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An ultra short throw projector is a simple way to watch a big picture in your home without installing and mounting a big-screen TV. And because this type of projector sits just inches from a wall or screen, and usually come with built-in speakers, it takes away from all those wires and equipment littering your room.
Samsung’s newest short-throw projector, the Premiere 8K ultra-short throw projector, builds on the 2020 version, adding Dolby Atmos and doubling its 4K resolution. Yes, the Premiere 8K is a splurge, but what made us look twice is the combination of simplicity and kick-ass, almost 3D picture.
The rundown
? Product: Samsung Premiere 8K
? Launch date: Later this year
? Pricing: TBD (Previous gen model started at $6,500)
? Why it’s worth your attention: With 8K instead of 4K, you’ll get incredible detail, and a massively bright, almost 3D-looking image. Plus, it can project an image up to a whopping 150 inches with no hardware installation required — just put it down on the floor or a table at the right distance.
The lowdown
Ultra-short throw projectors (UST) can sit just a few inches from your wall or screen, instead of the approximately 10 feet of traditional projectors, and this one can project a gorgeous image up to 150 inches.
The Premiere 8K is a simple, single box with built-in high-end speakers — which means it doubles as a soundbar and/or a surround sound system. Basically, you can set it down on the floor and with minimal fuss have a full, high-end entertainment experience.
And this system goes even farther with the addition of Dolby Atmos. Plus, it comes loaded with Samsung’s smart TV OS, so you get all your favorite streaming content from Netflix, HBO Max, Disney Plus, etc.
Of course, in addition to the extra 20 inches of projected image size, the real news here is the 8K resolution — four times the 4K resolution of the 2020 version of the Premiere.
The picture looked stunning, almost 3D, when Samsung played us a loop on the 150 inch screen, but it’s important to note that 8K content is still not widely available yet. So all those extra pixels will just help everything look better when the projector automatically upconverts all your 4K content to 8K. But, if you’re going to spend your money on an expensive piece of equipment, it only makes sense to future-proof your investment. There’s no doubt 8K content is coming, it’s just a matter of when.
The takeaway
With up to a 150 inch projected screen size, built-in high-end audio system and 8K resolution, the Samsung Premiere 8K is a real contender if you’re considering an ultra short throw projector. No word on pricing from Samsung (and we asked!), but we imagine it will be somewhere north of the current Premiere’s $3,500 price tag.
