Don’t buy an expensive DLP projector. This cheaper portable model is just as good

You would think that major TV manufacturers would have a lot of engineering know-how to make a great projector. But in my experience, this is not always the case. However, the Hisense M2 Pro exceeded my expectations and did a lot of things really well. It’s decently bright, has fairly accurate color, a really good contrast ratio, and even optical zoom. Combine that with a price tag of around $1,300 and it’s an easy projector to recommend.

The downsides of the M2 Pro are not so much related to performance, but to price. You can spend A little more and you get a better, brighter projectorOr you can spend less and get somewhat similar performance. Additionally, the built-in VIDAA OS has all the major apps, but perhaps not as many smaller apps compared to Google TV. So, basically, the M2 Pro is pretty good for the money, but at a lower price it would be great.

Specifications and so on

• Resolution: 4K
• Lumens: 1300 (claimed)
• Magnification: 1-1.3:1
• Lens shift: No
• Light source type: RGB laser

The M2 Pro Compact uses RGB lasers for its light source — not common these days — and pairs them with a zoom lens, which is fairly uncommon at this price. Combine these features with a built-in gimbal mount and you can place the M2 Pro almost anywhere without any problem. It’s also 4K resolution, while many similarly priced models are 1080p.

Hisense claims 1,300 lumens. In its most precise position, I measured it 803. With the brightness enhancement feature set to Ultra, the image becomes noticeably green, but I measured 1,183 lumens. Given the variation from unit to unit, not to mention different measuring techniques, I’d say this is pretty close to the claimed specs. The other two brightness boost modes each get progressively closer to the projector’s more accurate image but with less brightness boost. High mode produced 1,006 lumens but was noticeably blue-tinged, while Standard mode produced 957 lumens and was only slightly Cooler From the most accurate picture mode.

communication

• HDMI inputs: 1
• USB port: 1
• Audio: eARC, 2 x 10W speakers
• Internet: Wi-Fi
• Broadcast interface: VIDAA operating system
• Remote: background

As with most small projectors, there’s only one HDMI input on the Hisense. Since streaming is built-in, this is fine. If you want to connect a dongle for streaming, there’s a USB output to power it. Additionally, unlike most projectors in this price range, the Hisense uses its own operating system called VIDAA. It’s fairly easy to operate and comes with a row of apps to choose from. All the main options are here, but if you have a favorite, more obscure streaming program, you might like this Make sure it’s available first. This is the second projector I’ve reviewed with VIDAA on board. Coincidentally, I reviewed the other one just before – which is much more expensive Leica Cinema Play 1.

The two 10-watt speakers don’t have a lot of bass — or treble, for that matter — but they do sound very loud. Sound quality degrades noticeably at higher volume levels, with a fair amount of distortion, but if you need extra volume, it’s there. Like all projectors, it’s best to connect a monitor Speakers Or to a receiver With speakers.

Image quality comparisons

GM Go N1S 4K

The JMGO N1S 4K is similar in size, similar to the original MSRP, and overall, similar in performance. It is small, coaxial and uses a laser for its light source. When I reviewed JMGO, the price was the same as the M2 Pro is now, but it has since dropped to under $800. I connected both projectors to a distribution amplifier and displayed them side by side on a 102-inch screen with a gain of 1.0.

Once it was set up as similarly as possible, a number of things became immediately clear. The first has to do with color temperature. They’re both fairly close to being accurate, but they’re wrong in opposite ways: the M2 Pro looks a little blue/green (lacking red), while the N1S 4K looks a little reddish. In person, the N1S 4K looks a little more natural, as the slight green push on the M2 Pro gives skin tones a slight pallor. However, the M2’s slight tint is not noticeable, and there are many ways to adjust it in the settings, even if you don’t have a monitor. Professionally calibrated. Neither of them have the spot color of anything like BenQ HT2060but they are reasonably close enough.

The M2 Pro is brighter, producing 803 lumens versus the Hisense’s 575 lumens. Light output is especially important with projectors because it also determines the size of the image you can create while keeping it bright enough to view. When viewed side by side, the M2 Pro is noticeably brighter, although the difference doesn’t seem as significant as the roughly 33% gap in measured brightness suggests. It’s more a case of “The Hisense looks a little brighter” than “Why is the JMGO so dim?”

Contrast is also fairly close, with the M2 Pro measuring a very respectable 1,482:1 compared to the N1S’s ~1,196:1 (which is more of an estimate given how this projector handles black levels). The difference is significant enough that, coupled with the greater light output, the M2 Pro’s image has more impact. It’s not huge, but it’s noticeable. Both projectors’ brightness and contrast are better than the average projectors I’ve reviewed for CNET, while the M2 Pro is closer to the best-performing DLP projectors, all of which are more expensive.

A quick word of caution about RGB lasers. Like all RGB laser projectors, the M2 Pro can present an issue for some people who wear glasses. Depending on your prescription and lens materials, you may see… Chromatic aberration, or color fringingaround bright objects. This is especially noticeable when objects are on a dark background, such as white credits on a black screen or street lights at night. The image will appear to “split” with a monochrome “ghost” on either side, separate from the rainbows that some people see with DLP projectors. For what it’s worth, I notice this and find it annoying enough that I personally wouldn’t buy an RGB laser projector. If you think this might be a problem for you, see… TK705STi Instead, because it uses LEDs it doesn’t have this problem.

Speaking of the TK705STi and its standard-shooting sibling, the TK705i, I didn’t have either of them on hand for a direct comparison. However, both are priced similarly to the M2 Pro. The STi is noticeably brighter than the M2 Pro, although in my testing, its color was slightly less accurate and its contrast ratio lower. It’s also a short-throw projector, which may make it better suited for smaller rooms but is a less practical option for larger rooms.

I haven’t reviewed the TK705i, and because it uses a different lens, I can’t say how its performance compares with any of the projectors. It’s probably closer to the TK705STi than the M2 Pro in terms of brightness. Both BenQ models use LED light sources, so they avoid the RGB laser issues mentioned above.

There too HT2060one of my choices for Best projector. Although it is brighter and, as mentioned earlier, more accurate, it is not gimbaled and is “only” 1080p. It’s not exactly a direct competitor, but if you’re looking for a more sustainable placement for your projector, check that out too.

TV 2 pajamas

I’m worried I might be cursing the M2 Pro with faint praise. There’s not much to complain about, but it’s also not the most adorable pajama I’ve seen. It’s solid. It’s A-. It is one of the best options for the price. My only real issue is that it’s in this weird place where spending more can get you more performance, and spending a lot less only gets you a little less. Although technically you could say it’s a bit pricey, it performs better than some other projectors at around the same price, which means “overpriced” isn’t entirely accurate either.

I’ve been reviewing appliances for a long time, and products like this are some of the hardest to write about. It’s hard to review bad products because you end up double and triple checking your results, but it’s very easy to explain. Great products are easy for obvious reasons. It’s the good but not great products that are difficult. The M2 Pro falls into this category. It’s a solid projector with some major flaws, but it doesn’t stand out in any one area. This makes it relatively easy to review and surprisingly difficult to write about – hence this paragraph.

I think the spoiler in the M2 Pro conversation is GM Go N1S 4KThat’s why I mentioned it above. It’s currently priced at under $800. Is the M2 Pro better? Yes, but not 65% better than the prices suggest. The Hisense has optical zoom and, for better or worse, doesn’t have Google TV. Basically, if you don’t care about that price difference, or see it on sale, get the M2 Pro. If you want to save some money and don’t mind not using the zoom, get the N1S 4K.