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LG CineBeam HF85LA

By LG · Smart Projectors · Audio & Electronics · More from LG

  • 1500 ANSI lumens
  • 1920x1080 Full HD native resolution
  • 150,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio
  • 20,000 hours laser light source life
  • 0.19 ultra short throw ratio

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Summary

A 2019-vintage 1080p ultra-short-throw laser projector that puts a 90–120 inch picture on a wall from inches away, with no lamp to replace. Check your expectations before buying: it has no HDR, no 4K, no lens shift and no auto keystone, and its firmware stopped at version 03.00.12 in March 2020.

Strengths

  • No lamp to replace and instant on/off: on in about 10 seconds, off in about 2.
  • True ultra-short-throw placement: a 100-inch picture 4.7 inches from the wall.
  • Compact for a projector: 6.6 lb and 13.9 inches deep, so it sits on a credenza.
  • Runs without an external streamer: LG Smart TV, Magic Remote, app store and tuner.
  • A 20,000-hour light source removes lamp replacement and long warm-up.
  • Cheap to run: 140 W max and under 0.5 W standby.

Weaknesses

  • 1080p at a $1,699 MSRP, with no HDR format listed in LG’s own spec sheet.
  • No lens shift, no zoom and no auto keystone: geometry is manual focus plus manual 4-corner correction.
  • Firmware stopped at version 03.00.12 in March 2020, so the app set is frozen.
  • Fixed 1080p60-class input timing: video modes cap at 1080p/60, with no 4K/120 Hz gaming mode.
  • Weak speakers at 3 W + 3 W, and no published parts catalog for repairs.
  • The model is discontinued as of March 2025, so any unit is remaining stock, refurb or used.

Verified specifications

ModelHF85LA; UPC 719192625808.
Projection systemsingle-chip DLP with 8-bit color processing.
Native resolution1920 × 1080 (16:9), 1080p, not 4K.
Brightnessup to 1,500 ANSI lumens (manufacturer claim).
Contrast ratio150,000:1 dynamic.
Light sourcelaser (LD + phosphor wheel), rated up to 20,000 hours.
Throw ratio0.19:1; a 100-inch image at 4.7 inches from the back of the unit.
Screen size90–120 inches.
Lensfixed focal length, manual focus; no lens shift, no zoom.
Keystonemanual 4-corner.
Noise26 dB(A) economic / 28 dB(A) normal / 30 dB(A) high brightness.
Frame interpolationTruMotion.
Audiobuilt-in 3 W + 3 W stereo; Bluetooth sound out; 3.5 mm analog and S/PDIF optical out.
Inputs2 × HDMI, 2 × USB 2.0, 1 × RJ-45.
ConnectivityBluetooth, Miracast/WiDi screen share, DLNA, digital TV tuner.
Smart platformLG Smart TV with Magic Remote.
Power100–240 V external adapter, 140 W max, standby under 0.5 W.
Dimensions13.9 × 5.5 × 7.5 in (D × W × H); 6.6 lb.
Warranty1 year parts and labor; battery 6 months.
In the boxMagic Remote with batteries, booklet manual, warranty card, external adaptor, power cord.
Full research notes and sources

Picture and placement

The HF85LA is a single-chip 1080p DLP with a blue-laser-plus-phosphor-wheel light source. LG rates up to 1,500 ANSI lumens and 150,000:1 dynamic contrast, with 20,000 hours of claimed light-source life. That is enough for a dim living room with a good screen, and not enough for a bright room with the blinds open. Budget for an ambient-light-rejecting screen.

Ultra-short-throw placement is the point: 0.19:1 throw puts a 100-inch image 4.7 inches from the back of the unit, and a 120-inch image is the top of the 90–120 inch range. But there is no lens shift and no auto keystone. Geometry is manual focus plus manual 4-corner correction, and owners of LG’s larger USTs describe alignment drifting and focus “breathing” that changes the image size. Expect to nudge the unit and re-level it more than once.

Smart platform and apps

LG’s webOS runs the HF85LA, with a Magic Remote, app store, web browser and digital TV tuner, so it can run without an external streamer. Bluetooth sound out, a 3.5 mm analog output and S/PDIF optical let you add a soundbar. The catch is age. The only software LG publishes for the HF60LA/HF65LA/HF80LA/HF85LA family is version 03.00.12, dated 03/04/2020, and nothing newer exists. Owners of the European HU85LS/HF85LSR generation report streaming apps refusing to install because the software is too old. Plan on an external streaming stick over one of the two HDMI ports.

Repairs, parts and running costs

Ownership is cheap on power: 140 W max on a 100–240 V external adapter, standby under 0.5 W, and no lamp or published filter to replace, so there is no recurring consumable cost. Repairability is the weak point. No LG-published HF85LA parts catalog was found, the light engine is not a user-replaceable part, and an owner of the functionally identical HF85LSR reports being unable to find spares for LG laser projectors anywhere online.

Warranty is 1 year parts and labor, with the battery covered 6 months, starting from delivery or purchase. Because the model is discontinued, that 1 year is likely long expired on any remaining-stock unit.

Is it worth it?

The value case is narrow and price-driven. At or under about $400 for an open-box or refurb unit with a live return policy, the HF85LA is a sensible lamp-free 1080p UST for a bedroom or den where a 100-inch-plus picture in a tiny footprint matters more than HDR, 4K or gaming headroom. Between about $400 and $800 it only works with strong evidence of condition. Above roughly $1,300 it is not defensible: a 2019 1080p model with a 1-year warranty, frozen firmware and no parts channel competes poorly with current 4K UST lasers that offer HDR, auto keystone and longer coverage.

Which model this is

This page covers the HF85LA, LG’s 2019 US-market 1080p ultra-short-throw laser projector, UPC 719192625808, with a 174-page owner’s manual numbered SAC37813507. The Amazon listing for it is ASIN B07NC5V8J9. Do not confuse it with the 4K HU85LA/HU85LS siblings, the HU715QW/HU810PW/HU915QE, or the lower HF65LA/HF60LA/HF80LA, which are different machines with different resolution, brightness, light source and warranty. Regional variants repeat the same numbers: HF85LG in India and HF85LSR in the UK are near-identical siblings.

Sources

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Independent reviews:

Owner reports:

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