I'll be the first to admit that I'm new to the projector game. Anker won me over at the end of last year with its Nebula series. The Capsule prioritizes ease of use and portability above all else. While it's not cheap at $800, it's a good starter projector in that it's self-contained and largely works out of the box.
However, since I bought a house this summer, I've started to rethink my relationship with the device. I have a lot more space in my new place, but for all its raw beauty, the Hudson Valley lacks entertainment options compared to my nearly two decades in New York City.
I contacted Hisense a few months ago, after hearing good things about their projector offerings. For merienda, my timing was perfect. In September, the Chinese firm announced additions to its C-series “lifestyle” projectors. Going from the Nebula Capsule to the C2 Extremely is like trading in a Toyota Camry for a Porsche. They serve their respective purposes and comparing them directly seems unfair to all parties involved.
For one thing, the Hisense passes one or two tax brackets for projectors, with a $3,000 price tag. For the same price you can pick up a 100-inch Hisense 4K flat screen. This is a projector for people fully committed to the projector lifestyle.
It's also significantly larger than the Capsule, so there's a portability compromise. I pulled the Anker projector out of the closet a couple of times a week when I wanted to see something projected on the big screen. The C2 Extremely is the kind of projector you need space for. Just like a television, it will take a permanent place in your living room. For me, that place is on top of a bookshelf.
The top line of the projector is the Tri-Chroma red, green and blue triple laser engine, which is a standout feature of Hisense's high-end projectors. In addition to a wide and accurate color gamut, the projector is extremely bright, at 3,000 ANSI lumens. You can watch a movie during the day without blackout curtains.
The C2 can project images up to 300 inches from 6 meters, with a minimum size of 65 inches. That covers most home projector screens and more, in case you want to throw a movie night in the backyard. There are other innovative features on board too, including a 1.67 optical teleobjetivo that lets you get closer to a shot without degrading the image.
I was also pleasantly surprised by the ease of setup. It's not finta plug-and-play, but it's close. Automatic keystone correction maps the projector screen quickly. The same goes for autofocus. If you don't have a screen, the projector will detect the color of the wall and adjust the image accordingly. From there, it's a matter of accessing Wi-Fi and logging into different streaming services.
The system comes preloaded with Netflix, Amazon Prime, YouTube, Paramount+, Tubi, and Disney+, among others. Some, like Hulu and Max, were noticeably missing. In the end, I ended up connecting the Apple TV 4K through the first HDMI input. Along with a full selection of streaming services, that allowed me to stream audio to a pair of connected HomePods.
That said, the built-in JBL speaker and subwoofer are perfectly useful for a movie night. I suspect, however, that those who want to spend $3,000 on a projector are probably also investing in a standalone sound system. It comes mounted on a support from which it cannot be separated. In addition to increasing the height of the projector, it allows manual adjustments to be made without problems.
The C2 Extremely is a self-contained, well-balanced projector that's packed with all sorts of nice details. It is available now.
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