Projectors have finally reached the point where they have become much more accessible than their original purpose.
Dangbei's latest device, the Neo looks to join this new generation of multimedia projectors that are elevating the consumer's viewing experience
Measuring 20 x 15.6 x 10cm and weighing 2.6kg the Neo is an extremely compact projector that's very light, and easily fits into your backpack.
The Neo’s small stature, built-in speakers and streaming apps make it perfect for taking to different occasions such as parties, events and conferences.
The Neo may be highly portable but doesn’t come with a built-in battery and will need to be plugged into work. This isn’t a deal breaker at all, it's just a little bit of a shame as it could've been the perfect travel companion.
The projector is encased in a very tough plastic that not only feels durable and robust but looks great in its silver colour scheme. The concave lens is protected by shiny black plastic with a TOF sensor to the left of it.
It has ventilation grills on both sides that help to keep it cool at all times. The input connections can be found at the back and the PTZ bracket socket at the bottom of the device.
Unfortunately, there is only one control button on the top of the projector, which switches the projector on and off.
Everything else is controlled by the remote, which is great, however, I would’ve loved to have seen some more buttons on the actual projector itself, in case the remote goes missing.
The Neo’s minimalist design not only looks great but is really ergonomic too, allowing it to be much more versatile than its competitors.
If Dangbei releases an upgraded version of the Neo, I hope they really consider a built-in battery and more control buttons as this won’t compromise its overall design but would elevate its functionality.
Setting up the Neo is very simple as it will automatically adjust the focus and keystone depending on the location of the projector.
The projector also grants you access to other forms of customisation like letting you change the zoom and choose what location you are projecting from.
Everything works effortlessly together allowing the consumer to find their perfect set-up with ease.
The Neo is a DLP projector that can deliver up to 540 ISO Lumens and can project a full HD image from up to 120 inches from 3.26m with a throw ratio of 1:2:1.
The Neo's image quality is very rich and I was impressed with the vibrant picture quality during the daytime, given it has 540 ISO Lumens.
Dangbei states that the recommended projection size is 100 inches however, the image quality looks great at 120 inches in a dark room, any more than that and your images will begin to look washed out.
The projector is built with Full 1080P with HDR 10 and HLG technology. I was very impressed with the overall picture when testing out various different forms of media such as Blu-rays, streaming and playing games.
The Neo displayed brilliant colours with great contrast which elevates all types of content, I was also very pleased with the extensive picture customisation that the Neo allows.
The Neo will let you control the picture quality by selecting from various different modes which include Standard, Cinema, Sport, Vivid and Custom.
As an avid gamer and movie watcher I can highly recommend the Vivid and Cinema modes which really elevated the overall viewing experience.
I was also very impressed with the Neo's low latency which runs at 30ms, which is great for a projector and really reduced the lag for fast pace shooting games.
Ideally, competitive gamers would want 20ms or below, but as you probably won't find this on a projector unless you opt for a specific gaming one- which is very expensive, then 30ms definitely allows the Neo to be a great big-screen alternative.
Experimenting with the custom setting is very simple, granting you full authority over how your picture looks.
You can control the brightness, gamma, sharpness, and hue to name a few. I was very impressed with how detailed and intuitive the picture customisation is.
The Neo comes with a plethora of streaming apps including Netflix, YouTube, Youtube Kids, Prime Video, Netrange and TikiLive.
Other apps such as Apple TV or Disney Plus aren’t included however the projector will allow you to cast from apps on your phone or share its screen.
All of these built-in apps and wireless connections mean you won’t have to worry about external devices such as Blu-ray players or streaming sticks.
I was really impressed by how much Neo has included here. I have only seen TikiLive on one other projector but I was again impressed with how much it had to offer.
Other than the apps the projector comes with a selection of input connectors including two USB ports, one HDMI, a LAN and a S/PDIF port.
It was interesting to see that Dangbei didn’t include a 3.5mm jack like others on the market, but I think this is a good thing as people should be opting for ARC and S/PDIF to get a much better audio experience.
The Neo comes built with two 6W speakers that are simply fantastic. I was massively impressed with the clarity and audio quality of its speakers which also support Dolby Audio.
What's more, is that the projector can play audio from devices via Bluetooth and this may not replace an external speaker or sound bar but will make a very good alternative for your music at parties or events.
Dangbei Neo Verdict 4/5
The Dangbei Neo is a great projector, which can be used in a number of different situations or events.
I was thoroughly impressed with its design, speakers and picture quality. That being said, it is a fair bit more expensive than its competitors, being priced at £699.
Dangbei's Neo can be purchased from Amazon for £599
