LG CineBeam S PU615U Review: Brilliant for Small Spaces, But Not for Bright Rooms

By Editorial Team | April 2026

The CineBeam S is the rare projector that makes sense in a flat, bedroom, or cramped living room. It wins because it can throw a huge 4K image from absurdly close to the wall, so you get cinema size without ceiling mounts, long cables, or a room redesign.

Our pick: LG CineBeam S PU615U

LG CineBeam S PU615U — £899.99

This is a small-space projector done properly. Our score of 7.5/10 reflects the obvious compromise: it is easy to live with, impressive to watch in the right room, and far less of a setup headache than a normal projector. If your main goal is a clean home cinema setup in a controlled-light room, it delivers the one thing that matters most: scale.

Why it works:

• The ultra-short-throw lens is the whole point: LG claims 40 inches from 8.1cm and 100 inches from 39.3cm, which makes it genuinely practical in rooms where a standard projector would be awkward.
• The 4K UHD image and 3-channel RGB laser system give it sharper detail and richer colour than most compact projectors, backed by a claimed 154% DCI-P3 gamut.
• webOS means you can stream straight from the projector, while Wi‑Fi, Bluetooth, USB‑C and HDMI keep setup simple if you want to plug in a console, laptop, or speaker.

The honest trade-off: 500 ANSI lumens is not enough for bright rooms, and casual gamers should not expect low-lag heroics.

If you want the compact home cinema option that actually fits real homes, buy the LG CineBeam S.

Best upgrade: Hisense PT1

Hisense PT1 — around $2,497.97

The upgrade buys you a more serious all-round UST projector with a much brighter image, stronger HDR support, and a broader feature set for bigger-screen movie nights. It is the better pick if you want a projector that can cope with more ambient light and you are willing to pay for that extra headroom.

Worth it if: you want a premium UST for a larger room and you care more about image impact than compact design.

Best budget pick: BenQ GP520

BenQ GP520 — £1,049

The GP520 is the cheaper route into a smart, living-room-friendly 4K projector. It gives you far more brightness than the CineBeam S and a more flexible everyday setup, but it is not as space-saving and it does not have the same ultra-short-throw party trick.

Worth it if: you want a better-value projector for mixed-use viewing and you can give up the tiny footprint.

How we chose

We looked at the stuff that actually matters for a projector like this: throw distance, brightness, colour performance, setup friction, and whether the smart platform makes daily use easier. We also checked current competing models and recent reviews to make sure the alternatives were real, available, and relevant to the same buyer.

Frequently asked questions

Is the LG CineBeam S good for a bright living room? No. Its 500 ANSI lumens output makes it a dim-room projector, not a daylight TV replacement.

Is £899.99 a fair price? Yes, if you specifically need an ultra-short-throw projector for a small room. If you do not, you can get brighter and more flexible projectors for similar or slightly more money.

Does it need much maintenance? Not much, because the RGB laser light source avoids the usual lamp-replacement hassle.