LG HU80K: This is the 4K projector you've been looking for
Great picture, good performance, super handy and affordable to boot. Sounds like marketing-speak? Let me explain why I'm throwing around superlatives.
Today I have a business meeting with the gentlemen from LG. I'm not really a fan of meetings because they're boring. But that's not because of LG - it's not their fault - it's simply because my face regularly falls asleep during these Chlaus-Hocks. Let's put it this way: if yawning and staring blankly into space were considered constructive articles, then I would be the alpha workhorse par excellence in this club.
But this time everything is different.
The big star of CES 2018, at least in the projector industry, is visiting us today. We're talking about the LG 4K UHD projector HU80K. I affectionately call it the "Hulk". Why? Because A) I accidentally read it that way the first time and B) the specifications live up to the nickname. Because if I go by the documents that LG sent me beforehand, we can expect some real fireworks.
So I'm joining the Chlaus-Hock.
Hulk-tastic speccs!
Let's keep it short and sweet. Here are the specs:
- DLP projector with laser light source and 4K image
- High brightness of maximum 2500 ANSI lumens
- 150-inch projection diagonal
- supports HDR content (HDR10)
- 2x 7 watt speakers
- webOS 3.5 with smart interface
- USB, Ethernet and HDMI as well as wireless support for external devices such as mouse and keyboard
- Flexible placement/mounting in the room - on the floor, on the wall or on the ceiling
- Normal throw (no short throw)
What it says here means something like: "Hey, I'm a projector with a big, sharp picture, rich colours and I'm super flexible to use!" sounds almost too good to be true, goes through my head.
I admit it: the HU80K is a bit sexy. Especially as, according to unconfirmed rumours, the price will be around 3000 francs. Damn fair, I'd like to think, especially for such a new projector. It is due to be launched on the market in April 2018 and will make a lot of people happy.
One thing is clear: LG seems to have recognised what consumers want. Namely, a good projector with a decent picture that is uncomplicated to set up and easy to use.
Style meets convenience
Shaped like a capital "i", the design is not only compact, but also - quite unusually for a projector - vertical. But that doesn't mean you can only use the Hulk (I'll call the projector that from time to time) standing up: "The projector can be laid on the floor, fixed to the wall or even mounted on the ceiling," the nice LG man explains to us, "and it's not even necessary to install the projector permanently. Thanks to the carrying handle and the cable rewind function, it is very easy to transport". The cable rewind function is actually very useful, as I will find out later.
Or now.
While the nice men discuss exciting things like stock levels and purchase prices with our product managers, I stealthily steal away with the six-kilogramme thing. With the power cable neatly tucked away. If the projector really is as portable as LG claims, I can set it up somewhere in the office and watch a bit of cinema. My work colleagues will hardly mind. I don't have much time: the fact that the Hulk is missing will soon be noticed in the "Highflyer" meeting room.
Luca simply tries out the HU80K for himself
A 4K Blu-ray just happens to be lying around. And, quite by chance, a matching 4K Blu-ray player. David Lee helps me with the installation. And snaps a few photos in the process.
Here we go. After about 15 seconds, the image is fully set up. An awestruck "Yep" escapes me. "Yep", David also says dryly.
Not too much was promised in terms of picture quality. Not only is the projection razor-sharp, the colours look rich and vibrant. They should, after all LG promises HDR10 support. I don't even make it easy for the HU80K: it's bright in the office. Probably brighter than at home, where you have set up your cinema corner. The fact that the picture is so convincing despite the difficult conditions is due to the 2500 ANSI lumens, which is quite a lot for a home cinema projector. ANSI lumens - in case you're wondering - indicates the brightness a projector can project onto a surface.
You need to know: A business projector is expected to project a presentation legibly even if it is only slightly less bright in the meeting room than in the Gobi Desert south of Mongolia at one o'clock in the afternoon. But as you can imagine, it has to be really bright for that. Okay, an extreme example, but you get the idea. It's different with home cinema projectors: a picture that is too bright causes colours to fade, which is why most projectors don't (want to) achieve more than 2000 ANSI lumens.
Comfortable to use...
Continue with the text. I fiddle around a bit more. No problem with the sporty design. Competitors' 4K UHD projectors are rarely bigger or heavier, but they often lack speakers. This is different here: two 7-watt speakers ensure a decent depth of sound. The mirror on which the light is reflected can be opened and closed manually - just like an overhead projector if you remember your school days. This allows you to adjust the height of the image. The automatic keystone correction ensures that the projection retains its rectangular shape.
Small, removable screws indicate where you need to attach the wall mount for ceiling installation. Two wheels on the side show you where you can adjust the zoom and focus. If the remote control fails, the menu can be operated directly on the projector using the crosshair buttons. Just like a hoover, you can roll up the power cable, which apparently does not require a power supply unit, at the touch of a button - no more tedious cable clutter. And the practical carrying handle looks a bit stylish.
... and pleasant to use
The Hulk runs webOS 3.5, giving you access to the same Smart TV world as its TV cousins. If you want to watch Netflix or YouTube, for example, you simply select the relevant app by pointing to it with the supplied "Magic Remote" and pressing the "OK" button (which was labelled in a very Korean-cryptic way according to the prototype). Like using a magic wand or laser pointer - take your pick. If your internet connection is fast enough, you can easily play 4K HDR content via these apps.
With Zattoo or other streaming programmes, you can of course also play live TV content without having a single external device connected. Want to take the projector with you and show it to your friends? No problem: unplug it, press the button to rewind the cable and off you go. The HDMI cable only comes into play when you want to play a 4K Blu-ray or connect your games console to the projector.
Conclusion
Time has passed and I've already taken the projector pretty much to my heart. In fact, my plans to run off with the HU80K without further ado and never return are pretty concrete.
In all honesty, I'm quite a fan. I'm not sure I've ever seen a better picture on a projector. At least not on a live example with my own source ("Passengers"). The black projector bar is also handy and compact, easy to use and offers extremely useful Smart TV functions thanks to webOS 3.5. With a rumoured price of 3,000 francs, it wouldn't even be that expensive.
As I try to escape in the style of "Bonnie and Clyde", I am intercepted just in time by the product managers, who demand that I return the Hulk to its rightful owner. I'm about 1.90 metres tall and hard to miss. Maybe the potted plant wasn't the right place to hide behind after all. Damn.
Ciao, dear Hulk, we'll meet again. For sure. <p
Luca Fontana
Senior Editor
Luca.Fontana@digitecgalaxus.chI'm an outdoorsy guy and enjoy sports that push me to the limit – now that’s what I call comfort zone! But I'm also about curling up in an armchair with books about ugly intrigue and sinister kingkillers. Being an avid cinema-goer, I’ve been known to rave about film scores for hours on end. I’ve always wanted to say: «I am Groot.»