ETOE Whale Pro Projector: Test / Review
Published on: 10-06-2025 / Modified: 10-06-2025
I haven't tested an LCD projector for a few months now, mainly because the results are almost always the same. The reason is very simple...in the vast majority of cases, these projectors use the same hardware, so the differences are minimal. Is that bad? No, you just have to be aware of it. Chinese stores are full of LCD projectors like this one, and although manufacturers use all sorts of superlatives, in most cases these superlatives are exaggerated
Today I'm going to take a look at the ETOE Whale Pro, which is an LCD projector available for under €500. The conclusions of this article will also be valid for a whole range of other brands such as Wanbo, Blitzwolf, Thundeal and many others
Temporary offer
The ETOE Whale Pro is temporarily available for €389 with a free 50" retractable screen. If this is your first purchase on Geekbuying, you could get a further discount
ETOE Whale Pro / Geekbuying
Manufacturer web site:
https://etoeofficial.com/
Site where I have bought or received the ETOE Whale Pro: https://shrsl.com/4w...
Price ETOE Whale Pro
Not yet available / testedTimeline
End of May 2025: receipt of the projector from GeekbuyingBeginning of June 2025: start of the test. I have no precise indication of the end of the test, as I have to give priority to another projector (XGIMI Mogo 4 Laser).
Why this projector?
This test isn't here to feed my curiosity, because I'm not expecting any big surprises at the end. On the other hand, this test should give you a clearer idea of what you can expect from a projector of this type, and I hope to be able to give you some useful pointers to help you make your choice.Unpacking
The projector box is quite imposing, I was surprised by its size but I think the projector lives up to its whale name, it's quite imposing
The box contains the projector, a remote control without batteries, a manual, a power cable with its transformer and a wipe to clean the optical compartment
Operating system
Projectors of this type often run on exotic operating systems that won't be updated after a few months/years and only support unofficial applications. This is NOT the case with this ETOE Whale Pro, in fact I was very surprised to find a full experience with Google TV and I think this is the first time I've tested a projector of this type with Google TV
Google TV is undoubtedly the best operating system for projectors at the moment and in addition to a well-designed interface, it offers native compatibility with most streaming applications such as Netflix, Disney or Prime Video. This is undeniably an advantage for this projector because most of those I tested were running on unofficial systems with unofficial applications.
Finish
As I said in my introduction, the manufacturers of this type of projector are well aware that the differences between entry-level LCD projectors are minimal. They then distinguish themselves with their exterior appearance, and I find the aesthetics of this projector rather successful. I find that this projector has an aesthetic that doesn't suggest that it's an entry-level projector.
The projector is quite imposing, measuring 28 cm x 20 cm x 15 cm and weighing almost 4 kg. The market is moving towards ever-smaller projectors, and this one sails a little against the tide. This isn't a problem, as this projector isn't intended to be moved around
It's the optical compartment that gives its position away. This type of optical compartment with this kind of depth is fairly typical of entry-level LCDs. If you're in the habit of trawling Chinese websites looking for a projector, you'll see that they all have pretty much the same type of optical compartment.
The optical compartment has the particularity of generating an almost centered image. This means that the middle of the block is close to the middle of the projected image. This means you need to position the projector low if you don't want the image to spill over the ceiling. You can, of course, turn the projector upside down to put it in the up position, but the presence of buttons on the back could pose a problem if pressed.
On the top are control buttons for using the projector without the remote control. These buttons allow you to position the projector in front of you.
The remote control is fairly basic, and nothing extraordinary. It works via Bluetooth, whereas many projectors in this range still use an outdated infrared remote control. The buttons are a little hard, but easy to locate, and it lacks a little responsiveness
At the rear, we find rather limited connectivity with an HDMI port, a USB port and a sound output
Below, we find a standard screw thread for a tripod. Given the projector's size and weight, you'll need to use a fairly sturdy tripod.
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
Not yet available / testedOperating noise
Not yet available / testedImage quality
Not yet available / testedColorimetry
More explanations on colorimetry
Measuring color fidelity (colorimetry) is not a subjective question, it is something completely measurable. This measurement is carried out with a device (colorimeter, spectrometer, ...) which measures the difference between the real color and the displayed color. This difference is expressed in delta E (abbreviation: dE). A dE greater than 3 indicates a deviation perceptible to the human eye.
The dE must therefore be as low as possible but projectors rarely have a dE lower than 3 out of the box. They are often between 5 and 10, only a calibration can correctly adjust the colors.
For a perfect calibration, you must call a professional. I give you my parameters which correspond to my situation. These settings might work for your situation but it is not a guarantee, so take them as an indication of the direction to follow.
Not yet available / tested
Brightness
More explanations on brightness
The brightness for a projector is absolutely crucial. The brightness is measured in ANSI lumens and the values provided by the manufacturer are very often higher than reality.
I measure the brightness with a lux meter and I convert my measurements into ANSI lumens in relation to the projection surface. You thus obtain a real value.
A video projector, even if it is bright, cannot compete with a television. The contribution of light (natural or artificial) will have the effect of drastically reducing the contrast of your image. With a brightness lower than 1000 ANSI lumens, the projector must be used in total darkness.
Not yet available / tested
Sharpness
Not yet available / tested
Contrast
More explanations on contrast
Contrast (on/off) is used to measure the difference between white and black. This measurement gives an indication of the ability of a projector to produce a good rendering in dark scenes.
A contrast lower than 500:1 should be considered as a very low contrast and the consequence will be especially visible in dark scenes where you will lose details. This is less of a problem for sports, bright films or even cartoons.
A low contrast ratio does not mean that a projector is not usable, you just have to be aware that for films like Aliens, dark scenes will no longer allow you to distinguish details.
Not yet available / tested
Motion compensation
More on Motion Compensation (MEMC)
Many projectors use a frequency of 60 Hz, which means that they broadcast 60 frames per second. Many films were designed to broadcast 24 frames per second. This means that for each second, the film does not have enough frames to fill the 60 frames broadcast by the projector.
This most often results in a jerkiness in the image. Some projectors are able to attenuate this jerkiness with a motion compensation system (also called MEMC). If you abuse this compensation, you will get what is called the 'soap opera' effect which makes the image a little artificial like the TV series of the 80s.
Not yet available / tested
Image size and projection distance
More explanations on the projection distance
The projection distance determines the size of the image and the size of the image is determined by the projector's throw ratio. If a projector has a throw ratio of 1.2, it will have an image width of 83 cm with possibly a gray border.
The distance also plays a role in the brightness because the brightness decreases with the square of the distance. A projector placed at 4 meters will therefore lose 4 times more brightness than a projector placed at 2 meters.
Keystone image correction does not modify the projection cone, it resizes the image inside the projection cone. This means that in the event of a significant correction, you will see a large gray border appear around your image.
Not yet available / tested
Screen choice
Not yet available / tested
Audio quality
More explanations on audio quality
I use several types of music tracks to illustrate the sound quality of the projector but the rendering will always be limited by the recording device. Since I always use the same device, you will be able to compare the difference on the same basis.
I regularly use well-known songs protected by copyright to illustrate the sound quality of a video projector. It therefore sometimes happens that YouTube decides to block my videos for these reasons. In this case, you can listen to the soundtracks directly on YouTube and hope that YouTube has not completely blocked my channel.
Not yet available / tested
Video games
More explanations video games
To be able to play in good conditions with a projector, the latency must be low. Latency is the reaction time between pressing a button on your controller and the reaction on the screen, this latency is expressed in milliseconds and is also called 'input lag'.
I measure this latency with a specialized device. To be able to play fast-paced FPS-type games online, you need to obtain a latency of less than 30 ms. For games where the reaction time is less important, a latency of less than 100ms should be suitable for most situations.
I generally test ShadowRunner from Geforce Now on my Nvidia Shield except when this is not possible. I'm not used to playing with a controller, so I'm not very good at it, but the point is to show the projector's ability, not mine.
Not yet available / tested
Encoutered bugs
Not yet available / testedALR/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
Not yet available / testedStrengths
Not yet available / tested
Weaknesses
Not yet available / tested
LAURENT WILLENHead of myself on this blog
I share my passions on my blog in my free time since 2006, I prefer that to watching nonsense on TV or on social networks. I work alone, I am undoubtedly one of the last survivors of the world of blogs and personal sites.
My speciality? Digital in all its forms. I have spent the last 25 years working for multinationals where I managed digital teams and generated revenues of over €500 million per year. I have expertise in telecoms, media, aviation, travel and tourism.
Questions/Comments