Suppose you want a portable projector that can deliver native 1080p full HD resolution, wireless screen mirroring, and high brightness for 2K and 4K video content. In that case, you might want to check out the ThundeaL PG500. This projector claims to offer a home theater cinema experience with its 3D support, built-in speakers, and multiple connectivity options. But how does it perform in reality? Let’s find out.
Design
The ThundeaL PG500 has a compact and lightweight design that makes it easy to carry around. It measures 25 x 17 x 9 cm and weighs only 1.5 kg. It has a white plastic body with black accents and vents on the sides and back. The front of the projector has a lens with a manual focus ring and a keystone correction knob. The top of the projector has some buttons for power, menu, source, volume, etc. The back of the projector has various ports for HDMI, USB, VGA, AV, audio out, etc. There is also an IR receiver on both sides of the projector for remote control. The ThundeaL PG500 comes with a power cord, an AV cable, an HDMI cable, a remote control (batteries not included), and a user manual.
Display
The ThundeaL PG500 boasts a native resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels (full HD), which is rare for projectors in this price range. It also supports upscaling lower-resolution content to 2K or 4K. The projector uses an LED lamp with a brightness of 6000 lumens (ANSI lumens not specified) and a contrast ratio of 4000:1. The lamp life is estimated at 50,000 hours.
The ThundeaL PG500 can project an image size from 40 to 200 inches with a projection distance from 1.2 to 6 meters. The optimal image size is around 100 inches at about 3 meters. The projector supports ±15° vertical keystone correction and ±40° electronic keystone correction to adjust the image shape. The ThundeaL PG500 also helps active shutter 3D technology (glasses not included) that can convert any regular video into stereoscopic images.
Hardware
The ThundeaL PG500 has an internal speaker with a power output of 5W that can produce decent sound quality for casual viewing. However, you can connect external speakers or headphones via the audio out port or Bluetooth for more immersive audio effects.
The ThundeaL PG500 also has built-in WiFi that lets you wirelessly cast your smartphone or tablet screen to the projector via Airplay or Miracast protocols. You can also use DLNA or EShare apps to stream online videos or access local files from your devices.
The ThundeaL PG500 supports multiple formats of video (MP4/AVI/MKV/WMV/RMVB), audio (MP3/WMA/AAC), image (JPG/PNG/BMP), and text (TXT) files via USB or HDMI inputs.
Features
The ThundeaL PG500 has some features that enhance its usability and functionality. It has an eye protection mode that reduces blue light emission and adjusts brightness according to ambient light conditions. It has a zoom function allows you to adjust the image size without changing the projection distance. It has an auto-off timer that turns off the projector after a preset period. It has an energy-saving mode that lowers power consumption and extends lamp life. It supports firmware updates via a USB flash drive.
Conclusion
The ThundeaL PG500 is one of the few projectors under $200 that can offer native full HD resolution, wireless screen mirroring, and high brightness for 2K and 4K video content. It also supports 3D technology, built-in speakers, and multiple connectivity options. It has some drawbacks, such as low contrast ratio, noisy fans, and mediocre sound quality, but they are not deal-breakers for most users who want an affordable and portable home theater cinema experience. You can buy it now on Banggood for Just $179.99.