LG says its new CineBeam Qube 4K projector is a 'stylish art object'

LG has announced Cinebeam Cube (Model HU710PB) laser projector yesterday: It weighs 3.28 pounds, measures 135mm square on one side and is just 80mm wide on the front with a minimal look and height. (By comparison, the iPhone 15 Pro is just shy of 147mm tall.) It has an unspecified number of HDMI eARC and USB-C ports, and a 3W built-in mono speaker. Interestingly, LG says it can project up to a 120-inch image at full 4K resolution with a pretty standard 1.2 throw ratio. Oh, and it has a handle!

This itty bitty projector has some glaring flaws. For starters, it puts out a relatively dim 500 ANSI lumens (compared to the 2200 ANSI lumens of the larger Xgimi Horizon Pro we reviewed two years ago). That means that even though LG says this projector supports HDR 10, it won't pop the way bright HDR TVs do outside of a very dark room. The Cube uses the company's webOS, which is taken as an OS in its own right, but lacks the versatility of Google TV or Apple's tvOS.

But none of that matters if you just want a little thing that happens to be useful. looks like a cross between binomials 90s CGI cartoon reboot and hand-cranked Bell & Howell 8mm camera It floated around my house growing up. While I usually recoil at companies that describe their devices with terms like “stylish interior accessory,” as someone willing to forgive the shortcomings of quirky, boxy technology with a handle, the Cube has to admit calls to me. GameCube, for example. (Obviously, the GameCube, without its flaws, is a convenient example here.)

LG hasn't announced a price or release date for the Qube, whether it will support features like AirPlay 2, smart voice control from other LG projectors, or really… anything about its capabilities outside of the basics. As mentioned above.