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Dangbei Atom laser projector : test / review

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Published on: 17-01-2024 / Modified: 30-01-2024
Dangbei is a Chinese projector brand that appeared on the European market just over a year ago, and unlike many other Chinese brands, Dangbei has chosen to start at the top end of the market, offering quality projectors priced at over €1,000. This brand clearly has ambitions to conquer the market outside China, as from the very first models, the projectors have been adapted to the international market with an international version of Android

After a few interesting references, Dangbei comes to tickle the market entry with a vitamin-packed portable projector that positions itself as a direct competitor to the Formovie S5 I tested a few months ago. The Dangbei's technical specifications are fairly similar, but the first major difference lies in its operating system. The Formovie is a Chinese projector designed for the Chinese market, so it is logically in Chinese. The Dangbei runs on Android and goes one step further, offering native Netflix compatibility

So this new Dangbei Atom looks very interesting on paper, let's see if it comes to fruition with my test!

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Manufacturer web site:
https://us.dangbei.com/
Site where I have bought or received the Dangbei Atom: https://nothingproje...

Price Dangbei Atom

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Timeline

January 17, 2024: despite the snowstorm, the projector is received and testing can begin.

Why this projector?

Until now, I'd never tested a Dangbei projector, but this brand was at the top of my list of projectors to test this year. As fate would have it, NothingProjector asked me to test this Dangbei Atom, so the timing was perfect!

Last year I tested the Formovie S5 and this little projector left me with a very good impression for a projector of this type. I compared it with the XGIMI Elfin, the first time I had compared two projectors in this way, and when I see the number of comments it generated, I say to myself that repeating this kind of test with the Dangbei Atom should also be interesting.
The Dangbei Atom has a very similar format to the Formovie S5 and the XGIMI Elfin, but it seems considerably heavier - the weight of the box surprised me in any case. On paper, it's brighter than the other two models, and uses a DMD 0.33 chip like the XGIMI Elfin, which should give it an advantage over the Formovie, which was limited to a DMD 0.23 chip. The use of laser means that contrast is likely to be better than a led projector like the Elfin, and it's the only one of the 3 projectors to offer native Netflix compatibility. So, on paper, it has all the qualities to do better than its two rivals.

Unpacking

For my first contact with the Dangbei brand, I was positively surprised by the packaging. I know, the packaging has no bearing on the product but it's the first contact with the buyer and the impression it's going to give is quite important. No frills or extravagant design, the product presents itself well with a sober, qualitative approach

The box contains the projector, a rather imposing power supply unit, a power cable, a remote control (delivered without batteries, you need 2 AAA batteries), a manual and a leaflet for warranty and support

Operating system

The Dangbei Atom uses Google TV as its operating system, a version of Android adapted to the world of projectors and televisions. The first configuration of the projector was a little different from what I'm used to see, you can configure the projector manually with the remote control or the Google Home app on your smartphone. If you opt for the latter, you'll need to scan a QR code to associate the projector with your Google environment. There's nothing extraordinary about this association procedure, but it has recently been adapted, and where it usually takes 2 minutes to set up a projector, it took me over 10 minutes for this one, the Google TV update was particularly lengthy.

Synchronization with your account means that you'll find your favorite applications on the home screen without having to download them. The remote control has also been thought out in the same way, offering direct access buttons to your favorite video platforms (e.g. Netflix, Amazon Prime,...). I thought the remote was missing a button to access the settings but to access the settings, you have to leave your finger on the "Home" button



The interface is very similar to what I've seen on other projectors so far but there are however a few differences. For example, you don't have to launch the Play Store application to access the apps; a search in the "apps" section will allow you to download the apps of your choice directly, so the Play Store integration is stronger. Customization seems to work differently too, but I'll need a few hours' use before I can see if the projector learns in a different way.

Finish

The Dangbei Atom could be confused with the Formovie S5, so much so does it resemble it. The projector is square, with a width of 19.5 x 19.5 cm and a height of just over 4 cm, and weighs 1.268 kg. From an aesthetic point of view, it's quite successful and gives an impression of quality, and I'd even say it looks more qualitative than the XGIMI Elfin with its white plastic.



The optical compartment is very discreet due to its integration into the projector, the whole is very dark as if to give an impression of continuity with the black lacquer of the front. The Formovie has a partial fabric cover, while the Dangbei has chosen plastic for its entire surface, but this plastic is rather thick and appears to be of poor quality.

Speakers are arranged on either side of the projector, with a fairly thin grille to diffuse the sound, and the words "Dolby Audio" are present on the front to no doubt reassure the future buyer, but in reality this is nothing exceptional.



There are several sensors on the front panel, notably for calculating depth and focusing, but also for detecting obstacles and automatically adapting the image.



At the rear, the honeycomb grid is thicker for better heat dissipation, and connectivity is limited to the bare minimum, but I'll come back to this point later



Below, we find the circular exhaust that is also present on the Formovie and XGIMI, and a standard screw thread will also enable the projector to be mounted on a standard photo tripod.

A projector doesn't have to be pretty, but this one is particularly successful in terms of aesthetics. Its format means you can take it almost anywhere, provided you have an outlet where you can plug it in.

Projection room

My projection room is rectangular, 4.6m by 2.9m (height 2.2m). I have two projection walls, one white wall 2.9m wide with just white paint with a possible 4m setback. I then have a 133 inch ALR screen on another wall with a possible setback of 2.8m. I mainly use the ALR screen except when the layout or type of projector is not suitable for this situation.

Battery autonomy

This projector is not equipped with a battery.

Power consumption

The Dangbei Atom is a very energy-efficient projector, and its consumption varies mainly according to the brightness level. In eco mode, I measured a consumption of 50 watts, in standard mode I measured 60 watts, and with maximum brightness, consumption rises to 70 watts. These are fairly low values for this level of brightness, but if you decide to use the brightness to the maximum, you'll also find that the projector is considerably noisier.

Operating noise

If I measure the noise at the fan, I get a value just over 40 dB, so the projector is audible but not disturbingly so



If I move a meter away, the fan noise is so low that it's no longer detectable by my device unless you use the brightest mode, then you'll hear the projector spitting out its lungs.

Connectivity

The Dangbei Atom's connectivity is very basic, with a single HDMI port, a single USB 2.0 port and a headphone output. The same applies to the XGIMI Elfin. The Formovie S5 does a little better, offering a USD 3.0 type A port and a USB type C port for power.

This limited connectivity is normal for this type of projector; it's not a projector that has to play a central role between several devices such as a bluray player, an amplifier and other appliances.

Image settings


You can access the picture settings in two ways, either by navigating from the main screen to the settings in the top right-hand corner, or by leaving your finger on the remote control's home button. I find this shortcut on the remote much more convenient, especially as it works even when you're using the HDMI port

The settings are presented in a much clearer way than I've seen on Android TV so far. They're divided into understandable categories, and the depth of the menus isn't mile-deep. Image settings are fairly basic, but with the parameters I've suggested, you'll quickly be able to find the right balance for your image

Image quality

I use the same video clips to compare projectors under the same conditions. This allows me to illustrate image quality in ways other than numbers, but also to compare projectors on the same basis. The particularity of this projector is that it competes directly with the Formovie S5 and the XGIMI Elfin. I'm sure I'll receive many questions on this subject, so I'll add a few videos to compare these different projectors

Let's start with the Dangbei Atom on its own, because after all, it's the main subject of this test. I'll start by comparing image quality between standard mode and after calibration. The calibration options are fairly limited, but they can improve image quality quite significantly



Now let's compare the Dangbei Atom with the Formovie S5



These two videos were taken under the same conditions, with recording at 1/60 and ISO 200. Here we can see that the Dangbei is a little brighter than the Formovie, its (base) color temperature cooler but more realistic. The level of detail is quite similar. Sound-wise, the differences on this video are not very audible, but in reality, the Formovie's sound is of better quality, which you'll be able to hear in the audio test section of this article.

Comparison with the XGIMI Elfin:



Here too, we can see that the Dangbei is brighter, the Elfin's recording was made at ISO 250 versus 200 for the Dangbei, so the difference is very great indeed. This difference in brightness will impact your choice if your projection distance is greater. Color temperature here is warmer on the Dangbei, so color rendition is better overall

Now back to the Dangbei with The Batman to show how this projector fares in dark scenes:



Although the Dangbei Atom is capable of achieving higher contrast than most LED projectors in the same price range, there are no miracles either. Batman's dark scenes are sometimes too dark, and although the whole scene is perfectly watchable, there's an inevitable loss of detail here. The Dangbei Atom and Formovie S5 clearly stand out in contrast to LED projectors such as the XGIMI Horizon and XGIMI Elfin

Colorimetry

I measured color accuracy in all the available configurations, playing with the color temperature as well.

The Dangbei Atom has 5 basic image settings:

- standard

- vivid

- movie

- game

- custom

For each setting, you can change the color temperature, multiplying the number of possibilities. As with most laser sources, the image is too cold, the choice of a warmer temperature will improve color rendering

I started measurements in standard mode, with brightness set to standard and temperature set to standard and I obtained a dE of 10.07 for colors, 14.2 for white and 17.83 for grays...ouch! For a first contact with the projector, it hurts! Fortunately, one click changes everything. If you switch the color temperature to "warm" instead of "standard", you get a dE of 6.32 for colors, 7.1 for white and 8.13 for grays. It's still not extraordinary, but let's call that progress. White is slightly bluish with a temperature of 7344K

I'll spare you the details of all the tests I've made and spare you from a headache, the "movie" mode combined with the "warm" temperature will bring you the best result without calibration. The image will still be a little too cold, but it will be much better than the basic configuration.

The possibilities for calibrating this projector are rather limited, but it is still possible to improve image quality quite considerably.

Calibration in front of the projector

This calibration does not take the screen into account, but allows you to modify the projector's parameters so that color accuracy is as faithful as possible to the output from the optical block. This color accuracy is therefore quite theoretical, as it will be influenced by your projection surface.



Here I obtain a dE of 5.2 for colors, 2.1 for white and 0.67 for grays. This is a much better result than you can get with one of the basic configurations. The final dE may not be very far off but the color deviations are much smaller and the white has become really white with a temperature of 6569K.

To obtain this result, you need to choose the following configuration:

Configuration "custom"

Light mode "eco" (important for grays)

Contrast 55

Saturation 45

Sharpness 10

Red gain +3

Green gain +0

Blue gain +2

Gamma "dark"

If you're used to reading my tests, you'll note that the color space (gamut) is limited to REC709 (or a little more). It was the same with the Formovie S5. The values after calibration are quite similar to what I obtained with the Formovie too, so the two projectors are on a par in terms of color.

Before ending this paragraph, I just wanted to add a little reminder. The values used for calibration can vary from one environment to another, so I'll give you my values for guidance, but they may not have the same effect in your home. I also calibrated the projector for a white screen and a gray screen. For the white screen, I didn't have to change the values, but for the gray screen, I had to decrease the red gain and increase the blue gain, but these are typical properties of my ALR screen.

Brightness

In theory, this projector should be able to reach 1200 ISO lumens, which is a lot for a portable projector but still far too little to consider using the projector in a lit environment. Projectors rarely produce the brightness mentioned in the specifications, and when they do, the image is often of poor quality.

The Dangbei Atom has three brightness modes: standard, eco and custom (with a setting from 1 to 10). I measured the brightness of the three modes, and although this is a little technical, brightness should be your first criterion of choice, as it will also play a role in projection distance:

Standard mode: 941 ANSI lumens

Eco mode: 754 ANSI lumens

Custom mode: 1069 ANSI lumens

So I wasn't able to reach 1200 lumens, and as with many other projectors, the brightest mode degrades image quality somewhat. It also increases the projector's ventilation noise. So it's best to opt for standard or eco mode. I got the best image quality (colorimetry/contrast) with the eco mode, but if you need more light, you'll have to choose the standard mode, which produces a cooler image.

With this brightness, at what distance can you place the projector?

With a brightness of 754 lumens, you'll hit the low limit from a screen width of 2 meters and with a screen of this size, the projector will be at a maximum of 2.5m from the screen

With a brightness of 941 lumens, you'll gain a little in distance. Here, you can achieve a screen width of 2.3m with a distance of around 2.8m

Brightness is a decisive criterion when choosing a projector. If your projection distance is greater than 2.5 or 2.8m, this projector is not for you, and as these values represent the lower end of the scale, a closer position will bring you a significant gain in brightness

The Dangbei Atom has a slightly higher brightness than the Formovie S5 (before calibration) and a much higher brightness than the XGIMI Elfin. After calibration, the differences between the Dangbei and Formovie are smaller.

Here's a small demonstration of using this projector with strong lighting and without lighting:



Even if the image is still visible, the presence of another light source greatly deteriorates image quality. This is entirely to be expected from a projector of this type, and I've only posted this video for those who might have considered buying this projector for use in a lighted room. The answer is quite clear: no.

Sharpness

This projector uses a DMD 0.33 chip like the XGIMI Elfin, so sharpness should be good enough throughout the image. The following photos were taken from a distance of 2.35 m



The sharpness is a little too high, and I'd recommend turning it down a notch or two for films to prevent faces being riddled with cracks. I also see a colored border (green for the edge of the screen) appearing along the lines. This is often the case with laser projectors. I don't consider this a problem for watching a movie, but if you use a computer with your projector, you might see this color clipping appear around lines and characters.

The sharpness for lines separated by a single pixel is rather limited, and the distinction between lines is no longer always visible. This is also the case with the Formovie S5 (it's even worse) and the XGIMI Elfin (which doesn't have color clipping).

Contrast

The vast majority of projectors I test are not capable of achieving high contrast levels, and this is often linked to the technology used. The market is flooded with LED projectors used in combination with a DMD chip, and this configuration doesn't allow very high contrast to be achieved. The For Movie S5 changed the basic equation by using a laser source instead of LEDs, and this is also the case for this Dangbei Atom. The use of lasers enables me to break away from the uniform mass of LED projectors by exceeding the 500:1 mark, but without being able to reach the contrast level of a UST laser projector

After calibration, I obtained a contrast of 496:1 with a gray dE at 0.67 and a gamma at 1.96. I still need to do some tests on my two screens to see if I can get a better value. I had obtained a contrast of 838:1 on the For Movie S5, so this projector should be able to achieve a fairly similar contrast

Update 29/01:

More specifically, I tested the contrast with all the light levels (standard, eco, custom from 0 to 10) and obtained a contrast slightly higher than 600:1 with the brightness at 7/10, but this has a negative effect on the white, which becomes too cold. So I can't beat the Formovie S5, but this result is far superior to what I achieved with the XGIMI Elfin

Motion compensation



The Dangbei Atom is unable to smooth fast movements, rapid horizontal movements cause visible tearing as you can see it from the white rectangle at the top of the screen. The Formovie S5 and XGIMI Elfin are capable of smoothing movements, it's an advantage for them over this projector.

Image size and projection distance

The Dangbei Atom probably has a projection ratio of 1.2 or 1.25. I didn't have the information at the time of writing, but I measured a screen width of 86 cm (with the gray border) for each meter away from the screen. This is a fairly standard projection ratio

Distance has a direct influence on light, brightness decreases with the square of its distance, it will decrease quite rapidly with every metre away from the screen. It's therefore an extremely important criteria in your purchasing decision and it's probably the most frequent question I receive

How do you know if this projector is suitable for your situation? I'm going to give two low ranges that shouldn't be exceeded

I've measured a brightness of between 754 and 941 lumens depending on the light mode chosen, so my calculation will be based on these two values

With 754 lumens, you shouldn't exceed a width of 2 meters (2.4m diagonal). This corresponds to a distance of around 2.30 meters

With 941 lumens, you shouldn't exceed a width of 2.3 meters (diagonal 2.7m). This corresponds to a distance of about 2.67 meters.

These values represent the low end of the range, meaning that in reality, you should place your projector a little closer. If you exceed the recommended distance, your image will be too dark.

Daylight use is obviously out of the question.

Audio quality

This video will probably be blocked for copyright reasons, but if it is, you can watch it directly on YouTube:

Dangbei Atom audio test

The Dangbei Atom is one of those small projectors capable of producing surprisingly good sound for its size. I'd already experienced this with the XGIMI Elfin and Formovie S5, and this Dangbei projector uses the same recipe, but I find that the sound here is a little less good than on the Formovie S5. Although the sound is far from bad, I find that the Dangbei achieves a form of saturation at high volumes, and I also find it harder to distinguish sounds when many types of sound are used at the same time.

I've reproduced my audio test of the Formovie S5 below, and even if the songs aren't the same, I find that the Formovie produces a finer sound than the Dangbei



Again, if this video is blocked, here's a direct link:

Formovie S5 audio demo

Video games

The Dangbei Atom has a game mode that has the effect of making the image cooler, but in addition to this mode, which influences colorimetry, there's a game mode at the bottom of the configuration screen that has the effect of reducing input lag. What's rather curious is that the two modes are not linked, as you can activate the game mode (bottom of screen) with another image mode, usually the two options are linked. Basically, I measured an input lag of over 100ms without game mode activated, but when I activate game mode, the input lag drops considerably so I can play fast games

I tested this projector with ShadowRunner in game mode for image and game mode for input lag. This projector doesn't reach the input lag of specialized gaming projectors, but it offers a perfectly comfortable experience, and I didn't experience any problems when playing ShadowRunner. For this test, I connected an Nvidia Shield to the projector's HDMI port at 1080p resolution and 60 Hz.

Encoutered bugs

I didn't encounter any bugs when using the projector, but I did occasionally experience slowdowns that caused a lag between the click on the remote control and the result on the screen. This problem didn't occur very often, but I think the projector was busy doing something else (e.g. updating something) while I was using it, which could explain this slowdown

The other problem I've encountered is related to file playback. I use test video files hosted on my local network, I play these files with Kodi and use them the same way on each projector. I've had a few problems playing these files with the Dangbei. For example, I couldn't play my test file for HDR, the projector falls into loop buffering and never starts the video. I sometimes have buffering for my local files but the videos end up being played, which is not the case with the Dangbei. I use uncompressed .ts files, which are quite heavy.

ALR/CLR Projection screen

Are you looking for a good ALR/CLR screen for your projector? I may have what you need:
ALR/CLR NothingProjector Screen

Test / Review conclusion

This Dangbei Atom is the first projector from the Dangbei brand that I've tested, it was a novelty for the brand but not for the type of projector. I've tested other projectors of this type, such as the Formovie S5 or the XGIMI Elfin, I have a basis for comparison to give my opinion on this Dangbei. I'm sure that many potential buyers will hesitate between these three models, that's why I'll try to structure my opinion / conclusion around these 3 projectors to help you choose.

The Dangbei Atom broadly follows the format used by the Formovie and XGIMI with its almost square format and dimensions. I find its finish superior to that of the XGIMI and similar to that of the Formovie but that's a rather subjective feeling. The image corresponds to the bottom of the optical compartment, sound is diffused from the sides and heat is evacuated from the underside. It's the same modus operandi as the Formovie and it's a format that works quite well. The sound is correctly progadated and the heat is also correctly dissipated. The Dangbei is discreet in eco mode, but makes itself heard in the brightest mode.

My first impression of the projector when I took it out of the box was rather positive but unfortunately my first contact with the image didn't have the same effect. I went from an "aaah!" to an "uh?". Of course, my opinion doesn't stop there: the basic factory configuration doesn't really bring out the best in this projector but luckily you won't need a degree in engineering to improve image quality. With a few manipulations (detailed in this test), you'll quickly be able to improve image quality with true white, more faithful colors and near-perfect grays. After calibration, the Dangbei stands out as the brightest of the three. Contrast is better than the XGIMI and a little lower than the Formovie, and although I still have some measuring to do, the Dangbei should hold its position between the two without creating a noticeable difference between the two. I thought sharpness was going to be a differentiating factor compared with the other two, but basically, sharpness is a little too strong as is sometimes the case with XGIMI projectors. Fortunately, it can be adjusted with the parameters.

In standard and eco modes, the projector is really very discreet and consumes very little energy, between 50 and 70 watts depending on the chosen brightness. If you decide to push the brightness all the way up, the Dangbei will spit out its lungs and lose all its discretion. Maximum brightness deteriorates image quality, avoid using it.

The Dangbei Atom produces good quality sound overall, but only if you don't push the volume too high and don't have too many different types of sounds accumulating at the same time. I don't have any tools to measure the sound quality of the speakers, so my opinion is subjective, but I find the Formovie's sound better. Sounds are easier to distinguish and there's a certain finesse that the Dangbei lacks. Between the XGIMI and the Dangbei, it's pretty similar

If you want to play with the Dangbei Atom, it's possible, even if it's not the best-performing projector in this field. It offers similar performance to the Formovie, here it's the XGIMI that comes out on top

The big novelty brought by this Dangbei is the use of Google TV and native compatibility with Netflix. This is the first time I've tested a projector with this combination and these two elements give it a very clear advantage over the Formovie, which needs an external solution to be used, and the XGIMI, which doesn't offer native compatibility with Netflix.

I'd have preferred the Dangbei Atom to crush the competition on every level, or to really suck, as that would have made it easier for me to write my review. The Dangbei is very close to its competitors on some points, sometimes it does better, sometimes not so well, but it's not as if anything makes it stand out very clearly. So I'm going to take a few points from my review to rank them, then you'll have to make your choice according to your expectations/priorities

Brightness: Dangbei Atom, Formovie S5 (close), XGIMI Elfin (far behind)

Colorimetry (after adjustments): Formovie S5, Dangbei Atom, XGIMI Elfin (all fairly close)

Contrast: Formovie S5, Dangbei Atom (close), XGIMI Elfin (far behind)

Sharpness: XGIMI Elfin, Dangbei Atom (close), Formovie S5

Games: XGIMI Elfin, Dangbei Atom and Formovie S5 far behind

Sound: Formovie S5, Dangbei Atom, XGIMI Elfin (close)

Power consumption: Formovie S5, Dangbei Atom, XGIMI Elfin

Operating system: Dangbei Atom, XGIMI Elfin, Formovie S5

MEMC: XGIMI Elfin, Formovie S5, Dangbei Atom

The Formovie S5 is the least expensive of the three and retains this undeniable advantage over the Dangbei as well, but it makes it an external solution for use outside China. Its DMD chip will also limit its ability to maintain a detailed image on a larger screen. The XGIMI remains a safe bet in many respects, but is outclassed when it comes to contrast.

If this Dangbei Atom hasn't convinced you, I have tested those 2 other projectors:
Formovie S5 (I have a promo code making it even cheaper)

XGIMI Elfin

Strengths

Brightness

Color accuracy (after calibration)

Contrast (in this price range)

Silent

Low power consumption

Netflix compatibility

Google TV

Finish

Weaknesses

No motion compensation (MEMC)

Complicated playback of large files

Sound saturation

Noise at maximum brightness

Sharpness a little forced

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