One of the most notable new gadgets to appear at this year’s CES 2025 show in January was TCL’s novel Playcube projector, which is quite unlike anything in its class, using Rubik’s Cube-like physics to enhance its flexibility and project images in virtually any direction.
TCL showed it off at CES but it didn’t say a whole lot about its specifications, pricing or availability, so it was a bit of a mystery and most people have likely forgotten about it.
However, after a long delay, TCL says it’s now ready to launch its novel projector with a twist, and has published a cool promo video along with its full specs and pricing details, and it’s pretty affordable.
While box-shaped projectors aren’t anything new, the TCL Playcube is a bit different in that it’s a box with two separate sections, with one part containing the laser-based projection system and the other, smaller part carrying the audio hardware. The two sections are joined by a hinge, which can be swiveled around by more than 90-degrees, making for flexible placement without the need for a gimbal or anything similar.
TCL notably picked up coveted rewards from Red Dot and iF Design when it first showcased the Playcube, mainly for its unusual design. The small size should mean it’s very easy to bring the Playcube anywhere, and its toy-like mechanics should mean that many who purchase one will want to do so and show it off to their friends.
With the official launch of the TCL Playcube, we now know a lot more about it. It’s a DLP projector with a 0.33-inch chipset that’s capable of throwing up 1080p visuals at a maximum of 150 diagonal inches. It has a throw ratio of 1.21:1, which means it will need to be placed around 15 feet from the projection surface to achieve that max image size.
We also know it has an Osram tri-colour LED light source, which is capable of generating brightness of 750 ISO lumens. That’s not nearly as bright as professional-grade projectors, and it’s clearly going to have to be restricted to night time use, or curtains-drawn viewing. TCL said the projection engine spans an impressive 124% of the Rec.709 colour gamut, which should ensure lots of vivid imagery, while its dynamic contrast is rated at 1,000,000:1. It also boasts TCL’s proprietary ImmersiColour technology, which uses AI to tweak the brightness, contrast and colour to optimise the on-screen image quality.
Considering the chassis is all about flexibility in terms of setting up, we’re not surprised to find a range of automated features for keystone correction, resizing and focusing the image. The Playcube comes with the Google TV operating system installed, and has Wi-Fi 5.0 for connectivity, so users can enjoy content from streaming apps like Netflix. Alternatively, there’s a single HDMI port for connecting a physical media player, and screen mirroring is also supported.
The integrated battery has a capacity of 66-Wh, which TCL says is good enough for approximately three hours of playback before it needs recharging. Fortunately, the device comes with a rapid charger that can give you an hour of play time after plugging it in for just 30 minutes. Of course, there’s the option of an external power bank for those who need more juice.
TCL says the sound section of the Playcube contains a single 5-watt speaker that pumps out “immersive” Dolby Digital Plus surround sound with “enhanced clarity, spatial depth and richer audio detail”. To be honest, 5-watt speakers aren’t all that, but the four EQ presets may help to get the output to the user's liking.
The TCL Playcube is available to buy in the U.S. via Amazon, where it costs $799 (around £589), and it’s expected to start shipping out before the end of the month. The company promised it will launch in additional markets soon, so it shouldn’t be too long before it arrives in the U.K.
Check out TCL's video for more on the Playcube:
The launch of the Playcube suggests that TCL wants to make a bigger impact in a projector market that it has largely ignored until recently. The company only launched its first such device in November of last year, when it debuted the portable TCL A1, priced at £395 in the U.K. That device is not quite as powerful as the Playcube, with brightness of just 360 ISO lumens and its maximum image size of 120-inches.
