LG CineBeam HU85LA First Look Review – 4K UHD and Ultra Short Throw

The LG CineBeam HU85LA made its first appearance at CES 2019, where it won an Innovation Award. LG is known for their smart TVs and smart projectors, the most recently reviewed being their CineBeam HU80KA. LG fans are eagerly waiting for the arrival of this 4K UHD ultra short throw projector, with new comments popping up on LG’s page for the HU85LA every day. I, too, am keen on this projector, as 4K capable UST projectors are a rare breed indeed. The projector is slated to drop “later in 2019,” and we are hoping to see a demonstration at InfoComm 2019.

Before we get into it – what is a First Look Review? Our First Look Reviews are one-page, simple reviews based on the projector’s specs, features, and our thoughts based on those aspects, before we get the projector in for review – these First Looks are a mixture of insight and common sense. We won’t know if the projector lives up to our expectations until we get it in for testing, but we can make assumptions from what we know about similar projectors from the manufacturers, in addition to those specs/features. Now, on with our First Look Review of the LG CineBeam HU85LA!

The LG CineBeam HU85LA does not currently have a published MSRP. Looking at the specifications, and the price point of the HU80KA, we’re probably looking at around $3K or higher. This 4K UHD LG can project an image from 90” and up to 120” – not bad. Many UST projectors I’ve seen tend to project up to 100” only.

It’s a laser based DLP projector claiming up to 2,700 lumens. If I recall correctly, the HU80KA didn’t meet its claim, but that doesn’t mean this one won’t! Even if the projector measures under claim, like most projectors do (up to 25% under, in fact), we’re still looking at a projector that is capable of handling a fair about of ambient light.

The LG CineBeam HU85LA comes with built-in, dual 5-watt speakers, with Bluetooth capabilities for connecting external speakers. Nice. This LG is a good size – 26.8” wide, 13.7” deep, and 5.0” tall, weighing in at 26.9 lbs. It has plenty of inputs and connectors, as well as some awesome special features that we’ll get into in the – you guessed it – Special Features section of this First Look Review.

The LG CineBeam HU85LA brings the best of LG Smart TVs and 4K UHD projectors together to create one awesome machine. This is what immediately attracted me to this projector. I had been researching the newest projectors announced by manufacturers that will be at InfoComm 2019 for another article when I came across the HU85LA. Arriving at LG’s sales page for the projector, I was instantly intrigued by the sleek design, the brightness, and all of its special features.

The first of which to mention is obvious – the 4K UHD resolution and its support for HDR10. I haven’t seen anything about this projector tackling the BT.2020/P3 expanded color space, so I can neither confirm or deny at this time. I already let Art know to ask LG about this at InfoComm this year. Information has also not been released as to whether or not the HU85LA has an 18 Ghz HDMI, so we don’t yet know if the projector is suitable for 4K gaming with HDR.

The LG CineBeam HU85LA has built-in, 5-watt stereo speakers and compatibility with Bluetooth speakers. In addition to your standard Bluetooth speakers, you’ll also have the choice of using a Bluetooth soundbar. The projector also has wireless capabilities! Using Miracast or a WiDi Supporting Device, you can screenshare your iOS or Android devices.

What sets this projector apart from other 4K UHD ultra short throw projectors on the market are the LG Smart TV features. This is something that LG has been including on their projectors for years, and, of course, have been making improvements over time. Netflix, YouTube, Amazon, Channel Plus, Accuweather, and Hulu, all come standard with this feature. LG also has an App Store, as well as LG ThinQ and Google Assistant.

The LG CineBeam HU85LA has two HDMI inputs, one regular and at least one HDCP 2.2 for processing 4K signals. There are two USBs – a Type A and a Type C. HID (Keyboard/Mouse/GamePad) can be connected via one of those USB ports. There’s a Digital TV Tuner, as well as an RJ-45 LAN connector. As mentioned, the projector can send Bluetooth audio out, and, if you want to hook up wired external speakers, there’s an Audio Out for that, too.

The projector comes with a Magic Remote, battery included. The Magic Remote is a fan favorite, as it is intuitive and has several options for navigating your content. You can click. You can scroll. And, you can use voice control with LG’s Voice Mate speech recognition technology. If you’re interested in reading more about this remote, Art wrote about it in his full review of the LG HU80KA.