Samsung's 130-inch 4K projector looks like the ultimate OLED TV replacement
The most luxurious home projector yet?
Update: LG's new laser projector could have you considering ditching your TV.
Samsung just added The Premiere, an all-in-one 4K short-throw laser projector, to its lifestyle TV portfolio. The home entertainment project is pitched as a possible substitute for Samsung's more-traditional QLED sets.
The Premiere provides a "big picture cinematic experience in the comfort of one’s home," which is a timely pitch given the pandemic's impact on the movie theater attendance. Available in 120- and 130-inch models, the Premiere is apparently the world’s first HDR10+ certified projector, too.
Unlike a traditional projector you'd find in an AMC, or even a luxurious home theater, the Premiere's short-throw technology lets you place it directly in front of an empty wall or screen. This means you won't have to worry much about anything (or anyone) interrupting the image.
The placement also means it can provide sound from a natural placement beneath the display. The projector packs woofers and Samsung's Acoustic Beam surround sound, which alleviates the pressure of installing additional audio equipment.
It comes with Samsung’s native smart TV platform, which, similar to Roku and Android TV, offers access to a library of streaming video apps. The Premiere benefits from mobile connectivity features such as Tap View and mirroring as well.
Some of Samsung's lifestyle products can be rather niche, like The Sero, a rotating mirror-shaped set, for example. The Premiere might be the most approachable TV in the lineup yet, even if it's technically a projector.
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Of course, price could hold it back from being as accessible. Premium projectors are often expensive. Samsung has not shared information about The Premiere's price and availability, so stay tuned for more.
Kate Kozuch is the managing editor of social and video at Tom’s Guide. She writes about smartwatches, TVs, audio devices, and some cooking appliances, too. Kate appears on Fox News to talk tech trends and runs the Tom's Guide TikTok account, which you should be following if you don't already. When she’s not filming tech videos, you can find her taking up a new sport, mastering the NYT Crossword or channeling her inner celebrity chef.
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robertbhart Why have Samsung and Sony suddenly developed delusions about their projectors being Oled replacements? Or that they invented something new? UST projectors have been around for over a decade...Reply
No current projector tech is capable of anything close to Oled performance. The very best projectors are capable of producing a nice image in a pitch black room only. Nothing has changed in this respect.
All current projector tech including LCOS, DLP and LCD has poor contrast. They require wire-grid polarizers and a dynamic iris to generate a convincing black.
Oleds light pixels individually over a jet black background. They're capable of massively superior contrast and black to any projector even with the lights on.
Projectors have a place and that is for 120"+ screens but they'll never be Oled replacements unless a whole new tech is invented.