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Hisense C2 Extremely evaluation: Two-minute evaluation
The Hisense C2 Extremely is a formidable 4K projector that delivers sensational visuals, boasts spectacular sound output and encompasses a user-friendly operating system that gives entry to the best streaming services. Whereas it requires mains energy, it’s small and light-weight sufficient to be thought of moveable, which implies not solely can it’s thought of one of many best 4K projectors, however one of many best portable projectors too.
Key to the C2 Extremely’s success in projecting wonderful pictures is its triple-laser projection system, which mixes crimson, blue and inexperienced gentle sources. This method can’t solely go extremely vivid – Hisense says it’s rated for a peak brightness of 3000 ANSI lumens – but in addition covers a large colour spectrum, 110% of the BT.2020 colour house, to be exact. Dolby Imaginative and prescient, HDR10+, HDR10 and HLG HDR codecs are all supported, and it is IMAX Enhanced.
The outcomes are excellent, with content material showing vibrant and punchy, and distinction ranges are good too, giving pictures nice depth. It’s not solely in vivid, colourful scenes the place the C2 Extremely excels although, because it additionally serves up deep blacks and is greater than succesful the place shadow element is anxious. Should you have been ever of the notion {that a} projector nonetheless isn’t a genuinely viable various to a TV, notably outdoors of house film nights, then the Hisense C2 Extremely bucks that development in a giant means.
What took me most abruptly upon my first use of the C2 Extremely was the audio efficiency from the built-in 2.1 channel speaker system tuned by JBL. I had the unit arrange in my spare bed room on a stand, simply to the correct of the mattress and my viewing place. After I was watching films, the sound gave the impression to be coming from the other wall and never blasting straight in my ears as I had anticipated, leading to a way more immersive expertise. The speaker system can go loud whereas nonetheless retaining a superb quantity of element. Dialog comes by way of clearly, whereas the subwoofer can go low, which helps so much throughout high-octane scenes equivalent to explosions or rumbling automobile engines.
I believe it’s a handsome unit too and one which’s impeccably constructed. The principle projector housing can’t solely be moved round a full 360º to fit your particular viewing place, however it may additionally transfer upwards to a most of 135º to mission pictures onto increased surfaces.
The C2 Extremely’s Vidaa OS is by far essentially the most completed projector working system I’ve personally come throughout. Not solely is it intuitive to make use of proper out of the field, but it surely additionally gives entry to nearly the entire primary streaming apps you’re more likely to need. Android-based projector techniques can usually fall foul of not providing such extensive assist and infrequently require workarounds to get a number of the extra fashionable apps. Hisense’s OS additionally provides a variety of image adjustment settings that will help you obtain one of the best general picture.
Lastly, it’s an important choice for avid gamers. Not solely is it ‘Designed for Xbox’ licensed, but it surely encompasses a 240Hz gaming mode to assist with notably fast-paced gaming motion.
Its record value might initially make you assume it’s costly, however contemplating its capabilities rival most TVs and the very fact it may mission a picture as much as 300 inches in dimension, then it abruptly presents itself as an authorized discount.
Hisense C2 Extremely evaluation: Value & availability
- Launch date: October 2024 (March 2025 in Australia)
- Value: $2,999 / £2,499 / AU$4,499
- Can already be discovered with reductions
The Hisense C2 Extremely was introduced in October 2024 and went on sale within the US and UK on the identical time, however didn’t arrive in Australia till March 2025. At launch, it was listed at $2,999.99 within the US, £2,499 within the UK and AU$4,499 in Australia.
Nonetheless, it’s already obtained reductions worldwide, so now you can feasibly anticipate to pay round $2,499 / £2,299 / AU$3,999. I’ve additionally noticed choose retailers providing the choice of a free projector display with the acquisition of a shiny new C2 Extremely, do you have to want to go down the ‘full’ house cinema route.
The C2 Extremely is costlier than two of our favourite moveable 4K projectors, the BenQ GP520 and Anker Nebula Cosmos Laser 4K. Nonetheless, the Hisense machine is objectively brighter than both of its opponents, provides higher gaming and HDR assist and is extra forgiving in the place it’s positioned because of its gimbal design.
Hisense C2 Extremely evaluation: Design & options
- Semi-portable design
- Glorious Vidaa OS software program
- Good number of connections
The Hisense C2 Extremely is the substitute mannequin to the C1, however you’ll solely actually know that primarily based on the mannequin quantity. Design-wise, the 2 projectors are worlds aside. The place the Hisense C1 was a boxy affair, the C2 Extremely is way sleeker with rounded corners and a round base that performs house to the speaker system’s subwoofer.
The principle projection unit is mounted onto a gimbal stand that lets you transfer and tilt it in nearly any path you would like. Hisense says it may tilt as much as a 135º angle, however technically it may swing to a full 180º and nonetheless mission a picture. I can solely assume the corporate doesn’t anticipate house owners to wish to look immediately above them to view content material, with the 135º angle being extra snug.
It’s a moveable projector, though the time period moveable must be used loosely. Not solely does the C2 Extremely rely solely on mains energy to work (the twine integrates an influence brick too), it’s nonetheless fairly a large unit. At the very least, it’s sizable when in comparison with really moveable way of life projectors such because the Xgimi MoGo 3 Pro and Samsung The Freestyle, which each undertake a a lot smaller, cylindrical design that permits them to be slipped right into a bag.
The principle projector housing measures 9.7 x 7.1 x 9.7 inches (24.7 x 18.3 x 24.7 cm), however with the stand included, the overall top will increase to 11.3 inches (28.6cm). And coming in at a comparatively light-weight 6.3kg, I can’t see many individuals having an excessive amount of situation transferring it round.
The entire unit is completed in a gun-metal grey colour that shines pleasantly within the gentle. It options a variety of air flow panels on the entrance, sides and underside, whereas a big grille dominates the rear of the unit to assist guarantee the whole lot stays cool when the projector is in use. The air flow system actually works as I seen barely a murmur from the followers throughout use.
Sitting above the rear air flow grille is a collection of connections, together with two HDMI 2.1 ports, one among which helps an Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and eARC for connecting to an exterior soundbar or house theater system. The opposite can be utilized to attach, say, a media streaming machine. You’ll additionally discover 2x USB-A 3.0 inputs, a 3.5mm audio out and a digital optical audio out, together with an Ethernet port for a extra steady, wired web connection. Nonetheless, because of Wi-Fi 6E assist, I by no means had any main points streaming wirelessly.
On the entrance is the place the true magic occurs. The projector lens is protected by a skinny layer of what I presume to be glass, serving to to stop the lens itself getting lined in mud and particles. You’ll nonetheless, nonetheless, probably wish to give this protecting layer the occasional wipe to maintain it clear – there’s no motorized cowl as you’ll discover on the likes of the Xgimi Aura 2.
There are additionally just a few sensors to help with autofocusing and to facilitate an eye-protection characteristic that may routinely change the sunshine off when it detects somebody in entrance of it to stop it shining into their eyes. It’s extremely delicate, which you’ll or might not assume is an efficient factor. I in the end left it turned off throughout my testing and made a acutely aware effort to not look into the sunshine each time I walked previous it.
One of many standout options of the lens is its optical zoom functionality, which guarantees to retain picture high quality should you zoom in or out – making the picture smaller or bigger – while not having to maneuver the principle unit. If in case you have the projector arrange at a far distance reverse your projection floor, for instance, which might naturally trigger the picture to be massive, you may zoom in to lower the dimensions whereas not affecting the standard.
For essentially the most half, I think about the vast majority of house owners will merely depend on the autofocus and auto-keystone adjustment settings (and probably the guide adjustment settings) to get one of the best image. I used to be projecting onto a white wall however, each time I ran the auto keystone adjustment, the outcomes have been lower than passable. The picture was completely skewed, which means I had to enter the guide four-point adjustment settings to sort things up. I wish to consider that the identical situation wouldn’t happen should you’re projecting onto a devoted display, however I didn’t have one to check this out.
Hisense’s Vidaa OS is used on the C2 Extremely, which I discovered to be distinctive. It was additionally a nice shock, contemplating the corporate’s personal, reasonably wonderful PX3-Professional makes use of the Google TV OS as a substitute. The house web page is clearly laid out, albeit chock filled with adverts, and all the most important streaming apps are supported, together with a plethora of others for individuals who want to hunt down less-mainstream content material.
The Hisense C2 Extremely has spectacular excessive dynamic vary assist, together with Dolby Imaginative and prescient, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG and IMAX Enhanced. It additionally helps 3D pictures and audio, however you’ll want non-compulsory 3D eyewear to take benefit.
Full management of the C2 Extremely is completed by way of the distant management. The earlier C1 did have onboard buttons, however they’ve seemingly been dropped this time round. The distant is an efficient one, boasting a satisfying weight and premium really feel. Buttons are clearly laid out, though I might have most well-liked the settings button to characteristic the extra extensively used cog icon, versus what might be mistaken for a procuring record. It helps voice management and options fast keys for Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video and Disney+.
- Design & options rating: 5/5
Hisense C2 Extremely evaluation: Image & sound high quality
- Glorious colour and brightness
- Complete HDR assist and 240Hz mode for avid gamers
- Excellent sound output
The Hisense C2 Extremely produces incredible pictures from its tri-color laser projection system that won’t solely offer you a real house cinema expertise, however which may comfortably rival lots of the greatest TVs to make it your sole media viewing machine.
Regardless of it claiming a peak brightness of three,000 lumens, it naturally performs at its best possible when the room is as darkish as doable, however I discovered that even with some ambient gentle coming into my take a look at room, I used to be nonetheless capable of watch unaffected.
I even turned the overhead lights on to see the way it fared, and whereas colour and distinction took an apparent knock, the picture was nonetheless vivid sufficient for me to have the ability to watch. I wouldn’t anticipate many individuals to make use of the C2 Extremely in such vivid circumstances, but it surely’s good to know it’s really able to holding its personal in opposition to pesky gentle.
The C2 Extremely’s huge array of HDR assist choices makes just lately launched films equivalent to Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire and even older, remastered films equivalent to Blade look incredible in Dolby Imaginative and prescient, in addition to TV reveals equivalent to Fallout in HDR10+. It’s going to even assist IMAX Enhanced content material from Disney+, however I wasn’t capable of take a look at this since I don’t have a subscription – the value will increase grew to become an excessive amount of to justify!
I used to be particularly impressed with animated films – the triple-laser system together with the C2 Extremely’s extensive colour assist meant they have been introduced with excellent colour. I ought to notice that the photographs included with this evaluation don’t fairly do the image high quality justice – you need to see it in actuality to be impressed. The photographs are affected by a peculiar pink hue that’s undoubtedly not current within the picture projected onto the wall.
The C2 Extremely helps display sizes from 65 to 300 inches and I managed roughly an 80-inch picture for my testing. The bigger the picture will get, the upper the chance of a drop in image high quality. That is the place the optical zoom can come into play, permitting you to make simple changes reasonably than having to bodily transfer the entire unit nearer to the display or depend on digital zoom, which may usually not yield good outcomes.
Picture 1 of 5
Players even have causes to get excited concerning the C2 Extremely because it encompasses a devoted recreation mode to assist decrease enter lag, and it may allow a 2K/240Hz mode for super-smooth gameplay. It’s additionally ‘Designed for Xbox’ – the world’s first mini projector to put declare to the title, says Hisense – which means it is going to routinely apply optimum settings no matter recreation style when it detects a sign from an Xbox console.
I don’t personal an Xbox, so I could not take a look at this, however I used to be capable of take pleasure in {smooth} gameplay from my PS5, with the quick actions of Spider-Man 2 being dealt with with skilled authority.
Audio efficiency is one other spotlight within the C2 Extremely’s repertoire. Its 2.1 channel JBL system kicks out a shocking quantity of bass, vocal readability and immersion, aided by the very fact it helps Dolby Atmos and DTS Digital:X 3D sound codecs. If the content material you’re watching is encoded with Dolby Atmos, you then gained’t get a real copy, owing to the dearth of bodily channels, however the efficiency is best than what I’ve heard from many TVs. Simply notice, whereas I used to be actually impressed with the general efficiency contemplating the projector’s dimension, it’s not the widest soundstage, neither is there a real sense of top – in comparison with different projectors I’ve examined, nonetheless, it comes out on prime.
After all, house owners wanting a extra genuine house cinema expertise will wish to add a fully-fledged theater system or the most effective soundbars, however informal customers ought to discover little to fault.
- Image & sound high quality rating: 4.5/5
Hisense C2 Extremely evaluation: Worth
- Versatile with placement
- Dear, however filled with options
The Hisense C2 Extremely isn’t essentially the most reasonably priced projector at $2,999 / £2,499 / AU$4,499, however given the very fact I’ve already seen it come down in value since launch, I believe it makes for a compelling funding. It’s extra reasonably priced than Hisense’s personal PX3-Professional, though that projector has the advantage of being an ultra-short throw mannequin, probably making it simpler to position in your room.
Nonetheless, given the C2 Extremely’s default, comparatively brief 0.9:1 throw ratio, you will get a decently massive picture from a brief distance. Plus, the very fact it has an optical zoom and a wealth of image adjustment settings ought to make it simple for anybody to arrange of their room.
Then think about its complete HDR assist, really beautiful pictures, spectacular audio supply and an intuitive interface, and there’s little doubt that it’s not solely a outstanding projector, however a worthy rival to TVs.
Must you purchase the Hisense C2 Extremely?
|
Attribute |
Notes |
Ranking |
|---|---|---|
|
Design & options: |
A great-looking package deal that’s brimming with helpful options, connections and an important OS. |
5/5 |
|
Image & sound high quality: |
Vivid, colourful pictures make it usable in nearly any lighting situation, and the built-in sound system is best than most TV audio system. |
4.5/5 |
|
Worth: |
Not fairly impulse-buy value, however ticks all of the containers the place image high quality, options and flexibility are involved. |
4.5/5 |
Purchase it if…
Do not buy it if…
Additionally take into account
| Header Cell – Column 0 |
Hisense C2 Extremely |
BenQ GP520 |
LG CineBeam Q |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Value: |
$2,999 / £2,499 / AU$4,499 |
$1,499 / £1299 / AU$ 2,199 |
$1,299 / £1,299 / AU$2,499 |
|
Display screen sizes supported: |
65-300 inches |
50-180 inches |
50-120 inches |
|
Brightness (specified) |
3,000 ANSI lumens |
2,600 lumens |
500 ANSI lumens |
|
HDR assist: |
Dolby Imaginative and prescient, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG |
HDR10+, HLG |
HDR10, HLG |
|
Show expertise: |
RGB laser DLP |
LED DLP |
RGB laser DLP |
|
Decision: |
4K (3,840 x 2,160) |
4K (3,840 x 2,160) |
4K (3,840 x 2,160) |
|
Connections |
2x HDMI 2.1 (1 with eARC), 2x USB-A, 1x S/PDIF, Ethernet, 1x 3.5mm, Bluetooth 5.3 |
2x HDMI 2.1 (1 with eARC), 1x USB-C (DP Out, DP In, 2x USB-A 1x 3.5mm |
HDMI, USB-C (show, energy) |
How I examined the Hisense C2 Extremely
- Examined at house in quite a lot of real-world viewing circumstances
- Watched quite a lot of content material together with streaming and 4K Blu-ray
I examined the Hisense C2 Extremely at house in quite a lot of real-world circumstances, which noticed it being confronted with in-room lighting, pure gentle coming into the room and with no gentle in any respect. It was examined in opposition to a naked white wall at some stage in the evaluation interval, with an 80-inch picture being achieved. I additionally examined the optical zoom perform to see if and the way it affected picture high quality.
I watched a variety of 4K HDR and HD content material from built-in streaming companies, in addition to utilizing the 4K Blu-ray participant within the PS5.
First reviewed Could 2025
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