If you're looking to create a high-end home theater experience without dedicating an entire room to a traditional projector setup, ultra short throw (UST) projectors represent an exciting solution. Today, we'll compare two premium options: the $2,999 Formovie Theater Premium and the $9,495 Leica Cine 1, helping you understand which might be right for your needs.
UST projectors are designed to sit just inches from your wall or screen while still producing massive images. Unlike traditional projectors that need to be mounted several feet away, these units use specialized optics to create large pictures from very close distances. This makes them perfect for rooms where mounting a regular projector isn't practical or when you want a cleaner, more integrated look.
Both of these projectors use triple laser technology, which represents the current state-of-the-art in home projection. Instead of using a traditional lamp or single laser, they employ three separate lasers (red, green, and blue) to create incredibly vibrant colors and maintain consistent brightness over their lifetime.
The Formovie Theater Premium, released in early 2024, builds upon its predecessor with enhanced brightness (2200 ISO lumens) and improved smart features. Meanwhile, the Leica Cine 1, launched in late 2022, brings Leica's legendary lens expertise to the projector market, though at a premium price point.
Both projectors offer impressive brightness, but they measure it differently. The Formovie uses ISO lumens (2200), while the Leica quotes ANSI lumens (3000). In real-world testing, both projectors perform similarly in moderate ambient light, though neither will match the brightness of a high-end TV in a bright room.
I've found that both projectors work best in controlled lighting conditions, especially for HDR content. However, the Formovie's slightly lower brightness is rarely a limitation in properly setup home theaters.
The Formovie Theater Premium offers slightly wider color gamut coverage (107% of BT.2020) compared to the Leica's 100%. In practical terms, both projectors produce stunning colors, though the Formovie requires more calibration out of the box to achieve its best performance.
The Leica's premium Summicron lens provides exceptionally sharp images with minimal chromatic aberration (those colored fringes you sometimes see around high-contrast edges). This is where some of that premium price tag shows its value.
The Formovie comes with Google TV built-in, offering a familiar and capable smart platform with access to virtually every streaming service. The Leica uses the more limited VIDAA system, which might require external streaming devices for some services.
Both projectors offer:
The Formovie's Google TV integration makes it more user-friendly for everyday use, while the Leica focuses more on pure performance than smart features.
For gamers, the Formovie has a clear advantage with its 18ms input lag in game mode. This makes it suitable for casual to moderate gaming, though competitive players might still prefer a dedicated gaming display. The Leica, while capable of gaming, doesn't specifically target this use case and has higher input lag.
The Formovie's 0.21:1 throw ratio means it can create a 100-inch image from just 5.7 inches away from the wall. The Leica needs slightly more distance with its 0.25:1 ratio. This difference might seem small, but it can matter significantly when placing furniture or planning your setup.
Both projectors include geometric correction features to help align the image perfectly, though as with all UST projectors, careful initial placement is crucial for the best results.
The Formovie features a Bowers & Wilkins sound system that provides surprisingly good audio for a projector. The Leica also includes a capable built-in sound system with Dolby Atmos support. However, for a true home theater experience, you'll want to pair either projector with a dedicated sound system.
Both projectors use laser light sources rated for 25,000+ hours of use, meaning they should last many years without requiring lamp replacement. The Leica's premium build quality might suggest better long-term durability, but the Formovie's more reasonable price point means less financial risk.
The Formovie Theater Premium delivers exceptional value at $2,999, offering performance that closely matches or exceeds the Leica in many areas. The Leica Cine 1 at $9,495 is harder to justify purely on performance, but its premium build quality and brand prestige might matter to some buyers.
For most home theater enthusiasts, the Formovie Theater Premium represents the smarter choice, delivering exceptional performance at a more reasonable price point. Its newer release date also means it benefits from more recent technology improvements in areas like smart features and gaming performance.
However, if you're creating a no-compromise luxury home theater and the budget allows, the Leica Cine 1's premium build quality and exceptional lens performance might justify its higher price tag. Just be aware that you're paying a significant premium for relatively subtle improvements in image quality and build materials.
Both projectors represent the current state of the art in UST projection technology, and either one can serve as the centerpiece of an impressive home theater setup. Your choice ultimately depends on your specific needs, budget, and how much you value the premium aspects of the Leica offering.
| Formovie Theater Premium ($2,999) | Leica Cine 1 ($9,495) |
|---|---|
| Brightness - Critical for ambient light performance and HDR impact | |
| 2,200 ISO lumens (good for moderate lighting) | 3,000 ANSI lumens (better for brighter rooms) |
| Throw Ratio - Determines how close to wall projector needs to be | |
| 0.21:1 (more flexible placement) | 0.25:1 (requires slightly more distance) |
| Color Gamut - Affects color richness and accuracy | |
| 107% BT.2020 (excellent color range) | 100% BT.2020 (still excellent) |
| Smart Platform - Important for streaming convenience | |
| Google TV (full app support, excellent interface) | VIDAA (limited app selection, may need streaming device) |
| Gaming Performance - Critical for gamers | |
| 18ms input lag (good for casual gaming) | >40ms input lag (not ideal for gaming) |
| Audio System - Affects need for external speakers | |
| Bowers & Wilkins speakers (high-end audio) | Built-in Dolby Atmos (good but not exceptional) |
| Maximum Screen Size - Impacts viewing experience | |
| 150 inches (more flexible for larger rooms) | 120 inches (still substantial) |
| Build Quality - Affects longevity and reliability | |
| Good consumer-grade construction | Premium Leica engineering and materials |
| HDR Support - Important for modern content | |
| Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+ (complete suite) | HDR10 (more limited) |
The $2,999 Formovie Theater Premium offers better value for most home theaters, with comprehensive HDR support and excellent color accuracy. While the $9,495 Leica Cine 1 provides premium build quality, the performance difference doesn't justify the price gap for most users.
The Leica Cine 1 offers 3,000 ANSI lumens while the Formovie Theater Premium provides 2,200 ISO lumens. In real-world use, both projectors perform similarly in moderate ambient light conditions.
The Formovie Theater Premium has a significant advantage with Google TV integration, offering broader streaming app support and a more user-friendly interface compared to the Leica Cine 1's more limited VIDAA system.
The Formovie Theater Premium is better suited for gaming with its 18ms input lag, while the Leica Cine 1 has higher input lag making it less ideal for gaming applications.
The Formovie Theater Premium can be placed slightly closer to the wall with its 0.21:1 throw ratio, while the Leica Cine 1 needs a bit more distance with its 0.25:1 ratio.
The Formovie Theater Premium features Bowers & Wilkins speakers which provide superior audio quality compared to the Leica Cine 1's standard built-in system, though both benefit from external speakers for true home theater sound.
The Formovie Theater Premium can project up to 150 inches, while the Leica Cine 1 maxes out at 120 inches.
Yes, both projectors support 4K resolution, though they use different technologies to achieve it. The Formovie uses true 4K while the Leica uses pixel-shifting technology.
While both perform adequately in moderate lighting, the Leica Cine 1's higher brightness makes it slightly better for brighter environments, though both work best in controlled lighting conditions.
Both projectors work best with ALR (Ambient Light Rejecting) screens designed for UST projectors, though the Formovie Theater Premium tends to be more forgiving with screen selection than the Leica Cine 1.
Both projectors offer similar laser lifespan ratings of approximately 25,000 hours, which translates to over 10 years of typical use.
The Formovie Theater Premium offers significantly better value, delivering comparable or better performance in most areas at one-third the price of the Leica Cine 1.
We've done our best to create useful and informative comparisons to help you decide what product to buy. Our research uses advanced automated methods to create this comparison and perfection is not possible - please contact us for corrections or questions. These are the sites we've researched in the creation of this article: techradar.com - projectorscreen.com - avsforum.com - rtings.com - nothingprojector.com - formovie.com - bmcav.com.au - projectorcentral.com - digitalcinema.com.au - projectorreviews.com - techpowerup.com - nothingprojector.com - projectorcentral.com - projectorreviews.com - leicacamerausa.com - projectorreviews.com - whathifi.com - leicacamerausa.com - bhphotovideo.com - projectorcentral.com - projectorscreen.com - crutchfield.com - leicarumors.com - projectorscreen.com
