Projectors aren’t what they used to be. When I thought of a projector, I thought of a smooth, uninterrupted white sheet of paper and a blackout blanket to be useful. They seemed niche at best, and an impractical, wasted investment at worst.
The era of projectors seems to be over. Dangbei has given us a couple of solid devices in the past, but the DBOX02 (formerly known as the Mars 2) is a new frontier. It promises 4K video, advanced display enhancement features, and all the smart TV functionality you’d expect from a Google TV.
Dangby Mars Pro 2
Dangbei’s flagship DBOX02, formerly known as the Mars 2, is an advanced projector that will bring your movies, shows and games to life. It features a 4K UHD picture with a maximum size of 200 inches and uses Dolby speakers to complement the viewing experience with powerful sound.
- Excellent 4K picture for movies and games
- Chrome casting is easy
- Suitable for daytime use
- Intelligently avoids obstacles on the wall.
- Lots of hot exhaust air
- Aluminum and glass are prone to fingerprints and dust.
- It cannot be used as a Bluetooth speaker without the lamp on.
Price, availability and specifications
Dangbei’s flagship 4K projector is priced at $1,899. It’s currently discounted to $1,499 at Dangbei’s US store, but remains full price on Amazon. Dangbei has included a stand for the DBOX02, but that stand doesn’t come with the purchase of the projector and isn’t currently listed on Dangbei’s website or Amazon.
What’s good about Dangbei DBOX02?
As long as I keep the fundamental differences between a TV and a projector in mind, the Dangbei 4K projector has impressed me time and time again. Advanced features like AI-powered brightness adjustment, autofocus, and obstacle avoidance make it stand out from other projectors I’ve used.
Obstacle avoidance is especially useful; if you’re projecting into a discontinuous space, such as a framed image or a partition box, the projector will do its best to adjust the image size and position to avoid obstacles. Since the screen is bright enough (2,450 lumens), the projector is usable during the day. This still isn’t the best solution for a very bright, sunny room with all the curtains open, but you can still enjoy an afternoon movie before sunset in most scenarios.
The display area is up to 200 inches, but I was worried that the image would be blurry and soft at that size, compared to keeping the screen at a more reasonable size of 75 to 150 inches. I was wrong, and I found that the 4K screen at that size was just as vibrant and sharp.
The DBOX02’s 4K picture quality is worth the hype. Live action looked great, but the projector displayed animated media especially well. Every movie, show, and game I watched looked great, but I had a few favorites. Avatar (the movie, not the animated show) looked stunning, with bold, colorful details. And the Dangbei projector wasn’t immune to my five-year-old’s obsession with Disney’s Onward, and the animation was beautifully rendered.
Thanks to the USB and HDMI ports on the back, you can connect almost any console and switch the projector to gaming mode, which should encourage lower latency and display adjustments. I connected a Switch and Steam Deck to the DBOX02 and did several gaming sessions at 200 inches of 4K resolution without any issues. You can also connect a laptop for work presentations or a streaming device if you prefer that over Google TV.
When it comes to volume, the projector is pretty loud. It was enough for my partner and I to watch movies and games without any additional speakers, but you may want to connect a soundbar or satellite speakers (via 3.5mm port, USB port, Google Home, or Bluetooth) if you’re outdoors, in a very large room, have more than two or three people watching, or want some ambient sound action.
The DBOX02 lives up to expectations as a smart TV. One of its most notable offerings is its officially licensed Netflix integration, something that many similar projectors, like the Xgimi Horizon Pro, don’t offer. Prime Video, Hulu, Disney+, and YouTube also come preloaded on the projector.
Related
Xgimi Horizon Pro Projector Review: No Netflix, But Lots of Fun
Great projector with only one major flaw.
Its interface works very similarly to that of any other Google TV device: you get those built-in apps with the ability to add more as you wish, plus a personalized content summary on the home screen that includes a section to continue watching.
What’s bad about Dangbei DBOX02?
There’s not much to complain about. I understand that the cost alone is enough to turn some people off, but the DBOX02 easily meets the expectations set by its price. If you’re looking for a more affordable projector that still offers the rare Netflix license, check out the Formovie Xming Page One , a $500 option that makes some sacrifices but still does a decent job.
Related
Formovie’s Xming Page One Smart Projector Review: Smart, Stylish, and Netflix-Ready
An affordable projector that does the job…mostly.
One thing to note is the exhaust, which isn’t necessarily a design flaw but a necessary hazard. While this projector seems to handle its internal cooling well, its fans blow hot air—very hot air, and lots of it. If you’re sitting on the couch with the projector on a side table next to you, as I was, you can get used to the constant desert winds blowing overhead. At the very least, it means the DBOX02 doubles as a heater when I watch movies in my sunroom on a cold night.
One thing I wish the DBOX02 could do is act as a smart speaker without turning on the projector screen. You can connect the projector to your phone as a Bluetooth speaker, but the screen will still be lit. With the great built-in Dolby speakers, it would be great to use the Dangbei projector to listen to ambient music while reading or cleaning without having to deal with annoying noise on the wall.
The DBOX02’s glass and aluminum frame is also highly susceptible to dust and fingerprints, so keep the included cloth handy at all times!
Should you buy it?
I started my review of the Dangbei DBOX02 with a lot of skepticism. I couldn’t imagine a projector that cost nearly $2,000 being worth that much, let alone investing in a 4K TV. As much as I enjoyed the projector, I can’t say I would have been convinced to buy one because I doubted it would get enough use to justify its price.
But trust me, modern projectors are more practical and capable than you might think. Your room doesn’t have to be completely dark to use them; the picture is great if the projections are right, and what starts out as a small black box can easily be expanded into a full-fledged home theater or gaming room.
So, if the price can be beat, the Dangbei DBOX02 is definitely a worthy investment. It may not be the perfect solution to replace your main TV in the living room, but Dangbei’s flagship projector delivers a bright, big, and boldly colorful picture for your basement, garage, bedroom, or garden.
Dangby Mars Pro 2
Although the Dangbei DBOX02 is pricey, its ultra-high-resolution picture, advanced projection with auto-brightness and obstacle avoidance, and familiar Google TV interface make it a worthwhile investment if you have room for a 200-inch screen to enjoy games, movies, and sports.
Related
Best Android Projectors in 2024
Go further and ditch the screen with Android projectors
