Josh Hendrickson
Projectors are typically affordable, high-quality, or portable—pick two. The new LG CineBeam PH30N (what a name) projector nearly breaks that mold. At $400, it’s affordable, at least compared to some projectors that go for $3,000, it’s portable, and thanks to its CineBeam lamp, it’s relatively high quality, if you don’t mind a 1280 x 720 resolution.
LG’s CineBeam technology is the star attraction of its latest projectors. They get reasonably bright, 250 ANSI lumens in this case, and last a while. While some projectors claim a bulb life of about 3,000 hours, the LG says its LED light source should last 30,000 hours. That’s about ten years if you use the projector for eight hours every day.
The PH30N is portable, and we don’t just mean you can easily unplug it, take it somewhere, and plug it back in. It can run off battery power, and LG says it should last up to two hours. That won’t get you through an extra-long movie, but it can get you through a few episodes of your favorite comedy, a long business meeting, or an average 90-minute film.
Additionally, it weighs just over a pound and measures in at five inches by five inches, small enough to fit in your backpack. Thanks to Bluetooth capability, you can bring along some speakers too.
You’ll have plenty of “screen” to look at if you have space. The PH30N can project a 100-inch display from 11 feet away. It can only manage a 1280 x 720 resolution, though, but at $400, LG had to cut corners somewhere.
You can buy the PH30N today at LG’s site and through authorized LG retailers.
