Chinese electronics brand Formovie, a joint venture between Xiaomi and Appotronics, has announced a second projector model called the Cinema Edge. It’s a follow up to the company’s award-winning Theater ultra-short throw laser projector that debuted back in 2021, which is widely regarded as one of the best-performing yet still affordable devices of its kind.
The Formovie Cinema Edge is equipped with a DLP projection system and a phosphor laser light source and is said to be able to throw visuals at 4K resolution from just a few inches away from the wall or screen, making it much easier to set up in smaller rooms. The image size ranges from 80-inches to 150-inches, and the company says you’ll get a 100-inch diagonal image by placing it about 9-inches away from the surface you project it onto.
In terms of brightness, it’s capable of outputting a 1,900 lumens image, which means the best experience will be had in a darkened room or at night, though it offers some brightness presents for different ambient conditions. The picture quality promises to be pretty good though, with the Cinema Edge covering 110% of the Rec.709 colour gamut and featuring 3,000:1 contrast to ensure “deep, sharp and true-to-life colours” and a “more realistic and engaging viewing experience”.
HDR10 and HLG content are supported, and users will get features such as motorised focus and eight-point keystone correction to simplify setup. Onboard, the projector has the Google TV operating system with the official Netflix app, plus a variety of other streaming services and Google Assistant for voice control. With Wi-Fi 6 connectivity, those streams should be pretty stable, and Bluetooth 5.0 is also available.
In addition, the Formovie Cinema Edge comes with a very generous three HDMI 2.1 ports, with one of them also supporting audio return. The device boasts a 60Hz refresh rate, which should be sufficient for casual gamers at least. There are also two USB 2.0 ports and an Ethernet LAN.
In terms of sound, the device has an integrated pair of 15-watt speakers that support Dolby Audio and DTS-HD surround sound, and there are both digital and analog audio outputs for connecting to external speakers.
"This ultra-short-throw powerhouse features a deep and sharp 4K resolution and combines Google TV with Netflix for seamless streaming," Formovie said. "Users can enjoy rich visuals and immersive Dolby Audio for an incredible home theater experience – all at an affordable price."
The price is indeed quite affordable, with the Cinema Edge retailing at $2,199 (about £1,900) on the company’s website now. That’s the pre-order price though, and once it ships it will increase to $2,499.
Formovie also sells a 120-inch Floor Rising Screen for those who don’t want to mount a screen to the wall, which is available on its website too. Additionally, it also sells a range of portable projectors, including the ridiculously cheap Formovie Xming Mini Projector Q1 SE that sells for just $89.
