TCL’s exhibits at CES 2025 included a very brief teaser of a device that’s unlike anything else we’ve seen. It’s a projector with a twist - literally - that uses similar physics to the Rubik’s Cube to enhance its flexibility and project its images in almost any direction.
TCL has christened the portable device as the TCL Playcube, and also referred to it as a “magic cube” during its all-too-brief demonstration. It’s made up of two sections, including a boxy cube that houses the actual projector, and a kind of rectangular stand that houses the speaker system.
The cube section is able to twist around in various ways in order to adjust the direction of the image projection, which should make setup a fairly easy experience in most situations. The novel design should also mean it’s very easy to bring the Playcube anywhere, as it helps to minimise the bulk of the device. In addition, it just looks damn cool too, which should make you want to bring it to your friends’ houses and show it off.
Unfortunately, we don’t know much else about the TCL Playcube, with the exception that it comes with a rechargeable battery for portability, so you can bring it camping or whatever. The company didn’t provide any specifications, so we have no idea about image brightness or size, the resolution, refresh rate and so on. In fact, the company didn’t even switch the device on, so it’s impossible to even guess at these details.
One thing we do know is that TCL is new to the portable projector business. It only launched its first such model, the TCL A1, in November. That device sells for around £395 in the U.K. and beams 1080p images with at between 45- and 120-inches and with 360 lumens brightness, so the Playcube may or may not have similar capabilities.
TCL didn’t mention a price tag either, and nor did it say anything about which countries it might be sold in. But wherever it does go on sale, it will do so in 2025, the company said.
TCL is known to price its products quite aggressively, so with any luck it might not be too expensive. It will compete with an array of portable projectors, including Yaber’s new L2 Plus and Anker’s Nebula Capsule II, which sports an innovative coke can-style design.
