I tested this projector and it made my TV obsolete

• Price, availability, and specs
• What I liked about the Dangbei DBOX02 Pro
• What I didn’t like about the Dangbei DBOXO2 Pro
• Should you buy the Dangbei DBOX02 Pro?

Projectors might be perfect for watching sports and movie nights, but I usually prefer my LG smart TV for daily use and gaming. That’s because most projectors can’t match its stellar picture quality, high contrast, and fast refresh rate. Even the brighter models I’ve tried that work in significant ambient lighting are either too pricey to be practical or lack certain smart TV features I take for granted. However, Dangbei’s new DBOX02 Pro challenged my philosophy and blew me away with its all-around abilities and realistic price tag.

Dangbei is no stranger to the projector game and impressed me with its portable Freedo and Atom models, which are excellent for on-the-go use. As its name suggests, the Dangbei DBOX02 Pro is an evolution of the 4K DBOX02 projector with upgraded hardware and features. I spent a week testing its capabilities to see what it could do and this is how it went.

Price, availability, and specs

Ticks all boxes

The DBOX02 Pro is packed with modern features and includes an integrated gimbal stand, making the set-up a breeze. It’s a genuine rival to big-screen smart TVs thanks to its 4K resolution, massive display, and outstanding connectivity options that support most devices.

On the outside, it retains the all-black, boxy design of its predecessor, with the integrated gimbal stand the main difference. The stand is sturdy enough to double as a carrying handle. It offers 120 degrees of tilt adjustability and a convenient 360-degree horizontal rotation so that I can point it in my preferred direction in seconds. Alternatively, you can use the screw at the bottom to attach an adjustable projector floor stand or ceiling mount, which are both available from the Dangbei site.

Cooling isn’t an issue thanks to the extensive perforations along the sides, which likely contribute to the booming sound quality from the two built-in 12W speakers. The rear houses an extensive port selection, which rivals many smart TVs and impressed me with its usefulness.

These include a pair of HDMI 2.1 ports, including one with eARC capability. Additionally, there are a pair of USB 2.0 ports for connecting external drives and memory sticks, and a LAN port for wired networks. Attaching soundbars or external speakers is a cinch with a 3.5mm port and S/PDIF optical port, or you can try Bluetooth 5.2 if you prefer the wireless route.

The DBOX02 Pro offers excellent image quality in dark or light settings with a native 4K (3840×2160) resolution and 2,000 ISO lumens.

Under the hood is a Quad-Core ARM Cortex-A55 with 2GB of RAM and a decent 32GB of storage space for apps. Speaking of apps, Google TV provides a smooth user experience and includes shortcuts to popular streaming platforms, like Netflix, Prime Video, and YouTube.

The DBOX02 Pro offers excellent image quality in both dark and light settings, with native 4K (3840×2160) resolution and 2,000 ISO lumens, equivalent to around 2,500 ANSI lumens. It delivers a true cinematic experience with an image size of 40 to 300 inches, though you’ll need a distance of 28 feet to enjoy its full potential. Dangbei recommends a 100-inch display as the sweet spot for size and image quality, which requires 9.2 feet of space.

You can find the DBOX02 Pro on the official Dangbei website or Amazon for $1,600.

What I liked about the Dangbei DBOX02 Pro

Day and night versatility

The Dangbei DBOX02 Pro is one of the best projectors I’ve tested because of its all-around performance and practicality. I’m over projectors that take ages to set up and love that the DBOX02 Pro makes life easy with no manual settings required.

I didn’t require a separate mount because it took me a few seconds to adjust the gimbal to the perfect angle. It was just as fast on the software side, and the autofocus and keystone correction kicked in automatically to display crisp visuals in a perfect rectangle. Setting up Google TV is as easy as it gets, and it requires me to scan a QR code after entering my Wi-Fi details.

However, I was most impressed by the DBOX02 Pro’s outstanding picture quality and daytime performance. I tried movies, like The Fifth Element, The Lego Batman, and Ballerina during the day with my curtains closed, and was amazed at the vivid colors and visibility, even during the darker scenes.

I’ve tried similar tests with lesser projectors, and the movies were unwatchable and blurry with washed-out colors. The experience carried over to gaming, and the massive screen size enhanced the dazzling maps in Apex Legends and ensured I had no trouble navigating the gloomy alleys of Robocop: Rogue City.

The Dangbei DBOX02 Pro is one of the best projectors I’ve tested because of its all-around performance and practicality.

The DBOX02 Pro is good enough for daytime viewing, but like all projectors, it really shines at night or in dark rooms. Trying it at night was a fantastic experience, and the combination of 4K resolution and a massive display blew me away while watching anime battles in Cyberpunk: Edge Runners and a Kaiju tearing up Tokyo in Godzilla: Minus One.

Sound is just as important as visuals for creating an immersive experience, and the DBOX02 Pro delivers in spades, unlike many other projectors I’ve tested. Its pair of 12W speakers doesn’t have the thump of a dedicated subwoofer, but offers high volume levels with outstanding clarity and minimal distortion. They are far better than any smart TV and can easily be enhanced with a soundbar or home theater system.

I also appreciated the DBOX02 Pro’s all-around practicality and port selection. The pair of HDMI 2.1 ports was ideal for connecting my laptop and PS5 to the projector and supports a 120Hz refresh rate for smoother gaming. I also liked having an optical port to attach my speaker system and the freedom to cast music and videos from my phone.

Most buying decisions come down to value. I think the DBOX02 Pro’s $1,600 tag before discounts is a sweet deal considering all its features, and makes it worth considering against similarly-priced TVs.

What I didn’t like about the Dangbei DBOXO2 Pro

Minor quirks

No projector’s perfect, and I feel the DBOX02 Pro could be better in certain areas. The exterior’s all-black finish has a businesslike appearance, but it’s a fingerprint magnet and feels plastic-y compared to the gunmetal gray on the Freedo.

Connecting USB storage was more complicated than I expected because there’s no plug-and-play compatibility.

Connecting USB storage was more complicated than I expected because there’s no plug-and-play compatibility. I needed to download the File Manager+ app from the Google Play Store to view the files, but it wasn’t a deal-breaker because it only took a few minutes and worked without any issues.

Should you buy the Dangbei DBOX02 Pro?

You get what you pay for

Dangbei’s DBOX02 Pro exceeded my expectations and made me question the viability of buying a massive smart TV. It’s around the same price as an entry-level 100-inch TV, but offers almost triple the screen size and far better sound.

Smart TVs will usually have the edge in lighter conditions, but the DBOX02 Pro is no slouch and delivers comparable picture quality thanks to its high brightness, 4K resolution, and 120Hz refresh rates. Its extensive port selection and wireless connectivity options complete the package, making it worth considering if you have the space — which is probably the deciding factor.

Dangbei’s DBOX02 Pro exceeded my expectations and made me question the viability of buying a massive smart TV.

The DBOX02 Pro has all the bells and whistles you could ask for at a reasonable price and is a feasible TV alternative if you have enough room for its cinematic capabilities. Those with smaller apartments and limited space won’t be able to enjoy its full potential and will be better off with a smart TV or cheaper, more compact alternatives, like the Dangbei Atom or Yaber K3.

This device was provided to Pocket-lint by Dangbei.