Plus, it sits in the shadow of two very strong rivals from LG and Samsung.
It’s a solid projector, but it doesn’t best those big-name competitors.
The Dangbei Atom is a 1080p-resolution portable projector.
Contrast on the Dangbei Atom is decent overall, but textures appear too sharp in most picture presets other than Movie, where they look too soft.
It has auto keystone and auto focus, although its manual keystone adjustment is more effective.
Connections on the Atom consist of one HDMI 2.0 and one USB port.
Picture quality is a mixed bag with the Atom.
The Dangbei Atom has access to Google TV alongside other smart features such as Chromecast
However, given its struggles with black levels and darker scenes, its picture wont beat thebest projectorsanytime soon.
The Atom is light and compact with an appealing blue, square design.
Prices for the Atom have dropped to $699 / 699 since its release.
Where the Dangbei Atom’s picture succeeds most is with brighter, more colorful images, such as from movies likeElemental(pictured)
The Atom is mains-powered only, with no battery option.
The AtomsGoogleTV smart platform features major streaming services including Netflix, Disney Plus and Prime Video.
It has Google Voice Assistant for voice control and Chromecast for a wireless connection to phones and tablets.
The Dangbei Atom’s included remote is typical for a Google TV remote.
Physical connections include one HDMI port for video only and one USB-A port.
There is also support for4Kinput, which is downscaled to the Atoms native Full HD resolution.
For audio, the Atom features 2 x 5W speakers.
The Dangbei Atom can be taken anywhere thanks to its slim, light design.
The Atoms main strength is its surprisingly bright out-of-the-box image, which served more colorful scenes well.
Dangbeis projector did a solid job displaying sports.
The Atom struggled with dark movies.
(I measured the Atom’s contrast ratio at 181:1.)
Shadow detail was solid overall, with elements in clothing such as Batmans chest plate still visible.
The Atom also struggled with textures.
Throughout most viewing in Movie mode, these appeared soft, even by portable projector standards.
The Atoms dual 5W speakers dont create a room-filling sound, but are solid enough considering the projectors size.
However, the soundstage was narrow, and the bass was limited.
The Atom has a game mode for gaming, but thats the only related feature.
PlayingBattlefield Vwas a perfectly fine experience, but some lag was noticeable.
(It’s similarly priced in the US.)
Even the LG CineBeam Q, a 4K portable projector, can be found for $799 / 799.
Should I buy the Dangbei Atom projector?
It’s often priced the same or marginally higher than the Dangbei Atom, and is a better value.
Read our fullLG CineBeam Q review.
Plus, it’s much cheaper in the UK.
Read our fullSamsung Freestyle Gen 2 projector review.
Its not as portable or bright as the Atom, but those are the only places it falls short.
Read our fullXgimi MoGo 3 Pro review.
The Atom was primarily tested in pitch-black conditions in TechRadar’s testing room.
