Is TCL's Playcube entering the fierce market too late?

Ivyisme

TCL has introduced a new way to enjoy “great-looking TV when you’re away from home” with their Playcube projector. At first glance, the design is interesting, featuring an adjustable angle twist and a built-in battery for outdoor movie viewing. However, it’s unclear whether it supports power bank charging to sustain a 90-minute movie, resolution, lumen, etc. The overall concept is similar to Samsung’s Freestyle, the same concept that adjusts to the optimal angle without the extra bracket.

Details on key specs like resolution, ISO lumens, and the operating system are sparse, making it difficult to estimate its price accurately.

I also looked at TCL’s other projector, the Projector A1, which offers:

360 ISO lumens
1080p FHD resolution
Google TV & Netflix certified
Versagrip handle and stand

While the specs seem standard and the design doesn’t quite match my preferences of the design, The $499 price tag is higher than expected, but I believe the cost reflects the certifications and TCL’s brand reputation. Considering the price benchmarks set by Nebula and JMGO, it seems fair.

The biggest challenge for newcomers like TCL is the declining price of TVs, especially in the Chinese market, where you can find a good reputation for brand models under $400. Projectors are still mostly limited to room use, and with laser TV prices also falling, the competition is intensifying.

Last year our community tested the both Heyup Boxe Lite and the Formovie Episode One We’ve featured both projectors and laser TVs on the Heyup page, and by comparing specs and brands, it’s easier to make a decision based on your budget and key usage preferences.

What do you think of the TCL Playcube? What projector are you currently using? If you had the chance to design your projector, what specs and price would you set?

Rives333R

Ivyisme

I’m going to get excited and crazy with the idea of producing my own projector, it will take me some time and research, as soon as it’s ready I will share it here 👌✨🌟🤔

Menguelez

Ivyisme Yes, i think TCL entered later in the projectors market. I use one heyup boxe and its amazing

dsmonteiro

Ivyisme I haven’t had the chance of testing this sort of portable projectors, but $499 seems a bit steep for the specs, when compared to the projectors you mentioned or Formovie’s Page One, which is rated for 500 CVIA lumens, also with Google TV and Netflix out of the box.

This seems like a more premium design than the Projector A1 so it will most likely have similar or slightly worse specs.

But then again, lumens and resolution only tell half of the story. Optics are also very important and a bad lens can break an otherwise good projector.

It would be cool if you guys seeded one of this projetors to someone who tested the Boxe Lite or Episode One so they can do a side-by-side comparison.

Rives333R

Ivyisme

The other day you asked in the post, what specs and price would I put? 🌟🎥

Here it is after thinking and researching what I would like and thought was the best.

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Image Quality that Mesmerizes 🎥✨

° Resolution: Native 4K (3840 × 2160) with support for 8K scaling, because we have to be ready for the future.

° Brightness: 3,500 ANSI lumens, ideal for any environment, whether it’s a movie night or a bright afternoon.

° Contrast: Stunning 2,000,000:1 dynamic for those deep blacks and colors that jump out at you.

° Display Technology: Laser or pure RGB LED, which guarantees true colors and a lifespan of 30,000 hours (forget about replacing lamps).

° HDR: Compatible with HDR10+ and Dolby Vision for a cinema-worthy viewing experience.

—

Premium Portability 🚀

- Compact Size: Fits in your backpack and still leaves room for your other gadgets.

- Weight: Just 1.5 kg, as light as a laptop.

- Design: Minimalist, with brushed aluminum and vegan leather finishes, because style matters.

—

Smart Features You’ll Fall in Love With 🤖

Operating System: Android TV 13, full access to Google Play and automatic updates.

Virtual Assistants: Compatible with Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri, because you never know which one understands you best.

Auto-Focus and Keystone:Automatic correction in real time so you always have the perfect image without lifting a finger.

Universal Casting: Compatible with AirPlay, Chromecast and Miracast, so you can project what you want from any device.

—

Connectivity for Everything 🔌

- Inputs: 2x HDMI 2.1, USB-C with DisplayPort, 2x USB-A, Ethernet, so you can connect EVERYTHING.

- Wireless: Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 for seamless streaming and syncing.

- Audio: Optical output, 3.5mm jack and HDMI eARC compatibility.

—

Sound that Resonates 🎵

° Built-in Speakers: 2× 10W Harman Kardon, with support for Dolby Atmos, that fill the room without the need for sound bars.

° Optional: Sync with your external sound system via Bluetooth or HDMI eARC.

—

Screen and Projection Size 📐

- Projection Distance: Ultra Short Throw, projects 100” from just 30 cm.

- Screen Size: From 50” to 200” with dynamic adjustment, so you can transform any wall into a cinema.

—

Battery and Efficiency 🌱🔋

Built-in Battery (Optional): Up to 3 hours of playback in maximum mode, ideal for outdoors or places without power outlets.

Energy Efficiency: Eco modes to save energy and care for the environment.

—

$ Price 💸

I think a device like this should cost between $1,299 and $1,499 USD for all the specifications, but it would be a success if we get it on sale for less than $1,000.

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To all of you who made it this far, I would love to know what you would add or if these specifications meet your expectations. 😄

Lilith_Anderson

Muy impresionante, me agrada demasiado la idea por parte de TCL ✨

Ivyisme

dsmonteiro I’m not sure whether TCL’s optical solution is self-developed or sourced from a third party. While optics and lenses are important, most average consumers may not notice the difference without a technical background. I’m glad you brought this up into the conversation!

For example, both the Heyup Boxe (no longer available on the market) and the Formovie projector adopted fully enclosed light engines. However, I don’t think many consumers are familiar with what a fully-enclosed optical engine design actually entails, even though product managers recognize it as a key development direction for LCD projection engines. If marketing team members don’t have an engineering background, there can be a gap in effectively communicating technical terms to a broad audience.

Your suggestion is great. If our community votes to try out the projector in 2025, we can conduct a comparison. We’d also like to invite both those with engineering backgrounds and general testers to evaluate what makes a good projector.

dsmonteiro

Ivyisme

Yeah, I think that’s a huge issue for those on the market for a Projector. It’s very hard to make an apples to apples comparison. This is also an issue with TVs, but with those, due to sheer volume, there’s plenty of content to research and make and educated guess on what the best option for you is.

With projectors, however, it’s much harder. For one, you can only really see how it works for you once you test it at home (due to lighting conditions, etc.). But even if you ignore that, spec sheets on these devices are very short and impossible to compare. Different brands share the brightness of the projector using different standards, measured in different ways, sometimes the resolution mentioned doesn’t even fully align with the true resolution of the product.

Then there’s other stuff like audio, battery life, software experience…

I wonder if a good way to get people to buy a product like this is really pushing the message of “test it before you try it,” either through money-back guarantees, wide testing programs, etc.

Lilith_Anderson

Ivyisme sería muy bueno poder hacer esa comparación, estoy de acuerdo con eso, esperemos que se pueda para verla más a detalle

Doug

If I didn’t see the camera then I would definitely mistaken it for a speaker.😂😂

Lilith_Anderson

Rives333R se supone que dejes comentarios no un post casi

Lilith_Anderson

Rives333R vamos chatgpt, resumelo por favor, na mentira jaja pero buena explicación, larga pero es recomendable hacerla más tranquila, fluida, y rápida de leer a la vez, entendible también

Rives333R

Lilith_Anderson

😅😆