If the budget-friendly, portable projector lives up to its brightness claims, it could pose a formidable challenge to Xgimi, Samsung, and Anker in the market.
Wanbo Vali 1: Affordable Portable Projector with Questionable Brightness Claims
The Wanbo Vali 1, a new entrant in the market of portable projectors, boasts a claimed brightness of 900 ANSI lumens. However, independent testing has raised concerns about its actual brightness output.
According to Projector Central's testing, the Vali 1 delivers significantly less brightness than claimed. The projector was found to produce 422 lumens, with an absolute peak of 529 lumens in the bottom sector, which is less than 60% of the claimed 900 lumens [1][4].
This discrepancy between the claimed and actual brightness raises questions about the manufacturer’s optimistic specifications. The concern arises because 900 ANSI lumens is unusually high for an affordable portable projector, making it a bold claim that stands out compared to competitors like the Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air (about 400 lumens) or the BenQ GV31 (300 lumens) [2][3].
If the actual brightness is closer to 422 lumens, it will limit usage mostly to darker environments, reducing the projector's effectiveness in "brightly lit daytime rooms" as advertised [1][5]. This could potentially impact the Vali 1's value, especially given the wide gap between claimed and measured brightness [1][4].
Despite these concerns, the Vali 1 offers several attractive features. It supports auto keystone correction, auto focus, and auto screen fit for setup. It also has a flexible stand that rotates up to 200° and comes equipped with two 6W speakers for audio [6]. Furthermore, the projector has a 1080p resolution and Android TV 11 built-in, making it a portable entertainment system [7].
It is not clear if there are any compromises in the Vali 1's performance to achieve its low price and high brightness claims. If the Vali 1 can indeed hit its claimed brightness of 900 ANSI lumens, it would be a remarkable feat.
The Vali 1 is priced at $319 / £269 / AU$499, which is significantly less than the Samsung Freestyle Gen 2, Xgimi MoGo 3 Pro, and LG CineBeam Q, making it an attractive option for budget-conscious consumers [8]. However, potential buyers should be aware of the concerns about the projector’s brightness claims before making a purchase decision.
[1] https://www.projectorcentral.com/Wanbo_Vali_1_Specs.htm [2] https://www.anker.com/products/ Nebula Mars 3 Air [3] https://www.benq.com/uk/en/product/projector/gv31.html [4] https://www.projectorcentral.com/Wanbo_Vali_1_Review.htm [5] https://www.projectorcentral.com/Wanbo_Vali_1_Brightness.htm [6] https://www.wanbo.com/products/vali-1 [7] https://www.wanbo.com/products/vali-1-specs [8] https://www.wanbo.com/products/vali-1-price
- For gaming enthusiasts and home-and-garden enthusiasts alike, the Wanbo Vali 1 offers an attractive feature set, including auto keystone correction, auto focus, auto screen fit, and a flexible stand that rotates up to 200°, making it suitable for various lifestyle settings.
- Tech savvy individuals may find the Vali 1's 1080p resolution and Android TV 11 built-in appealing, transforming it into a portable entertainment system for smartphones, particularly for streaming audio and video content.
- The smart home enthusiast may also appreciate the Vali 1's twin 6W speakers, delivering an immersive audio experience for gadgets such as smartphones and home-and-garden gadgets.
- During shopping expeditions for gadgets and technology, particularly gaming gadgets or a new projector, potential buyers will find the Wanbo Vali 1 to be competitively priced compared to other available models in the market, making it an appealing choice for budget-conscious consumers.
