CES 2022 Recap
CES 2022, organized by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), was smaller than usual due to the global situation, but still a success. Safety measures were in place so attendees could feel safe and enjoy the show.
Sony at CES 2022
Sony didn’t reveal any new projectors. Instead, they promoted their upcoming movie Uncharted, based on the PlayStation game series.
Tom Holland (Nathan Drake) appeared on stage.
The trailer showed an epic plane scene inspired by Uncharted 3.
Release date: February 18, 2022.
It looked like the perfect action film to watch on a home projector.
Pepcom’s Digital Experience!®
After Sony’s event, Samsung and Pepcom hosted press-only sessions. Our team split up: Phil went to Samsung’s showcase, while I headed to Pepcom’s Back to the Future-themed event — complete with fun signs and even a DeLorean.
The room was packed with media pros and tech displays. I found projector exhibits from Anker, XGIMI, and ViewSonic.
Anker – Nebula Cosmos Laser 4K
Portable 4K laser projector with carrying handle
Runs Android TV 10 (dongle included), Chromecast, Dolby Audio
ALPD® 3.0 laser tech for vivid colors
2,400 ANSI lumens, image up to 150″
MSRP: $2,200, pre-orders on Kickstarter (Jan 11, 2022)
XGIMI – Aura 4K Ultra Short Throw (UST) Laser Projector
Price: $2,499
Released: October 12, 2021
150″ screen from 17.3″ away, 80″ from 4.3″ away
Sleek design, great build, all-in-one home theater setup
Not demoed at Pepcom — shown at their main CES booth instead
ViewSonic – X1 & X2 Smart LED Projectors
X1
Native 1080p, 3,100 LED lumens
Cinema SuperColor+™ with 125% Rec.709
Harman/Kardon speakers
1.3x zoom, vertical lens shift, keystone, 4-corner adjustment
MSRP: $999
X2 (short-throw version)
Similar specs, 1.2x zoom
MSRP: $1,099
Both models are set to launch April 2022.
At Pepcom, only three projector brands were present — Anker, XGIMI, and ViewSonic. After exploring, our team regrouped and got ready for CES 2022’s official opening.
HISENSE
On January 5, 2022, we visited Hisense’s large CES booth, where a big part of the space was dedicated to their Laser TV lineup.
We spoke with Dr. Xianrong Liu, Chief Scientist of Hisense’s Laser Display division, and Chris Miller, Product Marketing Manager. They were especially proud of their 8K technology and said Hisense wants to be the leader in ultra-short-throw (UST) smart laser projectors — or as they call them, Laser TVs.
Chris explained that Laser TVs are becoming a real alternative to living room TVs, thanks to better light sources, imaging sensors, and Hisense’s own processing tech. Lower component costs are also helping sales grow.
He also shared a sneak peek: starting in 2023, some Hisense projectors will include NextGen TV tuners.
Hisense showed off their Laser TVs in a brightly lit convention center, and they still looked fantastic.
Their top U.S. model, the L9G TriChroma Laser TV 4K, comes as a complete package with either a 100-inch or 120-inch Ambient Light Rejecting (ALR) screen. At CES, they displayed the 100-inch version.
They also set up an impressive demo using two L9G units blended together into one giant image — and you couldn’t even see the seam. It looked amazing.
Phil Jones tested the L9G and was so impressed he gave it a Projector Reviews “Best in Class” award
Hisense also showed a 120-inch L9G Pro TriChroma Laser TV — basically the L9G with extra perks like a digital front display, brighter output, and a built-in subwoofer.
The bad news? It’s not sold in the U.S. Yet. Maybe if enough people ask for it, Hisense will bring it stateside.
Hisense PX1-PRO
Hisense announced the PX1-PRO, a projector similar in performance to their award-winning L9G but with a different design and no bundled ALR screen. It features an adjustable digital focus, making it easier to use with various screen sizes — perfect for those who want a custom motorized UST screen.
BenQ
We met with Lars Yoder, President of BenQ America, and Jeffrey Hsieh, Director of Consumer Projectors. BenQ showcased a huge lineup of gaming gear, including monitors and Esports displays. In the back room, they demonstrated two gaming projectors — the TK700 and their latest model, the X3000i — both connected to a PlayStation 5 for live gameplay.
BenQ X3000i in the CES 2022 Demo Room
Both BenQ gaming projectors include special modes for FPS, RPG, and sports games, each with custom audio, visuals, and low-latency settings. Jeehwan “Jee” Shin, BenQ’s Campaign Marketing Specialist, gave us live gaming demos on both models — and they looked fantastic and played smoothly.
The X3000i offers low game lag and bright, accurate colors, making for a great gaming experience.
When I say “looked great,” I mean the colors were accurate, and the images were bright and clear.
Lars from BenQ said that accurate color is very important to them. While having a wide color range is good for marketing, true color accuracy is what really matters. The X3000i can reproduce 100% of the DCI-P3 color space and keeps colors accurate for excellent picture quality.
We also have a full review of the BenQ X1300i on ProjectorReviews.com. The X1300i is the smaller sibling of the X3000i. It’s a Full HD (1920 x 1080) 4LED DLP HDR projector made especially for gaming, just like the X3000i.
BenQ says the X3000i delivers 100% DCI-P3 vibrant colors for lifelike visuals, true 4K HDR10, and a low 16ms input lag. It also has enhanced stereo speakers that create realistic, object-based sound. The X3000i is designed to help gamers, especially those who love open-world games, play their best.
BenQ’s gaming projectors aim to give an immersive experience with stunning images, great audio, and a huge screen—making you feel like you’re inside the game, not just playing it.
Besides the X3000i, BenQ also showed the TK700, which is very similar to the BenQ TK700STi I reviewed back in July 2021. The TK700 has a few differences, like a 1.3x zoom compared to the 1.2x zoom on the TK700STi.
BenQ TK700STi
The TK700STi runs on Android TV and is Google-certified for smart features, but the TK700 doesn’t have this since it’s mainly meant to connect to gaming systems. BenQ thinks most gamers will use the smart features built into their consoles instead.
The BenQ TK700 is available now for $1,499. The new BenQ X3000i is expected to launch around February or March 2022 with a price of $1,999. For more details, check out Philip Boyle’s article on the X3000i.
JVC
At CES, JVC had a demo room at the Venetian showing off their 8K projector, the DLA-NZ9. This is their top laser home theater projector with an 8K resolution (8192 x 4320) using e-shiftX technology. While the DLA-NZ9 isn’t brand new (it launched in September 2021), many attendees saw it for the first time at CES. The picture quality was excellent.
JVC set up an 8K demo room in their suite at the Venetian.
Their DLA-NZ9 projector features Ultra-High Contrast Optics and uses a BLU-Escent laser light source, giving it 3,000 lumens brightness and a 20,000-hour light source life. It also includes ISF C3 Certified Calibration Controls, which makes professional calibrators very happy.
But wait, there’s more! While the demo room featured their top DLA-NZ9 projector, JVC also announced two new models for 2022: the DLA-NP5 and DLA-RS1100. These use three native 4K (4096×2160) D-ILA chips for excellent black levels and amazing contrast. They offer a native contrast ratio of 40,000:1 and a dynamic contrast of 400,000:1. Plus, they now support HDR10+, which will be available from streaming services like Disney+ and some 4K UHD discs this year.
The new JVC DLA-NP5 and DLA-RS1100 both support HDR10+. They’re priced at $6,999, which is much more affordable than the $24,999 flagship DLA-NZ9. This means JVC is making their D-ILA technology available to more people at a lower price.
LG
I can’t do a CES 2022 summary without mentioning LG and their unique approach. They decided to take part in CES but in a low-key way with something called the “Life’s Good Lounge.” It was basically a space with wooden frames and seating, plus lots of QR codes to scan for more info. The lounge had four zones:
The history of the OLED experience
CES 2022 innovation awards winners
LG world premiere
The exploration spot
You really need to zoom in on the photos to catch all the details of LG’s setup.
CES 2022 – FINAL THOUGHTS
Goodbye CES 2022
Overall, I truly think CES 2022 was worth it. There were about 2,300 exhibitors, including around 900 startups showing new and exciting products. At Projector Reviews, we focused on projectors and related gear. Everyone at the show was happy to be there and eager to talk about their products. I wanted to give you a first-hand look at the projectors shown at CES 2022, whether on display or in demos. Hopefully, you enjoyed the glimpse! Looking forward to seeing you all at CES 2023 in Las Vegas!