The Samsung Premiere projector costs more than an 8K TV

Samsung announced the pricing for its newly announced Premiere 4K HDR ultra-short throw projector and, well, if you don’t have deep pockets you might be better off picking up a new 8K TV instead.

The Samsung Premiere is coming soon in two models: the 130-inch Premiere LSP9T that’s been dubbed the world’s first HDR10+ projector and the smaller, 120-inch LSP7T. The former will set you back $6,499.99 (around £5,070) while the latter will be on sale for $3,499.99 (around £2,730). 

The irony here is that both versions of the projector are more expensive than the company’s own 8K TV released earlier this year, the Samsung Q800T, that only comes in at $3,199 / £3,799 for the 65-inch QN65Q800T.

We realize we’re comparing apples and oranges here – high-end projectors have always cost more than comparable flagship TVs – but it doesn’t change the fact that you can get four times the amount of pixels and higher brightness in the 8K TV.

So why buy a Samsung Premiere (or any projector)? 

While we’re putting Samsung’s cutting-edge projector against a bleeding edge 8K TV, the Premiere has a lot going for it: it’s the first HDR10+ certified projector and delivers a peak brightness of up to 2,800 ANSI lumens. 

It’s one of the first projectors to support Filmmaker Mode and comes equipped with Samsung’s smart TV platform that enables you to stream content from Netflix, Hulu and elsewhere.

Last but not least, the Premiere uses Acoustic Beam technology to produce better sound than any TV’s built-in speakers possibly could and, if you don’t like a TV taking over your living room, it’s all packed into a pretty compact box that looks relatively innocuous in any room. 

All that said, TVs are still a better fit for some spaces as ambient light does detract from the contrast and color saturation of a projector, but projectors can project larger images that can fill the entire wall. Both have their own merits, but after today, we now know which one will be easier on our wallets.

• Looking to invest in a 4K projector? Don't miss our guide to the best projectors in 2020