Philips Screeneo U4 Ultra Short Throw Projector: Compact, Near, And Big (Image)

Philips Screeneo line of short-throw projectors has a new ultra-short-throw projector: Philips Screeneo U4 Ultra Short Throw Projector. The Screeneo U4 is unlike any ultra-short-throw projector or any projector for that matter, we have seen thus far.

It is beautiful (duh. How else do you think we brought it up here, right?) and looks nothing like a projector. And no, it does not look like a spotlight (which is pretty cool too, btw). But I have to admit, the Screeneo U4’s kind of sleek is the kind that floats our boat.

The sleek, oblong design in full dark matte-blending aluminum and ABS construction does look like a gadget of the future, IMHO.

It promised cinematic immersion with vibrant colors and deep contrast wherever you are – thanks to its compact nature. For the record, it measures a backpack-friendly 4.86 x 3.21 x 8.8 inches (123.5 x 81.5 x 223.5 mm) and tips the scales at just 3 lbs (1.4 kilograms). So, you can bring it to your friend’s, or office. As long there’s a power outlet and a vertical flat surface, it can do its job.

It might be small but it is pretty mighty. It is capable of putting out up to 80-inch images at a distance as near as 12 inches (30.5 cm). There’s a teeny weeny caveat though; it can only spit out FHD resolution. It can be a deal-breaker for those yearning for a 4K resolution. However, it does have HDR10 support and boasts 100% Rec. 709 HDTV Cinema Color Coverage.

Other notables include Texas Instrument DLP Cinema Technology, built-in 2.1 speakers with booming 2×10 watts sound design, DSP tuned surround and bass boost, low 30 ms input lag, 60 Hz refresh rates, AI drive auto-focus, a USB-A (for power and media player), 2x HDMI 2.1 with CEC, Audio jack out, and multifaceted sound dual Bluetooth 5.0 with independent Bluetooth volume control.

The device further touts full automatic image correction with ToF technology thus ensuring a perfectly proportioned picture regardless of its angle relative to the screen and so there’s nothing to adjust even in the event that the projector gets accidentally pushed out of position.

The Philips Screeneo U4 Ultra Short Throw Projector does not come cheap; it has a retail price of €1,199. However, you can secure a unit for September 2022 delivery at 48% off, at €619 (about US$654), if you pre-order it during its pre-sale campaign on Indiegogo. That’s right. Philips. Indiegogo.