I thought that the price of smart TVs would continue to drop, and then there would be no point in buying a projector because the price and quality would vary significantly. However, it turns out that projectors are getting even better, and their price is decreasing.
While continuously improving the brightness, the projector manufacturers are also developing a new generation of triple-color laser light source technology. For example, the entire JMGO N1 series uses MALC tri-color laser technology. Compared with traditional LED light sources, the main parameters of image quality, such as color gamut, have been improved by 2–3 times.
Recently, the N series has been expanded with the new model JMGO N1 Air, bringing the flagship technology of a triple-color laser to the price range of $400.
Let’s explore all the details of the new JMGO N1 Air projector.
Unboxing
Usually, I don’t talk much about projectors packaging because, but not in the case of the JMGO N1 series. Like the previous models, the new projector comes in a portable storage box, which has strong protection ability. So don’t throw it away after unboxing. You can use it when you want to go outside or when you move into a new apartment.
Design
It wasn’t until I took the JMGO N1 Air out of the box that I realized how compact it was. You know, the projector comes with a gimbal bracket, but the size is only 187 x 165 x 191 mm.
Unlike the black, white, and gray colors of most projectors on the market, JMGO N1 Air uses a fresh and more energetic color. In my case, this is an almond white. The projector is also available in ice salt blue color. Both look very nice.
Gimbal
If you compare the JMGO N1 Air to other projectors, it is bigger because of the gimbal. However, you are likely to be putting something under other projectors or using a tripod, so I can’t say it is a problem with the new JMGO projector. It is an advantage.
The JMGO N1 Air gimbal can support a wide-angle adjustment of 127 degrees, so you can project the image not only to the wall but also to the ceiling. If you usually want to lie in bed and watch a movie, you can directly project it on the ceiling. It is very difficult to do with other projectors.
When using the JMGO N1 Air, I was impressed by a non-sensing automatic adjustment. The experience is great with the unique pan-tilt design of this projector. The screen movement is very smooth. With real-time focus and automatic keystone correction, there wasn’t a white screen or checkerboard pattern that affected the image perception during the entire movement process. There was also no sudden strong light that would cause glare. The JMGO company has done a great job with a gimbal not only hardware but also software.
Dynaudio Speakers
On the sides of the projector, we can see very large speakers’ grilles. The JMGO N1 Air uses Dynaudio dual speakers. It has HiFi sound quality, and the bass can reach 55Hz. Good audio can give you a more immersive experience when watching movies.
Triple Color Laser
JMGO Company chooses the route of a tri-color laser. You know, movie theaters also use this technology. Now we can say that these projectors are good for home theater.
In addition, JMGO solves the problem of astigmatism by equipping with LSR dynamic speckle removal technology, which not only specifically eliminates the speckle problem caused by the tri-color laser, but also exceeds the industry’s conventional level and effectively eliminates 96% of the image.
700 CVIA Lumens Brightness
At the same time, the brightness of the JMGO N1 Air reaches 700 CVIA lumens. I have used it directly in the living room, and it remains very clear even when the curtains are not drawn during the day.
Projection during the day without curtains
Projectors in this price range tend not to do well with brightness uniformity due to cost issues. However, JMGO uses the self-developed MALC triple-color laser technology, so the uniformity is much better. When projecting a pure white image directly, you can see that the brightness control of the whole image is very good.
I also tested the brightness with a lux meter. The brightness difference between the central area and the four corners is also very small. Long story short, uniformity is good.
110% BT.2020 Color Gamut
Looking at this colorful image, you can feel the full power of BT.2020 110% color gamut. All colors can be reproduced more accurately, and even a multi-color gradient picture such as a rainbow has no faults visible to the naked eye. If you like to watch some animations with bright colors, or some scenery videos, then this effect should meet your needs.
You know, photos cannot really show the projection, because the color gamut of the tri-color laser exceeds the color gamut of my shooting camera itself.
In addition, the color mode of the JMGO N1 Air shows the parameters of its peak color gamut. If you have custom requirements, you can switch the color gamut mode. For example, the bright color corresponds to the P3 color gamut, and the standard corresponds to the sRGB color gamut. Therefore, when using JMGO’s tri-color laser projectors, you can customize them to your taste.
1300:1 Contrast Ratio
The contrast ratio of JMGO N1 Air is also higher than traditional LED projectors, reaching 1300:1. You know, in the past, in the price range of $400, either you could only buy an LED projector, or you could only buy a monochromatic laser projector.
Projection during the day with the curtains drawn
Most LED projectors have a low contrast ratio, and it is almost impossible to use them for watching movies, as the whole image is gray, and the details of the dark part are almost invisible.
With the support of the Krypton tri-color laser, the contrast ratio of the JMGO N1 Air has reached 1300:1. When watching even the darkest movies, the image retains plenty of detail. Take my favorite mecha movie “Pacific Rim” as an example. The high contrast of JMGO N1 Air allows us to clearly see the details of the base building, steel pipes on the walls, Ladders, and other details.
Projection at night with lights on
MEMC Motion Compensation
In terms of hardware, JMGO N1 Air uses the MT9 series flagship chip, which supports global MEMC dynamic compensation. If you love watching football matches, sports news, etc., watching the game will be smoother with MEMC technology.
Projection at night with lights on
Eye Protection
Compared with TVs, projectors have their own advantages in terms of eye protection. JMGO uses MALC tri-color laser technology to achieve zero harmful blue light, so it is more friendly to children’s eyes. If you have children at home, you can use the projector to play cartoons for your children with more confidence.
Projection at night with lights on
Bonfire OS
Like the flagship model, JMGO N1 Air is equipped with BONFIRE OS. This is a smart operating system that is used on many Chinese projectors. As practice shows, the global versions of the JMGO projectors run on Google Android TV.
However, you can download third-party apps on the Chinese model, so you can install your favorite apps, such as YouTube, Netflix, etc.
Summary
Thanks to JMGO’s efforts, tri-color laser technology is now available in a $400 projector.
JMGO N1 Air with a brightness of 700CVIA lumens can provide daytime viewing, and you can get a clear image without pulling the curtains.
110% BT.2020 color gamut is also very good. All kinds of colors can be well restored, and there is no whitening and dullness. The 1300:1 contrast ratio ensures a comfortable movie experience, and details in dark areas are clearly visible.
The JMGO N1 Air has a unique gimbal with a large tilt angle adjustment of 127 degrees. Now you don’t need an extra tripod. In addition, the gimbal is a treasure for those who like to watch the projection on the ceiling.
The JMGO N1 Air is the first triple-color projector in this price range, but I think this is just the beginning. Other manufacturers will look up to it and hopefully try to make their projectors even better and more affordable.
