A Small, Shiny Star Shines

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The Dangbei Atom stands diminutively at below 5 cm in top at ideas the scales at a mere 1.24 kg. It additionally boasts a brightness of 1,200 ISO lumens. This makes the Atom one of many brightest and most compact mini projectors available on the market based mostly on the technical specs. On this nextpit evaluation, we uncover whether or not options reminiscent of sound high quality and fan noise endure from such compact dimensions!

Abstract
Purchase

Good

Extraordinarily compact and extremely moveable
Very shiny with 1,200 ISO lumens
Google TV with native Netflix app built-in
Amazingly quiet

Unhealthy

Reasonable sound high quality
Can’t be adjusted for correct alignment
No projector cowl
No locking choices

Dangbei Atom: All offers

In a nutshell
The Dangbei Atom is amazingly shiny for such a small projector. Regardless of its measurement, this mini projector impressed us because it runs on the highly effective Google TV working system. It may be used with the native Netlfix app within the Google Play Retailer.
Nevertheless, we now have to be aware of the slightly poor speaker high quality as an obstacle. There’s additionally no choice to align the projector when positioned on a flat floor. Other than that, it is a extremely advisable buy!

Design & construct high quality

The chassis of the Dangbei Atom is all about compactness with dimensions measuring 19.5 x 19.5 x 5 cm. That is actually small! Due to the sq. and flat chassis, it slots into backpacks simply and is hardly noticeable due to its gentle weight of 1.24 kg. What Dangbei neglected, nevertheless, is the power to align the projector on a flat floor.

Execs:

Extraordinarily compact with a flat chassis.
Ingenius fan design.

Cons:

No locking choices.
No protecting cowl for projector lens.

The very first thing I seen in regards to the Dangbei Atom was the enticing packaging! You open the Atom’s field and raise the mini projector up through a high quality cloth strap. This makes the “unboxing expertise” of the Atom a much better one in comparison with Dangbei’s different fashions. That may actually contribute to product satisfaction.

The Atom’s chassis is de facto compact and matches nicely into backpacks and luggage. / © nextpit

After inserting the field apart, we discovered the Dangbei Atom to be an especially flat mini projector. Its kind issue jogs my memory a bit of the Apple Mini, with dimensions measuring 19.5 x 19.5 x 5 cm making it extraordinarily related in measurement to Cupertino’s tiny laptop. The 1.24 kg weight is extraordinarily gentle, which might be as a result of plastic chassis. The high-quality plastic Dangbei used merges with the steel speaker grille on the aspect completely.
In entrance, Dangbei depends on piano lacquer which is the proper fingerprint- and dust-magnet. The lens of the DLP projector is recessed deep into the plastic. There’s additionally a digital camera and sensors for auto-locking out in entrance. If we have been flip the projector over, we are going to discover the next connections:
Dangbei Atom connectivity choices:

HDMI with ARC help
USB 2.0
DC-IN
3.5mm audio jack

There’s additionally an on/off swap and a air flow grille on the again. There are extra air flow slots on the underside for more practical air flow. Primarily based on this design, it’s not advisable to position the projector on pillows or on the mattress. Different fashions such because the JMGO N1 Extremely provide extra versatile placement choices.

The mini projector’s connectivity choices depart a bit to be desired. / © nextpit

We didn’t discover every other direct management choices on the projector. This implies you do not have the choice of controlling content material immediately on the projector, as discovered within the Technaxx TX-127 (evaluation). Nevertheless, the distant management that Dangbei consists of with the projector is de facto good.

Software program and good options

Shock! Google TV powers the Dangbei Atom and never Android TV. This provides us a extra up-to-date working system that integrates itself very nicely with Google’s House app. This makes it a bit simpler to arrange and use it with iPhones. You may as well use the Netflix app natively.

Execs:

Google TV is way extra user-friendly than Android TV.
Native Netflix app.
Straightforward linkage with smartphones.

Cons:

Occasional lags within the working system.

With the choice to make use of Google TV as a substitute of Android TV, Dangbei hits the bull’s eye! The good TV working system is way more user-friendly compared and gives an easier menu construction. Even the setup course of which was carried out through the Google House app is a foretaste of how nicely the connection between the smartphone and good projector will work in the long run.
Due to the Chromecast characteristic, content material might be conveniently chosen on the smartphone and streamed to the projector, which even seems as a linked gadget in lots of apps below iOS. In case you do not need a smartphone, Google TV appears to be extra refined than Android TV. Since Dangbei features a compact and high-quality Bluetooth distant management, scrolling by menus can be enjoyable. Nevertheless, armed with solely 2 GB of RAM, navigation through the working system experiences the occasional lag.

The distant management of the Dangbei Atom is compact however very practical! / © nextpit

I used to be shocked that present Android video games could possibly be performed on the mini projector with a related Xbox controller. The efficiency degree was excessive sufficient that contents such because the cell recreation “Asphalt 8” was playable. Nevertheless, Google TV has one other main benefit over Android TV: the Netflix app can lastly be downloaded and used natively.
Along with the native features of Google TV, Dangbei additionally put in its personal “apps” on the projector. For instance, you’ll be able to management the auto-lock or modify the main target. All image high quality features might be accessed through a button on the aspect of the distant management. It would not get way more handy than that!

Image high quality and auto-locking

Like many mini projectors that retail for lower than $1,000, the Dangbei Atom shows content material in Full HD at most decision. Due to ALDP laser expertise, the projector achieves a most brightness of 1,200 ISO lumens. From a technical perspective, the Atom additionally gives 3D compatibility and certification for HDR 10. With auto-locking, the projector’s picture robotically aligns itself to your wall. Zoom is just accessible digitally.

Execs:

Implausible brightness contemplating the scale.
Good and sharp even with out 4K decision.
HDR-certified and 3D-compatible upon request.
Surprisingly quiet.

Cons:

No optical zoom and digital zoom rapidly turns into rubbish in Full HD.
Auto-lock works extra reliably in different projectors.
No protecting cowl for the projector lens.

If we have been to take a look at fashions in our “Finest Of” mini projector record, we discover many fashions with DLP expertise and a most Full HD decision. Dangbei mixed this compact and true-color projection expertise with a shiny gentle supply based mostly on ALDP laser expertise. The benefit of laser projectors is how they don’t require any heating and cooling occasions and still have a protracted service life. For the Atom, Dangbei specified a service lifetime of 30,000 hours for the sunshine supply.

The Atom’s projector sits behind a glass panel which sadly just isn’t protected. / © nextpit

It’s astonishing how shiny the Atom is regardless of its small kind issue. ISO lumens are measured immediately on the display screen and are thought-about a extra practical measurement for the brightness of the perceived picture within the projector world. If we have been to manually set the brightness of the projector to the very best degree within the evaluation, we’re aware about all 1,200 lumens on a grayish wall. In a room with any home windows and a glass door, we are able to additionally take pleasure in content material in the course of the day. Nevertheless, the image does look a bit pale, so if you happen to’re searching for a daylight projector, you continue to should go for laser TVs such because the Formovie Theater or bigger fashions such because the JMGO N1 Extremely.
However, the brightness of the Dangbei Atom is certainly a plus level. Due to the intelligent chassis design, the producer managed to make sure the projector just isn’t unpleasantly loud even at full quantity. When utilizing the interior audio system, the quiet fan noise, which I might say is comparable with pocket book followers, rapidly fades into the background. I did not discover it annoying within the evaluation besides when “dusting” the air slots utilizing the built-in mud elimination mode.
I might price the image high quality of the Atom at an analogous degree to the opposite Dangbei fashions I’ve reviewed. Even with out 4K decision, photos are crisp and sharp and on the identical degree because the Dangbei Mars (evaluation). The colours are slightly impartial by default, however might be made brighter through the projector’s settings and adjusted based on your desire.

In the course of the day, the Atom is shiny sufficient to see content material clearly. / © nextpit

Due to HDR 10, the Dangbei Atom also needs to have the ability to show HDR content material. Nevertheless for my part, the brightness degree right here is insufficient to create a wow issue. I believe the identical applies to 3D content material, the place the producer’s non-obligatory 3D glasses darken the projector picture even additional. Nevertheless, I might nonetheless depend the truth that the projector helps 3D as a plus level.
One other actual plus level is the combination of a ToF sensor and a digital camera for autofocus. This permits the Atom to align the projector picture in your wall by itself. Many mini projectors now provide auto-locking and Dangbei leaves little to be desired right here. The Atom acknowledges screens by itself and robotically adjusts the displayed picture, avoids obstacles by zooming in and adjusting content material whereas straightening the picture due to keystone corrections.
Whereas the Dangbei Atom gives many features right here, I discovered the auto-lock operate much less dependable within the evaluation in comparison with different fashions. The most effective in school right here is once more the JMGO N1 Extremely, which initiatives the projector picture onto the wall with none distortion and sharply in 10/10 instances. Nevertheless, as this mannequin is considerably dearer, I can forgive the Atom for its minor flaws.

Amongst different issues, Dangbei put in a digital camera for auto-locking. / © nextpit

One design drawback is the shortage of optical zoom. This implies the projector has to zoom in on the picture digitally, which ends up in a lack of high quality on account of its most Full HD decision.
Total, the Dangbei Atom is among the projectors with one of the best “size-to-brightness ratio”. What’s spectacular is how the projector stays good and quiet throughout operation. Since cell use is advisable, it’s all the extra annoying that there isn’t any cowl for the projection lens.

Loudspeaker

The compact chassis of the Dangbei Atom incorporates two audio system, every with an output energy of 5 W. Sadly, the producer positioned each audio system on one aspect of the projector, which suggests there isn’t any actual stereo sound. Instead, you may also join it to wired or wi-fi Bluetooth audio system. Conversely, the Dangbei Mars gives a Bluetooth speaker mode.

Execs:

Good sound for intelligible films/sequence.
Bluetooth speaker mode is sort of intelligent.

Cons:

Each audio system are positioned on one aspect.
Sound cracks at larger volumes.

In fact, the Dangbei Atom has inner audio system. Primarily based on the technical specs, we see two audio system at 5 W apiece, which leads to a complete output of 10 W. Sadly, each audio system are positioned on the left aspect of the projector, which might be annoying in lots of situations. In case you have been to position the projector roughly in the midst of your espresso desk, the sound high quality on the best aspect is considerably worse than on the left.

Dangbei positioned the followers on the underside and moved the interior audio system to the left. / © nextpit

Nevertheless, it’s typically advisable to make use of a Bluetooth speaker (comparability record) with the Atom. Though the interior audio system are loud sufficient to grasp and observe dialog in films or take pleasure in results in motion sequences, the sound just isn’t actually that good. As a result of design, decrease tones particularly can’t develop sufficiently and the general sound is sort of hole. If you wish to fill bigger rooms with sound utilizing the Atom, the audio system are likely to crack at larger volumes.
Nevertheless, the interior audio system of the Dangbei Atom provide precisely what they need to in a mini projector: It’s nothing however a makeshift resolution that makes it potential to take pleasure in films and sequence with out extra peripherals. However, different fashions, together with its siblings just like the Dangbei Mars or the Dangbei Neo, provide higher sound high quality.

Battery and energy consumption

The Dangbei Atom doesn’t have an built-in battery. The producer additionally didn’t provide any equipment to function the projector independently of energy sockets. The producer specified an influence consumption of 80 W.

Execs:

Low energy consumption.
Vitality-saving mode accessible.

Cons:

No inner or non-obligatory battery.
Energy provide unit is sort of clunky.

I will probably be transient in regards to the battery life and energy consumption: There is no such thing as a inner or non-obligatory battery. Because the projector requires a 100 W energy provide unit, you have to to hold an influence station (see nextpit comparability) with you to make use of it independently of energy sockets. Nevertheless, the ability consumption of 80 W is relatively low. If you wish to save energy whereas watching films, it is a sensible choice. Dangbei additionally gives an energy-saving mode within the settings.

The ability provide unit is relatively giant. / © nextpit

 

Last verdict

Mini projectors are reaching a degree of high quality that doesn’t require them to cover behind standard projectors anymore. With a robust laser projector, the Dangbei Atom gives a excessive brightness degree of 1,200 ISO lumens. The projector measures simply 5 cm tall and 19.5 cm for each width and size. This makes the Atom extraordinarily moveable and matches very nicely into backpacks and enormous purses.

Affiliate provide

When in use, the Dangbei Atom shines with Google TV as its working system. This makes it much more handy to make use of than different good projectors. As well as, the Atom is among the solely projectors to help the native Netflix app.
What bothers us most in regards to the Atom is the slightly mediocre sound high quality. By itself, this might not be an issue given the compact measurement, however Dangbei positioned each audio system on the left aspect of the chassis. The lack to align the projector on tables can be an obstacle as is the shortage of a protecting cowl for the projection lens.

Dangbei Atom
To gadget database

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