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Kaleidescape Strato V Movie Player review: 4K Blu-ray video and audio quality minus the discs

3:00 pm | December 8, 2024

KALEIDESCAPE STRATO V: One-minute review

The Kaleidescape Strato V is the latest Movie Player from Kaleidescape, and it represents a definite shift for the company. Kaleidescape is synonymous with a premium movie experience at home, offering a proprietary ecosystem based around its own hardware and servers. While no one questions the quality of Kaleidescape’s products, the price of admission has been steep and the lack of Dolby Vision support has been a glaring omission given the brand’s pursuit of high-end video and audio performance.

The new Kaleidescape Strato V addresses both of these issues by offering Dolby Vision support and lowering the cost of entry. To achieve this, the Strato V integrates a 960GB solid-state hard drive, and while that means it can only store around ten 4K movies downloaded from the company’s Movie Store at any one time, at least it combines the movie player and movie server into a single, more affordable device that's an excellent alternative to the best 4k Blu-ray players.

With Kaleidescape, you can immediately access a huge library of films, TV shows, and concert videos, with new titles often available months before any disc release. The picture and sound quality are exceptional, with stunning 4K HDR10 and Dolby Vision images and full lossless audio that includes Dolby Atmos and DTS:X – something you don’t get from the best streaming services, which only provide compressed soundtracks. The result is a performance that’s at least equal to a disc but without taking up all your shelf space. So if you want convenience without any compromise look no further than the Strato V.

Kaleidescape Strato V on glass table — The new Strato V combines a movie player with built-in 960GB SSD storage – enough to hold 10 movies at a time (Image credit: Future)

KALEIDESCAPE STRATO V review: Price & release

Price: $3,995 / £5,379
Release date: September 2024

The Kaleidescape Strato V is available now through registered dealers and online sellers like Best Buy in the US and retails for $3,995 / £5,379. While this certainly isn’t cheap it’s definitely more affordable than the alternative of buying the Kaleidescape Strato C Movie Player. The latter costs about the same but doesn’t support Dolby Vision and requires you to buy one of Kaleidescape’s Terra Prime servers, which are very pricey. Of course, if you want to expand the storage of the Strato V you can add a Terra Prime server, although the extra cost does rather defeat the whole point of buying one.

KALEIDESCAPE STRATO V review: Specs

Kaleidescape Strato V rear panel ports — The Strato V uses wired Ethernet for a network connection; it has no Wi-Fi option (Image credit: Future)

KALEIDESCAPE STRATO V review: Design

Great build quality
Kaleidescape remote app
Control over Ethernet

The Kaleidescape Strato V certainly looks like a premium product with a sleek, stylish and very well-made cabinet that uses a combination of a 3mm-thick black anodised aluminium chassis combined with a 3mm-thick black glass front with an illuminated Kaleidescape logo. The unit is silent in operation and includes a 960GB solid-state drive, along with a powerful system-on-chip (SoC).

The unit is only 20cm wide, which might disappoint those who like their AV equipment full width, but there’s an optional faceplate for mounting in an equipment rack. There’s also a dual faceplate for use with a compact Terra Prime server, along with a wall bracket for mounting behind a TV.

The connectivity is at the rear, with a gold-plated HDMI 2.1 output, a coaxial digital audio output using a gold-plated RCA phono connector, and an optical digital output. There’s also a gigabit Ethernet port, a USB 3.0 port, an IR input, a service port, and a 12V input for the included power adapter brick. There is no Wi-Fi connectivity, so you will need a wired Ethernet connection for downloading movies, accessing the web interface, updating firmware and using the control app.

The included remote is small and simple but gets the job done. There’s no backlight, which can be annoying in a pitch-black home cinema, but given Kaleidescape’s target market, chances are you’ll be using a third-party control system over Ethernet like Crestron, AMX, Savant or Control4. There’s also the Kaleidescape app (iOS or Android) which makes an effective controller, providing an alternative to the remote with its handy swipe function and access to the Kaleidescape Movie Store.

Design score: 5/5

Kaleidescape Strato V Movie store interface — The Kaleidescape Movie Store features new releases that aren't yet available on VOD services (Image credit: Future)

KALEIDESCAPE STRATO V review: Features

Scalable storage options
Highest quality video
Fully lossless audio

The Kaleidescape Strato V’s primary function is as a high-end movie player that offers the best video and audio compared to any device on the market. To achieve this it supports every resolution up to 4K (3840 x 2160), and frame rates up to 60p. It also supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision high dynamic range, plus lossless audio up to and including Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.

Crucially, it isn’t limited to certain file sizes as with a 4K disc, nor is it restricted to lower bit rates like streaming services – supporting file sizes of over 100GB and speeds up to 100Mbps. As a result, when you buy or rent movies, TV shows or concerts from the Kaleidescape Movie Store you’re guaranteed the best picture and sound possible from a home entertainment product.

The Strato V is primarily designed to operate as a standalone unit, which is why it has a built-in solid-state hard drive. The downside is that the number of movies you can store at any one time is limited to around 10, and if you want to watch something else you have to download it. Once you purchase a title from the Kaleidescape Movie Store it remains accessible in your collection for download, even if it isn’t stored locally on the Strato V.

If you would rather store your entire collection on a drive for instant access you can connect to one of Kaleidescape’s Terra Prime servers. While doing so is obviously more expensive, and the built-in SSD is no longer available, the process is simple and won’t affect the Strato V’s performance in any way. It’s great to have the option to scale up the storage, even if you never actually need to.

Features score: 5/5

Kaleidescape Strato V web setup interface — A Strato V setup menu page (Image credit: Future)

KALEIDESCAPE STRATO V review: Setup

Web-based interface
Selectable aspect ratios
Cataloging your discs

The Kaleidescape Strato V is incredibly easy to set up, and all you need to do is plug in the power brick, attach an Ethernet cable and connect to your display, or in my case an AV processor. Kaleidescape even includes a THX Certified HDMI cable, which is a nice touch. Once powered up, just follow the onscreen instructions and you’ll be up and running in no time.

The initial options allow you to set up the Strato V as a standalone player, configure it as a new system with a Terra movie server, or add it as a new zone to an existing Kaleidescape system. When set up as a standalone player it operates independently, only playing movies stored locally on its internal drive, and can’t be grouped with other Strato V units for additional storage.

After I selected standalone mode, the activation page appeared. You then either enter your email address if you already have a Kaleidescape account or create a new one. Once you’ve entered your email address you’ll receive a confirmation email to activate the player. You’ll obviously need to add your credit card details as well for making purchases from the Kaleidescape Movie Store.

The web-based interface offers access to all of the Strato V’s setup options and is my preferred choice for the initial installation, although once completed the remote is fine for accessing your movies on the player (Ready to Play), and navigating the Kaleidescape Movie Store and general settings.

In terms of the initial settings you can leave most at their defaults because the Strato V will read the EDID from your display, receiver or processor and optimise accordingly. The one area you may need to adjust manually is the aspect ratio, especially if like me you use a 2.35:1 projector screen. This feature works brilliantly, not only formatting the screens and menus for the wider aspect ratio, but also automatically rescaling 1.85:1 content within the ‘Scope ratio screen.

The main reason for buying a Strato V is access to the Kaleidescape Movie Store, and here your experience will really depend on on where you live. In the US the choice is huge and new films are added months before they’re released on disc, whereas elsewhere the choice isn’t as impressive, and films take longer to be added. I appreciate that studio agreements will differ from territory to territory, but given the store is the main feature it’s a bit frustrating if you live outside the States.

One final feature that Kaleidescape offers is the option to catalog your physical Blu-ray and DVD collections into a digital format. You’ll need to connect an external disc drive via USB, but once connected, the Strato V enters Recognition Mode. Insert a disc into the drive, and the Strato begins cataloging it. The process only takes a few seconds, and you can then see the title in the Store under Digital Offers – sometimes with a discount for the digital version.

Kaleidescape Strato V playback of Top Gun: Maverick — The Strato V provides detailed info on video and audio formats during playback (Image credit: Future)

KALEIDESCAPE STRATO V review: Performance

Well-designed and intuitive interface
Exceptional picture and sound quality
Excellent upscaling of lower resolutions

The Kaleidescape Strato V is a rock-solid media player thanks to its intuitive user interface, and is also very responsive in operation. The Ready to Play page has titles from the Store along the top, a second layer showing the unwatched titles currently on the internal drive, followed by a layer of paused movies, then the played movies, and finally any movies you’ve marked as favourites.

Unlike the Strato C, the Strato V doesn’t show you all the films you’ve bought on the home page, only those on the internal drive. If you want to see the complete collection you’ll need to go to your account on the Movie Store, but this keeps things neat and tidy. The system automatically deletes the oldest played content to free up space, unless you mark a title as a favourite.

When you click on a title you get information about it, along with options to play, pause or choose a specific scene. When something is playing you can also press the up button on the remote and see additional information such as audio options and subtitles. The entire process is completely seamless, and I never had any issues with playing, pausing or stopping movies. It’s also worth pointing out that the Strato V runs completely silent and cool in operation.

The process of buying titles from the Movie Store couldn’t be easier, and you can access it via the Kaleidescape website, through the player’s interface or even using the app. There are thousands of titles available for purchase or rental, many of which haven’t even been released on 4K disc yet.

I found deleting existing films off the internal drive and downloading new ones onto it to be straightforward. If you decide to rent rather than purchase a title, it will remain on your system for 30 days, and once you begin watching it there’s a 48-hour window. If you like the film and decide to buy it within the 30-day rental period, half the rental price is credited towards the purchase.

The speed of download will depend on your internet connection – if you’re lucky enough to have gigabit speeds you can download movies in around 10 to 15 minutes. Unfortunately, I live in the countryside and only have speeds of 50Mbps, so it took about two hours to download a movie.

When you buy a title it might offer 4K Dolby Vision and 4K HDR10 versions, but even if your display doesn’t support Dolby Vision you still download the former. The Strato V will automatically output whatever your display is capable of handling, while the 4K HDR10 version is only intended for the Strato C because that player doesn’t support Dolby Vision at all.

Kaleidescape’s use of larger file sizes and higher bit rates results in stunning images that are at least as good as the equivalent 4K Ultra HD disc, if not better. I watched a number titles, including Top Gun: Maverick, Dune Part 2, and Furiosa, and the picture quality is simply stunning. The 4K images are sharp and detailed, the HDR10 or Dolby Vision is delivered precisely, and the overall presentation is free of any compression artefacts or other issues.

While you can obviously watch movies on streamers, or via VOD services like iTunes and Prime Video, Kaleidescape offers a quantum leap in quality. In fact, the larger file sizes mean it can even surpass 4K Blu-rays at times. A good example is Once Upon a Time in the West, which is a three-hour movie that gets crammed onto a 66GB 4K Blu-ray disc. Kaleidescape’s file is significantly larger, providing more space and a higher bit rate, which results in a better-defined image when directly comparing this film on both formats.

The audio is equally impressive, with full lossless support for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. While streaming services may offer Atmos, it is usually delivered via lossy Dolby Digital Plus, but with Kaleidescape you’re enjoying the same full lossless experience you get with Blu-rays. Hans Zimmer Live in Prague sounds amazing in Atmos, while Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban benefits from a DTS:X soundtrack that really brings the wizarding world to life. The scene where the dementors search the Hogwarts Express is doubly scary thanks to the genuine scale and really deep bass.

While I expected the 4K images to look superb, I was equally impressed by the quality of the Strato V’s upscaling. When watching lower-resolution content the picture is clean and well-defined, with no obvious scaling artefacts. The same is true when the player automatically re-scales 1.85:1 content within the 2.35:1 aspect ratio – the process is seamless and the results are free of any scaling artefacts.

Performance score: 5/5

KALEIDESCAPE STRATO V review: Value

It’s a significant investment
There’s no direct competitor

The idea of value for money is always relative, and there’s no denying the Kaleidescape Strato V represents a significant investment. However, once purchased the ability to buy new movies months before they arrive on 4K disc in quality that’s at least as good, if not better, and without taking up shelf space is very appealing. This is especially true if you live in the United States, where the Movie Store library is genuinely impressive.

If on the other hand you’re the kind of person who prefers owning physical media, just to be on the safe side, and you don’t mind waiting for the disc to come out, then you could simply buy a media player and storage, rip your own discs and create a custom server for significantly less. The beauty of Kaleidescape’s unique ecosystem is that they do everything for you, so all you have to do is sit back and enjoy your favourite movies.

Value score: 5/5

KALEIDESCAPE STRATO V review: Should I buy it?

Buy it if…

You want the best video and audio quality:
The larger file sizes offered by Kaleidescape, along with bit rates up to 100Mbps, ensure that 4K and HDR10/Dolby Vision performance is the best of any device on the market.

You want a slick and intuitive user interface: The Strato V’s intuitive user interface and high-powered processing ensure that downloading and watching content is a seamless, responsive and enjoyable experience.

You want early access to the latest movies: In the US in particular the Movie Store offers films months before they are released on UHD disc, and there are even 4K titles available that aren’t currently on physical media.View Deal

Don't buy it if…

You want to collect physical media: Kaleidescape’s system is based on a download model with titles accessed from an online account and stored on built-in drives. If you prefer physically owning content, discs are still your best bet.

You want to rip your disc collection: The cataloguing feature aside, the Strato V is designed to access Kaleidescape’s Movie Store and download content. if you want to rip discs you’re better off buying a media player and storage.

You want a streaming service: This is not a subscription streaming service like Netflix. Instead, you buy titles as very large files that, depending on your internet, can take a long time to download, but the picture and sound quality is significantly better.View Deal

How I tested the KALEIDESCAPE STRATO V

Reviewed in a dedicated home cinema
Video evaluated using 4K, HDR10 and Dolby Vision
Audio evaluated using Dolby Atmos and DTS:X

I tested the Kaleidescape Strato V in my reference home cinema where the video is handled by a JVC DLA-NZ900 projector, and the audio is configured in a 9.4.6-channel configuration using a Trinnov Altitude16 AV processor and 16-channel power amplifier.

I extensively tested 4K and HDR10 video, along with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X lossless spatial audio in the home cinema, although for completeness I also used an LG G4 OLED TV in my living room to test the Kaleidescape Strato V’s Dolby Vision capabilities.

Kaleidescape was kind enough to include a number of films pre-loaded, as well as more in the account, along with a credit for additional purchases and rentals. This provided me with an opportunity to test every aspect of the store and overall ecosystem.

First reviewed: December 2024
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Formovie Cinema Edge review: a compact 4K projector that gives you big pictures on a budget

8:17 pm | December 4, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Theater Projectors Televisions | Tags: HDR, MSRP, RGB | Comments: Off

Formovie Cinema Edge: one-minute review

The Formovie Cinema Edge is a follow-up on the well-regarded Formovie Theater, a projector that gained fame upon release for its Dolby Vision high dynamic range support – a rare feature among the best 4K projectors. Rather than being a shiny, new upgrade, the Cinema Edge is a pared-down model with a lower price. While it launched at around $2,199 (about £1,420 / AU$2,775), it has since settled at $1,799, making it a true budget ultra short throw (UST) projector offering.

The Formovie Cinema Edge's ALPD ((Advanced Laser Phosphor Display) laser light engine delivers a reasonably bright and sharp 4K image that looks great in the dark, and decent in well-lit environments. It has Google TV for streaming and a pair of 15-watt speakers, giving you a complete package, though both elements could perform better.

While it’s relatively cheap compared to other examples of the best ultra short throw projectors, the Formovie Cinema Edge has serious competition. I recently reviewed the Hisense PX3-Pro ($3,500), and the difference in image quality between the two is stark, with the dazzling brightness, color, and contrast of the PX3-Pro’s picture beating the Formovie Cinema Edge hands-down. The PX3-Pro is considerably more expensive, but even the older but still available Hisense PX2-Pro (around $2,000) has a better-looking picture.

Formovie Cinema Edge review: price and release date

Release date: September 2024
MSRP: $2,499

The Formovie Cinema Edge’s pricing is a bit all over the place. It launched at a $2,199 (about £1,650 / AU$3,250) pre-order price, though Formovie lists the retail price at $2499. Meanwhile, both Amazon and ProjectorScreen.com in the US now have the price listed at $1,799 – a steep decrease.

Formovie Cinema Edge on table shown from above — The Cinema Edge's laser light engine viewed from top (Image credit: Future)

Formovie Cinema Edge review: Specs

Formovie Cinema Edge rear panel ports — Connections include 3 HDMI 2.1 ports (1 with eARC) (Image credit: Future)

Formovie Cinema Edge review: design and features

All-in-one design for a simple theater setup
Front adjustable feet limit angle corrections
Google TV cumbersome to navigate

The Formovie Cinema Edge is a compact UST projector standing just over 3.5 inches tall. Width is 17.95 inches and it’s a little over a foot deep. With a 0.22:1 throw ratio, it can sit extra close to the wall, with only a 33 cm distance needed to project a 120-inch picture.

The Formovie Cinema Edge sits on three feet with only the front two offering height adjustments. This means unless you’ve got a stand and wall that sit perfectly perpendicular (or at just over a 90-degree angle) to each other, you’ll need an adjustable console underneath the projector. The projector does support digital keystone adjustments, but these should be used only after making physical adjustments, as digital keystone processing increases latency and reduces picture resolution.

The Cinema Edge packs in the Google TV smart TV interface and 30-watt speakers, letting you quickly get up and running with all your cinema needs. That said, all-in-one packages can struggle to do everything well.

The processor running Google TV on the Formovie Cinema Edge is fairly weak. It stumbles when opening settings while content is playing, and that can be trouble if you’re trying to tweak picture settings while evaluating the impact of your adjustments on the picture. Navigating the operating system can prove a little tedious as well. Sluggishness is a common ailment for projectors running Android or Google TV, and the Cinema Edge falls prey to it.

It’s small fries, but if you’re hoping to take the Formovie Cinema Edge out of the box, set it down, and experience its magic right away, you’ll need to temper your expectations. The configuration, regardless of whether you’re going for the full Google TV streaming experience or just basic HDMI input setup, takes a long time.

Around the back, you’ll find enough HDMI 2.1 ports for a solid home theater setup, including support for eARC on one of them. Optical digital audio output is also available. A pair of USB ports are located on the back, providing power for a streaming stick or external storage for local media playback.

Like many laser projectors, the Formovie Cinema Edge has a feature that detects when someone gets too close to the laser output and automatically dims the display. It promptly activates, though oddly doesn’t go as black as on some others.

Design and features score: 4/5

Formovie Cinema Edge showing cartoon on screen — The Cinema Edge's picture quality shines in a dark viewing environment (Image credit: Future)

Formovie Cinema Edge review: picture quality

1900 ISO lumens plenty for dim and dark environments
Not as color-rich as RGB laser competitors
Motion smoothing by default, but picture controls to compensate

The Formovie Cinema Edge readily projects a 100-inch picture with crisp 4K detail. It looks best in a very dim or dark room, though it’s also bright enough to watch some content during the daytime. RuPauls’ Drag Race, for instance, is typically bright, and it’s easy to watch even in a well-lit room, though sunlight can still be a bit much.

Contrast is also fairly strong. Alien was a joy to watch, with the intricate, H.R. Giger-designed mechanical details of the ship shining brightly while the nooks and crannies sank effectively into darkness.

Alas, the Formovie Cinema Edge is a simple ALPD projector that doesn’t deliver the same color richness of the Formovie Theater or Hisense’s PX3-Pro, both of which are specced to achieve around 100% of BT.2020 color gamut coverage. Watching Avatar 2, it was painfully apparent how much more drab the visuals were by comparison, with the many blue hues looking dull and the flora and fauna throughout failing to exude their characteristic vibrance. This isn’t to say the Formovie Cinema Edge looks bad, but there are better options on the market for picture quality.

I also noticed plenty of blown-out highlights in the earlier scenes after the Sully family joins the water tribe in Avatar 2. The Formovie Theater had some tone mapping issues in our hands-on testing, and it appears that’s the case again here. HDR is also limited to HDR10 and HLG on the Cinema Edge – there’s no Dolby Vision or HDR10+.

The Formovie Cinema Edge has a fairly aggressive motion smoothing feature (called MJC) enabled in most of its picture settings by default. It’s not the worst-looking implementation of motion smoothing I’ve seen, but it looks better set to Low or disabled outright. Either way, the projector can struggle a bit with motion. Fight sequences looked choppy at times with or without MJC enabled. At Low, it subtly smooths out camera motion, though action can still look a little overdone.

For what it’s worth, the Formovie Cinema Edge includes a veritable trove of picture settings to adjust. It does little to explain what any of them are, though, so it may be difficult to dial in things to your liking. Thankfully, the picture generally looks good without getting into the weeds.

The sound put out by the Formovie Cinema Edge’s modest built-in speakers isn’t explosive, but they deliver a half-decent volume level for a small living room. The soundstage isn’t very wide, and there’s no deep bass, but it’s fine for casual viewing. For a more serious movie-viewing setup, external speakers will be an obvious upgrade.

Picture quality score: 3.5/5

Formovie Cinema Edge remote control on table — The Cinema Edge comes with a basic remote control to operate its Google TV interface (Image credit: Future)

Formovie Cinema Edge review: value

Good value at the current reduced price
Older UST projectors pose a competitive threat

The Formovie Cinema Edge has a suggested retail price of $2,499, but that has since been reduced to $1,799. This discounted price is essential to the value of the projector, as it goes up against the Hisense PX2-Pro, which is now cheaper thanks to the launch of the PX3-Pro. It also faces off against Formovie’s higher-end projector, the Formovie Theater, which has also fallen in price since its launch, now seeing discounts as low as $2,299.

Value score: 3/5

Formovie Cinema Edge on table — (Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Formovie Cinema Edge?

Formovie Cinema Edge on table shown from top — (Image credit: Future)

Buy it if...

You want a compact projector: The Formovie Cinema Edge is small and sits close to the wall, giving you a big picture without taking up much space.

You want advanced picture customization: If you know just how you like images to look and don’t mind fiddling with settings, the Formovie Cinema Edge has plenty for you to dig through to adjust the picture to your liking.

Don’t buy it if…

You want comprehensive HDR support: The Cinema Edge doesn't have extended color gamut coverage and it lacks HDR10+ and Dolby Vision HDR support.

You want the best all-in-one projector: While the Cinema Edge has a good picture, decent speakers, and okay streaming capabilities, demanding viewers may end up wanting an external streamer and speakers, which will add to the price.

Also consider...

Hisense PX2-Pro
The Hisense PX2-Pro has better picture quality and features but costs at least $200 more. It also uses the Google TV smart interface for streaming. It's a less compact option than the Formovie, and its built-in speakers don't offer any better sound quality.

Here's our full Hisense PX2-Pro review

Epson LS650
The Epson LS650 uses a 3LCD laser light source to beam a bright 3,600 lumens image, though its color isn't any better than the Formovie and the built-in Android TV system is worse than Formovie's Google TV platform. Both projectors are currently priced at the same level.

Here's our full Epson LS650 review

Hisense PX3-Pro
The Hisense PX3-Pro is our choice as the best ultra short throw projector for most people. It has a brighter, more color-rich picture than the Formovie and more comprehensive HDR support. At just over $3,000, it’s somewhat on the pricey side, though it’s much less so than other UST projectors from Samsung and LG.

Here's our full Hisense PX3-Pro review.

How I tested the Formovie Cinema Edge

Tested at home in multiple, real-world viewing conditions
Presented the display with a variety of media and formats
I have tested numerous projectors and displays over the last half-decade

I tested the Formovie Cinema Edge at home, in real-world conditions. This saw it faced with ambient light coming in from numerous windows, in-room lighting, as well as ambient noise that both the projector and speaker systems had to overcome. The projector was tested both against a bare, white wall and an Akia Screens CineWhite screen. It was presented with both SDR and 4K HDR streamed content.

My testing evaluates the projector’s performance with respect to its price and competition from other models that I and my colleagues at TechRadar have tested.

I have been testing projectors since 2021 and displays for even longer.

First reviewed: December, 2024

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Samsung HW-Q800D review: one of the best mid-range Dolby Atmos soundbars around

2:43 pm | November 27, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Soundbars Televisions | Tags: DTS | Comments: Off

Samsung HW-Q800D: Two-minute review

The Samsung HW-Q800D is a mid-priced soundbar, carrying a list price of $999 / £749 / AU$1,099, but don’t be fooled: you won’t get middle-of-the-road quality. In fact, this is a truly excellent 5.1.2 channel Dolby Atmos soundbar, which boasts crisp vocals, rumbling bass and engrossing expansiveness. If you’re looking to unleash truly cinematic sound into your living space, look no further than the Samsung HW-Q800D.

The Samsung HW-Q800D is a soundbar and subwoofer combo – rear speakers are available, but must be purchased separately. But despite the absence of rear channels, this soundbar still asserts a striking spatial impression. That’s in part thanks to fantastic Dolby Atmos and DTS:X effects, both of which are bolstered by upfiring speakers. When watching movies, the positioning of on-screen characters and objects is mapped beautifully by the Samsung HW-Q800D. Atmos helps to create plenty of width and verticality, so you can be enveloped in the action at all times. Overall audio quality is top-drawer too, with super-clear voices, punchy deep bass and detailed musical performance all rolled into one.

On top of that, the Samsung HW-Q800D has a feature-set that is well up to par with many of the best soundbars. For instance, there’s SpaceFit Sound Pro, which uses the soundbar’s built-in mic to tailor audio to fit your room’s acoustics. But there’s also Samsung Q-Symphony, which can integrate your recent Samsung TV’s speakers with the soundbar output for an even more expansive sonic experience.

That’s not to mention a bunch of other options, such as wireless Dolby Atmos with compatible Samsung TVs, Game Mode Pro and Voice Assistant compatibility. But these features may, to some, seem extremely familiar. And that’s because all of them were available with this soundbar’s predecessor, the Samsung HW-Q800C. This 2023 release offers almost the exact same user experience, just without non-region-locked Chromecast compatibility, and with upgraded Bluetooth connectivity (Bluetooth 5.2). So really, the Samsung HW-Q800D is a slight refinement of an already great product – so owners of the HW-Q800C need not upgrade.

For a lot of gamers, the HW-Q800D will be a wonderful companion. You get a specialized game mode which optimizes surround sound for in-game action and 4K HDR passthrough. However, there’s no 4K 120Hz HDMI passthrough – meaning you don’t get the ultimate next-gen gaming experience via the HW-Q800D. That’s a shame, when Sony's mid-range Bravia Theater Bar 8 offers this.

But this isn’t a game-breaking omission. And there were none of those, in my view. Apart from a slight issue with subwoofer pairing, which I swiftly overcame, I had a blast during my time testing the Samsung HW-Q800D. The only other aspect some may feel unsatisfied with is its design. That’s because the soundbar has quite an angular, chunky design, rather than a sleek, curved look you’d see with the Sonos Arc Ultra, for instance. However, I personally felt that the soundbar’s high build quality and durable build made up for what is a solid-looking, but perhaps not stunning appearance.

Overall, the Samsung HW-Q800D is a beautiful-sounding, immersion-inducing soundbar system with a very fair price tag. If you have the cash – along with a desire for rear speaker channels – you may actually find that the slightly more premium Samsung HW-Q990D is better for you. And if you already have the Samsung HW-Q800C, the small incremental improvements aren’t worth an upgrade. But for anyone else, this is a soundbar that I can wholeheartedly recommend. Awesome Atmos, incredible movie or music performance, and a fountain of features – you can’t ask for much more.

Samsung HW-Q800D review: Price & release date

List price of $999 / £749 / AU$1,099
But regularly available for considerably less
Launched in July 2024

The Samsung HW-Q800D is the South Korean company’s mid-range soundbar offering for 2024. It has a list price of $999 / £749 / AU$1,099 – by no means cheap, but not all too expensive given the inclusion of a highly competent subwoofer.

But good news – even if it only released this year, you’re probably not going to have to pay quite so much for the HW-Q800D. I’ve already seen it listed for $699 / £699 on Samsung’s US and UK site, making for a very tidy saving on a shiny new soundbar – and there seem to be further discounts around during sales events.

End of Samsung HW-Q800D showing the words 'Dolby Atmos', 'DTS:X' and 'HDMI' — (Image credit: Future)

Samsung HW-Q800D review: Specs

Samsung HW-Q800D review: Features

5.1.2 channel system with 360W total power output
Effective Dolby Atmos and DTS:X
4K HDMI passthrough, but not at 120Hz

The Samsung HW-Q800D is a true 5.1.2 channel system. Firstly, it has five channels on the main soundbar: one in the center; two more on the front, on either side of the center; and two on each end of the bar. Alongside that, it has two upfiring speakers on the top of the soundbar and a dedicated subwoofer.

This configuration helps to deliver fantastically immersive audio – something only improved by Dolby Atmos and DTS:X functionality. When watching movies, I found Atmos to be very effective – you get incredible width from audio output, which follows on-screen action very competently. The upfiring speaker drivers also add impressive verticality for movies and TV shows – but I’ll go into more depth on that in the next section.

If you want even more expansive sound, you can add the Samsung SWA-9500S rear speakers, but extra spend may not be necessary for a surround sound boost. That’s because you can harness the power of your TV – well, if it’s a select Samsung model from 2022-2024 – with Q-Symphony. This feature allows your HW-Q800D to work in tandem with your TV’s inbuilt speakers for even more of a three dimensional output.

Q-Symphony, of course, is a Samsung TV-exclusive – as is another feature, dubbed Wireless Dolby Atmos. Again, you need a compatible Samsung TV released after 2022 to use this, but it enables "pinpoint" delivery of sound effects wirelessly without HDMI. It’s worth noting, however, this will be compressed, unlike the Atmos TrueHD available with one of the best 4K Blu-ray players and a wired connection. If you only ever stream movies, though, it won't make a difference.

Perhaps my favorite feature that this soundbar offers though is SpaceFit Surround Pro. This harnesses the soundbar’s inbuilt mic, which listens to your room’s acoustics and optimizes sound for your space. SpaceFit Surround Pro is automatically on, so you get spatial audio that’s fine-tuned to you from the get-go. The effects of this are excellent and I found that no matter where I sat in my small-medium-sized living room, I was able to experience immersive sound without fail.

Not to exhaust you, reader, but there’s so much more. Some highlights include sound modes, which include: Standard; Adaptive; Surround; and Game. Adaptive uses AI in order to assess the on-screen action and deliver tailored audio depending on content. I found this mode to be particularly pleasing when watching news channels – with impressive vocal clarity on offer. And vocal clarity is improved further thanks to Active Voice Amplifier, or AVA. AVA identifies background noise in your environment and calibrates audio in a way that emphasizes vocal clarity – ideal if someone’s vacuuming in the room across, for instance.

I want to focus on Gaming, though. One sound setting, Game Mode Pro, adjusts audio output to offer a more three-dimensional soundstage, so you can get a better sense for where in-game sound effects are coming from. When playing Final Fantasy VII Rebirth on PlayStation 5, I got a great spatial impression, especially during combat, which helped me to ascertain the movement, actions, and whereabouts of my foes. Samsung TVs with Game Hub support are also able to switch the soundbar to Game Mode Pro automatically, which is a neat addition.

Unfortunately for gamers, however, the HW-Q800D leaves out one very handy feature. I’m talking, of course, about 4K 120Hz HDMI passthrough. Sure, you get 4K HDR 60Hz passthrough here and that’s going to be enough for a lot of people, but if you want full next-gen capabilities, this won’t cut it.

This speaks to something more generally – as strong as this soundbar's feature-set is, almost everything that’s here was already present in the HW-Q800C. The only ‘major’ additions are non-region-locked, built-in Chromecast and an upgraded Bluetooth version (5.2). That’s it. Does that take-away from the HW-Q800D’s feature quality? No, it truly is exhaustive and brimming with options. But what it does mean is that there’s pretty much no reason to upgrade if you already have last year’s model.

Features score: 4.5/5

Samsung HW-Q800D subwoofer on table — (Image credit: Future)

Samsung HW-Q800D: Audio performance

Crisp vocal clarity and booming bass
Great for movies and music alike
Fantastic Dolby Atmos effects

This soundbar serves up a mighty sonic performance thanks to its 11 speakers and total power output of 360W. And you really feel that power at all times, whether watching movies or even just listening to music – with the included sub providing some serious low-end boom.

For instance, I tried watching Top Gun: Maverick and the sound of jet engines firing up was deep, imposing and room-filling. Low-frequency audio was never thin or lethargic either – I found it to be pleasingly deep and responsive when jets soared through the skies, which added serious impact to combat-filled action scenes.

Similarly, I found bass to be excellent when listening to music. The drum machine in Black Eye by Allie X is intended to be strikingly deep and the HW-Q800D does a phenomenal job of replicating that. The dynamism of the song’s bass connecting up to the lower mid range was also captured beautifully – so if you’re into bass-heavy bangers, this soundbar will likely cut it for you.

Sticking with music, I found Standard mode was perfectly up to the task, although Dynamic worked nicely too. Beyond bass, things are equally awesome. I tuned into Clair de Lune by Kamasi Washington and felt that organ in the background had a subtle yet super clear sound profile, with the sporadic piano playing also occupying a well-defined sonic pocket and the trumpet sounding pleasantly forward. On top of that, percussion was clean, rhythmic and tinniness free, tying up a non-grating, highly enjoyable listen. As you’d hope, there’s well-defined separation on offer from the HW-Q800D with a wide, nuanced soundstage that kept me listening for hours.

But let’s move onto arguably the most crucial aspect – spatial audio performance. This soundbar supports both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, but I was mainly viewing content with the former. And Atmos effects are brilliant here. When watching The Boy and the Heron, the trajectory of the heron’s flight was very well mapped and during the tension-filled opening, the roar of flames and sound of the protagonist – Mahito – running were traced and fed back to me accurately and impactfully. In a fire-consumed area, both the width from the soundbar’s side speakers and verticality from its upfiring ones played into the frightening, heart-racing atmosphere of the opening scene, so you can have no doubts about the immersive nature of Atmos here.

The only real negative in terms of audio presentation is that you’re not getting rear speakers from the off. That lack of rear staging may feel a little unbalanced for some – but you can purchase SWA-9500S rear speakers separately and pair them if you want to boost expansiveness further. For me, sitting in a small-medium-sized room, however, I felt highly satisfied with the soundbar and sub combo alone.

More generally, the sound quality on offer from the HW-Q800D is amazing. I tuned into live news and found that vocal clarity was very good, especially in Adaptive mode – there was no tinniness or distortion to be found, even at high volumes. I also found instrumental and vocal separation to be top-notch when playing Final Fantasy VII Rebirth on PS5. Near a ranch, I could hear the sound of Chocobos walking, wind flowing, soft strings playing and characters speaking – but all of it was easily discernible and expertly weighted. I briefly flicked back to my TV speakers and the quality difference was astonishing – the HW-Q800D really can transform your listening, viewing and gaming experiences.

Overall, the HW-Q800D is just more of the same from its predecessor – but that’s a highly positive thing. You’re getting deep, immersive audio, ultra-crisp vocals and tasty Atmos effects to boot. Given you’re not actually paying top-of-the-range price, performance isn’t going to come a whole lot better – especially if you have the cash to add those rear speakers into the mix.

Sound quality score: 5/5

Button controls on the Samsung HW-Q800D soundbar — (Image credit: Future)

Samsung HW-Q800D review: Design

Strong build quality
Though slightly chunky and angular
Metallic grilled finish is attractive

This isn’t the largest soundbar and sub combo ever, but it’s definitely on the hefty side of things. The soundbar itself is pointed, angular and fairly chunky – in fact I had to place it on a shelf below my TV as it was too big for my usual setup. However, if you have a decently wide and long TV unit, you shouldn’t have too much trouble fitting it in.

For some, the aforementioned angular, slightly chunky look might be a bit of a turn-off. And I’d certainly argue it’s not the most elegant or pleasing to the eye. What its aesthetic does say to me, though, is that you’re getting a sturdy, durable, high-quality bar – and it’s certainly all three of these things.

Similarly, the included woofer is quite a tall, broad beast. It’s got a felt-covered driver on its side, as well as a vent on its reverse side and looks pretty clean overall. Both the sub and main soundbar have the same color code as their predecessor – a slightly grayish matte black that in my view, is classy-looking and suits its more chunky appearance to a tee.

Design score: 4/5

Reverse side of Samsung HW-Q800D subwoofer — (Image credit: Future)

Samsung HW-Q800D review: Setup & usability

Easy to control in-app
Neat, simple-to-use remote
Personally experienced an issue with sub pairing

OK, one slight gripe I had with the Samsung HW-Q800D was related to the setup process. After hooking up the soundbar and sub to power outlets, I strapped in and got ready to listen… but I instantly noticed something. A distinct lack of low-end punch. I soon discovered, however, that this was due to the subwoofer failing to sync up with the soundbar out of the box. Happily, a simple unplug and replug was enough here – meaning this was a pretty small issue overall. Nonetheless, this was a setback and although most are unlikely to encounter this, it was slightly frustrating for me.

Otherwise, though, the Samsung HW-Q800D was straightforward to setup. I connected it to my TV using HDMI eARC, meaning I could use my typical TV remote to alter volume – a super-handy feature. There’s also an included wall bracket if you need that for a mounted setup.

This soundbar is very easy to use, too. I used the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE to download the Samsung SmartThings app, which is well laid-out and simple to use if you want to adjust soundbar settings. You can also change surround sound, tone, volume and channel level settings with the included remote, which is diminutive, sleek and super responsive.

The soundbar itself also has controls, if you need them. It has an inbuilt mic which can be used to activate Amazon Alexa or Google voice assistants – and there’s a button to activate or deactivate this on top of the bar. Alongside that, there’s also a volume up and down button – both of which are well-sized and again, very responsive.

Setup & usability: 4/5

Person holding Samsung HW-Q800D remote — (Image credit: Future)

Samsung HW-Q800D review: Value

Outstanding performance for the price
Additional rear speakers don’t come cheap
Upgrades on predecessor extremely minimal

For the price you pay, the Samsung HW-Q800D offers incredible performance for movies and music alike. If you want detailed, expansive and super-clear audio, you get all of that, so even if it's still quite the investment to spend approximately $699/£699/AU$1,099, you’re certainly getting your money’s worth.

Having said that, it’s not all good news in the value category. Now, if you decide that you do want to add rear speakers to the base offering, you’re going to have to cough up more. Specifically, the Samsung SWA-9500S rear speakers cost around $199/£199/AU$349, making the overall cost here quite hefty. Of course, this is merely an option, but it’s worth bearing in mind if you want the full package.

Something I am more critical of, however, is the real lack of improvements over 2023’s already incredible Samsung HW-Q800C. Other than some small incremental additions, this is almost the same product, so it’s not worth upgrading to and if the last-gen model is available for less, you’re getting almost equal amount of bang for less buck. So, even if it's excellent for its class, the lack of improvement is a slight dampener here.

Value score: 4/5

Should I buy the Samsung HW-Q800D?

Buy it if...

You want cinematic sound, powered by Atmos
The Samsung HW-Q800D offers punchy, immersive sound with ‘true’ Atmos, DTS:X and fantastic vocal clarity. You’re getting the full package here – that is, unless you want rear speakers from the off.

You’ve got a modern Samsung TV
If you have a selected Samsung TV released between since 2022, you’ll be able to access Samsung Q-Symphony and Wireless Dolby Atmos. Q-Symphony puts your soundbar to work alongside your TV speakers’ audio, whereas Wireless Dolby Atmos supplies “pinpoint” sound effects, taking the 3D audio experience to the next level.

Don't buy it if...

You need 4K 120Hz HDMI passthrough
For gamers that want the most premium sonic performance when playing, this soundbar might not quite cut it. That’s because – like its predecessor – it doesn’t offer 4K 120Hz HDMI passthrough. You might have to splash a bit more cash if you’re craving that from your soundbar.

You’re on a tight budget
If you want a truly cinematic listening experience but find this soundbar a touch expensive, worry not, reader – there are some great options out there. For example, the Hisense AX5125H plates up quality, powerful audio with Atmos and DTS:X, and it’s often available for around half of this Samsung soundbar system.

Samsung HW-Q800D: Also consider

Sonos Arc
OK, so the Sonos Arc may be a standalone soundbar, but if you want a top-drawer all-in-one option, it’s incredibly hard to beat. With strong speech clarity, great Atmos effects and brilliant performance across both music and movies, it’s sure to impress most listeners. If you’re sold on Sonos but want to add more units for true surround sound, you can purchase them separately, although things could get quite pricey if you decide to take that route. Read our full Sonos Arc review.

Hisense AX5125H
If you want truly incredible value for money, it doesn’t get much better than the Hisense AX5125H. This 5.1.2 channel system comes with a soundbar, sub and rear speakers but also delivers both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X sound. It doesn’t skimp on quality either, offering immersive Atmos, punchy bass and clear vocals. We’ve often spotted the AX5125H available for as little as $299 / £349 (around AU$449), so if you want surround sound at a considerably cut price, this could be the best option for you. Read our full Hisense AX5125H review.

How I tested the Samsung HW-Q800D

Tested over a week
Integrated the soundbar into my usual setup
Used while watching movies, streaming music over Bluetooth, and gaming

When testing the Samsung HW-Q800D, I had it hooked up to my Hisense U7K TV via HDMI eARC. I also connected to the soundbar using the Samsung SmartThings app on the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, which allowed me to alter settings and play music over Bluetooth.

The soundbar was placed on a shelf below my TV in a small-to-medium-sized room, with the subwoofer positioned beside my TV unit. I tested only the included soundbar and subwoofer, without any add-ons.

I tried viewing, playing and listening to a wide variety of content during my testing time – which spanned over a week-long period. I watched a number of movies and TV shows, played games on my PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch and listened to music on Tidal with the Bluetooth connectivity option. I tuned into the TechRadar testing playlist when assessing the quality of music on the HW-Q800D – which includes songs from a wide variety of genres.

Read more about how we test
First reviewed: November 2024

Majority Naga 60 Review: a solid soundbar for a ridiculously cheap price

5:00 pm | November 23, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Televisions | Tags: HDMI, TV | Comments: Off

Majority Naga 60 Soundbar: Two-minute review

The Majority Naga 60 is an enigma. This relatively small $64.95 soundbar offers a significant upgrade over the built-in speakers on most TVs while costing the equivalent of a dinner at a semi-cheap restaurant. I would consider it among the best soundbars for the price. It does have more than the low price going for it, however, as its sound quality is solid and benefits from basic 3D audio processing and a built-in subwoofer.

That low price tag also makes it easier to ignore that the Majority Naga 60 tends to not perform all that well when close to its max volume. It also makes it easy to live with the fact that there’s no HDMI passthrough – something I don’t expect in cheaper soundbars anyway.

Overall, the Majority Naga 60 is an impressive addition for anyone looking to upgrade their TV sound without going the full home theater system route. It’s never going to measure up to something like the LG S95TR soundbar, for instance, but it’s not supposed to. If your bedroom TV sound is a bit dull and you want to bring some life to your next viewing of NCIS, or want something a little better for the TV in your one-bedroom apartment, you’ll find its low, around-$60 price more than worth it.

On the surface, the Majority Naga 60 looks like a normal soundbar. It’s got an all-black colorway with a metal grille covering the front half and top of the body. At first glance, there’s nothing remarkable about its design outside of the outward-pointing tweeters on either end.

Those tweeters provide the soundbar’s limited 3D audio effect. Two 2.25-inch drivers provide the majority of the sound and there are also two upward-facing 2.5-inch drivers and an internal 2.5-inch subwoofer.

Regarding ports, there’s not a whole lot going on. There’s no HDMI passthrough, but at least there’s HDMI ARC and optical digital for connection to a TV, plus a 3.5mm aux input, USB-A, and a subwoofer output. Bluetooth wireless connectivity is also on hand.

For controls, there are four buttons on top for power, input, and volume up and down. The remote is much more involved, as it also can toggle 3D audio on and off, as well as select between four different EQ modes. You can boost or cut the bass and treble, and there are also some play, forward, and rewind controls that work to control playback of a TV or other device over the HDMI ARC connection.

Lastly, before we move on to how the Majority Naga 60 sounds, I do want to mention there’s a very basic LED indicator visible through the metal grill to show changes to volume, input, and other settings.

Majority Naga 60 soundbar on sofa with accessories — The Majority Naga 60 comes with a full package of accessories including an HDMI cable and wall-mount hardware (Image credit: Future)

While all of that is important, what’s even more important in a soundbar is its sound quality. I should first mention that there is plenty of volume on tap on the Naga 60, which is rated at 120 watts. Second, it does sound good for the most part, but the audio gets distorted and blown out when close to maximum volume. You’re not going to get a full home theater experience here, especially if you’re boosting the bass.

Otherwise, the Naga 60’s sound is a noticeable step up from most TV speakers. It’s not audiophile quality, but the highs are fairly defined and clear, and the mid-range has plenty of body to it. Bass is somewhat limited since there’s such a small driver acting as a subwoofer. The specified frequency range is 30 - 20kHz, so you do get some bass, but it’s not very deep.

When testing, I was quite impressed when listening to music. I didn’t get any rumble with hip hop or EDM, but there was still plenty of punch. Just about all genres seemed to fare well. You’ll only be disappointed if you want big bass or audiophile quality – remember, this is a $60 soundbar, so keep those expectations in line.

With TV and movies, dialogue was front and center and plenty clear, and soundtrack effects were just as present. However, since this is an all-in-one 2.1-channel soundbar, the audio can get a bit cluttered and lose some definition when there’s a lot of action. For example, scenes in The Beekeeper and My Spy The Eternal City tended to overwhelm the soundbar (and don’t shame me for not pulling up Blood Simple).

Since the Naga 60 is compact, its soundstage isn’t all that wide – another probable factor in the cramped audio during busy scenes in action movies. Of course, this is where its 3D sound comes in. There’s only 3D sound on and off, not to mention that it’s the most basic spatial audio (there’s no Dolby Atmos processing or anything like that), but it does add a bit of depth to the proceedings. So, it’s a setting I happily leave on most of the time.

Majority Naga 60 soundbar top panel control buttons — The Naga 60's top surface control buttons (Image credit: Future)

Majority Naga 60 Soundbar review: Price & release date

Price $64.95
Date first available: December 2023

While Majority Audio also sells soundbars in the UK, the Naga 60 is currently only available in the US. It is ridiculously cheap, coming in at $64.95, but frequently on sale for as low as $49.95. Of course, it’s not perfect as I’ve discussed above, but it’s a competent soundbar, especially for a smaller TV and viewing space.

One of my go-to recommendations for cheap soundbars has been the Roku Streambar, which retails for $130. It’s even smaller than the Naga 60 and comes with the Roku interface built-in, making it a great value even when it’s still double the price of the Majority Naga 60.

Cheap soundbars are typically more flawed than the Majority Naga 60. The Saiyin DS6305 goes for $59.99 in the US with a subwoofer, which is certainly cheaper, especially taking the inclusion of the subwoofer into account. Yet, its build quality leaves a lot more to be desired, and doesn’t have 3D audio processing.

Majority Naga 60 soundbar rear panel ports — Ports include HDMI ARC, optical digital and 3.5 analog audio inputs and a subwoofer output (Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Majority Naga 60 Soundbar?

Buy it if...

You’re on a budget: It’s tough to get this kind of sound quality in this price range. If you’re on a very limited budget, this is probably your best bet.

You want a good amount of volume: It doesn’t compare to expensive soundbars, but make no mistake, it sounds good with plenty of volume on tap.

Don't buy it if...

You want HDMI passthrough: Yes, the Majority Naga 60 does have HDMI ARC, but there’s no HDMI passthrough here – a small but unfortunate omission.

You want an immersive soundstage: While the 3D audio does make things sound more expansive, you’re just not going to get a wide soundstage with a soundbar of this size.

Majority Naga 60 Soundbar: Also consider

Roku Streambar
The Roku Streambar has surprisingly loud and clear sound for such a small soundbar. Add in its built-in Roku interface and Bluetooth connectivity, along with a very reasonable price, and it’s a great option for smaller setups. Just don’t expect any kind of spatial audio or strong bass.

Read our full Roku Streambar review

Saiyin DS6305
The main thing the Saiyin DS6305 has going for it is an incredible price. It also has a good amount of power. It also offers some rumble – something most cheap soundbars don’t have – thanks to the inclusion of a subwoofer. The build quality does leave something to be desired, not to mention there’s no HDMI connectivity.

Read our full Saiyin DS6305 review

Majority Naga 60 soundbar on table showing side-firing tweeters — (Image credit: Future)

How I tested the Majority Naga 60 Soundbar

Listened with it for one week
Tested with TV, movies, and music

I listened with the Majority Naga 60 Soundbar regularly for a week. I used it with TV and movies, along with plenty of music. I tested it with and without its 3D audio feature to see how much it affected the sound.

After spending some time with it, it’s clear that the Majority Naga 60 is ideal for those on a budget with a smaller setup as it sounds surprisingly good for the price. The sound quality and soundstage, however, won’t quite fit the needs of those looking for a fuller home theater audio experience.

I’ve tested a lot of tech gear over the years from laptops to keyboards and speakers, and so have been able to use my expertise towards giving an honest and fair opinion, not to mention a critical eye, to any product I test.

First reviewed November 2024

Xgimi Aura 2: two-minute review

The Xgimi Aura 2 is a premium ultra short-throw (UST) 4K projector to come from the Chinese brand and is an update to 2021’s Aura. Like its predecessor, the Aura 2 aims to be a complete one-box solution for big-screen home theater thrills and, as such, is capable of projecting an image up to 150 inches in size.

Xgimi is touting its new Dual Light 2.0 technology – which combines laser and LED light sources – in the Aura 2 to deliver bright, colorful, contrast-rich images. On paper at least, there is a marked improvement compared to its predecessor – the Aura 2 is capable of reaching 2,300 ISO lumens of brightness compared to the Aura’s 1,800. Indeed, in practice, the Aura 2 is certainly bright enough for general viewing during the day, with a good level of depth and detail, serving up a wonderful cinematic image.

Naturally, when viewed in a darker room, the quality of the projected image improves and HDR content performs particularly well. The Xgimi Aura 2 supports Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG and, following a firmware update since launch, IMAX Enhanced.

Achieving a well-calibrated picture on a wall or white screen is relatively simple thanks to the Aura 2’s wealth of picture adjustment settings, including automatic keystone correction and focus. And, should you need to take the reins and make finer manual adjustments, you can do so.

Despite a UST projector’s cinematic credentials, there is always going to be a case for getting one of the best TVs, especially where cost is concerned. The Xgimi Aura 2 is available now for $2,699 / £2,459 / AU$6,399. That’s only a few hundred more US dollars and UK pounds than the Aura, but over AU$2,000 more in Australia, which is a little puzzling. While in the US and UK it makes a competitive alternative to a 65- or 75-inch TV, for example, in Australia it's a much tougher sell. Granted, the Aura 2 is capable of projecting an image far bigger than most TVs – and TVs that do encroach on 100-inches aren’t exactly cheap – but if you only have space to project an 80-inch image, then those in Australia may feel they’ll be better served by a TV.

The fact that the Xgimi Aura 2 uses the Android TV operating system rather than Google TV also feels like a bit of a missed opportunity, especially as some of the company’s other new projectors do use the latter. Because of its use of Android TV, it’s not the easiest process to get Netflix installed – although you can access it by first downloading a separate app from the Google Play Store – and I wasn’t able to get Disney Plus to install natively, instead resorting to connecting an Apple TV 4K to get my Pixar fix.

Speaking of connectivity, the Aura 2 has a wealth of inputs for connecting external devices, although some may feel doing so will ruin the otherwise clean aesthetic. An external soundbar can be connected too, although the built-in audio system is especially good, so you may not feel the need.

Despite a couple of setbacks, the Xgimi Aura 2 is a fantastic machine, although not without competition. Not only do companies such as Hisense and Samsung have excellent UST projectors of their own but, as already mentioned, home theater fans in certain countries may find greater value in a TV. But, if projection is the way you want to go, the Xgimi Aura 2 deserves an audition.

Xgimi Aura 2 review: Price & availability

Available since September 2024
List price: $2,699 / £2,459 / AU$6,399

The Xgimi Aura 2 was announced and officially launched at IFA Berlin on September 6, 2024. It’s available to buy now for $2,699 / £2,459 / AU$6,399.

Other recently released UST projectors such as the Hisense PX3-Pro, which has a higher ISO lumens brightness, costs $3,499 / £2,499 / AU$3,995 while the excellent Samsung Premiere 9 costs a lot more at $5,999 / £4,999. However, the Premiere 9 isn’t available in Australia at the time of writing. This means the Aura 2 is the most affordable of the three (except from in Australia) and, on paper at least, this is somewhat justified because it’s the lowest specced.

Side view of Xgimi Aura 2 projector — (Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

Xgimi Aura 2 review: Specs

Rear panel of connections of Xgimi Aura 2 projector — (Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

Xgimi Aura 2 review: Design and features

Dual Light 2.0 laser light system
Motorized top cover to protect against dust
Android TV OS not the best

The Xgimi Aura 2 isn’t as projector-y looking as some of its competitors. On the contrary, it’s very much a lifestyle-oriented product designed to blend in with your home décor and not attract too much attention to itself. As such, it’s coated on all visible sides by a Moonlight Sand-colored fabric and has been given a treatment that claims to protect it against water, dust and oil (I didn’t have the confidence to test this out). In reality, it really is an attractive unit and could feasibly either go unnoticed in your room or at the very least be mistaken for a large Bluetooth speaker.

On the top you’ll find a motorized cover that slides open when the projector is powered on to reveal the laser light source. Not only is it a pretty cool party trick, but it helps keep the lasers and mirrors as free from dust and other debris as possible by hiding them away during downtime. There’s also an infrared detector that switches the laser off when it detects someone in its line of sight so you don’t damage your eyes, and yes, it really works.

Along the back (the side facing the wall) there are three HDMI inputs (two for connecting external devices and one that supports eARC if you want to connect an external soundbar or speaker system), three USB-A inputs and an ethernet port for a wired internet connection. Other outputs include a 3.5mm headphone jack and an optical audio port, plus Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 are also supported.

Close up image of Harman Kardon branding on Xgimi Aura 2 projector — (Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

The Xgimi Aura 2 uses the company’s own Dual Light 2.0 technology. This, says Xgimi, is a “wide spectrum and narrow spectrum hybrid light source technology” which “addresses issues related to traditional tri-color lasers such as speckles and color fringe, ensuring more comfortable viewing.” It’s also because of this light technology that the Aura 2 is able to use a 0.177:1 ultra-short throw ratio – meaning you can achieve a 100-inch image from a distance of just 17.8cm. Do note that this 17.8cm distance is between the projection surface and the closest side of the projector. You’ll still need to factor in the Aura 2’s 27cm depth when placing it on a bench or entertainment unit. Xgimi says for a 150-inch image, you’ll need a distance of 38.9cm.

Once in position, it’s a relatively pain-free process to get a properly aligned picture on a wall or projector screen. The Aura 2 has built-in auto keystone adjustment, which kicks into action whenever the projector itself is physically moved, or it can easily be run from within the settings menu. I have to admit that my first try of using this feature actually resulted in a completely jarring image that wasn’t aligned at all. I ran the setting again and it fixed it… mostly. I still had to use the manual image correction settings to quickly (and easily) align the four corners of the image within the confines of the viewing space on my wall.

The Aura 2 uses Android TV for its operating system, which is a strange choice considering this platform is all but dead on smart TVs and the projector version of the OS don't necessarily get you access to all the streaming apps directly from the Google Play Store.

Xgimi acknowledges that Netflix doesn’t support projector systems running Android TV by way of a leaflet included in the box, which encourages you to download a separate app called Desktop Launcher. Doing so results in Netflix being able to be used, along with other apps such as Apple TV (which also can’t be found in the pre-installed Google Play Store).

Disney Plus was a notable omission entirely and in Australia where I’m based, 4K content on Stan wasn’t supported. I have a 4K subscription to the Australian streaming service which works without a hitch on my TV, but on the Aura 2 all content was available in HD quality only. The only workaround was to connect an Apple TV 4K to gain access to all my streaming apps, which was slightly disappointing.

That said, the UX will look familiar to anyone who’s previously used it or Google TV. A row of installed app icons is flanked above and below by recommended content and content you’re currently in the middle of watching. In use it was largely lag-free, with only the occasional stutter when trying to move quickly through rows or between menus.

The Xgimi Aura 2 comes with a remote control that’s surprisingly weighty, but which serves to provide a premium feeling. There aren’t many buttons, but I think this in turn makes it straightforward to understand and use. There are buttons for volume control, the home screen, settings, Google Assistant and a dedicated button for quick autofocusing. I did find myself pressing the Google Assistant button when I meant to select the settings, but I imagine this would become a non-issue with more use.

The remote isn’t backlit, which is a peculiar omission considering the projector is more likely to be used in low-light settings, and it’s powered by two AAA batteries. I would’ve preferred it if it were rechargeable via USB-C.

Design & features score: 3.5/5

Remote control supplied with Xgimi Aura 2 projector — (Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

Xgimi Aura 2 review: Picture and sound quality

Bright, colorful images
Custom settings possible with various HDR content
Built-in sound system is impressive

Due to space limitations in the room where I tested the Aura 2, I was only able to project an image roughly 80 inches in size onto a wall as opposed to a dedicated projection screen. Despite this, the Xgimi Aura 2 delivered a delightfully colorful, crisp image even during the daytime. Its brightness figure of 2300 ISO lumens might not match some of its closest competitors, such as the Hisense PX3-Pro or Samsung Premiere 9, but even in a room with sunlight filtering in, the image produced by the Aura 2 was easy to watch.

A Dolby Vision stream of Toy Story 4 on Disney Plus via an Apple TV 4K device exhibited excellent color reproduction, with the Aura 2’s 99% coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut meaning greens, pinks, yellows and reds were all delivered with vibrancy. Getting the best picture settings for your personal preference, though, isn’t the easiest thing in the world.

When the Aura 2 detects Dolby Vision content it automatically switches to a default picture mode which doesn’t give much in the way of customization. You can switch between Dolby Vision Bright and Dark modes, with the former boosting the brightness a little, and you are able to set your own custom settings for things such as brightness and contrast, but there isn’t anything in the form of Filmmaker Mode, for example. Switch to non-Dolby Vision content, however, and you are able to cycle through a more familiar set of picture presets, including Movie, which I used whenever it was available.

Scene from Toy Story 4 showing Woody and Spoon, projected onto a wall by the Xgimi Aura 2 projector — (Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

Darker scenes in Toy Story 4, such as when Woody accidentally gets thrown out of the traveling RV at night revealed the Xgimi Aura 2 could handle subtle shadow details surprisingly well. As the famed cowboy is walking along the road at night, the rocky detailing of the tarmac road is easily seen, while grass and trees in dimmer lighting to the left are picked out as well.

While the majority of content projected by the Aura 2 includes the black bars above and below the central image – which can look a little too stretched out at times – because it is IMAX Enhanced, any content viewed in this format fills the entire projection surface. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings on Disney Plus is a good example, and one of the opening scenes featuring Ta Lo and Xu Wenwu in a lush green forest was another treat for the eyes. The fast-moving fight choreography was handled expertly and colors were clear and natural.

What was perhaps most surprising to me during my testing of the Xgimi Aura 2 was its audio performance. Xgimi has opted for a four-speaker Harman Kardon system with a combined output of 60 watts. With the projector and speakers sitting below the screen, it could have been all too easy for the sound output to feel low, but in actual fact voices clearly come from further above, resulting in a more immersive experience than I was expecting.

Scene from Angry Birds 2 movie projected onto a wall by the Xgimi Aura 2 projector — (Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

It can support Dolby Atmos, although I experienced more of a half-dome of sound as opposed to a full enveloping effect, which is to be expected to some degree due to there not being any physical rear speakers. But the Aura 2 can throw sound out wide with accurate object placement within the soundfield. Bass performance was also surprisingly good, with the Aura 2 projector capable of going real low. A little further on in Shang Chi, when the titular hero is fighting on a bus, is an engaging watch, with the backing soundtrack, punches, kicks and smashes all being fired out with genuine impact.

The Aura 2 does have an eARC output for connecting an external sound system, but I don’t think many people will feel the need to do so unless they want a more authentic Dolby Atmos experience.

Picture & sound quality score: 4.5/5

Xgimi Aura 2 review: Value

Competitively priced in the US and UK
Expensive compared to other models in Australia
Affordable big-screen TVs could be a better option

The Xgimi Aura 2 can be considered good value, but only depending on where you live. In the US and UK, it costs less than a well-specced big-screen TV such as an 83-inch LG C4 OLED. In Australia, however, it does still cost more for an 83-inch LG C4, but only by a few hundred dollars. Given the TV has a more feature-packed operating system, delivers true blacks and has a picture quality that’s less susceptible to bright rooms, it makes it a more compelling option purely from a value standpoint.

But, if it is a projector you’re seeking, the Xgimi Aura 2 definitely deserves an audition. It’s a great projector that delivers a colorful, clear image. It’s let down by its operating system, but if you don’t mind plugging an external media streamer into one of its HDMI inputs, then this becomes less of an issue.

Android TV homescreen projected onto a wall by the Xgimi Aura 2 projector — (Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

Value score: 4/5

Should I buy the Xgimi Aura 2?

Scene from Shang Chi projected onto a wall by the Xgimi Aura 2 projector — (Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

Buy it if...

You want a simple UST projector
The Aura 2 has a wealth of built-in, automatic picture adjustment settings that should mean getting the perfect image is just a button press away.

You want vibrant images
With 99% DCI-P3 color gamut coverage, the Aura 2 delivers superb, punchy colors that dazzle no matter the image size.

You don't have an external sound system
It's no issue for the Aura 2, the built-in speaker goes big and loud, and only adds to its home theater credentials.

Don't buy it if...

You do all your viewing in a bright room
It's not specific to the Aura 2, but a bright room is a projector's kryptonite. It counters well, but ultimately won't be able to compete against a TV.

You want access to the popular streaming apps
The Aura 2 uses Android TV as its OS, which isn't as talented as Google TV. Some apps are missing and others require workarounds. It's not the most seamless of experiences.

Also consider

Hisense PX3-Pro
Our top pick as the best UST projector right now, the PX3-Pro delivers high brightness and rich color from its 3-laser light engine. It's also well-equipped for gaming, with multiple HDMI 2.1 ports and support for 4K 120Hz and 1080p 240Hz gaming.

Read our full Hisense PX3-Pro review

Samsung The Premiere 9
It's expensive, but Samsung's The Premiere 9 is capable of delivering outstandingly bright images. Its Tizen smart TV platform is a joy to use and the built-in sound is so good, you won't need a soundbar.

Read our full Samsung The Premiere 9 review

Epson LS800
The Epson LS800 uses a 3-LCD laser light source to beam a stunningly bright 4,000 lumens image. This makes it a great option for daytime sports viewing and it also has good built-in sound.

Read our full Epson LS800 review

How I tested the Xgimi Aura 2

Tested at home in various real-world living conditions
Projected the image onto a white wall as opposed to a dedicated screen
Watched a variety of content in SDR and HDR format

Close up image of settings menu on Xgimi Aura 2 projector — (Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

I tested the Xgimi Aura 2 at home over a period of about a month so I could experience it during various daytime living conditions. This meant multiple light sources, be it natural daylight or overhead lightbulbs, came into my testing room, at which point I rated the picture to see how well it performed.

The projector was tested against a white wall for the duration of my review, which also allowed me to test out its wall color adaptation and wall flatness modes. Both performed well and I could see noticeable differences before and after calibration.

I used a variety of content, including 4K HDR and standard full HD content from a variety of streaming services.

My testing evaluates the projector's performance against other reviews my colleagues at TechRadar have conducted. I have been writing about and reviewing displays for five years.

Panasonic Z85A OLED TV review: Two minute review

The Panasonic Z85A OLED TV is one of the entry-level models in Panasonic’s 2024 TV lineup, sitting below the Panasonic Z95A and Z90A. Along with the flagship OLED Panasonic Z95A OLED and W95A mini-LED, it is one of the first Panasonic TVs available in the US in over a decade.

The Panasonic Z85A sells for $1,599 / £1,599 and $1,799 / £1,999 for its 55 and 65-inch models, respectively, putting it in the same price range as some of the best OLED TVs such as the LG C4, Sony Bravia 8 and Philips OLED809.

Panasonic uses a standard W-OLED panel in the Z85A, which features the same HCX AI Pro II Processor found in step-up Panasonic models including the Panasonic Z95A. While its brightness levels are only average and there is some black crush in darker scenes, the picture quality on the Z85A is up there with the best TVs, with rich contrast, vibrant yet natural colors, deep blacks and realistic textures and details.

Sound quality on the Z85A is good overall. It won’t beat the best TVs for sound, but it does deliver punchy bass, clear dialogue and accurate placement of effects. Those looking for a cinematic experience may want to add one of the best soundbars, but for day to day viewing, the Z85A’s built-in sound is perfectly fine.

The Panasonic Z85A uses Fire TV as its built-in smart TV platform, and it’s a welcome change from Panasonic’s own my Home Screen interface used on previous TVs. There are fewer picture settings, but menus are more user-friendly, navigation is smoother and Amazon features such as Ambient Experience help make the Z85A feel like the complete package.

The Z85A carries many of the features we look for in the best gaming TVs. There are only two HDMI 2.1 ports, but 4K 120Hz, VRR (including AMD FreeSync Premium and Nvidia Gsync) ALLM and Dolby Vision gaming are all supported. Smooth performance and stunning graphics make the Z85A a fantastic OLED gaming TV.

The Panasonic Z85A is marginally pricier than rival mid-range OLEDs but mostly justifies its price thanks to its fantastic features and the sheer brilliance of its picture.

Panasonic Z85A with landscape on screen — Textures and details on the Panasonic Z85A are very realistic. (Image credit: Future)

Panasonic Z85A OLED TV review: Prices & release date

Release date: October 2024
55-inch Z85A: $1,599 / £1,599
65-inch: Z85A: $1,799 / £1,999

The Panasonic Z85A is one of the entry-level models in Panasonic’s 2024 OLED TV lineup. It is available in 55- and 65-inch sizes in both the US and UK. Panasonic TVs are not sold in Australia.

The Panasonic Z85A has similar specs and tech as the LG C4, Sony Bravia 8 and Philips OLED809, but is priced slightly higher than those models. Prices have since dropped, however, with the 55-inch model now available for $1,499 / £1,299 and the 65-inch model available for $1,699 / £1,699, making it more competitive with its rivals.

Panasonic Z85A OLED TV review: Specs

Panasonic Z85A OLED TV review: Benchmark results

Panasonic Z85A connection ports — The Panasonic Z85A comes with a good number of connections, but only two HDMI 2.1 ports (Image credit: Future)

Panasonic Z85A OLED TV review: Features

W-OLED panel
Dolby Vision IQ and HDR10+ Adaptive support
Fire TV smart TV platform

The Panasonic Z85A features a W-OLED panel similar to that found in TVs such as the LG C4 and Sony Bravia 8 as opposed to the micro lens array (MLA) panel – a type that yields higher brightness – found in the step-up Panasonic Z95A. Unlike other OLED TVs in the US, it supports both the Dolby Vision and HDR10+ high dynamic range formats.

The new Panasonic HCX Pro AI MKII processor, which analyzes the picture on screen to adjust color, contrast and clarity on the fly, is used by the Panasonic Z85A, and It also has AI features that can be activated to monitor picture and sound quality and adjust based on the content being shown onscreen and the viewing environment.

For sound, the Panasonic Z85A has a 2.1-channel speaker array totaling 50W of power. It supports Dolby Atmos but not DTS. There also aren’t as many sound features or presets as you’ll find on the flagship Panasonic Z95A, though the Z85A does support Theater Surround Pro and has a port for connection to an external subwoofer for those wanting more bass.

The Panasonic Z85A features only two HDMI 2.1 ports but otherwise has an extensive list of gaming features. It supports 4K 120Hz, VRR (both AMD FreeSync and Nvidia GSync), ALLM, and Dolby Vision and HDR10+ gaming and also has a True Game Mode to optimize picture settings and a Game Control Board where those settings can be customized.

The Z85A’s Fire TV smart TV platform replaces the my Home Screen interface – the company’s own smart TV platform – found on previous Panasonic TVs. It supports major streaming apps including Netflix, Prime Video and Disney Plus, along with Max in the US. In the UK, you get Freely, the free TV service that allows you to stream broadcast TV live over Wi-Fi rather than relying on an aerial, and it supports UK-based streaming apps including BBC iPlayer and ITVX. In the US, it additionally comes with an ATSC 3.0 tuner.

Features score: 4/5

Panasonic Z85A with The Batman on screen — The Panasonic Z85A has incredible contrast and very good shadow detail when viewed in dimmed conditions (Image credit: Future)

Panasonic Z85A OLED TV review: Picture quality

Realistic textures and details
Outstanding contrast and shadow detail
Dynamic, vibrant colors

Since the Panasonic Z85A uses a standard W-OLED panel rather than the MLA OLED panel found in the Panasonic Z95A (and LG G4) or the Samsung S95D’s QD-OLED panel, I expected it to have peak brightness levels more in line with the LG C4, B4, Sony Bravia 8 and Philips OLED809.

The Z85A’s results were roughly what I anticipated if not a little low. Measuring brightness on a 10% HDR white window pattern, the Panasonic Z85A produced 697 nits in Standard mode and 778 nits in Filmmaker Mode. Those results put it above the LG B4’s 656 nits on the same test but below the likes of the Philips OLED809’s 927 nits and the Sony Bravia 8’s 817 nits.

When measuring the Z85A’s grayscale and color accuracy by taking an average of its Delta-E values (the margin for error between the test pattern and what’s shown on screen), it achieved phenomenal results of 1.1 and 1.2, respectively (we typically look for below 3).

After cycling through the Z85A’s picture presets, I landed on Filmmaker as its most accurate mode, though True Cinema mode was an excellent picture preset as well. Both provided incredible detail and contrast, but I opted for Filmmaker due to its higher brightness.

When watching both lower-resolution and high-definition (HD) TV shows, the Z85A did a solid job of upscaling them to 4K.

Moving onto 4K movies and TV shows, the Panasonic Z85A demonstrated spectacular color reproduction. Watching a scene where the ship arrived in Numenor in season 1 of Rings of Power on Prime Video (watched in Filmmaker Mode HDR), the blues and whites of the sea and rocky landscapes dazzled while maintaining a natural look, and the gold of armor and buildings glistened in the bright sunlight.

A Dolby Vision stream of Star Wars: The Last Jedi via Disney Plus also demonstrated the Z85A’s excellent color reproduction. The reds of the throne room fight scene looked bold and vibrant, but accurate, and lightsabers had a dynamic punch. They didn’t quite have the same glossy HDR sheen as on brighter OLEDs such as the Samsung S95D, but the Z85A’s colors were nonetheless glorious. I opted for the Dolby Vision Dark picture mode here as I felt it was more accurate, but those looking for more brightness can switch to Dolby Vision IQ mode.

When measuring the Panasonic Z85A’s HDR color gamut coverage in Filmmaker Mode, it yielded results of 98.2% for UHDA-P3 and 73.6% for BT.2020. Both of these are excellent results, and they slightly top the 97% and 72.5% achieved by the flagship Panasonic Z95A.

Panasonic Z85A with Rings of Power on screen — The Panasonic Z85A's color and detail are stunning (Image credit: Future)

Black levels, shadow detail and contrast were also superb. Watching a 4K Blu-ray of The Batman in Dolby Vision Dark picture mode, light sources and lamps looked perfectly balanced with the gloomy surroundings in the opening crime scene. I did note occasional black crush in some scenes, with objects losing the odd detail, but overall The Batman looked incredibly accurate on the Z85A.

The Z85A had superb contrast in the black-and-white scenes in Oppenheimer, with an excellent balance between dark and light tones with a perfect range of grays in between.

One thing worth noting is that the Z85A fared better in dimmed or dark viewing conditions when watching darker movies since reflections could be seen on its screen in a bright room.

Panasonic’s OLEDs typically excel in showing details and textures, and the Z85A is no different. Whatever was on screen, the Z85A displayed it in a realistic manner that gave an incredible sense of depth to the image. Watching Top Gun: Maverick, close-ups of pilots revealed every facial feature – sweat, hair, pores. The natural landscapes in Rings of Power also had a 3D-like quality thanks to the intricate, fine details in the waves and mountains.

As you’d expect from OLED, the Z85A’s motion handling is very good overall. When watching a stream of a soccer game, I found that most picture modes worked well, though I stayed away from the Sports mode due to its oversaturated colors. The most effective was Normal mode with the IFC (Intelligent Frame Creation) in picture settings set to Min (with Mid, Max and Off being the other levels). With these active, long, panning shots up and down the pitch were generally handled very well with only incredibly minor stutter from time to time.

Motion handling with movies was excellent throughout, even with motion settings turned off. WatchingTop Gun: Maverick, swooping camera shots during training missions and Maverick’s bike rides through the desert were displayed with no visible judder.

Picture quality score: 4.5/5

Panasonic Z85A with La La Land on screen — The Panasonic Z85A has decent sound quality and does well with movies like *La La Land*, but it struggles with Dolby Atmos reproduction (Image credit: Future)

Panasonic Z85A OLED TV review: Sound quality

Punchy bass
Accurate sound placement
Sound confined to screen

The Panasonic Z85A’s 2.1-channel, 50W speaker array is a significantly smaller system than the one found in the flagship Panasonic Z95A, which boasts a 5.1.2-channel speaker system totaling 160W. There is still support for Dolby Atmos and something that Panasonic calls Theater Surround Pro, but more advanced sound features such as the Z95A’s Space Tune are not featured in the Z85A.

One thing I found interesting is that there is no preset intended for movies among the Z85A’s sound modes. Instead, I opted for the Stadium preset which promised the biggest sound.

The Z85A’s dynamic bass made the rumble of the Batmobile’s engine in the car chase scene in The Batman come through with plenty of power and punch, and plenty of control as well. Dialogue was consistently clear and well-presented and sound placement was accurate, with the sounds of swerving cars and tire screeches in The Batman and soaring jets in Top Gun: Maverick directly connected to the action on screen. I did find the Samsung QN90D and Samsung S95D’s sound presentation to be more accurate when I tested those TVs, however

The Z85A’s sound demonstrated a good balance when watching La La Land, reproducing the bright, jazzy score and the more delicate piano-led moments with the same level of detail. Due to its more limited speaker array, Dolby Atmos soundtracks weren’t given the same level of accuracy or space as on the step-up Panasonic Z95A. Pounding rain in The Batman was rarely audible throughout my viewing, and while the sound did extend beyond the screen on occasion, it still seemed somewhat contained.

Sound quality score: 4/5

Panasonic Z85A stand — The Panasonic Z85A has a light, sleek design but its stand feels a little cheap. (Image credit: Future)

Panasonic Z85A OLED TV review: Design

Solid, yet lightweight build
Stand feels a little cheap
Dated remote

The Panasonic Z85A’s design is solid and dependable, if not a little safe in places. While the top of its frame is trim enough, the bottom part is on the bulkier side to accommodate the larger built-in subwoofer. Its screen lacks the bezel-less design of other premium OLEDs but is still suitably trim. It feels sturdy when installed with its stand but is also very light for easy movement.

Speaking of the stand, the Z85A’s is a mixed bag. While it has a sleek look that blends well with dark furniture and is well-made, the plastic and metal materials don’t feel as premium as on rival OLEDs, its predecessor the Panasonic MZ1500, which comes with a weighty, swiveling, all-metal stand, included.

The Z85A’s supplied remote continues what has become a somewhat sore subject for me with Panasonic TVs. It is long, bulky, covered in a load of buttons, and feels outdated. While better than the standard Fire TV remote provided with the flagship Panasonic Z95A, it still doesn’t look or feel like the premium remote you expect for an OLED TV like this – especially when compared to the USB-C rechargeable, light-up, metal remote that Philips stocks with its TVs like the Philips OLED809.

Design score: 4/5

Panasonic Z85A with Fire TV home screen on display — Panasonic Z85A uses Fire TV as its smart TV platform, replacing my Home Screen 8.0 (Image credit: Future)

Panasonic Z85A OLED TV review: Smart TV & menus

Fire TV smart TV platform
Intuitive and responsive navigation
A good number of picture settings for calibration

Panasonic has opted to switch from its own my Home Screen smart TV platform in favor of Amazon’s Fire TV in the majority of its TVs this year and while the number of settings for picture and sound have taken a hit, the experience overall is an improvement.

Signing in with an Amazon account means the home page provides not only recommendations for movies and TV shows but an easy way to jump back into viewing, with the ability to sign in with and switch between multiple profiles for a more customized home screen. Unsurprisingly, these recommendations are almost entirely centered on Amazon’s Prime Video platform. Thanks to the Z85A’s faster processor, navigation of different menus and apps is smoother than my experience with the Amazon Omni QLED TV and also easy and intuitive.

The Panasonic Z85A comes with other Amazon features such as Alexa voice control and the Ambient Experience (a similar concept to Samsung’s Ambient mode on its TVs) which lets you display static and dynamic images and videos on the screen when the TV enters idle mode, rather than turning off. You can add your personal photos after uploading them via the Amazon Photos app on your phone, and widgets for weather, news, sports and more can be added to the Ambient screen as well.

Despite not having as many picture or sound settings as the previous my Home Screen interface, there are still a good number of settings for those looking to tweak their TV’s picture.

Smart TV & menus score: 4/5

Panasonic Z85A with Battlefield V on screen — The Panasonic Z85A has a good number of gaming features and great performance. (Image credit: Future)

Panasonic Z85A OLED TV review: Gaming

12.7ms input lag time
Extreme Game Mode featuring Game Control Board
Only two HDMI 2.1 ports

The Panasonic Z85A has only two HDMI 2.1 ports but is otherwise a well-equipped TV for gaming, supporting 4K 120Hz, Dolby Vision gaming, VRR (AMD FreeSync Premium and Nvidia GSync) and ALLM.

Similar to other Panasonic TVs, the Z85A has the Game Control Board, where settings such as Shadow Enhancer allow for easy customization while playing. For non-Dolby Vision games, there are also two game picture modes, Game and True Game, with True Game serving as the Filmmaker or Movie picture mode equivalent by opting for a warmer color palette and more accurate textures that will better suit certain games.

Gaming on the Z85A is responsive and smooth, with fast-paced gameplay well handled. When playing Battlefield V at 4K 120Hz, targeting, movement and animations were all fluid and seamless. It doesn’t beat the best 120Hz TVs such as the LG C4, but the Z85A’s 12.7ms input lag time is still very good and below the 15ms threshold most gamers look for.

Graphically, the Z85A carries across the same picture quality it brings to movies, with plenty of vibrant color, rich contrast, realistic textures and fine details that give games an extra sense of realism.

Gaming score: 4.5/5

Panasonic Z85A remote — Panasonic's remote, shown here, feels outdated compared to other remotes supplied with OLED TVs (Image credit: Future)

Panasonic Z85A OLED TV review: Value

Prices have dropped since launch
Still slightly pricier than rival mid-range OLEDs
Very good picture for price range

Since launching at $1,599 / £1,599 for the 55-inch model and $1,799 / £1,999 for the 65-inch model, the Panasonic Z85A’s prices have dropped to $1,499 / £1,299 for the 55-inch model and $1,699 / £1,699 for the 65-inch model. That’s still pricier than other mid-range OLEDs such as the LG C4 ($1,199 / £1,199 for 55-inch and $1,499 / £1,599 for 65-inch) but generally fair value for the picture quality and performance you’re getting.

Although a brightness boost similar to the mid-range LG C4 would have been nice, the Panasonic Z85A is still an excellent OLED that delivers in key areas. It still may exceed some budgets, but its picture quality and gaming features alone make it a worthy mid-range OLED contender.

Value score: 4/5

Panasonic Z85A with butterfly on screen — (Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Panasonic Z85A OLED TV?

Buy it if...

You want superb picture quality
The Panasonic Z85A delivers spectacular contrast and color and realistic details and textures, bringing movies and TV shows to life.

You want a great OLED TV for gaming
The Panasonic Z85A is well stocked for gaming, with 4K 120Hz, VRR, ALLM and Dolby Vision gaming all supported. Plus, it delivers great performance.

Don't buy it if…

You watch in bright rooms
The Panasonic Z85A does suffer from reflections when watching darker content in bright rooms. Look at brighter OLEDs such as the LG C4 if you want a brightness boost.

You want the best value OLED TV
While it is still a brilliant TV, the Panasonic Z85A doesn't deliver the same value overall as the LG C4, the best mid-range OLED available.

Also consider

LG C4 OLED
The LG C4 has higher brightness and more gaming features than the Panasonic Z85A, including four HDMI 2.1 ports and 144Hz support. In terms of picture and sound quality, it's close between the two. This is the Panasonic Z85A's closest rival.

Read our full LG C4 OLED reviewView Deal

Sony Bravia 8 OLED
The Sony Bravia has bolder colors than the Panasonic Z85A, but the Z85A takes the crown for contrast and detail. Sound is another area where the Bravia 8 has the Z85A beat. In terms of gaming features, they're even.

Read our full Sony Bravia 8 OLED reviewView Deal

Philips OLED809
Both the Philips OLED809 and Panasonic Z85A are close to one another in terms of picture quality and gaming features, but the Philips has the added benefit of Ambilight and marginally better sound. If you're in the UK, it'll be a close call between these two.

Read our full Philips OLED809 reviewView Deal

Panasonic Z85A with testing equipment attached — (Image credit: Future)

How I tested the Panasonic Z85A OLED TV

Tested in varying lighting conditions
Tested using both SDR and HDR sources
Measurements were taken using Portrait Displays' Calman calibration software

Before testing, I did some casual viewing with the Panasonic Z85A to establish the most accurate picture mode and after scrolling through presets, I decided on Filmmaker Mode as the most accurate, with True Cinema mode a close second.

After this, I began my critical testing using SDR sources, such as broadcast TV and standard Blu-ray and HD movies, and HDR sources, such as 4K streaming and 4K Blu-rays. 4K Blu-rays were played using the Panasonic DP-UB820 4K Blu-ray player.

For critical testing, I used reference scenes from movies and TV shows. I tested picture quality, focusing on color, contrast, black levels, motion, detail, and upscaling, as well as the audio quality of the built-in speakers.

I also tested the Panasonic Z85A's gaming features and performance using an Xbox Series X.

After subjective testing, I moved onto objective testing, taking measurements using specialized equipment. This consisted of a test pattern generator, a colorimeter and Portrait Display's Calman calibration software to record the measurements.

The measurements taken included HDR and SDR brightness, measured on white window patterns ranging from 1-100% in size, with a focus on 10% for peak brightness and 100% for full-screen brightness.

I took measurements for HDR color gamut, analyzing the BT.2020 and UHDA-P3 color spaces. I also took measurements for color accuracy and grayscale in HDR, taking an average of each's Delta-E values (the margin for error between the test pattern and what's shown on screen).

Finally, I measured the Z85A's input lag using a Leo Bodnar 4K HDMI Input Lag Tester.

Roku Ultra (2024) review: a souped-up streamer with a fantastic remote

5:31 pm | November 16, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Streaming Devices Televisions | Comments: Off

Roku Ultra (2024): Two-minute review

Roku Ultra (2024) screen interface — Roku Ultra (2024) home screen interface (Image credit: Future)

The Roku Ultra (2024) is as capable a streaming player as I’ve yet come across, though whether it’s one of the best streaming devices will depend entirely on how you feel about Roku’s onscreen interface. I am a fan. While I’ll dig into that a little more below, I find Roku’s software (and hardware) approach one that prioritizes convenience. It’s one of the reasons there’s still a need for external streaming players even though most contemporary TVs have their own built-in smart capabilities, which are usually not all that user-friendly.

The Roku Ultra (2024) is twice the price of Roku’s next most expensive streamer, the Roku Streaming Stick 4K, and in the upper range of price when it comes to these types of devices. It’s still worth it, not to mention it’s ultimately not that expensive either. Plus, if you go cheaper, you could lose out on support for Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, HLG, and HDR10+, all of which are available here. The performance is speedy and the remote is about as good a remote as I’ve personally used. All it’s missing is a passthrough HDMI that might be a benefit in certain setups.

As far as the physical design, the Roku Ultra (2024) is about what one would expect from a Roku streaming player. It comes in the same matte black as all of the company’s products, with just a shiny “Roku” logo emblazoned on the top. There’s also a shiny patch on the front where its sensor resides and a little purple Roku tag on its right flank.

It’s fairly slim, only an inch in height (its full dimensions are 4.9 x 5 x 1 inches), and has just one physical button on the side that offers dual functionality, with one side used for power and the other triggering the “find my remote” feature. Pressing the find my remote portion will cause the remote to ping until you press a button to indicate you’ve found it.

The port selection is pretty streamlined, as is to be expected. There’s a single HDMI, an Ethernet port – Wi-Fi 6 is also available – and a USB-A port. The USB port is a nice addition as it will give you an on-unit port to charge the remote as it comes with a rechargeable battery.

Regarding the HDMI, I would have liked a pass-through HDMI port. Though this feature generally isn’t found on streaming devices, it would have made it easier to use the Roku Ultra as the main hub of a setup (for instance, if you have a gaming console).

On that note, if you have a relatively contemporary TV with HDMI eARC (I can’t speak to older ones), the Roku Ultra (2024) can be set up to automatically turn the TV on and off and also adjust volume levels. You don’t necessarily have to do any menu diving for this either, as it’s part of the streaming player’s setup to enable that feature.

Roku Ultra (2024) remote control — The Roku Ultra (2024) comes with a backlit remote control (Image credit: Future)

Now, let’s discuss the remote. This is not my first rodeo with the Roku Voice Remote Pro (2nd edition) that comes stock with the Roku Ultra (2024). I was a fan of the remote when I reviewed the Roku Pro Series TV and I’m a fan now.

It’s only different than Roku’s other remotes on close inspection as it keeps the general shape and layout. It has a USB-C port on its butt for charging, which is an upgrade from previous rechargeable remotes that used micro-USB, a form factor I’ve had general reliability issues with. It has a toggle on one side for hands-free voice support (more on that later).

The Roku Voice Remote Pro also has a couple of extra buttons on it. There’s a reprogrammable launch button that can be used if you want a shortcut to launch an app that doesn’t already have a dedicated button on the remote, or to quickly turn on/off closed captions, just for a few examples. There’s also a guide button that launches Roku’s live TV guide channel and four app-specific launch buttons for Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV+, and Prime Video.

My only gripe is that these should all be reprogrammable (in a perfect world) since not everyone is going to be subscribed to those four apps. But my remote complaints start and end there, as the fact that its keypad is backlit – it will automatically light up when you pick it up – is fantastic.

And the Roku hands-free functionality is nice. No longer do I have to press the “listening” button, though it’s still there, to use my voice to navigate the interface. I can just say “Hey Roku, launch Netflix” to launch Netflix. It’s not perfect that you don’t have to be very clear and concise about your requests, but it generally works very well.

As far as voice assistant support goes, the Roku Ultra (2024) is compatible with Roku Smart Home, Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple AirPlay and HomeKit. It also has Bluetooth support so you can pair headphones with it for late-night viewing.

As far as the Roku Ultra (2024)’s performance, Roku advertises its streaming device as “30% faster than any other Roku player.” While the company doesn’t advertise what the CPU is inside or even its speed, it definitely feels very speedy. The fact that it supports Wi-Fi 6, something other Roku streaming players don’t, will in and of itself contribute to the player’s faster response.

I was able to compare the Roku Ultra (2024) to the Roku Streambar for a baseline. Loading the Roku Channel on the Streambar took seven seconds and loading a movie took four. The Roku Ultra (2024) took four seconds to load the same app and one second to load the same movie. Even navigating through Roku’s interface is almost immediate.

There aren’t any holes in what the Roku Ultra (2024) supports as long as you don’t care about a 120Hz refresh rate – none of the external streaming players support that at the moment, however. What you do get is Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, HLG and HDR10/10+. None of the other Roku streaming players support all those formats. The next most expensive one in Roku’s lineup is missing Dolby Atmos, for instance.

Lastly, we need to discuss the interface. To start, setup is easy like it always is with Roku. As long as you know your Wi-Fi password and Roku account password, all you have to do is follow the steps on the screen. Creating a new account or resetting a password (like I had to do) is easy as well. Just make sure to have access to your email for doing so.

If you’ve used previous Roku devices registered to your email and had apps installed also registered to your email, those apps will automatically be installed and logged in once you’re done with the setup.

As far as the interface itself, the main page with all the apps listed is easy to read and as intuitive as an interface could be. Deeper features, settings and such are all listed on the left side, including a few new ones like the dedicated “Sports” page. Getting through those is also intuitive. Everything makes sense in where they’re listed. For instance, when going to the section for remotes and devices, all external devices that you might connect would be listed here, or connected through settings here.

There’s also plenty of Roku-related and free content available for those of us hurting from the ever-increasing app prices. The only slightly annoying thing is the Roku content ads on the right side of the screen or during a screensaver.

I’ve always thought of Roku as a convenience-first company where making products that are easy to interact with is the priority. That’s the case with the Roku Ultra (2024), too, but in this case, performance is also a factor.

Roku Ultra (2024) held in hand showing ports — Ports on the Roku Ultra (2024) include HDMI, USB-A, and Ethernet (Image credit: Future)

Roku Ultra (2024): Price and release date

Price: $99.99 (about £80 / AU$150)
Release date: September 2024

For whatever reason, Roku’s presence outside of the US is somewhat spotty. That means, at the time of writing, those in the UK or Australia will have to just look on in envy (or invest in a capable competitor).

The actual price is $99.99 (about £80 / AU$150) – at the upper price range for most streaming players outside of the Apple TV 4K – though it is already seeing discounts. That’s twice the price of the Roku Streaming Stick 4K, the next most expensive streaming-only player Roku makes (so excluding soundbars and TVs). You’ll have to decide if you care about Wi-Fi 6 support, Dolby Atmos, or the new backlit remote, which are all part of the Ultra package, but not the Streaming Stick 4K.

The new Google TV Streamer (4K) goes for the same price and has the same 4K, Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision, and HDR10+ support, but not Wi-Fi 6 – a probable factor in how speedy these devices function. It does have a redesigned remote from the previous Chromecast players, so it’s to be seen how it compares to the new remote from Roku.

Of course, you can go a little cheaper and still keep most of the same support for HDR10+, Dolby Vision and Atmos with the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2023), though Atmos is only available on select services. While it is cheaper at $59.99 / £69.99 / AU$119 (not including its many discounts), its OS is a bit heavy on Amazon Prime material, including a bunch of related ads, so keep that in mind with the price difference.

Roku Ultra (2024) remote held in hand — The rechargeable remote features a toggle button that lets you select the streamer's hands-free voice command option (Image credit: Future)

Should you buy the Roku Ultra (2024)?

Buy it if...

You want a really cool remote
I raved about it with the Roku Pro Series TV and I’ll rave about it here. The new remote is worth the extra cost, from the backlighting to the reprogrammable buttons to the “find my remote” feature.

You want speed
Whether it’s the Wi-Fi 6 support or some upgraded processor that Roku keeps under wraps, this is a speedy streaming player. You won’t have to wait for your favorite apps, shows, or movies to load.

You want support for all formats
Most streaming players support 4K at 60Hz these days. But only the more premium ones support HDR10+, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. And many don’t support all three, but the Roku Ultra (2024) does.

Don't buy it if...

You’re looking for a discreet streaming player
It’s not all that big, but it’s not going to tuck away the way a stick-type player will. If you want to go as minimal as you can, Roku’s Streaming Stick 4K or the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2023) are almost as capable.

You’re looking to save money
The cost of the Roku Ultra (2024) is really not that high. It is, however, still on the higher end when it comes to streaming players. You can find capable options at less than half the price.

Roku Ultra (2024): Also consider

Apple TV 4K (2022)
Apple’s streamer has a similar box form factor and an equally zippy and responsive interface that’s easy to browse and doesn’t saturate you with ads. It’s recommended mainly for Apple fans and offers multiple features that work seamlessly with the company’s other products.

Read our full Apple TV 4K (2022) review

Google TV Streamer (4K)
Priced similarly to the Roku Ultra, the Google TV Streamer (4K) is Google’s update on its Chromecast streaming players, pumped with faster processing, 32GB of storage, and support for Dolby Vision and Atmos, HDR10+, and 4K. It doesn’t have support for WiFi 6E, unfortunately.

Read about the Google TV Streamer (4K)

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2023)
If you prefer the type of streaming player that’s a bit more discreet, the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2023) is of the stick variety, as the name suggests, so it hides behind your TV. It’s still fast with Wi-Fi 6E, not to mention 16GB of storage and Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and Dolby Atmos support. It is very Prime-centric, however, and shows ads for Prime content every time it’s on idle.

Read our full Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2023) review

Roku Ultra (2024) remote held in hand with TV in background — Luna gaming on the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2023) (Image credit: Future)

How I tested the Roku Ultra (2024)

Used regularly for several weeks
Tested with all sorts of apps
Tested the remote

I used the Roku Ultra (2024) regularly for several weeks. I used it with Roku content, popular third-party content like Max, as well as free offerings from the company. I also spent time using the remote and its various functions.

I’ve tested a lot of tech gear over the years from laptops to keyboards and speakers, and so have been able to use my expertise towards giving an honest and fair opinion, not to mention a critical eye, to any product I test.

Anker Nebula Mars 3: two-minute review

If you’ve been looking for a projector you can wow your friends with, the Anker Nebula Mars 3 might be the one. Despite looking like a monster-sized flashlight, the Nebula Mars 3 is a portable projector designed for use both on the go and at home. To that end, it has a built-in battery that lets it operate at full brightness for upwards of two hours, plus the Android TV smart TV platform for streaming and fairly beefy speakers, though they regrettably play in mono. It’s well constructed, and works effectively, letting you set it down and get up and running quickly.

Where the Anker Nebula Mars 3 really impresses is its brightness, which knocks it out of the park compared to most other battery powered examples of the best portable projectors. It’s not enough to challenge daylight, but it’ll sizzle at night. At just over $1,000, it has competition, and you can also find 4K models around that price, though few have the portability on offer here. You can also get better color from triple-laser options like the LG CineBeam Q or JMGO N1S Pro, albeit at a lower brightness for the LG and no on-the-go use for the JMGO.

If you’re planning to do most of your viewing at home, it’s probably worth getting a projector that skips the battery and puts more effort into picture quality. But if you want a robust all-in-one theater you can tote anywhere, the Anker Nebula Mars 3 is a commendable option.

Anker Nebula Mars 3 review: price and release date

Release date: July 2023
Price: $1,099 (around £850 / AU$1,645)

The Anker Nebula Mars 3 launched in 2023 and is now readily available in the US for $1,099. It can occasionally be found for less, however, and was $50 off at the time of writing.

Anker Nebula Mars 3 close up of lens — The Nebula Mars 3 features a sliding lens door and is IPX3 water resistant (Image credit: Future)

Anker Nebula Mars 3 review: Specs

Anker Nebula Mars 3 with hand opening ports cover — The Nebula Mars 3's rear-panel ports cover and flashlight feature (Image credit: Future)

Anker Nebula Mars 3 review: design and features

Built for portability and durability
Convenient on-device controls
Built-in speakers and Android TV operating system

The Anker Nebula Mars 3 follows Anker’s Nebula series design language, bearing considerable resemblance to the Nebula Cosmos 4K SE projector. That said, there are considerable differences that make the Nebula Mars 3 stand out.

This model is built for more of a rough-and-tumble, on-the-go lifestyle. It features a hardened case that can withstand half-meter drops and has IPX3 water resistance. The front has a sliding lens cover and the rear includes a rubber cover over the ports. A sizable, hard handle stretches across the top of the projector, extending from the front to the back. While it includes a remote control, the handle also has built-in controls for volume and navigation of the projector’s onboard operating system. Neither of these control options is quite perfect though, as the remote is fairly limited in what you can access with a single press and the built-in buttons lack many of the typical controls for navigating the projector’s Android TV smart TV interface.

A key part of the portable nature of the Anker Nebula Mars 3 is its ability to operate outdoors. To that end, the projector integrates a beefy battery geared up to run for anywhere from 2 hours at full blast to 5 hours in a dimmer Eco mode. To help you keep track of power, the handle has a ring of lights that display battery level. The projector can also double as a Bluetooth speaker or a flashlight. A three-speaker built-in audio system resides near the front. It can pump out a good deal of sound, though only in mono and the dynamics are fairly weak. Meanwhile, an LED light bar sits along the rear, stretching out above a large exhaust vent and below the port cover.

Since the Anker Nebula Mars 3 isn’t designed to have a permanent home, it has a small, adjustable stand underneath to help angle it up at projection surfaces wherever it’s ultimately set up. It also features a quick and effective system for automatically adjusting image focus, keystone, and framing.

The projector’s Android TV 11 smart TV system is a little dated, but still effective as a streaming platform. Like many other projectors, though, it doesn’t get the Play Store version of Netflix, instead relying on a sideloaded version that offers a generally sub-par experience. If you’re off the grid and don’t have internet, the projector has a USB-A port and supports local media playback.

To upgrade the audio experience, you can wire it up to external powered speakers using the AUX port or wirelessly pair it to a Bluetooth speaker.

Design and features score: 4/5

Anker Nebula Mars 3 Android TV interface projected on screen — The Android TV platform is used by the Nebula Mars 3 for streaming (Image credit: Future)

Anker Nebula Mars 3 review: picture quality

Good, but not exceptional picture
Decent color and detail
Enough battery power for a 2-hour-plus movie

The Anker Nebula Mars 3 features an LED DLP projection system rated for 1,000 lumens and 1080p resolution. That’s about what should be expected from a projector sitting at around $1,000.

Anker’s battery powered portable has a good-looking picture, but not an exceptional one. It isn’t the type of projector you’ll want if you’re viewing in a bright room, since its 1,000 lumens just aren’t enough to handle much ambient light. You might get by if you’re watching bright cartoons, but you really should be viewing with it in a dark space, and that extends to the outdoors as well. Controlling ambient lighting outdoors is even more difficult than indoors, and if you’re expecting a good viewing experience with lots of urban lighting present, you’ll be disappointed. That said, if you’re in a more rural area without much light pollution, the Anker Nebula Mars 3 should provide ample brightness after sunset.

The color you’ll get from the Anker Nebula Mars 3 is decent, but no match for triple-laser portable projectors like the LG CineBeam Q. It doesn’t feel utterly lacking or poorly managed, and a show like Ru Paul’s Drag Race still had plenty of visual spark when I viewed it. Colors have modest vibrance, but just don’t get the same level of pop I’ve seen from HDR-capable projectors reaching toward 100% coverage of the UHDA-P3 color space. The same is true of its resolution. At a projected image size of around 65 inches, the projector's 1080p image looks reasonably crisp, but go far above that and you will seeing more softness unless you sit further back. A larger image will also show an artifact of the projector’s DLP chip, which shows up as noticeable dithering (an effect like writhing small dots) when displaying dark colors over a large portion of the screen.

The projector has a motion smoothing setting buried slightly in the settings menu under the label MEMC that is set to on by default. While it can smooth out certain motions, it creates all sorts of distracting effects, especially in action sequences like those in Gladiator. It’s worth turning off, which results in more natural motion.

Many of the image trade-offs are a result of Anker needing to squeeze a battery in for the $1,099 price. And the battery makes it worth it. At full brightness, the Nebula Mars 3 was able to run for the entirety of a two-hour movie at 50% volume with a little over 20% charge to spare, which let it go for nearly 30 minutes longer. Annoyingly, if you’re nearing the end of your movie or show and the battery power starts to get low, your experience will be thoroughly interrupted by several low-battery warnings in a window that occupies a large portion of the display.

Picture quality score: 3/5

Anker Nebula Mars 3 on table with remote control and toy for scale — A remote control is included, and there are also controls located on the projector's handle (Image credit: Future)

Anker Nebula Mars 3 review: value

Great for portable use
Brighter than other compact portables
Better options for picture quality, but not portability

The Anker Nebula Mars 3 is an interesting package. It’s not a great home theater projector for the money, as there are far more appealing options available in the same ballpark. But it’s an overall decent projector and a powerful portable one. The Nebula Mars 3 is quick to set up, and can run for hours at a time. It’s a knockout next to something like the Samsung The Freestyle 2nd Gen, which has a portable setup with an optional battery pack but isn’t nearly as bright.

A competent projector you can bring anywhere and easily get up and running is something special, and the Anker Nebula Mars 3 nails the concept. It’s built to withstand surprises and has clever elements (like the lens cover and waterproofing) that let you easily grab it and go without worrying about a protective case.

Value score: 4/5

Anker Nebula Mars 3 close up of handle controls — The carrying handle control buttons (Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Anker Nebula Mars 3?

Anker Nebula Mars 3 beaming image on screen — (Image credit: Future)

Buy it if...

You want an easy on-the-go projector: The key feature of the Anker Nebula Mars 3 is its ability to operate just about anywhere. Its handle is ready for travel and its battery lets it run for upwards of 2 hours at full brightness.

You’re rough with your gadgets: The Nebula Mars 3 isn’t indestructible, but it‘s a good deal more durable than other projectors. With hardware that can withstand 0.5-meter drops and rain, you can be a little more rough with this device.

You’re outdoorsy: The Nebula Mars 3 isn’t just a projector. It has a lamp that can come in handy at a campsite, and if you're not watching something, the built-in speaker can serve as a Bluetooth speaker. You can even use it as a power source for charging other electronics.

Don’t buy it if…

You’re never taking it outdoors: The Nebula Mars 3 is decent, but not exceptional when it comes to home theater viewing. You can easily get a cheaper projector with equivalent picture quality.

You want a really big, bright picture: The Nebula Mars 3’s 1080p resolution and 1,000 lumens brightness don’t really cut it for big-screen viewing unless you’re not picky about picture detail and have a dark viewing space.

You want great built-in sound: The Nebula Mars 3 has some hard limits when it comes to audio. Its built-in speakers are regrettably mono and there’s no optical digital or eARC ports to tap into higher-quality sound devices.

Also consider...

LG CineBeam Q
The CineBeam Q is absolutely tiny next to the Anker Nebula Mars 3, and it’s nowhere near as bright, but benefits from a far more colorful projection system, 4K visuals, and a much better streaming platform. For viewing in the dark, it can work wonders.

Read our full LG CineBeam Q review

Samsung The Freestyle 2nd Gen
Samsung’s The Freestyle 2nd Gen is a smaller, somewhat cheaper alternative, though that depends on any discounts. It has greater portability size-wise, but requires an external battery pack. Next to the Anker Nebula Mars 3, it’s kind of a toy projector.

Read our full Samsung The Freestyle 2nd Gen review

Xgimi Horizon Ultra
The Xgimi Horizon Ultra is just about as compact, but isn’t portable. Instead, you get a much higher class of home theater projector. It’s stylish, bright, colorful, and just an altogether more competent machine for more static setups.

Read our full Xgimi Horizon Ultra review

Anker Nebula Mars 3 auto focus test pattern — (Image credit: Future)

How I tested the Anker Nebula Mars 3

Tested at home in multiple, real-world viewing conditions
Presented the display with a variety of media and formats
I have tested numerous projectors and displays over the last half-decade

I tested the Anker Nebula Mars 3 at home, in real-world conditions. This saw it faced with ambient light coming in from numerous windows, in-room lighting, as well as ambient noise that both the projector and speaker systems had to overcome. The projector was tested both against a bare, white wall and an Akia Screens CineWhite screen. It was presented with streamed content, both HDR and non-HDR.

My testing evaluates the projector’s performance with respect to its price and competition from other models I and colleagues at TechRadar have tested.

I have been testing projectors since 2021 and displays for even longer.

First reviewed: November, 2024

Read TechRadar's review guarantee

Sonos Arc Ultra review: the best one-box Dolby Atmos soundbar for the price, with one grating flaw

9:00 pm | November 9, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Soundbars Televisions | Tags: Dolby Atmos, DTS, HDMI, TV | Comments: Off

Sonos Arc Ultra review: Two minute review

The Sonos Arc Ultra is the new flagship in Sonos’ soundbar line-up, and it takes everything that was good about the original Arc and cranks it up to the next level. Better Dolby Atmos effects, better bass, better speech clarity, better connectivity.

The Sonos Arc Ultra is a huge step up for music quality over the original Sonos Arc, and while it’s less of a jump up from the original with movies, it’s still a clear and obvious improvement, and ranks among the best soundbars.

Is it worth upgrading from the original Sonos Arc? I think that’ll depend on how much of a cinephile you are; I really appreciated the improved sound balance and the clearer speech, and the obvious improvement to Dolby Atmos effects positioning, and found it hard to go back – but the original Sonos Arc is no slouch, and more casual viewers may find the difference to feel less essential.

The Sonos Arc Ultra keeps the original’s biggest flaw, which is not having any HDMI passthrough port in an era when HDMI ports are becoming a bit of a premium, and effectively all its key rivals offer this. The lack of DTS is also a shame, but won’t be a big problem for most people. I still thoroughly recommend the Sonos Arc Ultra, but it just may not be the best fit for your setup because of its HDMI limitation.

For those wondering about Sonos’ app, I had no problems setting it up, playing with different configurations, and changing settings.

I’m reviewing the Sonos Arc Ultra as a single soundbar here, though I have tested it with the Sub 4 and rear speakers, and I’ll talk about that experience too.

I think the Sonos Arc Ultra gives you the best cinematic experience you can get from a single-unit soundbar for under $1000 / £1000. However, in the UK, you can get the Samsung HW-Q990D for around the same price during sales events, and if you’re happy having a four-box surround system, you’ll get a far more immersive experience. And Sony’s Bravia Theater Bar 9 is a key competitor around the world – it's a single-box soundbar like the Arc Ultra, but it offers the missing HDMI port, and with 4K 120Hz support, no less. It officially costs a lot more than the Sonos Arc Ultra, but sales season discounts bring it down to around the same price. It’s even bigger than the Arc Ultra, though.

Sonos Arc Ultra in front of a 55-inch TV — (Image credit: Future)

Sonos Arc Ultra review: Price & release date

Released on October 29, 2024
Priced at $999 / £999 / AU$1,799

The Sonos Arc Ultra is priced pretty well at $999 / £999 / AU$1,799, considering that other flagship one-box soundbars can be far higher, such as the $2,399 / £1,990 / AU$3,999 Devialet Dione, or the $1,399 / £1,399 / AU$1,795 of the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 9.

Obviously, it's not cheap, and you can find the Samsung HW-Q800D for significantly less, but that's not a one-box soundbar, and building high-quality sound into a single unit that isn't huge (which the Devialet Dione especially is) is hard. For a premium soundbar, the Arc Ultra is competitive.

Sonos Arc Ultra review: Specs

Sonos Arc Ultra showing the Sonos logo

The Sonos Arc Ultra features the first use of Sonos' Sound Motion driver tech. (Image credit: Future)

Sonos Arc Ultra review: Features

9.1.4 speaker channels, with Sound Motion bass driver
All Sonos' usual special skills, plus Bluetooth
Dolby Atmos support, but no DTS

Much like the original Sonos Arc, this is a Dolby Atmos soundbar with HDMI eARC connectivity, Sonos multi-room wireless support, and optional voice control from Alexa or Sonos’ own more limited voice assistant.

The biggest new feature is the Sound Motion driver, which delivers big bass performance from a small speaker, and a generally improved speaker setup that now promises 9.1.4 channels of sound, compared to 5.0.2 from the original Sonos Arc.

There’s also Bluetooth connectivity in the Arc Ultra, which is a first for a Sonos soundbar, but is now standard on the best Sonos speakers at last, including the recent Sonos Era 100 and Sonos Era 300.

Naturally, the Sonos Arc Ultra works with Sonos’ Sub options (including the new Sub 4 as well as older models) and you can connect it to rear speakers for a real surround sound setup. The Arc Ultra is the first Sonos soundbar that doesn’t work with the Sonos Play:1 or Play:5 speakers – but it still works with Sonos One, Sonos Five, the Era models, or with two wired speakers connected to a Sonos Amp.

Sonos’ TruePlay room-tuning tech is here, and it’s finally available on Android in a new ‘quick’ version, which is also available on iOS. This new version will probably be preferable for a lot of people because it’s much easier. It uses the Arc Ultra’s own mic array to test your room using a series of pet-alarming tones, to adjust the system’s sound for better precision and Dolby Atmos surround effects. On iOS, it still asked me to hold my phone where I sit for a set of measurements there first, which is what the full TruePlay system does – but then I didn’t have to walk around the room waving my phone up and down.

The biggest flaw in the Sonos Arc is the lack of any HDMI passthrough ports. Most premium soundbars have more than one HDMI port – one to connect to your TV, and then at least one other that passes video through to your TV, so that you don’t lose the use of one of your HDMI ports for connecting consoles or other video boxes. This is doubly annoying in the majority of TV models available today, which only have two HDMI 2.1 ports for 4K 120Hz support at most, and the HDMI eARC is usually one of those ports, so you’re losing one of the most important ports. (Many LG and Samsung TVs have four HDMI 2.1 ports, so this is less of a problem, and in 2025 far more TVs will have four HDMI 2.1 ports thanks to a new chip from MediaTek – but that doesn’t help TVs today.)

Even ignoring the type of ports, four video devices is not an uncommon amount for people to want to connect to a TV here in 2024, and yet if you have the Sonos Arc Ultra, you can only connect three.

It’s so frustrating, given that it was a complaint I had about the original Sonos Arc when that launched in 2020. I’ve spoken to Sonos about the topic, and the company’s stance has been that HDMI passthrough adds complexity and it wants its soundbars to be as simple as possible. But that only holds true if someone doesn’t then have to deal with the headache of what a good solution is if they want to connect more devices than they have ports free, once the Arc Ultra is connected. I think Sonos has simply off-loaded the complexity to users. With an HDMI passthrough port, I’d have been seriously looking at giving the Arc Ultra a five-star rating overall.

The other notable issue is a lack of DTS decoding. This is not a big problem if your TV or playback device will decode DTS-HD to LPCM, as many will. I had a great time playing DTS-HD Blu-rays while testing the Sonos Arc, and getting the big, powerful, high-quality sound I was expecting. The lack of DTS:X is the more annoying part for purists, especially with it now used on Disney Plus for some movies, but it really isn’t a dealbreaker for the vast majority of people.

The Sonos Arc Ultra works with the audio-swap feature of the Sonos Ace headphones, so you can watch anything that plays on your TV with great spatial audio on the headphones to avoid disturbing others in the house – our Sonos Ace review has more on how well that works, but it’s not affected by the Sonos Arc Ultra's performance, so I won’t go into it here.

Features score: 4 / 5

Sonos Arc Ultra with Sonos Sub 4 and Sonos Era 300 speakers — I tested the Arc Ultra on its own, and with Sonos' complete Dolby Atmos setup. (Image credit: Future)

Sonos Arc Ultra review: Performance

Excellent dynamic range
Very strong Dolby Atmos effect
Very clear speech and detail

In my opinion, the Sonos Arc Ultra is the best-sounding single-box soundbar you can get for under $1,000 / £1,000. It delivers fulsome balance and exciting sound with clear speech, and superb height and width. The Devialet Dione maybe does this all better as a single-unit soundbar, but at around twice the price and twice the size, it’s a harder sell in several ways.

Dolby Atmos surround effects don’t seem like they’re coming from behind you, inevitably, but they do feel like they reach you when there are movement effects in particular. Height channels have motion and precision, despite being part virtual – Sonos claims four channels of overhead sound, but there are only two drivers, with the width drivers combining with the height drivers for a sense of four channels, and it works well.

Sound is layered very impressively in Dolby Atmos, with a sense of 3D positioning across the whole space in front of you.

Everything is an improvement over the original Sonos Arc. It’s not quite night and day, but it’s a clear step up anyway. That especially goes for speech clarity and Dolby Atmos effects in movies, with everything feeling just more expansive and more in the room than from the older soundbar.

I tried Sonos’ new and upgraded speech enhancement tools for the Arc Ultra, and they’re very effective, but they affect the sound balance (as do all such tools), and I found that I really didn’t need them anyway on the Arc Ultra. It’s a bit unoriginal to say that the speech in Christopher Nolan movies is hard to hear, but I tested the old and new Arc with them, and there was a big jump in legibility on the Arc Ultra that meant they really weren’t hard to follow any more (generally).

Surprisingly, the new bass driver didn’t create that big an effect compared to the original Sonos Arc in movies that already ramp up the bass, but it does help to make the sound feel fuller in general. It makes the bass that the Arc Ultra can generate better connected through to the mid-range, so the overall balance in low-end-heavy scenes is stronger – and just excellent overall. There’s a good dispersal of the bass so that it doesn’t feel too directional, and the impact is really pleasing for such a relatively compact soundbar.

The Sound Motion bass speaker did really jump out during music though. This actually was a night and day difference from the original Arc, with a massive improvement across the whole frequency range. For music, the original Arc sounded unclear and subdued compared to the Arc Ultra at the same volume. Having said that, I would still put the Arc Ultra essentially on par for music quality with the Sonos Era 300, which is half the price. It’s easier to fill out that sound when you can be thick and tall, unlike a soundbar.

Sonos Arc Ultra viewed from the side — (Image credit: Future)

Running TruePlay tuning helps the Dolby Atmos and finer details to come through more clearly, so I absolutely recommend it. There wasn’t a clear difference between the quick version and the full version in my setup, so as I mentioned above, the quick version should be all that most people need to bother with.

To repeat myself from the start of this section, I think the Arc Ultra delivers the best-value cinematic experience from a single-box soundbar. It’s the best combination of a demure design, effective sound reproduction and 3D effects, and a reasonable price given what it can do. More expensive soundbars may do better, but the audio package here is excellent.

I’m reviewing it as a single unit for all the scores here, but I also tested it with a Sub 4 and Era 300 speakers in Sonos’ full-power ultimate system. I also tested it with a Sub 4 only, and then slotted it and the Sub 4 into my existing setup using my Sonos One rear speakers.

Make no mistake – despite the Sound Motion tech being very impressive for bass, the Sub 4 adds a whole new dimension of bass you can feel, in frequencies the soundbar alone simply can’t touch. You will literally get more from your movies with a big sub, though obviously for a premium of $799 / £799.

In the full elite surround mode, with Era 300 units behind as well, you can really feel the overall power of the system. Even with one sub (you can connect a second to more fully spread the bass around) you can feel the power of the low frequencies everywhere, with excellent fullness through to the mid-range, and a clear separation of higher frequencies from that mix. It’s a really well-connected whole system, and testing against the Samsung HW-Q990C, I say you get a more satisfying overall sound profile from the Sonos setup. However, not by that much, considering you’ll pay a lot more for the Sonos system – it kind of proves why Samsung’s top-end soundbars are five-star products among the best Dolby Atmos soundbars. Still, for those with the ear, I think the Sonos system’s sound is superior.

Even with my Sonos Ones as rear speakers, I felt like I was getting a different sound profile from the rears (post TruePlay) than with my Sonos Arc and Sub Mini that I usually have. They felt punchier and with a little more bass added to them, perhaps to match the broader sound profile the bar is capable of compared to the original Arc. I feel that swapping the Arc for the Arc Ultra in my setup would be an upgrade, albeit one that I would enjoy as someone who’s obsessive over sound and setups – perhaps someone more casual about home theater wouldn’t find it to be as good value.

Performance score: 5 / 5

Sonos Arc Ultra volume control close-up — The concave volume control matches other recent Sonos releases. (Image credit: Future)

Sonos Arc Ultra review: Design

Very well made and subtle
Some key buttons hidden at the back
Shorter but wider than original Arc

The Sonos Arc Ultra is 18% smaller by volume than the original Sonos Arc, according to Sonos, and this manifests in it being less tall (which is very welcome) and less deep (also welcome for those with chunky TV stands, though it’s still somewhat deep because it has a chunky bar across the back). However, it’s actually wider than the Sonos Arc. It’s still good for TVs of 55 inches and up, though, and the shorter height can make a real difference with some TVs.

It comes in black and white, and the overall look is very simple and classy. A hard, curved grille covers the entire thing, and it’s good at just disappearing into the room, which is what most people will want. The new design seems to pick up fingerprints worse than the old one, so be warned if you’re fastidious and have handsy kids.

The button for activating Bluetooth pairing mode is on the back, which is inconvenient for a soundbar, especially if it’s wall-mounted. You can pair from the Sonos app instead, but it would be better still if the Bluetooth button was on top, for maximum flexibility – especially since the button layout here was redesigned anyway, including moving volume over to the right, for whatever reason. In the middle, you still have buttons to play/pause, and skip tracks.

The switch to kill the voice control mics is also on the back, and is turned on by default, so the privacy conscious should remember to hit this before getting it situated. Also on the back is an Ethernet port, and then the power and HDMI ports are on the sides of the bit port cutaway on the rear – just like the original Arc.

The Arc Ultra is wall-mountable and works on the same mounts as the original Arc, which is nice for upgraders – though some of the mount may be visible, due to the change in size.

Design score: 4 / 5

Sonos Arc Ultra rear, showing the mount and recessed connections. — The connections are all in that recessed area. (Image credit: Future)

Sonos Arc Ultra review: Setup & usability

Use Sonos app to get started
TruePlay is now easier, and very useful
Once connected to the TV, very little effort needed

If you have read or watched anything about recent Sonos releases, you will have seen strong opinions about the new Sonos app. We can’t post a video covering Sonos without a cascade of comments saying no one should ever buy Sonos again because of the state of the software. At launch, earlier in 2024, the app was missing a lot of features, and a lot of people had problems accessing or making changes to their systems.

At the time of writing this review, Sonos says that it has added 90% of the missing features back in, and is still committed to updates every two weeks to address bugs and performance while adding the remainder of the features.

I had no problems at all setting up the Arc Ultra at home through the app, making the settings adjustments I needed, and then adding/breaking multiple different surround setups while I tested different configurations of Sonos setups.

I did have trouble setting the surround system up in our office testing rooms, where the connection between the components would drop regularly – but this is pretty common on our office Wi-Fi outside of Sonos. I’ve had a problem getting Samsung’s soundbars to connect to register on the SmartThings app, and it can be difficult with smart home tech, so I don’t blame Sonos for this – but it’s only fair to note it if I’m going to dig into the experience. At home, on my normal mesh router setup, I had no problems at all.

The usability of Sonos’ soundbars continues to be a slightly mixed bag – I think if you designed an app for controlling a soundbar as its first priority, rather than playing music as its first priority, you probably wouldn’t bury settings like the Speech Enhancement that far down in the settings.

I’d love to see Sonos change how it approaches its Now Playing screen when you’re connected to HDMI, so it puts more emphasis on making settings available to you instead of a lack of artwork.

But setting it up was smooth, and most people won’t need to go back into the app, especially if you won’t connect other devices. As I mentioned, I found the speech clear enough without using the enhancement, and I didn’t think the EQ needed adjustment. TruePlay will be suggested as part of the setup too, and it worked with my remote (over HDMI-CEC, but infrared is also enabled by default) out of the box with no tinkering required.

Setup & usability score: 4 / 5

Sonos Arc Ultra with Sub 4 — The Sonos Arc Ultra with the Sub 4. (Image credit: Future)

Sonos Arc Ultra review: Value

Premium, but competitive price
As good sound as you can get for the price
Surround-ready products available around the same price

The Sonos Arc Ultra isn’t cheap, but if you want powerful, expansive, clear Dolby Atmos sound from a single inoffensively-designed soundbar, you can’t do better for the price – as long as you’re not tight on HDMI ports.

You can get a full surround setup for a similar price to this, but the core Sonos Arc Ultra is designed for people who don’t want to deal with having four boxes including a hefty subwoofer. And I think it’s the best, most cinematic single box you can add to your TV for the price, making it very strong value.

But as I say, if you’re already filling your HDMI ports, that value is harmed, because the Arc Ultra may create a new problem for you. For the price, it should really offer you the solution.

Value score: 4 / 5

Should I buy the Sonos Arc Ultra?

Buy it if...

You want the best sound from a single-unit soundbar
At this price, and without extra satellite speakers, nothing beats what the Sonos Arc Ultra can do.

You want clearer speech and Dolby Atmos cinematic effects
The Arc Ultra is a big step up over the Arc for dialogue, and boosts Dolby Atmos positioning skill at the same time.

You want Sonos' extra skills
Part of a multi-room music system? Check. The ability to add other speakers in the future to improve the sound? Check. TruePlay room tuning? Sound check.

Don't buy it if...

You're short on HDMI ports
No HDMI passthrough really could be a dealbreaker.

You want the best value sound and could have more than one box
The Sonos Arc Ultra is very good value for a one-box system, but if you can live with more hardware, you can get bigger sound for the price.

You're a home theater purist about DTS
Sonos' continued lack of DTS support will irk those those with physical media in DTS:X.

Sonos Arc Ultra review: Also consider

Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8
We didn't rave about this soundbar overall in our Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 review, but it's cheaper than the Sonos Arc Ultra and offers 4K 120Hz HDMI passthrough, so it might be the most practical option for some people – or its more expensive sibling, the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 9 is the beefier-sounding option, but is pricier than the Sonos.

Sonos Beam 2
Want to go even more compact and have Sonos' options for expansion? The Beam 2 delivers surprisingly full sound for such a compact soundbar, and supports Dolby Atmos, but not with anything like the effectiveness of the Arc Ultra. But it's half the price, so swings and roundabouts – definitely read our Sonos Beam 2 review if you want to know more.

Samsung HW-Q990D
Look, if you can find this full Dolby Atmos surround system for close to the Sonos Arc Ultra's price, know that it will give you a truly mind-blowing Dolby Atmos home theater experience – as long as you can live with four boxes instead of one. We gave it five stars in our Samsung HW-Q990D review.

How I tested the Sonos Arc Ultra

Sonos Arc Ultra with original Arc in front of a TV — The Arc Ultra sitting on top of the original Arc. I didn't test it like that, obviously… (Image credit: Future)

Tested over a week
Tested at home, in my usual setup
Tested with Sonos surround configurations

For the crucial portion of this review, I used the Sonos Arc Ultra at home, in the same setup where I usually use the original Sonos Arc, so I had a good point of direct comparison. I directly compared the sound of the two bars to gauge the difference, but mostly I just used the Sonos Arc Ultra for my normal viewing, which included 4K Blu-rays and streaming. I listened in both lossless quality and compressed, as well as in Dolby Atmos, regular 5.1 surround sound, and in stereo.

As mentioned above, I tested the Sonos Arc Ultra on its own mainly, but also tried it with the Sub 4, and then with the Sub 4 and different Sonos rear speaker options.

I also tested a Sonos surround setup for a short time compared to the Samsung HW-Q990C in TechRadar's TV testing rooms. On our corporate Wi-Fi systems, I had connections problems that meant I couldn't do longer-term comparisons; at home, I use a Google Nest Home mesh Wi-Fi system and had no problems with the Sonos app or network connectivity.

First reviewed: November 2024
Read more about how we test

Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE review: this well-priced 4K smart projector just rocketed its way to the top of my wishlist

2:00 pm | October 27, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Theater Projectors Televisions | Tags: LED, TV, UK, US | Comments: Off

Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE: two-minute review

The Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE is a laser and LED smart projector capable of projecting 4K Dolby-Vision-enhanced imagery up to 200 inches. It was first released in the US, followed by the UK in August and September 2024 for a list price of $1,299.99 / £1,299.99.

It's cheaper than its predecessor, the Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K, which has an extra 400 ANSI lumens of brightness, and a full laser light source, compared to the 4K SEs laser and LED HybridBeam. The Nebula Cosmos 4K SE has plenty to boast about though, with Google TV built-in, offering effortless access to popular streaming apps like Netflix and Disney+, and many other useful apps, as one would expect from Google. There’s decent support for external content too, with HDMI and USB-C ports making it simple to connect a disc drive or laptop.

The Nebula Cosmos 4K SE has a stated brightness of 1,800 ANSI lumens – this is some way short of most of the best 4K projectors. Our testing didn’t provide results to get excited about, with measurements taken including 122 nits peak brightness, which wasn’t radically different from the BenQ v5000i, and grayscale accuracy of 8, plus a color accuracy of 3.4.

Coverage of the UHDA-P3 color gamut came in at 88.9%, with BT.2020 reading 76.3%. The input lag measured up, with 35ms of lag in Game Mode Standard, and 18.5ms in Game Mode Extreme.

A close-up of the lens and sensors on the front of the projector. — (Image credit: Future)

Real-time autofocus, auto keystone correction, and auto screen fit worked well when projected onto small targets, but I found I had to manually alter the four keystone points to get the image to sit centrally (just about) on my 100-inch screen. I could only watch at 60 inches, as I lacked the space to have the projector the required 7.8ft / 2.4 meters away from the screen. If you have your heart set on getting the full movie theatre experience without having to shell out on a house extension, I’d recommend taking a look at our pick of the Best ultra short throw projectors instead.

When it comes to the performance of the contrast and brightness when watching content, darker scenes in movies and TV shows with a dark aesthetic were plagued by pixelated grays where darker areas would otherwise be visible while watching on a TV. This isn’t entirely uncommon for projectors, as producing dense blacks is naturally difficult given how the image is generated, but I can’t say that it didn’t subtract from the otherwise fabulous viewing experience. Scenes in Damsel and Prometheus in particular showcased the Cosmos 4K SE’s ability to deliver stunningly vivid color and intricate details, no doubt thanks to the addition of Dolby Vision. This, along with the two built-in 15-watt Dolby-Audio-enabled speakers made watching movies and series with this projector a satisfyingly immersive experience. You can read further details about this in the Picture Quality section below.

In a nutshell, provided you have the space to achieve the screen size you want, you’re happy watching content in little more than a dim light, and you have the space to place this chonky example of a portable projector, I’d highly recommend the Nebula Cosmos 4K SE.

A close up of the silicone-lined handle. — (Image credit: Future)

Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE review: price and availability

List price: $1,299.99 / £1,299.99
Available in the US and the UK
Released in August / September 2024

The Nebula Cosmos 4K SE became available in the US in August 2024, followed by the UK in September 2024, at a list price of $1,299.99 / £1,299.99. Apart from the Amazon Prime Day sales, when it dropped to $999 / £999, which Anker matched on the Nebula website, the cost of the Nebula Cosmos 4K SE looks to have remained at its usual price. At the time of writing, the Cosmos 4K SE is not available in Australia.

While unlikely to be a spontaneous purchase at this price, the Nebula Cosmos 4K SE is still miles cheaper than all but one in our choice of the best 4K projectors.

Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE review: specs

Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE review: design and features

Google TV built-in
Large but technically portable
Efficient auto-correction and calibration features

The Nebula Cosmos 4K SE just about classes as portable, though it is a bit of a chonk, weighing in at 4.5kg /9.9lb, and with dimensions of 10.4 x 8.7 x 6.5 inches / 264 x 221 x 165mm. I was able to pick it up and carry it about, but I had to be careful about it. It would be even more of a hassle if it wasn't for the helpful, and comfortable silicone inbuilt handle that protrudes from the top of the projector body.

This projector is solely mains-powered, with no built-in battery or compatible battery pack. So while you might be able to carry it outside, you'll need to have access to a suitable power outlet for al fresco viewing.

The Nebula Cosmos 4K SE uses its HybridBeam, which is a combo of laser and LED, to generate images with up to a specified 1,800 ANSI lumens of brightness. The auto screen adjustment, auto keystone, and autofocus features did a great job of projecting images that were rectangular and crisp for the most part, especially when projecting onto smaller targets, which for me in particular was the wall space next to my bed. However, I found I was limited to just 60 inches when trying to watch on my 100-inch screen. This forced me to make use of the four-point manual keystone correction, as the Cosmos 4K SE insisted on fixing the 60-inch projection to the upper-left corner of the screen each time, which looked all kinds of wrong. After some investigating, I learned that the 4K SE needs to be at least 7.8 feet / 2.4 meters away from the target to project at 90 inches or above. I was using the projector in quite a large room, so this seems fairly limiting.

A close-up of the lense and the depth sensor. — (Image credit: Future)

Anker claims that it’s possible to watch a 60-inch projection in a well-lit room with windows and indirect daylight, but unfortunately, I must disagree. The issues I’ve already mentioned regarding the contrast and black density were when watching in darkness. When I tried to watch with additional light sources any stronger than the colorful LED strips behind my TV, this contrast issue got worse, and anything more than very dim sunlight made it very difficult to see most of what was going on in whatever I was watching.

Having a light source in the room also plays havoc with the Wall Color Calibration feature, which is intended to alter the coloring of the projection so that it still looks correct regardless of the color of the wall you’re projecting against. I tested this out in our TechRadar music room, which is painted a deep teal color. When I tried this with some indirect sunlight coming from the small window far over to the right on the same wall I was projecting onto, the “color corrected” image had an off-putting blue tint to it. When I repeated the calibration with the lights off, it worked perfectly, and I was really impressed.

The Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE's remote control sits on a stone-effect surface with a pink background. — (Image credit: Future)

I found the Nebula Cosmos 4K SE easy to control thanks to the backlit remote control's handy voice assistant feature, as I could ask Google to whisk me straight to the content I wanted. The Nebula Connect app also worked well as a remote control, too.

I love that the Nebula Cosmos 4K SE comes with Google TV built-in, as in my experience it has proven to be the most efficient Android TV OS by far. As expected, it provides access to all of the popular streaming apps like Netflix, Disney Plus, Prime Video, and Apple TV, plus easy access to YouTube, naturally. It's simple to access content from external sources too, thanks to the USB-C input and the two HDMI ports, one of which is a HDMI 2.1 (eARC), supporting 4K visuals at 60 hertz, with lossless transmission.

When it comes to audio output, the Nebula Cosmos 4K SE has two built-in 15-watt speakers enabled with Dolby Audio. I didn't observe any issues with the sound quality during my testing, I was very satisfied with the quality. I would have picked up quite quickly if there were any issues that a typical user would notice – I've tested a lot of Bluetooth speakers in my time so I will spot from a mile off poor clarity or if the bass and treble are below par.

Design score: 4/5

Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE review: picture quality

Beautifully vivid color
Disappointing lack of contrast
Immersive cinematic experience

When I got my hands on the Cosmos 4K SE, I was really excited to try it out. I'd previously tested the Nebula Mars 3 Air back in my freelancing days, which I loved, so I was expecting big things from the 4K SE.

After letting it warm up for an hour, myself and my colleague James conducted tests to evaluate the projector's capabilities. The peak brightness, when viewing in Movie Mode and measured on a white 10% window pattern, was 122 nits in SDR, which isn't far off the peak brightness reading we got for the more expensive BenQ v5000i, and 119 in HDR, surpassing the reading we got for the BenQ.

The color performance figures that resulted from our testing didn't blow me away, but at this price and for casual viewing, I can forgive the Cosmos 4K SE for this. The projector achieved a Grayscale accuracy of 8, and a 3.4 for color accuracy, which was just a whisker off our target level of 3.

Coverage of the BT.2020 scored 76.3%, and the UHDA-P3 color gamut coverage was also nothing to shout about at 88.9% meaning that, although the colors were satisfyingly vivid, they weren't as rich and varied as those projected by the LG CineBeam Q, which gave an impressive reading of 98.7%. These test figures were obtained while viewing in HDR Movie Mode. The input lag in Game Mode Standard was 35ms, and in Gaming Mode Extreme was 18.5ms, which supports Anker's claims of the 4K SE being low latency with under 19ms of lag and should satisfy the majority of casual gamers.

A close-up of the projector's ports. — (Image credit: Future)

In terms of the brightness and contrast when viewing there were mixed results. In lighter scenes, the whites and colors were satisfyingly bright and dazzling, but the handling of the contrast in dark scenes left a lot to be desired. The first film I watched on the Cosmos 4K SE was Damsel on Netflix, starring Millie Bobby Brown. I can easily jump straight into all the positives, as I was stunned by the beautiful imagery that the projector delivered, but I'll get the negative out of the way first. It was clear fairly early on that there was a contrast issue.

When the main character Elodie enters a dark cave, all detail is lost around her, with stonework being replaced with grey pixelated sections. Achieving a quality deep black can prove difficult for projectors, especially those that don't possess full laser optical technology – with a 238:1 contrast ratio reading from the Cosmos 4K SE, it’s hardly surprising that it didn’t perform brilliantly in this area. Aside from this, there were so many scenes that took advantage of the projector's strengths, likely due to the presence of Dolby Vision. The scenes involving the luminescent grubs and the crystal caves were visually stunning, with the vivid colors and clarity making Damsel a delight to watch.

During the opening sequence of Prometheus, the level of brightness was impressive, as was the color density. The delicate details on the spaceship as it came in to land were visible and clear, as were the pores and veins on the Engineer's face. The level of intricacy in the DNA scenes when the strands were getting affected by the black pathogen highly impressed me too. The scene that really caught my attention, though, was when David has a drop of Chemical A0-3959X.91 on the tip of his finger. The close-up shots of this were visually stunning, so much so that I started to calculate quite how I could incorporate a projector screen into my living room on a permanent basis. Despite the darker scenes in Maleficent and Damsel noticeably lacking contrast, similar scenes appear to be handled better in Prometheus; they still weren't perfect, but darker details were more visible.

A close-up of the power button. — (Image credit: Future)

Despite my undeniable admiration of the Nebula Cosmos 4K SE, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who regularly enjoys programs with a darker aesthetic. Series like Marvel's Daredevil take a real hit due to the lack of good contrast, making the scenes appear grainy and low-quality.

In Avengers: Age of Ultron, playback was smooth during intense fight scenes, with the images remaining crisp and high quality, despite the fast movement. The detail is fantastic once again, with the intricate weave of the fabric of Hawk Eye's suit clearly visible.

Despite my undeniable admiration of the Nebula Cosmos 4K SE, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who regularly enjoys programs with a darker aesthetic, even when watching in the dark. Series such as Marvel's Daredevil take a real hit due to the lack of good contrast, making the scenes appear grainy and low-quality, which is a real shame considering the projector's fabulous performance in other areas.

Picture quality score: 4/5

Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE review: value

Good picture quality for the price
Delivers a satisfying at-home cinema experience
Uses Laser and LED hybrid optical technology

At $1,299.99 / £1,299.99, the Nebula Cosmos 4K SE is $400 / £400 cheaper than the previous model, the Nebula Cosmos 4K, despite the 4K SE having a large projection range, Google TV built in, and Dolby Vision. This price difference is likely due to the 400 additional ANSI lumens and, more importantly, due to the original 4K utilizing a laser light source, compared to the 4K SE's laser and LED HybridBeam, which could explain its lackluster brightness.

Overall, the viewing experience was fantastic when in a dimly lit room, and the sound quality was spot on. It was like having a pop-up cinema, with beautifully vivid colors and no problems with fast-paced scenes. The downsides can't be ignored, however, with a lack of contrast in some darker scenes when watching in the dark, and a distractingly bad lack of contrast and brightness issues when watching in the light, despite viewing at the projection size that Anker claims would be visible in a well-lit environment.

While it's pretty chunky, and not exactly an attractive addition to the decor unless it's situated in a casual TV and gaming den, it feels suitably robust for the price. While the size and weight initially made me question its apparent portability, this weight pales in comparison to other 4K projectors such as the Samsung The Premiere 9, and the carry handle definitely makes moving it about a simpler task. If the Nebula Cosmos 4K SE might upset your Feng Shui, then fear not, as more attractive alternatives are available, such as the LG CineBeam Q, which you can learn a little more about in the Also Consider section below.

Value score: 4/5

A close up of the front face of the projector. — (Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE?

Buy it if

You don’t want to spend several thousand
While $1,299.99 / £1,299.99 is still a high price to pay, you get a lot of bang for your buck with the Cosmos 4K SE. Built-in Google TV, competent auto-correction features, and impressive imagery and sound are well worth the cost if you can spare it.

You want popular apps at your fingertips
The advantage of the built-in Google TV is the ease of the interface and the distinct lack of bug and lag-related issues that I’ve experienced with so many Android-based OS. It’s satisfyingly simple to get set up, so you can get to streaming content without the frustration.

You want an immersive cinematic experience
Picture this, relaxing comfortably in the dark, bag of popcorn in hand, as you watch a feature-length film in 4K on the big screen, all from the comfort of your own home. The stunning visuals and immersive sound the 4K SE delivers are worth splashing out on.

Don't buy it if

You want the big picture but have a small space
A short-throw projector the Cosmos 4K SE is not. You need at least 5.5ft / 1.69m of space to achieve a screen size over 60 inches, which, for me personally, is a must, as I love the big-screen experience.

You want an easily portable projector
While it wouldn’t be difficult to maneuver for most, this projector is big and weighty. The carry handle makes life easier, but if you’re going away for the weekend it’s going to take up valuable trunk space, and there’s no way you’d want to lug it around on public transport.

You don’t want to be kept in the dark
Although Anker claims that you can watch a 60-inch projection in a well-lit room and indirect daylight, I found that watching with just one small window a few feet from the projection on an overcast day caused the quality to reduce drastically, the projected image looked washed out, and darker scenes that lacked contrast in optimum conditions became practically invisible.

Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE review: also consider

Anker Nebula Cosmos Laser 4K
The 4K SE’s older sibling is almost identical in size and weight, and while it doesn’t possess some of the more desirable features, such as Dolby Vision and Google TV, it’s brighter and utilizes laser DLP optical technology, rather than a laser / LED hybrid. Check out the full Anker Nebula Cosmos Laser 4K review.

Hisense PX3-Pro
A far pricier option, but if you want a top-quality, ultra-short-throw projector, then this could be the one for you. It’s not portable like the other alternatives listed here, but it performed well in various lighting conditions, delivered bright, rich colors, and a higher standard of contrast when compared to the 4K SE. Why not take a look at the Hisense PX3-Pro review to find out more.

LG CineBeam Q
If you want a projector that’s not a space invader, and can even make an attractive addition to your decor, then the LG CineBeam Q would be a good fit. While it’s not perfect, with limited brightness and poor audio quality, it looks stylish, projects in good-quality 4K, and can provide access to popular streaming apps, whether you’re watching at home or on your travels. If this has piqued your interest, there's plenty more detail in the full LG CineBeam Q review.

How I tested the Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE

Tested at home and in the TechRadar music and TV testing rooms
Tested in different lighting conditions
Measurements were made using Calman color calibration software

I got the Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE setup and had an explore around the available features, apps, and settings. I tried out the various display presets to determine the most satisfying option for casual viewing. I watched several films, series, and online content to establish how well the projector handled the different aesthetics. I tested the visibility of the projection by watching in total darkness, minimal lighting, and daylight.

My colleague, TV expert James, and I, measured the white balance (grayscale), gamma, and color point accuracy using Portrait Displays’ Calman color calibration software. The results provided Delta-E values (the margin of error between the test pattern source and what’s shown on-screen) for each category, providing us with figures to assess the projector’s overall accuracy.

We also ran tests to obtain measurements of the peak light output in both standard and high dynamic range modes, and measured the coverage of DCI-P3 and BT.2020 color space, to obtain readings that determine how well the projector can render the extended color range. Finally, we measured the contrast ratio, determining the brightest white to the darkest black that the projector is capable of displaying, and the input lag, which is an important reading if you’re looking for a gaming projector in particular.