This cheap HD projector could be the budget home theatre upgrade you need
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Emotn has unveiled a cheap projector that looks like it could give other HD options – like Samsung’s The Freestyle – a run for their money.
The new Emotn N1 was launched on Amazon in the US (opens in new tab) (with a UK launch soon) and features a 1080p HD picture with a maximum screen size of 120 inches. The bulb promises to last 30,000 hours, offers a maximum brightness of 500 lumens and can use HDR10, HDR10+ and HLG codec support to deliver its images – although we’ll have to try the device ourselves to know how good it is is real is. It even has built-in speakers with Dolby Audio – albeit two 5W speakers that are likely to be outclassed by a basic sound system.
Still, the Emotn N1 looks pretty capable on paper, especially when you consider it’ll only cost you $400 (around £350) or $350 (around £300) if you use the $50 off coupon as part of the launch promotion. This means it could be one of the best budget projectors out there.
By comparison, the Samsung The Freestyle projector – which launched for $899 / £999 / AU$1,299 but can now be found for $700 / £500 / AU$1,000 or less – also only offers a 1080p HD image, but the maximum screen size is only 100 inches. Although Samsung’s 550-lumen projector is slightly brighter and uses the company’s Tizen operating system rather than Emotn’s Linux-based operating system.
The advantage of Tizen – which is also used in Samsung’s other devices – is that it will likely be more stable, easier to use and offer a wider selection of apps than Emotn’s operating system. While the Emotn N1 will offer Netflix, Prime Video and YouTube apps natively, and plugging one of the best streaming sticks into the HDMI port will give you easy access to the best streaming services if they aren’t supported natively .
The Emotn N1 is also bulkier than the Freestyle at 8 lbs (3.6 kg) compared to just 1.8 lbs (0.8 kg). While the Emotn N1 still looks fairly portable, it’s probably a solid choice if you want a simple home theater to take with you on your next vacation or when visiting friends (remember it needs to be near an outlet.
So if you’re looking for a budget-friendly projector, the Emotn N1 might be just the device you need, especially since it retails for just $350. But if you’re looking for a higher-performance projector, you might prefer something from our list of the best 4K projectors to buy today.