Dangbei Mars Professional 2 overview: Huge and brilliant

I liked Dangbei’s small Atom projector — giving it a close to good overview because the tiny however mighty machine efficiently offered sharp, brilliant, and colourful photographs at a sub-$1K value level. Nonetheless spectacular, it compromised on some extra “premium” projector options like a full setting suite and lacked a stand.

So, with summer time across the nook and desirous to curate outdoor movie nights, I have been trying to find the perfect 4K projector and determined to check Dangbei’s greater, dearer, flagship mannequin: the DBOXO2 — additionally dubbed the Mars Professional 2.

Learn on for my full overview.

Dangbei DBOX02

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The Dangbei DBOX02 is a premium 4K laser projector which provides as much as 2450 ISO lumens in brightness and built-in audio system, plus Google TV performance. It delivers nice image high quality, beauty and versatile efficiency for a value that undercuts among the competitors, significantly from XGIMI and Anker.  

Execs

• Brilliant, colourful picture
• Premium design
• Google TV

Cons

• Half-baked software program options
• Not the very best audio system
• Very massive

Value, availability and specs

The Dangbei DBOX2 is offered now for costs beginning at $1499.99, direct from Amazon, and it is solely provided in black.

From the beginning, when unboxing the DBOX02, I used to be abundantly conscious of 1 factor: its dimension. Now dimension is a commerce off when going premium, fancy projectors want cooling followers and loads of house inside for audio system, however the DBOX02 is a big machine.

Completed in metallic all throughout and in matte black, it appears to be like good, and has an ample number of ports on the rear. I used to be additionally despatched a stand with my overview unit and extremely suggest it because it helps with a number of viewing angles and stability.

The dimensions and weight develop into just a little little bit of a difficulty with regards to simply positioning the machine. Once more, not an issue when you have a stand. If, nonetheless you might be shopping for this as a primary projector, do not count on it to be straightforward to maneuver and reposition. It is actually supposed to take a seat in a single spot, or on a tripod.

That apart, this can be a elegant and properly constructed projector. The port choice is comparatively beneficiant, with two HDMI inputs, two USB-A ports, and an ethernet jack.

Fortunately, the DBOX02 additionally comes with a Bluetooth distant, which linked simply and labored shortly and precisely.

What I favored concerning the Dangbei Mars Professional 2

Brilliant, daring and delightful

Shifting to image high quality, to begin, this can be a laser projector which crucially implies that it’s brilliant. That mentioned, after I stared immediately at it I assumed my eyeballs may soften. In practically all situations, other than a brilliant sunny day, it was enough to make use of indoors with the curtains open. It could attain as much as 2450 ISO lumens of brightness, which is spectacular, although I might take this with just a little pinch of salt. Lumens are the measure of brightness in a projector, however totally different locations have totally different takes on how they work.

The trade customary measure is ANSI, whereas ISO is lesser identified. One ISO lumen equals roughly 0.8 ANSI lumens, so 2450 ISO lumens interprets to 1960 ANSI lumens, much less attractive however nonetheless spectacular. Dangbei has additionally been in a bit of hot water over allegedly cooking its figures just a little. Regardless, in the actual world and away from geeky numbers, this can be a brilliant projector.

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And oh boy, is it sharp too. From 80 inches as much as its full projection width, content material seemed very crisp and naturally detailed. After all 4K video seemed finest, however should you like essentially the most element you may fairly get, this can be a good possibility. The colours too, true to common lazer efficiency, are nice. They’re saturated and nice with out being overbearing and there’s barely any noise within the shadows. As an entire, the image high quality provided right here is superb for the worth.

Moreover, the projector gives HDR10 compatibility, which means that supported content material is further brilliant and clear, and properly price utilizing the place it is obtainable.

Watching Eurovision 2024 with a white display was a deal with, the colours of the loopy performers had been introduced properly to life whereas the audio system stored up with the daft vocals with no situation.

Full fats Google TV with most of your favourite apps

Google TV

Ease of use

Excessive

Good assistants

Google Assistant

Advert presence

Reasonable

App availability

Very vast

Notable options

AI-curated content material; Chromecast built-in

Shifting onto software program, the image is equally constructive with some giant caveats. Somewhat than run its personal customized Android pores and skin because it has completed at instances prior to now, Dangbei has loaded up the DBOX02 with Google TV.

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Which means entry to the Play Retailer and practically any streaming app you may consider. Downloading an app is a straightforward course of, and upon getting it, offered you utilize your Google account to log in, shortly accessing every app turns into a straightforward ask. Moreover, the projector has Netflix obtainable and totally licensed which is, one thing which might’t be mentioned for among the competitors.

What I did not like concerning the Dangbei Mars Professional 2

Software program caveats

Whereas the Dangbei is an completed projector by most metrics, it has some primarily software-based flaws which might be nonetheless a big drawback.

First of those is software program reliability. I used to be in a position to outright crash the projector on events by deciding on a single software program possibility. In a single case deciding on ‘3D projection’ merely induced the display to show purple and jagged. Solely a tough reset resolved the difficulty. When the outlay is above $1K, on the very least you expect rock strong stability.

One other situation was app availvility. So, whereas Google TV provides vast entry to just about any service in existence, there isn’t any assure that they’re going to have the ability to set up on the projector.

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Then there’s accessing projector options. The clue is within the title, Google TV is designed for TVs at the beginning. Accessing a operate like keystoning, one thing you will be doing repeatedly should you change your projection floor, requires a comparatively deep dive into system settings to be able to entry it, which is certainly extra sophisticated than mandatory.

Perhaps too massive?

Whereas the DBOX02 is a premium projector and sized accordingly, it is rather, very massive. You will not need to transfer it round the home, as soon as you’ve got chosen a place it can seemingly stay stationary. For that motive, if you’re shopping for this both as a primary projector or a primary premium projector, the difficulty is then of whether or not it is likely to be merely too a lot in your residing scenario.

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Regardless of the dimensions, the audio system fail to make a lot of an impression. Whereas bass is highly effective, mids and trebles are likely to develop into drowned considerably in motion pictures, which means that speech may be more durable to listen to than may in any other case be anticipated. That is once more not good given the worth level.

Ought to I purchase the Dangbei DBOX02?

If you’d like a robust, premium possibility that works properly, has incredible image high quality and which has a straightforward interface, the DBOX02 is a superb possibility.

The true query is whether or not you want it. There are projectors which have comparable mainstream enchantment for lower than $1K, and there are additionally many TVs which obtain the identical. At practically $2K it’s approaching luxurious territory, and it is likely to be greater than many discover they really need.

Dangbei DBOX02

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Furthermore, it is also giant and heavy. If you’re a primary time projector purchaser or need one thing you may simply transfer all through the house, this is not it. The DBOX02 is not petite, it is not moveable, and it makes no pretense of being both.

There is a motive it has just a little junk within the trunk, and that is image high quality. Boasting a 4K decision, with brightness to spare and colours that pop, it makes motion pictures sing. The included audio system do a good job of bringing just a little stereo sound to your setup. Final however not least, there’s Google TV integration too, which means your whole favourite apps are current and proper, the interface is straightforward to navigate and discovering your favourite motion pictures and TV reveals is a cinch.