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

The Epson LifeStudio Grand UST projector has made some improvements over its predecessor, the Epson EpiqVision Ultra LS650, but these upgrades may not be enough to keep up with competitors. Epson has added a third HDMI port, switched to the Google TV operating system, and included Wi-Fi 6E, along with some gaming features like ALLM and a 1080p/120Hz mode.

However, the image quality is still not as dazzlingly colorful as RGB laser projection and suffers from motion artifacts. Additionally, Epson's switch from Yamaha to Bose for sound tuning hasn't improved the audio. With competitors improving considerably in the past year, the LifeStudio Grand is in a tough position in the market.

The projector is priced at $2,699 / £1,749.99 / AU$4,399 and launched in late 2025 with global rollout in Spring 2026. While not a large UST projector, it can feel large due to its 15.7-inch depth, which might make it difficult to place near a soundbar. The remote control feels cheap and lacks illumination, which could be inconvenient in a dark home theater.