinder incorporates 360-degree sound as well as a Samsung’s own Tizen smart TV operating system, and can be easily rotated from to ceiling , with an automatic ‘keystone’ function (for aligning skewed projection images) and up to 100” screen size at 2.7m distance. For smaller spaces, the second generation model can still project a 30” screen when it’s place just 80cm from the wall (mixing Metric and Imperial measurements is par for the course when it comes to home theatre).
Samsung Freestyle 2nd Generation, £599.99, Samsung.com
Philips Screeneo UL5
Dutch electronics giant Philips is supplying its new Screeneo UL5 Smart projector through Indiegogo. This HD projector (1080p) is intended to be placed right next to the wall, with the promise of a 100” screen size from just 51cm. Weighing in at 1kg, the UL5 is one of the most compact offerings on the market, without scrimping on connectivity or functionality.
Philips Screeneo UL5 Smart RGB Laser Projector, £615, UL5.Screeneo.com, Indiegogo.com
Asus ZenBeam L2
The Asus ZenBeam L2 continues the trend for smaller and smaller 4K projectors. This Android-powered box pairs a 1080p projector with Harman Kardon speakers and up to 120” screen size, as well as automatic autofocus and keystone correction, as well as an integrated (and detachable) Android streaming TV box. An integrated battery provides 3.5 hours of wireless projection, and Asus also includes its Light Wall software which uses the 960 LED lumens output to show 26 different ‘cinemographs’, essentially screen savers for your wall.
ASUS ZenBeam L2 Smart Portable LED Projector, £699, Asus.com, Amazon.co.uk
Epson CO-W01
Epson’s CO-W01 is a more conventionally shaped offering that presents itself as a simple, straightforward but high-performing alternative. The company reckons the WXGA display projector can throw images over 300” across, with a powerful beam that creates a bright image even in daytime.
Epson CO-W01 EXGA Projector, £299.99, Epson.co.uk, Amazon.co.uk
Yaber T2/T2 Plus
An elegant portable device from Yaber, the T2 is notable for its incorporation of JBL speakers and an integral battery. The T2 projects up to 100”, with a battery life of 2.5 hours and offers support for Dolby Audio, as well as automatic focus and keystone correction. The compact form factor and handle make this a handy device for projecting when out and about and the integral JBL speakers can also be used as a Bluetooth speaker. The T2 Plus model adds a Smart TV dongle to create an all-in-one package.
Yaber T2, £399.99, Yaber.com, Amazon.co.uk
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