As someone relatively new to laser projection TVs, and for someone who has shunned them for quite some time in favor of more traditional options, I must admit I was incredibly surprised by the prowess behind Formovie's newest product, the aptly-named Theater 4K.
I've had friends before attest to their abilities, living by the projector over conventional TVs, but I've never truly dabbled myself until now, and, to be quite honest, I'm kicking myself because this screen looks impeccable.
Clearly, I don't have nearly enough room for this thing - the screen, that is. The projection can measure up to, in total, 150-in, while the device's own dimensions are 21 1/2 W x 14 L x 4 in H.
So it's a bit chunky, but definitely capable of being fit on a smaller surface, if necessary. It also doesn't weigh too much, at least for me, so it's quite easy to be moved around where necessary, which is a nice addition to its build quality.
Gaming feels slightly clunky but still looks stellar. Maybe it was the game or the console itself, but I felt almost like there was a 0.01 ms delay of some kind. Just felt awkward sometimes, but still looked overall fantastic.
Over the course of my time with Theater TV, I played across multiple games and platforms, including PS3, PS5, Nintendo Switch, and Steam Deck. Some of the games I played included Dark Souls 3, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, GTA 5, Jedi Survivor, Pokemon Scarlet, Pokemon FireRed, and more.
I felt, out of all platforms, the PS5 looked the best. In CoD, the colors felt a bit off, and the size of the screen limited my ability in the game, which isn't so much a knock on the TV but really an observation of just how massive the screen really is when in front of you.
While it might have been a bit hard playing CoD, other experiences proved to be absolutely incredible, like Red Dead Redemption 2 and Star Wars Jedi Survivor.
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The display comes with several different viewing modes, like gaming, movie, etc. Game mode did not look great to my eyes, and movie mode also seemed to dim the screen a bit too much. Standard looks great no matter which entertainment source you're running. For me, though, Vivid was my preferred viewing experience.
The best bet would be to test what you prefer most, as vivid may be a bit too much for some people. There are also three different brightness modes, including Office, Night, and View. I personally didn't see too much of a difference between them all and left it primarily on View.
As one might expect, it doesn't work all too well if it's situated in a room that gets a ton of sunlight. I opened my shades on a sunny day with the Formovie Theater running GTA 5 and while it does seem to still show a relatively good amount of the image, the quality definitely isn't as good as it can be when in darker environments.
Thus, shades are somewhat of a must when using this - or, quite frankly, any projector of the sort. But you can get away with a good amount of natural light, so I do give this product a ton of props for its overall quality in that respect.
I ended up keeping my blinds open and playing for a while, but when it is displaying darker content, it's much harder to make out what's going on.
I noticed very minimal stuttering at times. I'm not sure if this was due to applications, videos themselves (in the case of YouTube content), or the projector, but it was so minimal and difficult to replicate that it's hardly something users should be concerned about.
I also noticed, specifically while watching shows and movies in Disney Plus, a random color pulse, as if the TV was trying to get the colors right following a change in scenery. This only lasts for a few milliseconds, if that, but it's something that can't be left unsaid.
While distracting, these problems were few and far between when it came to the overall product and what it affords. The Theater by Formovie is one fantastic platform, one built on Android OS and Google, which elevates it with some fantastic applications, like all of your favorite streaming hubs, as well as Steam Link, Xbox Cloud Gaming derivatives, and even TikTok.
Unfortunately, Netflix doesn't seem to work on the device, but Formovie has its own workaround for such an issue. For me, I simply consumed any Netflix content using my PS5, as it displays the console in 4K with the most astounding picture. It truly amazes me just how good this TV looks on mere lasers, as its vibrancy and fidelity can't be stressed enough.
The sound quality is also quite stellar. Designed by Bowers & Wilkins, audio coming from the TV, whether it be from a movie or a game, really fills the room.
It could be a bit punchier, but for those looking for extraordinary sound quality, the included HDMI eARC is a fitting inclusion that will allow users to leverage almost any stereo system. For me, though, the base sound from the device was more than adequate to my ears.
The Formovie Theater's $3,499 asking price is, however, quite an investment, but I think that price is fitting for what you get. The customization and personalization underpinning the device are, thus far, for me, unparalleled.
The TV's home page can be molded to your liking, and it gives you easy access to content when it's available, like new episodes of TV shows across your streaming apps and recommended YouTube videos at a glance.
Overall I have had an absolute blast reviewing Formovie's Theater. It's set at a tough ask, but the value proposition is, as far as I can tell, unmatched. I have a 55-inch TCL TV that I can't look at the same ever again. There's just nothing quite like the Theater, as it really brings the cinema to your living space.
| Pros | Cons |
| Incredible performance and color | Requires a large and unblemished white surface for ample projection |
| Easy set up and move as opposed to bulky TVs | Not great in well-lit spaces, especially when displaying darker environments |
| Surprisingly great sound | Very expensive |
| Fantastic gaming experience | Remote only has a shortcut to YouTube (Voice control can amend this) |
| Brilliant/Streamlined UI | No native Netflix app support |
| 3 HDMI, 1 HDMI eARC | Onboard fans are slightly noisy |
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