4K triple-laser projectors are all the rage right now, and there's a legitimate reason as to why: regardless of the price point, in my experience, 4K triple-laser images are tack sharp.
Having used the XGIMI Horizon 20 Max side-by-side with the Dangbei MP1 Max, watching the same exact content at the same exact time, my eyes could not see a difference in sharpness in my dimly lit room. Meanwhile, one's pocketbook could certainly tell the difference, as the former costs close to US$1,000 more.
Mind you, the above comparison is a bit apples to oranges when talking about the complete package, really, but the MP1 Max is genuinely every bit as tack sharp as the much more expensive projector. And it's technically not even a true triple-laser ... it uses LEDs and lasers for hybrid projection.
The Dangbei had a pair of issues that really jumped out at me right away. It's awesome that it's powered by Google TV – I love being able to just sign in and boom, everything is there. The downside is that Google TV can be a bit taxing on the processor, and the processor in the MP1 Max isn't all that snappy, so you're going to experience hiccups and lags while going through menus, and even while watching shows and movies at times. It's not so bad while watching something, but it's very noticeable in the menus.
The other issue was that the picture would suddenly and randomly drop down to the lower right corner, very much like picture-in-picture. It took a full reboot to make it stop. When I contacted Dangbei about it, they investigated and reported back to me that it was a Google TV problem. Sure enough, a few days later, there was a Google TV update and I haven't seen that issue since. It still lags in the menus a bit, though.
Another thing that isn't really an issue, but it is a bit distracting, is the cooling fans. You can hear them quite well as the projector runs on the warm side.
Stats at a glance:
- 4K UHD resolution
- Triple-laser + LED light source
- 3,100 ISO lumens
- 40–300-in projection size
- 1.2:1 throw ratio
- HDR10+, HDR10 and HLG
- MEMC motion smoothing
- Auto focus and auto keystone correction
- Screen fit and obstacle avoidance
- Dual 12-W speakers
- Google TV
- 2 GB RAM / 32 GB storage
- Connectivity: 2 × HDMI 2.1 (1 × eARC), USB 2.0, 3.5-mm audio, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2
- 12.3 lb (5.6 kg)
- 190-W power draw
- 9.7 x 11.7 x 9.1 in (246.7 x 296 x 230 mm)
Those aside, I think the MP1 Max is pretty solid.
Dangbei rates it at 3,100 ISO lumens, which puts it pretty smack dab in the middle of projectors in this price range (MSRP is $1,999). Maybe even better than average if you count the fact that the MP1 Max is often on sale in the $1,500-$1,600 range. Dangbei recommends that you keep your screen size between 80 and 150 inches for best sharpness and brightness, but it's good enough for near drive-in theater size at 25 ft (300 inches / 7.62 m) diagonal if you're feeling particularly frisky and have the real estate to throw an image that big. The largest screen I've tried was 196 inches (4.98 m) diagonal, outdoors, at night. 3,100 ISO lumens is plenty good for that!
One thing I like in particular about it is its autokeystone and focus. I don't have a dedicated projection room (yet), so I'm constantly shuffling them around as I test various projectors. The MP1 Max doesn't even have to be square to the wall to key in a perfectly level, square, and in-focus image. The moment you turn or adjust the projector, the image will update in real time.
The built-in speakers aren't anything to write home about.
Then again, I haven't encountered any projectors that have impressed me with their sound. On paper, you'd almost think you're getting near THX quality with its dual speakers, and 750-cc acoustic chamber with bass-reflex design, compatible with Dolby Audio, and DTS:X down to 45 Hz ... but only at 12 watts per channel (two channels). But who sticks to using projector speakers anyhow? Are there actual people leaving the dialog and SFX sitting behind them?
If I'm casting a football game on the side of the house or something, I'm paired to a large Bluetooth speaker sitting near the screen. In my house, I'm running long HDMI cables to my receiver with a proper 5.1 setup. Straight out of the MP1 Max, you'll be half listening to whatever you're watching with what sounds like the bass midway up, mids cranked, and the treble kind of just existing ... and the other half will be the fans.
I hooked up my old Gen 1 Xbox One to it (yes, it "Red Ring of Death'd" me and is now on a custom SSD drive) and played Forza 6 on it. Dangbei says it supports a 240 Hz refresh rate for gaming mode, so I had to give it a whirl ... but you'll have to drop the resolution down to 1080p to get those kinds of numbers ... which is fine, because my old and moldy Xbox One doesn't support anything higher than that anyways, nor does it even support 240 Hz. It still looked good. Really good, in fact. And with a set of headphones plugged into the 3.5-mm jack in the back, it even sounded great while running hot laps on Nordschleife. I even played Starfield on the ceiling while I Barcalounged on the couch.
For normal 4K watching, you're limited to a 60-Hz refresh rate. Also fine, honestly. I did see a little bit of judder while watching Oblivion – which is the nature of the beast when you're trying to match up 24 frames per second on a 60 Hz refresh – but the MP1 Max supports MEMC, so you can always fake some frames in there to smooth it out. I'd rather deal with judder than get that soap-opera-y feeling, personally.
All of this, by the way, is at night and in a dark room. 3,100 ISO lumens is pretty great. But the sun is considerably greater. This projector will not work well in a brightly lit room. Bluey? Sure, those super bright colors will show up on your wall. Aliens? Not a chance. You're just going to have to listen to most of the movie rather than watch it, and you'll have to jump-scare yourself.
Would I buy it? I'd absolutely buy one second-hand. In fact, I just found one listed on OfferUp for $750. And a new one sold on eBay for $1,199 ... so there are deals to be had that make this projector absolutely worth it. But if I were genuinely in the market for setting up a home theater proper, I'd probably save up a little more and get something with more lumens.
And really, the MP1 Max is super portable, so I feel like it's not specifically designed for custom-mounting and theater seating. It feels like something perfect for an impromptu movie night or ballgame outside. All you need is a power outlet, the remote (which is backlit!), a Wi-Fi signal, some popcorn, and you're ready to go! If that's the machine you're after, then I'd say the MP1 Max is a good buy.
For what it's worth, I reviewed the experience rather than technical stuff like actual lumen output, gamut, DeltaE, HDR tone mapping, dB levels ... if you want that level of technical detail, MondoProjos did a real in-depth tech-spec on it.
Product page: Dangbei MP1 Max or Amazon
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