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Wanbo T2R Max: test / review

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Published on: 09-07-2022 / Modified: 01-10-2023
Wanbo is a Chinese brand that is capturing more and more territory in the world of video projectors. The first models were more to be classified at the bottom of the entry level with really very low prices and an experience aligned with the price positioning. Wanbo is gradually climbing the entry-level ladder by offering more efficient projectors for a price often below 200€. After testing the X1 and the T6 Max, I will now tackle the T2R Max.

The Wanbo T2R Max sits midway between the X1 and T6 Max by far outperforming the X1 in many ways and approaching the T6 Max with a significantly lower price. This new T2R Max could therefore represent a good compromise for those looking for a projector under 200€.

Free projector?

Banggood Money Back Offer

If you use the code [BGXTR22] while ordering this projector, Banggood will refund the full amount for 1 in 100 buyer, so you have a 1 in 100 chance to get this projector for free. Banggood offers the lowest price so if you don't get the refund you will have gotten it at the best price anyway.

Link: Wanbo T2R Max on Banggood

Code: [BGXTR22] (don't forget to add it before paying!)

Manufacturer web site:
http://en.szwanbo.cn/product.asp?cid=171
Site where I have bought or received the Wanbo T2R Max: https://www.banggood...

Price Wanbo T2R Max

The list below shows the prices for the Wanbo T2R Max from more than 50 sites around the world. If you are not satisfied with any price, you can subscribe to a price alert to be the first to be notified when the price drops.

Timeline

July 8, 2022: order the Wanbo T2R Max on Banggood
July 15, 2022: I received the projector, so the test can begin.

Why this projector?

Wanbo specializes in the production of entry-level projectors, which for most models can be used wherever you want. The models produced so far can't really compete with a projector over 500€ but that's not the point and that's not why the image quality is bad. Projectors are quite expensive products if you want excellent image quality and I'm sure in a few years it will be brands like Wanbo who will have succeeded in making quality more accessible to everyone.

The T2R Max is a small projector that differs from the X1 by offering a resolution of 1080p (against 720p) and greater brightness. The design of this projector is inspired by the automotive world with a chrome grille and a ventilation grille like the one used on cars. This projector is lighter and less imposing than the Wanbo T6 Max without sacrificing resolution. So I'm curious to see if this T2R Max will be able to compete with the T6 Max when it comes to image quality.

Unpacking

The box of the Wanbo somewhat follows the shape of the projector, it is much less imposing than that of the Wanbo T6 Max and I find that this type of box gives a good first impression on the product. Wanbo is a brand that has reached a certain maturity in the marketing of its products and this can be seen in the box and also the care taken in the packaging. The box contains the projector with foam protection against shocks, a remote control without batteries, a manual, a Wanbo sticker, a power cable and its transformer.

Operating system

The Wanbo T2R Max runs Android 9, I've seen all kinds of Android versions running on projectors before but hadn't seen this one yet. This version of Android is quite similar to Android TV because it follows the same principle of the main search/home/video/apps screens and on each screen there is a summary of what is available for the chosen category. Most of the choices offered ultimately come from YouTube, but I have also seen content from Amazon Prime appear on the various screens. This operating system is quite easy to use, it is fluid and offers many settings. This is also the first time that I have seen so many image settings on a projector of this type, so it may be the first time that I could try to calibrate a projector of this type.

Here is a demonstration video of the operating system:

Finish

The Wanbo T2R Max has a slightly retro design by taking codes from the automotive world with these two chrome grilles and its metal mesh, the focusing wheel above the retro follows a bit the same principle. The Wanbo T2R Max is smaller than the Wanbo T6 Max, so it can be transported more easily. I find that both the format and the aesthetics are quite successful, the projector has a less massive and brutal style than the Wanbo T6 Max.

The large grilles at the front and rear are not only decorative, they also serve to circulate the air in the projector to cool it. This is often a sign that the projector will be noisy, but I will test this later in this article.

At the back we find the same grille as at the front and we also find there an input for the power supply, a USB 2.0 port, an HDMI port (2.0?) and an audio output jack. It is a portable projector, the connection is therefore limited to the strict minimum.

There is a circular audio output on each side of the projector, this will undoubtedly have an effect on sound diffusion, this projector is probably designed to be placed in front of you. The optical block is really huge, it is even bigger than that of LED projectors like the XGIMI Horizon but that does not mean that it will emit more light because the projector has a brightness of 350 ANSI lumens. The wheel above the projector allows you to focus the image manually, this wheel is huge compared to other wheels of this type on other projectors but it contributes to the aesthetics of the projector. Below the projector there are 4 rubber feet which help dampen the vibrations emitted by the projector and you can also use a photo tripod to position it wherever you want.

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, it works only on mains.

Power consumption

I measured a consumption of 50W on my watt meter using the brightness at maximum, so it's very very little!

Operating noise

I measured the noise at the rear fan outlet and I get an average of 53db, so the noise from the projector is well audible like most projectors of this type but among this type of projector I find that this Wanbo is doing relatively well.

Connectivity

The Wanbo T2R Max is compatible with 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz wifi as well as Bluetooth.

Image settings
I didn't expect to find so many possibilities to adjust the image on this projector, there's really something to have fun with, but you still have to find your way around. I tested the settings with an HDMI source because with the native operating system, I cannot adjust the image superimposed on the projected image. I experimented with many different setups to achieve improved colorimetry (see later) and contrast (see also later).

The projected image can also be adapted by keystone correction and it is also possible to use a digital zoom in the image. This little projector therefore has a really complete panoply of settings that I can't even find on more expensive projectors.

Image quality

I quickly made a small demo video from some YouTube videos to give you an idea of the image quality out of the box:

Colorimetry

The Wanbo T2R Max is an entry-level projector, so don't expect wonders when it comes to colorimetry. With the factory settings I get a dE of 8.82 in standard mode, I tried the other modes but none really stands out to produce good colorimetry. In addition to the colorimetry, this projector has a deficit in terms of color coverage, this can be seen in the triangle corresponding to the measurements, it is much smaller than the reference triangle. All this therefore does not look very positive, but you have to remember that this projector is an entry-level projector and therefore it is almost normal to obtain this kind of result.

I tried to calibrate the projector using the settings and I managed to improve the colorimetry to bring it down to a dE of 6. It's still not ideal but it is already an important progress. The main problem with the colorimetry of this projector comes from the excessive presence of blue. It is therefore necessary to reduce the impact of blue with the parameters. I tried all sorts of combinations and the settings that worked best for a white wall are:
- brightness: 45
- contrast: 40
- temperature of colors: red gain +5, green gain -26, blue gain -30
- hue: green 35, flesh tone 38
- saturation: blue 30
These settings are taken from calibration with a white wall, so the settings may be different for you but you should try to use similar settings by weakening blue and green a little while boosting red a little.

The colorimetry is not quite uniform because if I project a pure white image, I see some color variations and areas that tend a little towards yellow on the periphery . This is mainly seen on white.

Brightness

With the brightness at maximum, I measured a brightness of 148 ANSI lumens, it is less than what is announced by the manufacturer but if you are not projecting the image on a very large surface, the brightness will be sufficient if you have medium lighting in the projection room. I still have to test the image settings, the value of 148 lumens was obtained in standard mode.

Sharpness

I was also positively surprised by the sharpness of this projector. On the Wanbo T6 Max there was an optical defect which did not allow sharpness to be obtained over the entire image, Wanbo has corrected this problem on this projector because the sharpness is very uniform over the entire image. image and the mechanical adjustment on the top of the projector works quite well. There is a small shedding in the corners but nothing dramatic. On the other hand, the projector must be positioned at least one meter from the wall because the minimum focusing distance must be around one meter.



Contrast

The contrast of this small projector surprised me because I expected a very low contrast like on most projectors of this type but I still obtained a contrast between 400:1 and 600: 1 depending on the settings. We must not push the brightness too much in the parameters and the contrast must paradoxically be reduced to be improved.

Motion compensation

This projector does not have motion compensation, so lateral movements are jerky.

Image size and projection distance

By placing the projector 1 meter from the wall, I obtain an image of 88x50cm with a visible border between 1 and 2 cm. You can therefore obtain an image of 176cm with a distance of two meters, but I do not recommend going further because the brightness will not be sufficient and the defects in the image will be quite visible.

Audio quality

The Wanbo is a small projector with low power sound output. In this video, the volume is at maximum. The sound quality is not extraordinary but for a projector of this type, it is not surprising. It will be perfect for mobile use or for children, but it will not replace a real home cinema projector.

Video games

I tested the Void Bastard game on this projector and did not notice any input lag issues. I measured an input lag of 42ms, so it's very decent. What bothered me a bit, however, was the jerkiness of the horizontal movements caused by the judder. I also didn't play very well because I was using a controller for the first time for this game where I usually play with a keyboard.

This projector is not designed for gamers but it will probably satisfy those who want to play occasionally and preferably with games that do not move too much because the jerky images are not very pleasant to look at.

Encoutered bugs

I encountered some problems during my test but I can't really consider them as bugs, they are more practical problems which in most cases stem from the lack of performance of the projector. The most annoying problem is the remote control. It does not always respond quickly and it is mainly when the projector is busy doing something else that sometimes you have to press several times for the remote control to respond and then it will trigger several times on the same commands. It's quite annoying to type text for example, you have to be careful not to go too fast. You also need to position yourself behind the projector for the remote control to work optimally.

The projector is not very fast and although this is not a problem for the vast majority of tasks, sometimes it will take its time to do what you ask of it and during that time anything you ask it will be queued and executed as soon as it gets the chance. I had the misfortune to play a large video file in 4k, it took a long time to open it and during that time impossible to ask anything from it. Files that are too big cannot be read, the projector is not powerful enough for that.

The projector is designed to be placed in front of you, so this will reduce the projection distance, but if you place it behind you anyway, you will have to do acrobatics to use the remote control and see heat exits from the front of the projector, you may also get hot on your back.

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

When I test a projector in this price range, I try to put aside all my evaluation criteria because I know very well that this kind of projector cannot compete with a 500€ projector. This type of projector is designed for mobile or occasional use, it is not designed to become the centerpiece of a cinema room. If I keep this point in mind, does this projector fulfill its mission? Yes, and I think he is even doing very well!

This projector is a true 1080p projector, it has a native resolution of 1080p and it shows especially on the sharpness tests. The image is of good quality for a projector of this type, it is certainly not comparable to a mid-range projector but for mobile or occasional use, it is really sufficient. The colors are a little too cold, the brightness does not allow use in daylight, the contrasts are good for a device of this type. So you don't have a war machine here, but this Wanbo does what is expected of it.

The operating system is also quite interesting, it looks like the official version of Android TV with some differences in the interface, but overall it is very successful. Keep in mind that this projector is not a brute of performance so even if you can install the applications offered, the use will not always be optimal.

This projector is also very energy efficient, it consumes barely 50w. It doesn't take up much space, so it can be taken anywhere with you and that's exactly what it was designed for.

This Wanbo T2R Max comes between the Wanbo T6 Max and the Wanbo X1, I also find that the quality/price ratio leans in its favor compared to these two models.

Strengths

- compact and light format
- attractive design
- low power
- very easy to use
- numerous setting options
- 1080p native
- good sharpness
- reduced input lag

Weaknesses

- sometimes refractory remote control
- not very efficient
- colors too cold
- no motion compensation
- lack of image fluidity for games
- medium quality sound
- noisy