Hisense’s small 4K laser projector can be up to 300 inches in size and also has 120 Hz support and JBL sound
Hisense is launching an entry-level version of its C2 Ultra 4K short-throw projector. The new Hisense C2 lacks some of the more powerful parts of its Ultra sibling, but it comes at a significantly lower price and includes many of the key features. The C2 has not yet been launched globally, but the full specification has been published along with marketing material by a German retailer, as noted by Notebook control.
The C2, like its more expensive sibling, has a triple laser light system and its brightness is 2,000 ANSI lumens – impressive for a laser projector, although the C2 Ultra is even brighter. The contrast ratio is 1,700:1 and there is support for HDR10, HDR10+, HLG and Dolby Vision.
Hisense C2 4K projector: key features and prices
The C2 does not have the zoom lens of the Ultra and therefore has a fixed projection ratio of 1.2:1. This allows you to project an image from 65 inches to 300 inches, and there’s motorized focus adjustment and automatic keystone correction to deliver images in the correct proportions.
The stated refresh rate is 60Hz at 4K, but you can double that to 120Hz for gaming if you go down to 2K/1080p resolution; 4K is delivered using a technique called pixel shifting. Instead of projecting a true 4K image, pixel shifting produces multiple 1920 x 1080 images that overlap to give the impression of 4K. As a technique, it has long been common among the best 4K projectors, although it is often known by different names: Epson calls it 4K Enhancement, BenQ prefers XPR and JVC calls it E-Shift. The big advantage here is simple: it enables 4K projection at a fraction of the cost, although purists by far prefer ‘native’ 4K resolution – and this projector isn’t either. That cheap.
There are two HDMI inputs here, one with ALLM for games consoles, and there are dual USB 3.0 plus ethernet and a headphone jack. There is also an integrated sound system from JBL with a total power of 20W. You can stream with the built-in apps for now, and AirPlay support will be available soon via a software update.
We don’t know the global pricing yet, but the German offering comes with a price tag of €1,999, which is around $2,200 / £1,700 / AU$3,200.
