Dangbei Mars
Last year we reviewed the Dangbei Mars Pro, a premium 4K laser projector that performed very versatile for under $2,000. And today we have a more affordable version for you, the Dangbei Mars standard variant, which inherits many of its core features but for a much more affordable price.
We have used it for over a week as our primary projector in our studio, and we think it’s one of the best options in the market if you’re looking to replace your LED projector with a budget of under $1,000. Now let’s find out how it works.
Unboxing & Design
Although it’s over 40% cheaper compared to the Pro version, when I first saw the package and checked what we got inside, I could hardly find any difference. We still got a power adapter with a power cord, a remote control, the instruction manual, a PTZ cleaner, and a fine cloth for lens cleaning.
It looks almost identical to the Pro version. It’s clear that Dangbei put the design on a high pedestal and they don’t want the purchase to fall into the cracks, so we can still see this very cool black body. The frame is still made of aluminum, and on top of it covered with a huge 2.5D glass panel.
The front of the machine is also almost unchanged, except for the huge laser module, next to which we can find a set of laser focus sensors and a camera. The only button you’ll find on the Dangbei Mars is the power button on top and it’s not a physical button, so you don’t have to worry about dust getting inside after long use.
The sides and back of the projector are wrapped by a grille with many dense holes. From the outside, we can faintly see the speakers inside, and these holes are used to have more effective cooling.
Connectivity & Expandability
Excellent connectivity is also intact on the Mars projector. With dual-HDMI video sources, audio sources, 2 USB ports for external storage, and a LAN-wired network connection, you can connect almost any multimedia device to it at the same time. In addition, it also supports wireless projection via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, which certainly gives users more options for projection.
Image quality
Well it’s time to talk about image quality, so what compromises have resulted from the $500 price gap? The most obvious change is the reduction in resolution from 4K to 1080p, which you might think is a step back, but the truth is that its brightness and color are far more decisive than resolution for projector performance. We don’t have many complaints about the sharpness of the images, rather the lightweight design makes it less of a burden in terms of heating and running. Meanwhile, it allows the cost to be spent more efficiently on the presentation of colors and brightness.
So we are happy that the standard version has the same high brightness as the Mars Pro. Even in indoor environments during the daytime, the 2100 ISO lumens still give you a good visual experience. Thanks to the advanced ALPD technology, it allows us to get a brighter image than LED projectors in such a compact body. And compared with most of the full-HD projectors we’ve reviewed, it also performs significantly better in terms of actual clarity viewed by eyes.
Dangbei claims that it can be played on a maximum screen size of 180 inches. It’s a shame that we couldn’t find such a large screen to achieve the most stunning personal cinema effect. But that’s really exciting to think about. But probably later we will upgrade the curtain for it, that’s really exciting to think about.
Another surprise is that the Dangbei Mars even inherits the support of HDR10 and HLG. So it still can handle well with HDR content, which is definitely one of the bonuses that we only used to experience on most flagship projectors.
Easy Interaction & Auto setup
Excellent image quality is only part of the user experience, for most homes, the ease of use of the projector is just as important as the image quality, and it is in this part that we recognized the effort that Dangbei put into software interaction last year.
Mars also supports fast boost and almost senseless fast autofocus, so you don’t need to manually adjust the projector’s focus after each start-up or position change, and if you have a curtain for your projector as we do, the auto keystone correction and intelligent screen fit with obstacle avoidance can help you get the most accurate image quickly.
Sound with dual 10W speakers
In terms of the sound system, Dangbei Mars has two built-in 10W speakers, and these days, I feel that it is already loud enough when I turn the volume to 50%. And the projector also supports Dolby Audio with multiple sound modes, so you can get stereo and surging audio when watching movies.
Software & NetFlix ready
The Dangbei Mars is still powered by the MT9669 chipset, but its storage has been downgraded to 1GB of RAM and 8GB of ROM, which is in fact my least favorite thing here. the limited RAM brought a slight operating delay while typing. Well thank God it doesn’t run on Android but Linux OS, the user interface is still smooth and very simple, and you can quickly get to the most useful features such as officially certified preloaded Netflix, YouTube, and Amazon Prime videos. So yes, the most important thing is that Netflix has been officially licensed and pre-installed.
Scenarios
I don’t suggest you do too many tricks on it, because I think the brand also realized the fact that users take projectors as a mere display machine most of the time, and if they want to do something special they can plug some other devices into the projector, such as turning it into a giant screen for multiple gaming consoles, or something else like TV boxes.
On the other hand, this projector also supports wireless screencasting, so you can very easily transfer content from your phone, pad, or PC to it, the latency is almost senseless. And we actually tried playing games with it via wireless casting. The latency is already good enough to handle it.
There’re some other reasons for us to take the projector as our studio screen. For example, it consumes less power than a TV and it’s definitely more flexible and portable if we want to move it around and fit it in different sizes and viewing distances. And it’s impressively quiet when running. The maximum noise level we tested is only about 24 dB.
Verdict
To conclude, the Dangbei Mars is truly an inexpensive projector that offers a great audio and video experience with excellent connectivity and a user-friendly system. Dangbei has smartly made some reasonable trade-offs, allowing them to bring the major advantages of laser projectors to a more affordable model, such as brighter images and decent image quality. It has a significant brightness and color advantage over LED projectors in its price range, so I think it’s a great option to consider if you’re looking to build a private theater system for your family.
If you guys are interested in the Mars projector, you can check out the links below about their deals recently:
