Another affordable projector has just hit the market courtesy of Wanbo, which has unveiled the Vali 1 Pro model, billed as an upgrade to the existing Vali 1 that debuted last year.
Like its predecessor, the Wanbo Vali 1 Pro is designed to be an affordable way to access big screen entertainment in your living room or bedroom. It’s also big on convenience, with various auto-setup features on board that should make it trivial to get a decent quality picture out of it.
As a lower cost model, you won’t be getting 4K quality. Resolution maxes out at Full HD or 1,080p, though it does support 4K content playback – meaning you can watch 4K movies, but the resolution will be lower. It also supports HDR10, but not the premium Dolby Vision or HDR10+ formats. Those aforementioned set up features include automatic focus, keystone correction, auto-screen fit, and obstacle avoidance. There’s also Motion Estimation, Motion Compensation, or MEMC technology, which helps to smooth out the motion of fast-paced scenes, reducing blur.
The device runs the Google TV operating system, which means all of your favourite streaming apps are included and ready to go, so content shouldn’t be a problem. There’s also YouTube, in case you don’t actually subscribe to any streaming services, and the Google Play Store will provide access to hundreds of other applications.
The Wanbo Vali 1 Pro model has a functional design, incorporating an adjustable base that’s able to rotate up to 200 degrees, enabling flexibility when positioning the device. Google Assistant is also onboard, meaning it can be controlled with voice commands rather than a remote control.
As for the specifications, the company says it offers brightness of 650 ISO lumens, which is surprisingly inferior to the original Vali 1, which was said to be able to reach 900 lumens. However, as HDTVTest reported previously, that claim about the original model came under suspicion. During a review, Projector Central said it measured the Vali 1’s brightness at just 422 lumens – less than half the company’s claims. So, assuming the Vali 1 Pro really does achieve 650 lumens, that would actually mean it’s brighter than the step-down model. Still, bear in mind that while 650 lumens should make it watchable in the daytime with the curtains drawn, it will perform a lot better in low-light (nighttime) conditions.
Audio is supplied by a pair of built-in 6-watt speakers, and Dolby Audio surround sound is also supported. Other specs include a 3,000:1 contrast ratio and the ability to project images up to 130-inches in size, though you’ll probably get a sharper image if you keep it to around 100-inches. Connectivity options include dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0, plus a USB 2.0 port, an analog audio and video input port and an HDMI 2.1 video connector. It’s powered by a MediaTek MT9269 quad-core processor with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage.
Wanbo said the Vali 1 Pro projector is launching globally imminently. We haven’t yet spotted any U.K. listings, but it’s available in the U.S. already, priced at $329.99 (around £248), and in Europe via Amazon and Ali Express, where it costs €279 (around £242).
