Before CES even started in January, Hisense announced its latest home theater projector. Aspiring to deliver a crystal-clear display of up to 150 inches, the company touted the L9Q as “the largest and most flexible laser TV on the market.” Now, we have almost all the pricing and spec info of the projector.
Also: I tested the LG G5 OLED beside the industry’s best TVs – and it made the G4 look outdated
According to Hisense’s press release, its proprietary TriChroma triple-laser light engine achieves an unrivaled 110% of the BT.2020 color space, the new standard for professional video production. For higher color precision and intensity, the L9Q can project up to 5,000 lumens of brightness and a 5,000:1 contrast ratio.
As a reviewer of home laser TV devices, let me say that that ratio is exceptional.
Like its predecessors, the L9Q comes with Hisense’s ambient light rejection (ALR) feature, which helps optimize brightness and sharpness even in rooms with aggressive lighting conditions. The vivid hues of live sports, for example, shouldn’t suffer any fidelity loss while watching the Super Bowl or myriad basketball games during March Madness.
ZDNET’s Jason Hiner tested the lower-end (but still premium) L9H model last year and found the 100-inch screen to be “a much better replacement for a 98-inch TV than expected.” That projector also came with an ALR screen, making pictures look almost like a similarly-sized TV.
Also: I changed these 3 settings on my projector for the best picture quality
As for sound, the revelation that the design of the L9Q’s 6.2.2-channel speaker system was inspired by Roman amphitheaters amuses me. History is integral to technological advancement, and Hisense claims to take advantage of ancient architecture with a 15° tilted sound bin to create an immersive soundstage through Dolby Atmos, DTS Virtual X, and eARC inputs.
Hisense emphasizes the luxury design of the L9Q with its sleek black walnut décor panel, brushed metal finishes, and a Clous de Paris texture. (I had to look that up, too.) Overall, Hisense is raising its game regarding aesthetics, craftsmanship, and performance. The L9Q is quite the looker, as my colleague Kerry Wan could attest to when he saw the projector in person at a briefing last week. Kerry captured the breath of the ultra-short-throw picture quality while there, and the system looks promising.
The projector runs on Google TV, which gives it quick access to a wealth of entertainment options, including over 800 free channels, more than 10,000 apps, and your favorite streaming platforms such as Netflix, YouTube, and Disney+. And with integrated voice assistant support, you can conveniently browse content and adjust settings using Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, or Apple HomeKit.
Connectivity features like Wi-Fi 6E and NEXTGEN TV (ATSC 3.0) guarantee optimal performance and compatibility with the latest devices and formats. The only downside regarding future-proofing is an apparent lack of HDMI 2.2 compatibility, but that new connectivity tech won’t cause a problem for a while.
Also: I tested Hisense’s Frame TV competitor, and it did some things better for $400 less
By leveraging nanoscale light enhancement and aggregation technology, Hisense ensures that every moment with the L9Q will be a cinematic masterpiece with unmatched visual clarity and brilliance. In optimal conditions, the projector purports to achieve 1,500 nits of full-screen brightness — the first of its kind in the laser TV industry.
Considering preceding models like the L9H have sold for as much as $6,500, the Hisense L9Q is another projector that’s priced for the premium market, listing for preorders now at $6,000. While cheaper, the flagship model offers several upgrades this year that should make it an even more worthwhile splurge for the right user.