LG CineBeam Q

Boldly goes where no other ultra-portable projector has gone before

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The CineBeam Q is arguably the best-looking portable projector we've ever tested. It is certainly the shiniest, at least, thanks to the thick brushed-metal finish that wraps around its sides and top edge, and the large gleaming chrome-like circular mounting points for the premium-feeling builtin carry handle.

Closer inspection reveals a couple of clever bits about the CineBeam Q's design to go with its generally opulent feel. First, the carry handle can actually be rotated all the way around the projector's body, in a full 360-degree turn so that it can become a stand. You can use this to angle the projector's lens up or down to almost any angle to get images on your wall, screen or even, just about, ceiling. A grilled finish to the handle's circular attachment points, meanwhile, reveals that they also serve as outlets for a builtin audio system.

The front edge sports a nice glass finish - though note that since this lies over the lens, a bit of condensation can appear behind the glass for a few minutes after you first power the projector up if it has been stored in a cold place.

The LG CineBeam Q has some unusual features and specifications by ultra-portable projector standards, starting with the fact that it claims to deliver a huge 450,000:1 contrast ratio from an RGB laser lighting system. Getting decent black levels and contrast from convenience-focused projectors such as the CineBeam Q is rare indeed, and contrast claims in the region of 450,000:1 are practically unheard of.

Equally eye-catching is LG's claim that the CineBeam Q can deliver 154 per cent of the DCI-P3 cinematic colour gamut most widely used for current high dynamic range mastering. This HDR talent is able to work on both HDR10 and HLG feeds in the CineBeam Q's case, while its claimed 500 lumens of brightness is reckoned to deliver a picture up to 120in across.