Dangbei is jumping back into the already saturated market for cheap portable projectors with a new entry-level model called the Dangbei N2 mini. It’s an LED projector that’s able to deliver big-screen 1080p Full HD pictures with a simple set-up experience for novice users.
The company, which already sells one portable projector model in the Dangbei Freedo, said the Dangbei N2 mini comes with various auto picture adjustment features and AI enhancements to ensure well-aligned, high-quality images in almost any setting.
The new device is designed to compete with similar portable projector models such as the XGIMI MoGo Pro 3, the LG CineBeam Q, TCL’s PlayCube and the Yaber L2 Plus, with the main advantage being that it’s a lot cheaper than any of those devices. Dangbei is making it available for the introductory price of just £159 (20% off its recommended retail price), which is cheaper than just about anything else in its category – less than half the price of the MoGo Pro 3, at £419, for example.
Of course, the lower price tag does mean some sacrifices have been made. The Dangbei N2 mini is not that bright, rated at just 200 ISO lumens, which is a lot less bright than higher-end but slightly less-portable models such as the Dangebi Atom and Mars Pro 2. As such, it's unlikely to do much in any brightly lit space. That said, if the room is dark, it should be plenty good enough. Moreover, it’s super-portable, with a weight of just 1.72 kg meaning it can easily be taken just about anywhere.
Dangbei said the recommended image size is 100-inches, though users can choose from between 40-inches all the way up to 120-inches if they desire, making it ideal for smaller or bigger spaces. For audio there’s a built-in, six-watt sound system that supports Dolby Atmos surround sound.
The integrated gimbal, which is similar in style to the one found on the Dangbei Freedo, doubles as a stand and it enables the device to be swiveled around in all kinds of ways. As such, users should be able to put it down on a table or the floor and project images onto a nearby wall or even the ceiling without bother. There’s a base-mounted power port to ensure the cable doesn’t get in the way, or you can just rely on the built-in battery. The company adds that the optics are completely sealed to keep out dust.
Connectivity options include a single HDMI port, a USB 2.0 port, Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2, with the latter option enabling users to connect a smartphone and stream content to the device for big-screen viewing.
However, we suspect that most viewers will simply make do with Wi-Fi, considering that the Dangbei N2 mini comes with more than 300 built-in applications, right out-of-the-box. The company didn’t say what operating system software it’s using, but it’s likely to be Android or some variant of that platform, going by the screenshots.
The device is notably “Netflix-ready”, meaning that it has been officially licensed for Netflix content, which should presumably mean a very seamless and straightforward experience when using that particular streaming service. Others, such as YouTube, Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video, are also onboard.
The company said the Dangbei N2 mini is available to buy directly from its website now.
