LG CineBeam Q HU710PB Projector Review
Table of contents
Lifestyle projectors have come a long way over the past few years. While they've been around for quite some time, it's only in recent years that they've truly started to take off, thanks in part to advancements in technology and increased consumer demand. I remember in 2017 when getting a lifestyle projector was a bit of a challenge. You were often stuck between choosing a cheap, low-quality option from Amazon or splurging on something that was just okay.
Fast forward to today, and the landscape has completely transformed. Now, whether you're looking for a 4K or 1080p projector, there's a variety of options available that cater to every budget and requirement.
Specifications
One such product in this evolving market is the LG CineBeam Q HU710PB lifestyle projector. This portable 4K DLP tri-laser projector is capable of projecting 4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160p) images up to 120 inches in size with a throw ratio of 1.2:1. It is equipped with an RGB laser light source, has a brightness of 500 ANSI lumens, and reproduces 154 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut. The CineBeam Q supports HDR, with compatibility for HDR10 and HLG signals.
The projector also includes an auto-screen adjustment feature with autofocus, making it easy for images to always be rectangular and clear when projected onto a wall or screen. For further image refinement, it offers manual digital keystone correction with 4, 9, or 15-point warping options.
Most portable projectors today come with built-in speakers, and the LG CineBeam Q is no exception with its 3-watt mono speaker. While it's not going to produce huge sound, it does support Bluetooth pairing with Dual Audio Output, enabling wireless audio streaming to multiple Bluetooth speakers, headphones, and even soundbars.
Design
The LG CineBeam Q stands out with a sleek and modern design. It fits comfortably in your hand, measuring 5.3 inches tall, 3.1 inches wide, and 5.3 inches deep, and weighs only 3.3 pounds. Its compact aluminum case and 360-degree rotating aluminum kickstand provide an industrial look while making it easy to move from room to room. The kickstand also doubles as a carrying handle, though it requires its external power brick since it lacks a built-in rechargeable battery.
On the rear of the unit, you'll find one HDMI port, a USB Type-C port, the power button, and the DC input port. For those who prefer wireless connectivity, the projector supports streaming from a phone or tablet using either AirPlay 2 or Android Screen Share.
Remote
One minor drawback to the projector's design is its remote. While it features a minimalist design, the white plastic material does not match the look or quality of the projector. It also lacks a backlight and voice command support, which might be less convenient in low-light settings. On the positive side, it includes all the necessary buttons you would need, including shortcut keys for Netflix, Disney+, and Prime Video.
WebOS Platform
The LG CineBeam Q HU710PB runs on LG’s WebOS platform, which includes popular apps like Disney Plus, Prime Video, Netflix, Apple TV Plus, and YouTube. However, Max and Hulu are notably absent from the available apps. Despite this, navigating through the operating system is smooth and glitch-free, and offers a user-friendly experience.
Setup
This projector is pretty easy to set up thanks to its autofocus and auto keystone features. With its 1.2 throw ratio, positioning the projector around 10.5 feet away proved optimal for a 110-inch screen using a Stewart Filmscreen StudioTek 130 G4. For those who may not use a dedicated projector screen, I also tested it by projecting a 100-inch screen onto a bare wall.
Performance
The LG CineBeam Q HU710PB projector provides seven distinct image modes for both SDR and HDR content, including Vivid, Standard, Movie Home, Movie Game Optimizer, Filmmaker, and Brightest. I'll be completely honest: I went into this review with low expectations for the image quality. This wasn't because I doubted the product but based on past experiences with lifestyle projectors, which have generally been just decent.
However, I was pleasantly surprised by the image quality of the LG CineBeam Q HU710PB. The main advantage of this projector over other ultra-compact models is its 4K resolution with HDR10 and HLG support, which becomes evident as soon as you start playing any 4K content. The picture was consistently sharp and vivid.
The color performance of the LG CineBeam Q HU710PB was quite good, particularly evident when testing with “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”. In Filmmaker Mode, both grayscale and color Delta-E averaged below the target level of 3. The projector also achieves great coverage of the P3 color gamut, coming in at 98.2% in Filmmaker mode and 99.5% in the Brightest mode which is close to the 99.7% coverage LG claims.
Watching "IF" with Ryan Reynolds showcased the brightness of this projector. In Filmmaker HDR mode, peak brightness on a 10% window was approximately 52 nits. I did notice that the black levels and brightness in dark grays were slightly elevated. While this is expected with a projector in this price range and doesn't significantly detract from the viewing experience, it does prevent the projector from achieving optimal black levels and contrast in darker scenes.
Conclusion
The LG CineBeam Q HU710PB isn't meant to compete with dedicated home theater projectors, but it excels among portable models. Having tested several portable projectors, this one stands out with its crisp 4K image quality making a strong impression. Priced at $1,299, it is more expensive than other portable options, but the superior picture quality justifies the cost.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Portable and lightweight design | Limited built-in audio |
Crisp 4K image quality | Requires external power brick |
WebOS platform | The remote can use some improvement |
FAQ
What is the difference between a portable projector and a home theater projector?
Portable projectors are smaller and designed for mobility, while home theater projectors are larger, more powerful, and typically fixed in one location.
What does keystone correction do?
When a projector is tilted or angled rather than being centered directly in front of the screen, the image will distort into a trapezoidal shape. Keystone correction adjusts this distortion, ensuring the picture is perfectly rectangular though there may be a slight loss in image quality.
Does the HDMI Connection support ARC/eARC?
This LG projector includes an ARC HDMI port. External audio devices supporting SIMPLINK and ARC need to be connected through this port. When using an Ultra High-Speed HDMI Cable, external audio devices that support ARC output or SPDIF can operate with the SIMPLINK function without requiring an additional cable.
