Dangbei Mars Pro 4K Laser Projector Review: Ultimate Experience in an Affordable Package

While many have cut the cords when it comes to TV subscriptions, some have removed TVs from their living rooms altogether. Of course, that doesn’t mean they no longer watch anything on screens larger than their phones and laptops, it just means they’ve instead chosen to embrace the more flexible and liberating scheme of owning a home projector. There are some compromises to be made, especially when it comes to the brightness and price of the projected image. As you can imagine, the better the performance, the higher the price tag. However, there are exceptions to this rule, but they are not easy to spot at a glance. Still, the Dangbei Mars Pro easily grabs your attention, so we took it for a test drive to check if it’s worth more than its price tag suggests.

Designer: Dangbei

Aesthetic

You can tell right from the start that Dangbei Mars Pro is not your ordinary laser projector. Where even the most stylish model of its kind is presented in short rectangular boxes, the Mars Pro has a more cubic shape. This means you’ll have to take its height into account when installing it, but since it’s not a short throw projector this shouldn’t be too much of an issue. You will most likely install it somewhere in the middle of the room, either on a table or by hanging it from the ceiling.

Despite its budget price, the Mars Pro immediately impresses with its design and build quality. The box is mostly made of metal and has a portion of black piano glass on the top and front. Dangbei covers these surfaces with a plastic sheet for protection, but there are holes to keep the path of the laser light and front sensors unobstructed. The sides and back of the projector are full of holes for both ventilation and speaker output. The ports are all neatly lined up at the back for easy access, leaving no unnecessary visual interruptions on the other sides.

All-in-all, the Dangbei Mars Pro definitely stands up to the more expensive projectors when it comes to visual appeal. The glossy surfaces and small vents give it a more refined feel compared to the slats and obviously plastic chassis typical of the more expensive options. Mars Pro already wins in this department, but luckily, it’s not just a pretty face either.

ergonomics

Unlike a mobile device or laptop, you don’t hold projectors directly that often. In fact, you may not want to do this with Mars Pro anyway, at least on a regular basis. At around 10lbs, it’s not the lightest in its group, so you’ll rarely want to carry it around the room. Its weight is also a critical thing to consider if you plan on hanging it from the ceiling or placing it on top of a tripod mount.

As mentioned, you won’t be interacting directly with the projector anyway. Aside from the ports on the back, the only other interactive element is the touch-sensitive power button on the top. This is not a typical push button, so there is no need to press hard on it. The area is clearly marked with a light halo that gives it a futuristic feel. Also in the center of this circle is a sensor that detects the amount of ambient light in the room to automatically adjust the projector’s brightness.

All other controls of the projector will be done with the included remote, which is a bit of a mixed bag. It is simple enough to use with very few buttons, although there are additional buttons for mouse mode and a quick menu on the side. However, the build quality is so-so. While the projector is mostly made of metal and glass, its remote is an all-plastic affair. This might be the best considering how often you’re likely to drop it, but it’s in stark contrast to the Mars Pro’s premium quality.

Yield

Where this Dangbei projector really shines is, almost literally, its projected image. Using ALPD or Advanced Laser Phosphor Display technology, the projector has a brightness of 3200 ANSI lumens, the maximum brightness only more expensive projectors can promise. It also supports native 4K UHD resolution and HDR10+ as well as HLG, putting it on par with most TVs. The question is whether it can rival a 4K TV in practice. The answer is a resounding yes and then some.

Mars Pro’s output is bright, clear and vibrant, especially in dark environments. Admittedly, it will struggle when there is direct sunlight, but this is also on par with more expensive projectors. The projector supports a plethora of technologies and features that can be used for different types of content such as MEMC smoothing and even 3D, but the latter is a hit-and-run thing. There’s also a Game Mode that cuts latency down to 20ms, but more discerning gamers might not be too happy with the actual performance. All in all, the projector performs admirably, especially under controlled lighting, and it may surprise you when you consider how affordable it is compared to equivalent 4K projectors.

The superior experience doesn’t stop at the image quality. Dangbei Mars Pro has several smart features that make it work almost like magic by automatically adjusting its settings according to the situation. Autofocus is pretty much a feature these days, but auto keystone correction definitely elevates the experience so you don’t have to worry about the projector’s angle to the wall or screen. There is also obstacle avoidance, where it shrinks the projected screen to avoid lamps, vases or other furniture. If it detects something directly in front of or near the lens, it will reduce the brightness to avoid hurting your eyes. All of this automatically works like magic, but you may need to tweak a bit if the focus or keystone is still a little different to your taste.

Like any projector, the Mars Pro generates heat, so it has both vents and fans to keep everything cool. Cold air is sucked in from the right side of the box, while hot air is expelled from the left side; this is something you might want to keep in mind when considering where to place the projector. Luckily, the Mars Pro’s fans never make noise when they’re running, and they certainly don’t overtake the built-in speakers. The only time the fans get very audible is when you turn on the Automatic Dust Cleaning mode, where it runs at full power to expel these particles.

The Mars Pro has two 10W speakers with Dolby Digital Plus and DTS Studio Surround. This is enough power to fill a small room and the sound quality does not deteriorate even at higher volumes. While the speakers are good enough for most situations, they lack a bit of substance audiophiles will look for. Fortunately, you can get around this by hooking up your favorite sound system, but the built-in speakers will do just fine in a pinch.

Things get a little less ideal when it comes to the system running on the projector, which is a very old customized version of Android 9. With a quad-core MT9669 CPU, 4GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage, the Mars Pro is definitely equipped to run more advanced software, but Dangbei opted for a more simplified user experience. It has basic apps and streaming services pre-installed, but you’ll have to scour the Internet for anything that isn’t available in Dangbei’s app store. Of course there is no Google Play, but it may be possible to install it manually. Of course, you can plug in any other content source if you want, including a Google TV dongle. The only limitation in port selection is USB-C, which is somewhat disappointing in this era.

Sustainability

The Dangbei Mars Pro projector is your typical consumer electronics product; this basically means it has your typical ingredients that harm the environment in the long run. It scores slightly better, thanks to the use of a metal case instead of plastic. There are also glass parts, but the plastic coating on them eliminates this advantage.

In terms of longevity, Dangbei only offers a one-year warranty, but you may have options to purchase additional years depending on where you buy from. Laser projectors are short-lived products despite their advertised lamp life of 25,000 hours. Unfortunately, repairing it is also not trivial, especially if the product comes from another part of the world. Parts and services will be of great importance to those who are a little more conscious of how much they want to benefit from a projector.

Value

If it wasn’t that clear yet, the Dangbei Mars Pro 4K projector is right up there with other 4K projectors. Its 3200 lumens brightness, smart correction and configuration options, and overall performance mark it as a premium product. The point is that it’s not priced as it sells for just $1,699 (or $1,799 from Amazon).

Admittedly, that’s a big number, but only if you take it alone. A “regular” 4K laser projector with the same feature set or performance would easily cost nearly twice that. Conversely, projectors at this price tag often make too many compromises, especially in terms of picture quality. You’ll also have to consider that 4K UHD TVs cost about the same, and you’ll have a hard time finding a TV that can cover the maximum 100 inches this projector can cover.

Decision

Choosing consumer electronics is often a compromise, whether it’s performance, quality or price. You will rarely find a gem that hits all three with little compromise. When one shows up, it’s not hard to understand why the Internet is ringing about something so rare and almost incredible. The Dangbei Mars Pro 4 Laser Projector is definitely such a rare creature. Not only does it live up to its promises, but it looks good to do, making that price tag a whole lot sweeter for anyone planning a TV-free entertainment setup at home.