Aurzen Roku TV Smart Projector Review: I wish more projectors had a Roku built-in

Late last year, Roku sent me a review sample of Urizen Easy D1R Cube ($180), which is the first Roku-powered projector. I ordered this model over the newer model (and $50 cheaper) Urzin Easy D1R Roco TV Projector Since the D1R cube is a little brighter, when it comes to projectors, brightness is key. While its picture and sound are a bit lower than more expensive Pico projectors, it exceeded my expectations for its modest price.

Read more: Best portable projector for movies and gaming anywhere in 2026

Portable but no battery

If you haven’t heard about Urizenwhich is not surprising considering that it is one of many Chinese budget projector brands that have spread on Amazon. According to Google AI search results, Aurzen is a “relatively new but well-received player in the entry-level market.”

The first thing to know about Aurzen Roku projectors is that they don’t have rechargeable batteries and must be plugged in — which is part of the reason they’re so cheap. On the plus side, the power cord is simple and doesn’t require a huge power block.

Zoom in on the image

The Aurzen D1R and D1R Cube are single-chip LCD projectors with sealed optical drivers, a nice feature (no specks of dust to clean) that is becoming more common in entry-level models. The longer, narrower 4-pound D1R cube has a brightness rating of 330 ANSI lumens, while the shorter, wider D1R is rated at 280 ANSI lumens. Both would be considered fairly dim by projector standards, but they’re par for the course Budget projectors.

The projectors offer a native resolution of 1080p (1920 x 1080 pixels) and are easy to set up, though you’ll need a Roku account to use them and may need to keep an extension cord on hand, depending on your placement. Each has a threaded tripod mount, which can give you more flexible viewing options, and they also have autofocus and auto keystone correction to ensure your video displays correctly, with no weird shapes or blurry images. There are manual focus settings for fine-tuning as well. I placed the D1R Cube on a tripod and placed it on a small side table to get the image high enough (you can also place it on a coffee table and use the retractable feet to tilt the projector up at a slight angle).

I think most people just project on the wall or one of them Stretched fabric screens are cheaper for outdoor display. However, since I have a 110 inch Stuart monitor for my device Epson Home Cinema 5050UB A reference projector (2600 ANSI lumens) I used helped improve the Aurzen’s contrast and overall image quality.

The Aurzen D1R Cube is pretty basic by enthusiast standards, but it gets the job done for casual viewing, especially in a dark room. The projector also gets support from Roku, which arguably provides the best interface between devices Media streaming platforms.

Communications and application support

In the past, I’ve mainly tested Google TV Pico projectors (and several previous Android TV models, which didn’t support the Netflix app). The truth is, one of the reasons I like Roku is because it has the Spectrum Cable app, while Google TV-powered projectors and TVs don’t. If you’re a YouTube TV subscriber, using a Google TV display isn’t a problem either, since Roku also has a YouTube TV app, along with most other popular streaming services.

Ideally, it’s best to run apps directly from the projector, but if you need to, you can use your phone, tablet, or laptop to cast to the projector over Wi-Fi. The DR1 Cube and D1R support both MiraCast for Android and AirPlay for Apple devices to mirror what’s on your phone or tablet.

You can also connect a thumb drive or external hard drive to the USB-A port on the back of the projector to stream files from the drive and use the Roku media player to play those files. (It was able to read most, but not all, of the video file formats on the drive, including MKV files.) At first, I couldn’t figure out how to access the drive entry, but I discovered that you could access it from the Roku media player. To navigate the different menus, the projector comes with a Roku remote that will be familiar to anyone who has used a Roku device before. Even if you don’t, it’s an intuitive layout that won’t take long to master.

There’s an HDMI port if you want to connect a Blu-ray player, game console, laptop, or other streaming device, but I didn’t try playing any actual media like a UHD disc because the projector wouldn’t display it at its best. Although you may be able to get a slightly better picture (it accepts 4K video but downscales to 1080p), there doesn’t seem to be any support for Human development reportjust the SDR, which chimes in with its meager light output.

The projector has six picture settings, with some ability to make manual adjustments to contrast, brightness, color, tone, and sharpness. The Roku Smart Picture setting is probably the best option for most people. It automatically adjusts the mode to whatever you’re watching, and it ends up being close to Cinema mode (when I was watching a movie), with the most accurate colors. You can make some adjustments to the brightness setting for more shadow detail, but like many budget projectors, this one does best with brighter subjects and not as well with darker scenes (black levels are good but not a strong point).

The marketing materials for both projectors say you can project an image up to 200 inches, but just because you can doesn’t mean you should. In fact, you’ll want to stay in the 55 to 65 inch range, otherwise the image will look very washed out. As it is, the picture is a bit soft compared to what you might be used to on a large screen TV. However, the image quality was definitely acceptable and better than I expected given the price.

Her voice is fine too. The projector was equipped with two 5-watt speakers, and although there wasn’t a lot of bass, the midrange, where dialogue lives, sounded decent. I stuck with the Theater mode for the sound, which widened the soundstage a bit. The projector has Bluetooth connectivity, so you can link it to a larger Bluetooth speaker or subwoofer for better sound. But most people probably won’t bother with that.

Although I was very happy watching TV and streaming videos with it, I wouldn’t recommend this monitor for gaming as there is some noticeable input lag.

Final thoughts on the Aurzen DR1 cube

Over the years, I’ve tested several sub-$500 Anker Nebula Pico projectors, as well as a few Xgimi models. One big difference between these projectors is that they have built-in batteries, allowing you to place them anywhere without worrying about plugging them into a power source (although they typically only provide about two hours of battery life).

the Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air, One of our Current favorite portable projectors And a CNET Editors’ Choice winner, it’s brighter than the Aurzen, with a 400-lumen rating and slightly better picture-sound quality, too. (I tried it, but CNET contributor and home theater expert Jeff Morrison I reviewed it.) However, it costs close to $500. (Note that with all of these projectors, you have to take their advertised brightness ratings with a grain of salt, because they’re often measured at lower levels, especially when it comes to certain picture modes.)

From what I’ve seen in this price range — and there are plenty in the $130 to $200 range — the Aurzen Eazze DR1 Cube Roku TV Smart Projector stacks up well from a picture and sound standpoint. But what ultimately gives it the edge is the Roku platform.

Whether you should get the DR1 Cube or the less expensive $50 DR1 is a tough choice. While I haven’t tested the $130 DR1 at home, I’ve seen it in action, and its image isn’t quite as vibrant as the DR1 Cube, but it’s not a huge step down, and you can Put the $50 on the screen For a movie night in the backyard.