When considering the competition for the BU50NST there are only a few worthwhile comparisions. Models from Optoma, NEC, and first to market BenQ offer similar technology and output capacity. All of these units will deliver a similar level of performance, however, variations in chip size and lens quality along with processing quality will vary slightly. The real comparison must be made for individual professional installations. If a more flexible installation both optically and digitally is attractive and having built-in wireless networking, screen sharing, and Bluetooth audio along with WebOS for apps and web browsing all integrated into a fresh modern design, then LG has a winning combo in the BU50NST.
With the same MSRP of $4499, this is comparable to the BenQ LK952 which excludes the smart and casting features but is Crestron RoomViewTM enabled. The NEC LK953ST is also suited to a Crestron installation and while the MSRP is $7449, the street price is in line with the BenQ and LG offerings. Optoma UHZ65LV has an MSRP of $9999 but a street price that is still ~ $1500 more than the competitors. This is the lowest value equation with only vertical lens shift and less capable geometry correction available making the placement less flexible than the others, especially the LG BU50NST.