Makes up for its predecessors fumbles, rather than actually keeping pace with competitors I like this Epson projectors Google TV OS and boosted HDMI ports but these quality of life upgrades are too little too late

Date:
Mon, 31 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Description:
The LifeStudio Grand is a refresh of Epsons earlier LS650 projector, and
while it has some good-to-see improvements, its not a major upgrade.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Epson LifeStudio Grand Projector: One-minute review The new Epson LifeStudio Grand UST projector may not ring any bells. But its rebranding hides the fact that its little more than a minor update to the Epson EpiqVision Ultra LS650 .
That was a decent projector when it came out, but not an amazing one.

With the LifeStudio Grand, Epson has made some improvements. The Google TV operating system works well, and theres an extra HDMI port where its predecessor offered just two. It also doesnt have whiny fans. But the image
is still a little soft and not as dazzlingly colorful as RGB laser
projection. The projectors motion interpolation also needs a lot of work. And Epsons switch from Yamaha to Bose for sound tuning hasnt made the audio better.

With competitors improving considerably over the past year, the LifeStudio Grand is in troubled waters. If you cant see the DLP rainbow effect and dont mind drawing the curtains from time to time, you can get a much better projector for your money by shopping elsewhere. Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here: (Image credit: Future) Epson LifeStudio Grand review: Price & release date Release date: October 2025 Price: $2,699 / 1,749.99 / AU$4,399 Epson LifeStudio Grand Projector (White) at Amazon for 1,697.35 The LifeStudio Grand launched in late 2025 with global rollout in Spring 2026.
The project has a retail price of $2,699 / 1,749.99 / AU$4,399.

Given its newness and the fact that its coming from a big player like Epson,
I wouldnt expect any major discounts on the projector too soon, though Black Friday could roll around and see at least a minor deal. Epson LifeStudio
Grand review: Specs Swipe to scroll horizontally

Screen sizes supported

60 to 120 inches

Brightness (specified)

3,600 Lumens

Optical technology

3-Chip 3LCD

Smart TV

Google TV

Connections

3x USB-A, 1x 3.5mm audio out, 1x Optical audio out, 3x HDMI 2.0 (1x eARC, 1x USB-B (Service port)

Dimensions

18.4 x 15.7 x 6.2 inches

Weight

16.6 pounds Epson LifeStudio Grand review: Design & features (Image credit: Future) Google TV and fast Wi-Fi work well together Bland looks, but functional design As soon as I took out the LifeStudio Grand, I thought it looked familiar. Sure enough, down to the inch and pound, its just the Epson EpiqVision Ultra LS650 back again. There are just a few changes.

Epson added a third HDMI port on the back: nice. Epson swapped to Google TV and it actually runs quickly: nice. Epson included Wi-Fi 6E: nice. And Epson added some gaming features, like ALLM and a 1080p/120Hz mode: nice. But these are more making up for fumbles from that earlier model, rather than actually keeping pace with competitors like the Hisense PX3 Pro and its 1080p240Hz mode. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

The LifeStudio Grand is a little plain to look at with its white plastic construction and gray-ish front grille the result of a white grille dotted with black holes. Even the Epson branding looks unfortunate, like it was pasted on after having been forgotten in an earlier prototype (except we know it wasnt because it was there on the predecessor).

One thing giving the LifeStudio Grand a bit of style is its little silver legs. These also play a crucial role in the projection, as they can adjust
the tilt of the projector to ensure it lines up square with a wall or projection screen. The projector supports digital keystone adjustments, but those are best avoided when possible. The right side of the projector hides a hardware focus dial behind a small panel, which allows for quick focus adjustments while also protecting the setting once youve got it in place. Auto-focus would have been nice though. (Image credit: Future) While the LifeStudio Grand isnt a large UST projector, it ends up feeling a little
large because of its 15.7-inch depth. For comparison, the Hisense L9Q is just 12.5 inches deep and the PX3-Pro is just 11.7 inches. That sees the
LifeStudio Grand stick out pretty far forward on a media console, and because of its 0.25:1 throw ratio, the console might have to stick out too if you
want to get a huge picture. All of this also makes for tough placement for a soundbar.

The LifeStudio Grands remote is a cheap little plastic unit that doesnt feel
a good match for the price of the projector. It has typical Google TV controls, a dedicated input-selection button, four streaming app shortcuts (one for Free TV, which fires up Google TV Freeplay), and a dedicated brightness control and a shortcut to projection settings. While there are
also volume controls on the remote, theres no mute button enjoy the sound of advertisements that you cant quickly mute. The remote also lacks any illumination, which would be helpful in a dark home theater. (Image credit: Future) Design & features score: 3/5 Epson LifeStudio Grand review: Picture quality & performance (Image credit: Future) Bright projection Slightly soft picture and motion artifacts Speakers are no stand-in for actual sound system Just like its predecessor, the star of the show for the LifeStudio Grand is its brightness. The projector offers a very respectable 3,600 lumens. This doesnt make up for bright sunlight coming into the room and ruining dark scenes, but for bright content it can look decent. And the fans dont overdo while running at full brightness either an improvement over its prior model.

Thats about where the LifeStudio Grands benefits compared to its competitors end. The LifeStudio Grand uses Epsons own 3LCD projection, which doesnt prove as colorful compared to the crop of RGB laser projectors on the market. It does avoid issues with DLP rainbow effect, but if youre not susceptible to that, it may be a non-issue. Contrast is decent, but not astounding. And though this is a 4K projector, Epsons pixel shifting on this model doesnt produce as stunningly sharp an image as its rivals.

Right out of the box, the projectors Standard picture profile has some motion issues, and its not better on its other profiles. It smoothes out camera panning motion, but it introduces issues in just about all other types of motions. People moving around on screen look poor, especially with hand motions, which look almost AI generated and occasionally cause weird stuttering for the whole frame.

Animation looks even worse as motions are smeared chaotically. And even panning shots can suffer when the camera motion changes speed or slows to a stop, with the projector seeming to reduce the frame rate instead of interpolating. Although the interpolation can be turned off, when it is some camera pans stutter. (Image credit: Future) The speakers on the LifeStudio Grand are fine, but not dazzling so much for that Bose collab. They dont create a very wide soundstage, so theyre no replacement for a proper sound system. And while they can pump out enough volume for a 200-square-foot room, thats about their limit. I find Im regularly dialing them up above 60% just
to listen in a quiet room. With guests over, it all but requires max volume, and has a slightly harsh quality when cranked.

Even with the projectors new gaming features, it doesnt prove a stunning option for gamers either. At a pinch, itll be good enough for most games, but I could still feel slight latency that made combat hard in fast-reflex action games. Picture quality & performance score: 3/5 Epson LifeStudio Grand
review: Value The LifeStudio Grand isnt a terribly high-priced UST projector, undercutting the Hisense PX3-Pro by a good amount. And for the money, youre getting a very bright projector. But thats about the only specification that stands out.

The picture quality, sound, and design all leave plenty to be desired. Thats
a bit too much disappointment for a product thats still edging up toward $3,000 / 2,000 / AU$4,500.

Having seen the Hisense C2 Ultra a 3,000 lumen triple laser projector going for $2,000 (around 1,500 / AU$2,800) recently, its hard to see the LifeStudio Grand as a good option when you can grab the Hisense and a solid sound system for the same price. Value score: 3/5 Should I buy the Epson LifeStudio Grand? (Image credit: Future) Swipe to scroll horizontally Epson LifeStudio Grand Scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Design and features

A bland and bulky design that hasnt changed much holds the LifeStudio Grand back, though its nice to see Wi-Fi 6E and an upgrade to a functional Google
TV operating system.

3/5

Picture quality and performance

The LifeStudio Grand is bright and avoids the DLP rainbow effect, but thats about the only thing it has going for it against its rivals. Its not dazzlingly colorful, offers just decent contrast, can look a little soft, and doesnt have impressive speakers or gaming performance.

3/5

Value

With just a couple of strong points and some big areas it lags behind, the LifeStudio Grand doesnt offer wonderful value at $2,699 / 1,749.99 /
AU$4,399, especially when some competitors have come down in price.

3/5 Buy it if...

You really struggle with the DLP rainbow effect Have you ever noticed flashing colors while watching a projector? Thats probably the DLP rainbow effect, and it can ruin your experience with an otherwise great projector.
The LifeStudio Grand doesnt use DLP tech, so you dont have to worry about
this issue on it.

You do a lot of bright-room viewing For the money, the LifeStudio Grand is one of the brighter options youll find. If you want to watch content largely in a bright room, it can provide a more serviceable image than similarly priced competitors. Don't buy it if...

You dont struggle with the DLP rainbow effect There are such amazing RGB laser projectors on the market, and some of them are nearly as bright and competitively priced against the LifeStudio Grand. They may not all be as bright, but the vibrant color they deliver can feel like it makes the image even brighter than it is.

Youre a gamer Epson has improved the gaming experience here, but it still can't offer flawless responsiveness. With Hisense offering models that
support 1080p/240Hz modes for super-smooth gaming and negligible latency, its no contest.

Youre setting up a serious home theater The LifeStudio Grands big edge is in a bright room. In the dark, its not as impressive. Its longer throw ratio, lower color gamut, and weaker sound also hold it back. And with its depth, it gets in the way of soundbars. Epson LifeStudio Grand review: also consider Swipe to scroll horizontally Comparison: projectors Header Cell - Column 0

Epson LifeStudio Grand

Hisense PX3-Pro

Xgimi Aura 2

Hisense C2 Ultra





Price:

$2,699 / 1,749.99 / AU$4,399

$3,499 / 2,499 / AU$3,999

$2,699 / 2,459 / AU$6,399

$2,999 / 2,499 / AU$4,499



Screen sizes supported:

60 to 120 inches

80 to 150 inches

80 to 150 inches

65 to 300 inches

Brightness (specified):

3,600 lumens

3,000 lumens

2,300 lumens

3,000 lumens

HDR support

HDR10, HLG

HDR10+, HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision

HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision

Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HLG

Optical technology:

3LCD, Laser

3 Laser DLP

Dual Light 2.0 (Laser + LED)

RGB Laser DLP

Smart TV:

Google TV

Google TV

Android TV

Vidaa OS

Connections:

3x HDMI 2.0 (1 with ARC), optical, 3.5mm

2x HDMI 2.1, 1x HDMI 2.0 (1 with eARC), 1x optical, 1x 3.5mm

2x HDMI, 1x HDMI eARC, optical digital audio out, 3.5mm audio out, 3x USB-A, Ethernet

2x HDMI 2.1 (1 with eARC), 2x USB-A, 1x S/PDIF, Ethernet, 1x 3.5mm, Bluetooth 5.3

Hisense PX3-Pro The Hisense PX3-Pro is nearly as bright, far more colorful, more versatile, and cooler looking. While it may be more expensive on paper, its seen plenty of discounts that can bring it to even more competitive prices. Read our full Hisense PX3-Pro review.

Xgimi Aura 2 You wont get as much brightness out of the Aura 2, but youll
get a much prettier piece of hardware, and an all-around great projector with solid color and HDR support. Read our full Xgimi Aura 2 review .

Hisense C2 Ultra As an alternative to UST projection, the C2 Ultra is a brilliant long-throw projector with flexible optics to make positioning less of issue. It boasts bright, RGB laser projection for a gorgeous image, works wonders in games, and has seen discounts since launch that see it undercut
the LifeStudio Grand. Read our full Hisense C2 Ultra review . How I tested
the Epson LifeStudio Grand (Image credit: Future) Tested at home in multiple, real-world viewing conditions Presented the display with a variety of media and formats I have tested numerous projectors and displays over the last half-decade I tested the Epson LifeStudio Grand at home, in real-world conditions. This saw it faced with ambient light coming in from numerous windows, in-room lighting, as well as ambient noise that both the projector and speaker systems had to overcome. The projector was tested both against a bare, white wall and an Akia Screens CineWhite screen . It was presented with streamed content, HDR and non-HDR, and PC gameplay.

My testing evaluates the projectors performance with respect to its price and competition from other models colleagues at TechRadar and I have tested.

I have been testing projectors since 2021 and displays for even longer. First reviewed: August 2026 Read TechRadar's review guarantee Epson LifeStudio
Grand Projector: Price Comparison 1,697.35 View 1,749 View 1,749 View 1,749 View voucher gift 2,740.34 View We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices powered by



======================================================================
Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/televisions/projectors/makes-up-for-its-predecessors -fumbles-rather-than-actually-keeping-pace-with-competitors-i-like-this-epson- projectors-google-tv-os-and-boosted-hdmi-ports-but-these-quality-of-life-upgra des-are-too-little-too-late


--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 (Linux/64)
* Origin: tqwNet Technology News (1337:1/100)