Dangbei Neo Mini Projector

The projector has a solid build, is compact and lightweight, with a light source strong enough for use in low ambient light. However, its HDMI 1.4 port lacks HDR support (requiring HDMI 2.0 or later) and USB playback doesn't handle H.265, which is a shame since not everyone uses only streaming platforms like Netflix or YouTube. These flaws should be clearly stated in specs.

me and my wife bought this projector and its amazing, now we watch so many series and movies on weekends haha. And I'm going to buy another one for my dad. We really loved it

Fantastic

I have been using the Dangbei neo smart projector for a while now, and it has exceeded my expectations in several key aspects. From its bright and colorful 1080p picture to its AMAZING speakers, this projector really hits a lot of big points.

Pros:
Speakers
Brightness
Color
Image Quality
Ease of Use
Autofocus
Quiet Fans
Small Size

Cons:
No Battery
Power Brick
Auto Keystone Correction

Let's start with one of the standout features, the speakers. WOW! I use lots of audio equipment and the speakers absolutely blew me away. They have tons of bass, clear mids for vocals, and crisp highs. They also have enough volume to easily fill the whole room with full, rich sound. These are by far the best speakers I have heard on a projector and it really helps create an immersive experience when watching shows or playing games without the need of a soundbar or any extra speaker systems.
Next is Brightness, color, and image quality, since those go hand and hand. Its brightness levels are great, creating lots of color and a vivid picture even in rooms with some ambient light. At night in a dark room, it is a stunning picture! Even scenes with shadows are clearly visible. In addition, the colors are amazing and really make the picture pop! It isn’t quite bright enough for lots of open windows or direct sunlight, but I can comfortably use it with my blinds closed during the daytime projecting a 90-100” screen. Obviously the darker you can get, the better, but that goes for every tv or projector. There are settings where you can edit the picture yourself, so all that paired with the 1080p native picture quality creates an amazing image.
I’ll quickly run through some of the other positives. It has an easy to use interface and I did try the native software. The Netflix app does work well on it, but it also has CEC, so connecting a Google tv or Apple tv works seamlessly too. That is what I usually do for most of my screens, but if needed the built in software does work smoothly. The autofocus works well, and the best way I found was clicking and holding the focus button in the middle of the controller. Sometimes it takes a few seconds for the autofocus to catch on, but it always ends with a clear image. The fans are very quiet and never took away from the experience, even with the projector only a foot or two away from my head. Also, the projector itself is relatively small and easy to fit in a backpack so you could definitely bring it with you to a friend's house or anywhere. Plus, it has a fairly low latency, so I had no issues connecting my Nintendo switch and playing it on the massive screen!

Now for some of the cons. Firstly, the auto keystone correction. It does work, but it takes the projector a long time to set it up. Honestly I found myself using the manual keystone correction when I just needed a quick fix, but it is very easy to use so that wasn’t much of a problem. Also, do keep in mind that the projector doesn’t have a battery and the cable for it does have a medium sized brick, much like a lot of PCs. This isn’t a dealbreaker for me because I have used lots of projectors with built in batteries, but not one of them could even last a whole movie, so I would have to scramble to find the cord and plug it in before the projector completely dies. Plus, they are usually a lot dimmer since they are trying to run off of a smaller power source, so I think it is a worthwhile tradeoff.

Lastly, I wanted to mention the company itself, Dangbei. I hadn’t heard much of them before this projector, but I'm glad to say they have some amazing customer service! I reached out to them concerning a question I had about the projector, and I received a response within the day that covered everything I wanted to know. They were very informative and friendly, so don’t be afraid to reach out to them if you have any questions.

Overall, this is a great projector and would be an awesome addition to any movie session or family game night!

This is an impressive smart projector with TOF that auto-focuses and automatically adjusts and fit the image based on the screen. And this projector can automatically avoid obstacles, I don't have to deliberately adjust the screen or move the position of decorations around the screen when using it, which is very intelligent and convenient, those features worked really well.

The image has high resolution even on the 120" display, and it also has very great color matching and tones. The surround sound is incredible, with the Bluetooth option the projector also works as a Bluetooth speaker as well. And the projector's fan noise is very low.

The projector has built-in apps like Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime, and several other pre-installed APPS, it's also very convenient to use the morriorcast and homeshare function to cast the videos or shared via the built-in mirror broadcast.

Overall, it's the perfect small, lightweight, portable smart projector worthy to buy, it can be mounted on a tripod to use as a home cinema, or even in the backyard to host an occasional movie night.

This isn't my first projector, but it is my first DLP projector, and I think it has better values and sharpness than an LED. The label says blue, but it's definitely a decent gray. Setup is easy peasy, startup is fast and responsiveness is great!

I'm impressed with the brightness - 540 lumens. It's best in a dark room, but you'll still be able to see the image with surrounding lights on, and enough during the day if there's no direct sun.

Being able to change perspective through keystone correction is a dream. You wouldn't even know it's half way off to the left of the room, not even close to being directly across the screen, projecting clearly.
Our zoom is set to 50% the max possible size, so it's great having the option to cast a massive image if I ever come across a gigantic empty wall.
The 2 speakers are nice, not as powerful as a professional surround monitor set, but surely more enjoyable and dynamic than a phone and ordinary laptop.

There are lots of connection options, and I find HDMI works well.
As an electronics sensitive person, I also feel like the EMF shielding is better than average. It's really enjoyable to have on and operate and supposedly it could last 30,000 hours, so I'm hoping that means we'll get to enjoy about 15,000 films. Looking forward to it!

I have been using the Dangbei neo smart projector for a while now, and it has exceeded my expectations in several key aspects. From its bright and colorful 1080p picture to its AMAZING speakers, this projector really hits a lot of big points.

Last year, I finally decided to prepare my movie set-up downstairs and ended up doing a lot of research into projectors and ended up getting a Dangbei Mars Pro 4k. I had not heard of the company before but did find that it is well known world-wide. I was very impressed by the device. So much so that this year I decided to check what other options they had for a more portable one at a lower price point that I mat be able to take along when I travel. My search led me to the Dangbei Neo (which you can now get on sale for $539).
This little beauty is pretty stylish and includes a good number of pre-installed streaming apps, to include Netflix and Amazon Prime. It also has access to its own app store, which seems to be comparable to Roku’s offerings. It even had OAN news, as an example. Now let’s go to some of the technical stuff.
The Neo does offer auto focus and keystone correction, both of which it does quite well. However, I find that I can do a better job doing keystone correction manually, but that’s just me. I also do it with my other projectors. The only thing I find annoying is that the auto focus will trigger automatic correction whenever something blocks the image temporarily (like a kid standing in front of the screen, of which I have several that like to move and play around!). I wish the focus had an option to just stay put! The projector also triggers auto focus and keystone whenever you first start it up, so you will have to wait a little longer and reset your desired keystone manually if you normally do so like I do.
The image quality is great! I was amazed at how much it approaches the one of my Mars Pro 4k. The info. says that it is 540 ISO, but it seems to come quite close to another that I had that was ISO 1500. I’ve included an image that shows how it looks with outside light and another with the curtains closed (the blurriness was from the movie scene, not the projector). The image is still good to play movies during the day with the curtains closed.
The NEO also has two 6w speakers, which is pretty good, but I prefer to use my own sound system. Its HDMI is e-ARC compatible, which allowed to me to connect my WISA wireless speakers with no issues. I was able to get Dolby Digital Plus out of it.
In general, the Neo is a well-built, solid 1080p projector. I liked the image quality and the app store app selection; no need to haul the Roku around. The sound was OK and the auto-zoom can be a bit annoying, but the picture quality and portability more than makes up for it. It would be a 5/5 if the device were to save focus and keystone settings. (As an aside, the images were projected to a 150 in screen, which exceeds the published 120 in!)

Update:

Dangbei customer service was very quick to reply to the small concern I mentioned about the auto-focus to try to not change if the image is temlorarily interrupted by objects passing in front. They wrote me back saying they are actively working on an update!

Previous review below...

Last year, I finally decided to prepare my movie set-up downstairs and ended up doing a lot of research into projectors and ended up getting a Dangbei Mars Pro 4k. I had not heard of the company before but did find that it is well known world-wide. I was very impressed by the device. So much so that this year I decided to check what other options they had for a more portable one at a lower price point that I mat be able to take along when I travel. My search led me to the Dangbei Neo (which you can now get on sale for $539).
This little beauty is pretty stylish and includes a good number of pre-installed streaming apps, to include Netflix and Amazon Prime. It also has access to its own app store, which seems to be comparable to Roku’s offerings. It even had OAN news, as an example. Now let’s go to some of the technical stuff.
The Neo does offer auto focus and keystone correction, both of which it does quite well. However, I find that I can do a better job doing keystone correction manually, but that’s just me. I also do it with my other projectors. The only thing I find annoying is that the auto focus will trigger automatic correction whenever something blocks the image temporarily (like a kid standing in front of the screen, of which I have several that like to move and play around!). I wish the focus had an option to just stay put! The projector also triggers auto focus and keystone whenever you first start it up, so you will have to wait a little longer and reset your desired keystone manually if you normally do so like I do.
The image quality is great! I was amazed at how much it approaches the one of my Mars Pro 4k. The info. says that it is 540 ISO, but it seems to come quite close to another that I had that was ISO 1500. I’ve included an image that shows how it looks with outside light and another with the curtains closed (the blurriness was from the movie scene, not the projector). The image is still good to play movies during the day with the curtains closed.
The NEO also has two 6w speakers, which is pretty good, but I prefer to use my own sound system. Its HDMI is e-ARC compatible, which allowed to me to connect my WISA wireless speakers with no issues. I was able to get Dolby Digital Plus out of it.
In general, the Neo is a well-built, solid 1080p projector. I liked the image quality and the app store app selection; no need to haul the Roku around. The sound was OK and the auto-zoom can be a bit annoying, but the picture quality and portability more than makes up for it. It would be a 5/5 if the device were to save focus and keystone settings. (As an aside, the images were projected to a 150 in screen, which exceeds the published 120 in!)

This mini projection is nice. The battery is built-in, very convenient. I bought them for my children to watch cartoons. The light is soft and the effect is good. The resolution is perfect if the resolution is higher.

That's cute,I love it. this portable prohector is easy to carry, 1 hour charge, 2 hours use, small size, very clear image, in general,it is really good value for money

the quality is beyond my expectation . Image quality is great even with a full screen projection . You will not notice pixels even from Cms away from the screen. Comes with Bluetooth audio and it works great but I prefer a better sound system to better enjoy the sound. The case is very good, compact and durable . Has lens protector which is great .noisy when operating if sitting beside it . Connectivity is super good with the 2 HDMI ports .Great product

Officially licensed by Netflix, ensuring access to a wide range of content.
Compact size and portable design make it easy to carry and set up.
Native 1080P resolution with HDR10 support for a high-quality movie viewing experience.
Auto Keystone and Auto Focus features ensure easy setup and optimal picture quality.
2x6W Dolby Audio speakers provide immersive sound.
WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity allow for convenient streaming and device pairing.
Stylish blue color adds a touch of aesthetics to your setup.

Honestly, this is a great projector. Thins to keep in mind is if a white wall or non-ALR projection screen is being used, the projector has to compete with the ambient light. Comparing this to a TV don't make much sense. Projectors will never be as good. As a projector though this perform really great. The image is sharp, colors are saturated, it's bright, it's quiet, it produce very little heat, the RF remote works great, there is tons connectivity (RJ-45, S/PDIF, HDMI, bluetooth, WIfi) and it require no effort to setup. This is the first projector I actually want to use but this is also the first projector in this price range I've tested. This projector support 90% of the DCI-P3 color space and supports HDR10 and HLG formats. Brightness is set at 540 ISO lumens (~675 ANSI lumens) but these are real numbers and not overly inflated numbers from other projectors. The Throw ratio is 1.2:1. To get the 120 inch picture, the projector need to be 12 feet away.

During the day with blinds down, this projector is able to perform fairly well. Obviously, darker the room, better the dark scene performance. Content such as colorful cartoon can do fairly good in even brighter rooms but definitly use a dark room for any content with dark scene.

Auto focus is adjusted everytime the projector turns ON or when it detect that it was moved. It can also be manually adjusted with the remote. In my case, the autofocus got it perfectly. Any manual adjustment I made just made things worse. Keystone and Zoom adjustment is done under the settings screen and both have an automaticadjustment function.

The speaker is fairly good but start to distort at around 50%. Both speaker is on the left side which is not great but it's very acceptable mostly because the projector is so quiet.

The onboard operating system is linux base (Not Android). Dangbei run it's own App Store which is fairly big and there is tons of apps. The OS is pretty snappy in my opinion.

In general, I'm very happy with this projector. It's very portable, it consume little power, it's very quiet, it is very easy to setup and it perform great. The only thing I wish this has at this point is the shorter throw ratio. As a projector, this is easily a 4.5+ star. I showed this to a couple of my friend and unanimously, they were impressed.

This projector is a family favorite. Very easy to set up and adjust the image and the brightness is also very good. Easy for the kids to use with the built in Netflix app and only 1 remote control. I've even did a movie night in the backyard and it was a great success. Doesn't get too hot during use and the built in fan is quite silent. Also great for travelling!

This Dangbei Neo Smart Projector is a DREAM to have in every home! Basically, it has the same capabilities (plus more) as a smart TV, except that you can easily place it around your home.

I was surprised by how easy it was to set up. You need to connect it to your home's wifi and log into your Netflix/Youtube/Prime accounts only once.

The BEST features of this projector:
+ It automatically adjusts the focus whenever you move it, so no need for any manual adjustments on a dial
+ It is relatively quiet in sound compared to typical projectors
+ Visual and audio quality is crisp; high frame-rate capabilities
+ No need to damage walls for TV mounts

Considerations:
- High and inaccessible price tag, but personally I think it is reasonable based on the innovative features
- I have not used it long enough to test its life cycle longevity (compared to owning a smart TV or other smart projectors)
- Cannot project it to the ceiling because of the power cable that plugs from right behind it; I think the design of the product should have considered this feature.

Overall, I'm still very happy with this product and prefer it much better/use it more than my smart TV.

Easy guided setup, intuitive controls, great apps and surprising brightness for the price point. Great little projector!

This is the second Dangbei product I have reviewed with the first from their sister company Emotn. This Neo Smart projector is double the price so does it reflect double the value?

-Starting with the build quality. Its surprisingly small for an LED projector and amazingly light at approx. 3.3lbs. yet the built amazingly well. The metal panels for the speaker grills and fan exhaust are a great contrast to the gun metal grey plastic body which looks very high end. the front of the projector has the lens as well as the TOF cameras for the smart focus and Automatic Screen Adjustment and Auto Keystone.
The sides consist of the speaker grills (which is Dolby Audio by the way) and the back has the exhaust port.

-Speaking of sound, the next focus is the sound. I have auditioned 10 different 4k laser and LED projectors trying to find the ideal one (still waiting for the right one by the way) and there was one that stood out as having the best sound (not sure that I can mention the name so I wont). What I will say is that this projector is a very close second place with really impressive surround sound that makes it almost impossible to tell where the sound is coming from and you definitely cannot tell it is above your head. I have found that the max volume needed is a level 50 and that is pretty darn loud with ok bass considering it is 6watts x 2.

-Obviously the most important consideration when looking at a projector is the picture quality. The maximum recommended size is 120" but I am running it at approx. 136" and the Auto focus still works amazingly well. The projector is capable of both HDR10 and HLG and it shows. When watching or streaming videos the picture quality is most impressive. The colors really pop without being over saturated and look amazing. My second biggest concern is how cable broadcast look as I love to watch a lot of sports and this is where I was truly blown away. A certain playoffs is currently on and the colors and clarity of the 1080p signal is stunning as you can see by a few of the images above. The fact that Netflix, Amazon Prime and Youtube are built in makes this a truly portable design as well. As a potential buyer asked, you still need your Netflix subscription but Netflix itself is built in so you dont need a separate streamer to watch...unless you want other streaming services. As far as black levels they are very good for a projector currently retailing for $899 ($100 discount when I purchased it). I have a couple of go to demo videos I use to compare the blacks and this projector did not disappoint when watching those demos.

All in all, are there better projectors out there, yes there are but they much more expensive and 4k units. They are also much bigger and heavier and some not as flexible as the Dangbei Neo Smart Projector. I feel you cant go wrong with this projector and will not be disappointed in both the picture it produces and the sound quality that it outputs...dont miss out on this one.

If you plan to watch movies on it make sure it's licenced it just make life so much easier
It works on dark paint in a sunfilled room
The remote is responsive
The audio is pretty astounding for a projector
Ran my switch and series x without clipping
The plug it in and go of the auto Keystone and focus is amazing
Al you need to really make use of this is power supply and the ability to cast
I hope this was helpful