I’ll be the first to admit that I’m new to the projector game. Anker won me over at the end of last year with its Nebula series. The Capsule prioritizes ease of use and portability, above all. While not cheap at $800, it’s a good starter projector in the sense that it’s self-contained and largely works out of the box.
Since buying a house this summer, however, I’ve begun rethinking my relationship to the device. I have a lot more space in my new place, but for all its natural beauty, the Hudson Valley is wanting for entertainment options compared to my close to two decades in New York City.
I reached out to Hisense a few months back, after hearing good things about its projector offerings. For once, my timing was perfect. In September, the Chinese firm announced additions to its C-series “lifestyle” projectors. Moving from the Nebula Capsule to the C2 Ultra is like trading in a Toyota Camry for a Porsche. They serve their respective purposes, and comparing them directly feels unfair to all parties involved.
For one thing, the Hisense jumps a projector tax bracket or two, with a $3,000 price tag. For the same price, you can pick up a 100-inch Hisense 4K flat screen. This is a projector for people who are wholly committed to the projector lifestyle.
It’s also significantly larger than the Capsule, so there is a portability trade-off. I would pull Anker’s projector out of the closet a couple times a week when I wanted to watch something projected on the big screen. The C2 Ultra is the kind of projector you clear out space for. Much like a TV, it will take up a permanent place in your living room. For me, that place is atop a bookshelf.
The projector’s topline is the Tri-Chroma red, green, and blue triple-laser engine, which is a marquee feature for Hisense’s high-end projectors. In addition to a wide and accurate color gamut, the projector is extremely bright, at 3,000 ANSI Lumens. You can watch a film during the day without blackout curtains.
The C2 can project images up to 300 inches from 6 meters, with a minimum size of 65 inches. That covers most home projector screens and then some, should you want to do movie night in the backyard. There are other innovative features on board as well, including a 1.67 optical zoom that lets you get in tighter on a shot without degrading the image.
I was pleasantly surprised by the ease of setup as well. It’s not quite plug-and-play, but it’s close. The auto keystone correction maps the projector screen quickly. Ditto for autofocus. If you don’t have a screen, the projector will detect the color of the wall and adjust the picture accordingly. From there, it’s a matter of getting onto the Wi-Fi and logging into different streaming services.
The system comes preloaded with Netflix, Amazon Prime, YouTube, Paramount+, Tubi, and Disney+, among others. Some, like Hulu and Max, were notably missing. Ultimately, I ended up connecting Apple TV 4K through the first HDMI input. Along with a full streaming service selection, that allowed me to stream audio to a pair of connected HomePods.
That said, the built-in JBL speaker and subwoofer are perfectly serviceable for movie night. I suspect, however, that those looking to spend $3,000 on a projector are probably also investing in a stand-alone sound system. It comes mounted on a stand from which it can’t be detached. Along with bringing height to the projector, it makes for smooth manual adjustments.
The C2 Ultra is a well-balanced, self-contained projector that’s filled with all sorts of nice touches. It’s available now.
