Heyup recently presented me with the opportunity of testing and reviewing the Heyup Boxe Lite–a smart projector targeted towards the consumer market. I’ve had the product for a little while now and have been able to play around with it. So, here are some of my thoughts and experiences pertaining to the Boxe Lite:
Unboxing
The packaging and unboxing experience is nice, but it’s nothing extraordinary. I do appreciate the foil print on the box’s exterior. Diving inside you’ll find the projector, a power cable, a simple and somewhat cheap remote, a manual, and a warranty card.
Design & Build Quality
The “boxy” Boxe Lite features a great design. It’s unique, distinctive, and bold compared to the average projector. However, not only is the Boxe Lite eccentric, it’s also aesthetically pleasing and featured. The predominately plastic projector features a fabric front, rubber feet, and a convenient accessory screw port.
There is what I would describe as one minor downside in the projector’s design, and that is the placement of the power port which is located on one of the sides of the projector. It seems as though it would be more practical to include it on the back.
The build quality of the Boxe Lite is adequate given the price point and nature of the product. The predominately plastic build is accented by a fabric front, rubber feet, and metal hardware. Although the construction of the projector isn’t necessarily premium, it’s fine for the circumstances.
Hardware
The hardware of the Boxe Lite isn’t what most would describe as impressive, but it’s important to keep the price point in perspective. The hardware does the job and keeps the product at an inexpensive price. Features such as WiFi, Bluetooth, USB, audio out, AirPlay, and IR connectivity keep the projector in line with many TVs and entertainment products. USB-C is notably missing however. The projector supports 1080p decoding and it features 150 ANSI lumens. The quality isn’t phenomenal, but not bad. Manual focus control also allows for necessary adjustments. The Boxe Lite features built-in speakers too. They may not satisfy an audiophile, but they’re a nice inclusion–kind of like TVs with built-in speakers. The Boxe Lite supplies users with a meager 8GB of storage and 1GB of memory. These numbers seem to be a bit on the lower end of the spectrum, but it is worth remembering that these specs aren’t as important in a device primarily used for streaming. Internal fans help keep the projector running smoothly, but they also add (although limited) noise to one’s environment. The Boxe Lite’s hardware runs pretty fluidly overall, but there is a slight delay between button clicks on the remote and action via the projector.
Software
The Boxe Lite features Android and a good software experience. The interface is pretty clean and straightforward to learn which is nice. The operating system runs pretty smoothly, and having access to many popular apps is also a win. The manual keystone adjustment settings included in the software are worth noting of their value as well.
One slight drawback of the software experience is that it feels dated. The Boxe Lite comes preinstalled with Android Pie/9 which is several years old at this point. The software comes with a few different app stores as well which feels unnecessary.
Overview
All things considered, the Heyup Boxe Lite is a unique, fun, niche, inexpensive, featured, and capable consumer projector. In general, this product will likely meet, yet not exceed your expectations as a consumer. From a critic’s standpoint, it’s also an adequate product, but with room for improvement. The projector features a great design and build-quality with only minor drawbacks. The hardware and software are also adequate, yet with aspects that could be enhanced. Products like this can be challenging to rate and review due to their unique nature and the different perspectives/standpoints. However, the Heyup Boxe Lite is a product that is sure to be of enjoyment to a subset of consumers and their circumstances, yet not quite adequate for most professionals and their situations. I would give the Heyup Boxe Lite an average rounded rating of ±5 stars. You can’t go too wrong with a product that can be purchased between ~$90-$150.
