When building your home theater, a projector has several key advantages over a television. You can have a much larger screen, for one, and the image is actually easier on your eyes — the light that reflects off a white or gray screen is less intense than the light that’s beamed directly at you as on an LED and OLED TV. That said, setting up a projector can be more complicated, as you need to consider things like the room’s size, wall space and brightness, as well the projector’s throw distance.
If you’re set on buying a projector, LG’s Minibeam Ultra Short Throw Projector (PF1000U) is a great one to consider. It’s an ultra-short throw projector, which means that it only needs a few inches of space to throw a really big screen — it can project up to a 100-inch screen from 15 inches away. It produces a full HD 1080p picture and also acts as a smart TV, via WebOS, so that you can stream apps like Netflix, Hulu, YouTube and HBO Now. It also has built-in wi-fi for easy installation.
The LG PF1000U normally costs $1,400, which is fairly expensive, considering it was released in 2015 and isn’t capable of 4K. However, you can get it on Amazon for $997, which is $400 off its normal MSRP.
What the reviews are sayings:
• “If you don’t watch much in black and white, however, or aren’t bothered at all by rainbow artifacts, the LG Minibeam Ultra Short Throw Projector with Smart TV (PF1000U) has a lot to like. The ultra-short throw eliminates the need to run cables across a room, the image quality is more than acceptable, and the built-in TV tuner and Smart TV capability are welcome extras. I’d like it even better if it were a bit brighter, but even as is, it offers more than enough to be our Editors’ Choice premium home-entertainment projector for a small family room.” — M. David Stone, PCMag
• “There are very few 1080p HD portable ultra-short-throw projectors available, and onboard TV is almost nonexistent. It has its flaws and idiosyncrasies like all projectors do, but for the most part, they are unavoidable natural byproducts of the key benefits and unique features that it provides. In the end, it is a lot of fun in a little package. If you need what the LG PF1000U offers, there is no reason to wait.” — Evan Powell, ProjectorCentral.com
Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.
