Dangbei N2 Mini review

The Dangbei N2 Mini is a compact mini projector that offers 1080p natively and is an ideal option for anyone looking for a small portable projector that’s capable of being used in photography or videography workshops. It’s also a great solution, obviously, for its main focus, which is as a cheap, affordable projector for media playback and streaming.

The N2 Mini offers plenty of flexibility with its small size, making it exceptionally easy to position and adjust, with the whole series of auto adjustment features essentially running through the setup process for you. So there’s no faffing around with manual focusing rings or adjusting the keystone manually, that is all set and adjusted by the intelligent processor within the machine.

When it comes to projection size, you have anything from a 40 to 120-inch diameter, which is quite significant considering the price of the unit. What’s more, because of its innovative gimbal-style design, it offers plenty of flexibility over the positioning, and then, when that’s tied with the screen fit and automatic obstacle avoidance, you have one of the easiest projectors that I’ve ever used to set up.

One of the things that really stands out about this small projector is its simplicity of use. On the back, there’s an HDMI port that enables you to instantly plug in a laptop or other media device so you can watch back media just by selecting the source. Or there’s a standard USB port, so you can plug in a standard USB stick with images or video content ready to project directly. Of course, because this is a modern projector, it also has Wi-Fi connectivity, so if you want to connect it into your Wi-Fi network, then there are a series of apps pre-installed with others you can install later, enabling you to connect up to some of your favourite streaming networks, i.e. Netflix, Amazon Prime and YouTube, giving you plenty of flexibility.

In this review I’m focusing on using the projector in the photography and video world, mainly for use in workshops as a cheap and tidy solution that can be used when projecting demos, presentations and also reviewing students’ work. However, its main focus is, of course, for use in the home to watch back videos and movies, which I will, of course, do as well.

What is quite surprising about the N2 Mini is that, considering its price, now just under $200 / £200, you’re getting a unit that feels solid, robust and actually far more premium than its price would suggest.

Build quality is surprisingly sturdy and, through this test, I found that it fitted very neatly into one of the larger lens sections usually occupied by a 70-200mm f/2.8. There is a little more width, but lengthwise it’s pretty much the same, so it slips in quite nicely, especially useful when running presentations.

While the projector is small and relatively lightweight, it is designed for home use rather than out in the field, so it does require AC power. This simply plugs into the back and then directly into a wall socket. Through this test, I used it both indoors and out in the field, and when out in the field, I plugged it directly into the DJI Power Station 1000 (V2).

When it comes to size and weight, it measures 143 x 149 x 241 mm and weighs just 1.72 kg, so not a great deal. The design is also quite innovative and makes it far easier to position than many of the projectors I’ve looked at in the past. This is really something that stood out to me when I was first approached to take a look at this particular model.

The main projection head sits on a gimbal stand that enables you to mount it on the floor, table, or ceiling if you have a suitable mount. It also enables plenty of rotation and tilt, so when it comes to basic projection, it’s very quick and easy to position on a table and project onto a screen.

For the most part, during this test, I was using a 60-inch projection screen. I’ve put a link to that below. While this is just a basic model, it does really well if you’re running workshops, and it packs down nicely and small so that I can always carry it with me in the van.

On the front of the projector, there’s really just the projection lens. What I really like here is that it’s kept purely nice and simple, and the colour, in its dark grey, means that when the lights are dimmed, unlike some other models with light-coloured bodies, it’s not distracting. The grey actually blends into the darkness, meaning your full focus is pushed towards the screen, a small detail, but something that I feel is important.

When it comes to connectivity, there are plenty of options with USB 2.0, HDMI, and DC in for the power. There’s also a 3.5mm audio output, so if you do want some audio with just a bit more depth than the built-in speaker provides, that’s possible as well. When it comes to wireless connectivity options, there is Wi-Fi 6 (2.4G / 5G), so it should work in most environments, and there’s also Bluetooth 5.2.

When it comes to operating the projector, it arrives with a small remote control that enables you to adjust the volume, run through the auto-setup features (or take over manually if needed), and also allows you to select the source as well as navigate the files if you’re using a USB stick or one of the downloadable streaming applications.

A quick look through the specification, and for a projector at this price, it’s quite hard to believe just what has been packed into the Dangbei N2 Mini. For a start, it has native 1080p full HD resolution projection, which is really the base level needed for photography and video projection. Anything lower than this and you’ll see a certain softness to the image. While it’s not quite 4K, it’s fine for quick presentations and ease of use.

One of the features that really stands out to me, having used so many projectors over the years, is the full AI-powered auto-setup. This enables instant auto focus, so you can ensure a clear, crisp image. Then there’s auto keystone alignment and object avoidance that all shift the projection to give the best possible end result without having to spend five or ten minutes setting it up at the beginning of a workshop, when you should really be greeting and talking with your students, who will inevitably always turn up early.

Another feature I really liked was the wide range of connectivity options. You have the standard HDMI and Wi-Fi, but if you also have a phone or tablet and need to plug those in, that’s possible through the wireless casting feature, something I haven’t seen in many projectors at this price point, and it certainly made things a lot easier.

A quick dip into the projection itself: the display technology is LCD, with a brightness of just 200 ISO lumens. Now, this isn’t particularly high for a projector of this type, but it is standard. So, for most situations, it’s okay, but if you’re thinking about using a projector like this in daylight conditions, then it is going to look a little dim. If there are blinds that you can pull down, that will definitely improve the clarity of the image. The throw ratio is 1.25:1, with an image size you can adjust from 40 to 120 inches, depending on how far back the projector is. For the most part, I ran this at about 60 inches, which is more than enough for close-quarter workshop environments and also helps improve image clarity.

As mentioned, there is a built-in speaker, and I think due to the design of the unit, it does have a certain element of depth, which for most situations, especially if it’s just you watching back a video or film, will probably be perfectly adequate. But if you, like me, need a little more depth and power to the audio, there is a 3.5mm audio jack. The built-in speaker is 6W and supports Dolby Audio, Dolby Digital and Dolby Digital Plus.

There are also some features hidden away inside that enable this projector to run native apps. These include 1GB RAM (DDR3, perfectly adequate for a machine of this type), 8GB eMMC 5.1 storage, and, interestingly, the operating system is Linux. This means there should be a decent amount of flexibility if you want to delve into the system in any depth. As standard, it comes with a few apps pre-installed, and there is an app store where you can download a few more. These include Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video and Plex.

Another feature worth mentioning, especially if you’re looking for a projector for presentations, is the sealed EngineX optical engine. This essentially stops dust and debris from getting inside the projector so perfect if your looking to take this from one location to another, it’s just surprising how much dust can get into things.

Over the years, I’ve looked at many projectors, large and small, and the technology has advanced incredibly quickly. Some of the projectors I looked at only a couple of years ago now seem decidedly archaic, with low resolution, relatively cheap plastic builds, but still, at the time, commanded a price well in excess of the N2 Mini.

When I first received the details and looked at the price, I wasn’t expecting a great deal. However, when the box arrived with a decent weight I instanty started to change my preconcepted ideas, and as I removed the packaging to reveal the unit, it proved to be far in excess of what I was expecting. This was a high-quality full HD projector, and there was absolutely nothing cheap about the build quality or design.

As I started to set it up, I thought there must be a catch because the whole setup process was incredibly quick and straightforward, with the projector essentially handling the projection throw, focus, alignment, keystone and everything else. All I needed to do was roughly point the projector in the right direction and switch it on.

Once the unit had run through the initial setup and configured the projection beam, the only additional step was pairing the remote by pushing two buttons. Other than running through the Wi-Fi setup process it was ready to go. As I’m generally using this projector in different locations, I decided to connect it to a Netgear Nighthawk M7 Pro, giving me mobile internet wherever I want it. The connection between the two devices was quick and straightforward, and once I was connected, the speed of streaming was extremely robust, with a good volume of pre-installed apps enabling me to log in and use it as quickly and easily as with any other system.

While the OS is based on Linux rather than Android or similar, it ran exceptionally well, and the user interface, using the remote control, worked very well. What I really liked was the fact that it had Plex as one of the main apps, meaning I could stream all of my content from my home server.

Once I’d had a good play with the projector and figured out how to switch sources, connect, and cast to it, it was still hard to believe that this projector costs less than $200 at present. As I packed it away, ready for the first workshop, I felt confident that it wasn’t going to cause me any issues.

As I got the projector set up, sure enough, it was straightforward. All I needed to do was plug in the AC power, in this case, into the DJI Power Station 1000 V2, switch it on, plug it into my laptop, and we were essentially set and ready to go.

The projection quality was good, but once again, I did find a bit of limitation with the brightness. At 200 lumen, really for something like this, I would expect a projector with a minimum projection strength of about 400–500 lumens. Still, with the blinds down, it gave a decent projection, and what really stood out was the clarity of the image. Although I wouldn’t go anywhere near colour accuracy for photography, in situations where you’re projecting to students, that’s not really a consideration.

The small 6W speaker was actually relatively decent, and as long as everyone was quiet, it had enough clarity and depth. Although in any other situation I’d probably want to plug in speakers, especially in larger environments, where that small 6W speaker does get a bit lost in the ambience.

Once again, one of the big things that stood out was the fact that the auto adjustments just take over the setup process. So once I set up the 60-inch screen and roughly pointed the projector in the right direction to make sure the projection beam fell within the screen, I ran through the focus, keystone adjustment and object avoidance, which in the first instance happened to be my backpack, which it avoided, so l removed it so it could actually focus properly.

Throughout use in the session, it just worked exceptionally well. You could hear some noise from the fans as it was left on for over an hour, but generally it was just simple and straightforward to use, and the quality of the projection at 1080p was very good. But for me, what really stood out was the ease of connecting different sources. With my main source being an HDMI straight through to my MacBook Pro, that was all quick and easy. A lot of the students had images on USB sticks, so rather than getting them to download those to my machine, I simply plugged them into the back of the projector, selected the source, selected the folder, and then I was reviewing their images. One thing I would say here is that it will only project JPEG or compatible image formats, any raw images will just appear as an icon.

For a projector that is incredibly cheap, it’s a surprisingly high-quality build with plenty of built-in apps. So if you do want to use it to watch a movie, most of the streaming services are here, ready to download and log in, so you can view your content.

If you want to use it for presentations and workshops, as I have, and you’re doing those in the evening when the light is slightly lower, then this is absolutely fine. That 200 lumens should be okay. However, I would probably opt for something with just a little bit more power so that you can go to a larger screen and get brighter images.

Likewise, the small 6W speaker is a little lacklustre, but it’s sufficient if it’s just you watching a movie. Thankfully, there’s a 3.5mm audio jack so you can plug in larger speakers, as I did with the Fostex 6301B units, and once you do that, if it’s going through a decent set of speakers, then the audio quality is surprisingly good.

From a standard projection use, being a photographer/videographer, using projectors within the creative workflow is also a major consideration, and this, for me, is where the N2 Mini really stands out.

Okay, the projection brightness might only be 200 lumen, so it’s suited to darker conditions, but it’s also great in the studio. If you need to project graphics or images over objects or people, then that 200 lumens of brightness is well-balanced and actually enables you to do a great deal with creative effects.

Through the test, we used it for several projection workshops, and it worked well projecting binary code over models to get a Matrix-style effect. When it came to still lifes and creating ambience and mood within images, once again, we used the projector to cast sunsets, moons and ambience on backdrops, just to give an added layer of depth to the imagery. In this situation, and considering the price, it makes an extremely versatile photographic tool.

As a good all-round, very cheap projector, I’m really impressed with just how good the N2 Mini is and would highly recommend it for use at home as well as for some light use when doing workshops and other events, as long as they’re in the evening.

As a tool for videographers needing to make presentations, this is a great option just because it’s so small, compact and relatively lightweight, it will pack into a kit bag without too much issue, and the build quality is robust enough to stand being carried around.

What really stood out to me over many hours of projector use is that gimbal design. It’s just one of the easiest projectors I’ve ever used to set up. Simply pop it down, roughly point it in the right direction, and then all of the AI adjustments kick in so that you don’t have to mess around with focusing and keystone adjustment yourself. What’s more, it’s relatively quick.

If you’re looking for a main projector for home cinema projection, then I would go for a 4K option, it just gives you that extra clarity. And do remember that the 6W speaker, whilst okay for occasional use, will be a little limiting, especially if you want the full ambience of cinematic audio.

But for any other situation, projection in the studio, workshops, or for using creatively within your photography or video projects, then this is a great option. And actually, that 200 lumen, especially when incorporated into use as a photographic tool, is exceptionally well balanced.

Overall, I’ve just been really impressed by the build quality, the quality of the projection, and the ease of use. And whilst it’s not the most powerful in terms of brightness, when it comes to flexibility and versatility, from workshops, to use within photographic projects, and of course kicking back and watching the odd film, it gives you exceptional value for money. And in testament to that, it is the projector that I have tended to go for over the last few months.