As a migrant worker in Beijing, I recently moved to a new apartment, and seeing the empty room made me think a TV would be just perfect. Coincidentally, I was invited to attend the AWE exhibition not long ago, where I got intrigued by many TVs while browsing around. I even found myself opening shopping apps to pick one. When I got back to the office and asked my colleague whether I should buy a Hisense TV or a TCL TV, he suggested, "Why not try a projector?"
Hey, you won't believe it, I immediately opened a certain book to start reading a guide on buying projectors. But let me tell you, it's overwhelming! I mean, what's with all this talk about ANSI lumens, ISO lumens, DLP, motion compensation, picture noise reduction, automatic calibration... It's like a whole new language to me!
The complexity involved in setting up and maintaining a television system, along with its often high cost, can make it seem impractical. Additionally, there's a plethora of alternative entertainment options available that don't require the investment in a television.
Just when I was at my wit's end, my boss got wind of my joyous relocation and somehow managed to get me a brand-new 4K LCD projector from Xiao Ming's latest release – the Xiao Ming V1Ultra. After using it for a few days, I realized that I might have stumbled upon the solution to the versioning issue with the projector.
True 4K quality, unforgettable at a glance. Why say so? First off, it's the price. As a hardworking individual, wanting both affordability and high resolution, seeing a price tag of five to six grand is a tough pill to swallow. Forget about it, I'd rather hunt down a second-hand tablet for two grand. But then along comes the Xiao Ming V1Ultra, dishing out 4K quality straight up for just three grand. How cool is that?
Oh, so you're wondering if this Xiao Ming V1Ultra for 3,000 bucks can really deliver 4K? Let me tell you, it absolutely can. It's true 4K quality, none of that simulated stuff. See, most 4K projectors on the market right now use what's called "DLP pseudo-4K" because of cost reasons. They employ special algorithms and techniques to upscale the pixel count to achieve 4K resolution. Sure, pseudo-4K has a higher resolution compared to 2K/1080P, but it definitely lacks smoothness in the picture, lacks detail, and you might even notice some fragmentation in certain parts of the image. But not with the V1Ultra. It's the real deal, no compromises.
The latest version of Xiao Ming V1Ultra now features a native 4K LCD panel, delivering a solid resolution of 3840×2160 pixels. The actual experience is indeed a cut above projectors in the three to four thousand CNY range commonly found in the market. One could say it's truly outstanding. It's no wonder it's from Xiaomi's ecosystem; the DNA of "high specs at a low price" has once again proven itself.
Additionally, the Xiao Ming V1Ultra still uses an LCD panel, which greatly improves color accuracy, exposure, and contrast compared to its predecessors. Instead of just listening to me ramble on about it, why not give it a try when you boot up? Sample images are provided below:
[Sample images]
In a documentary, the onion's intricate layers are clearly visible, the lemon color is vibrant but not overly saturated, and the bubbles rising in the glass are continuously captured, providing a faithful representation. In essence, the colors are rich without losing any detail.
Watching some movie scenes again. The characters' skin tones and facial details are meticulously reproduced, without excessive sharpening. The transitions between the wall and the dark areas are natural, providing a realistic viewing experience. Even when viewed up close, there's hardly any noticeable noise in the dark areas.
In all aspects, it aligns with flagship-level projectors. When it comes to projectors, apart from resolution, brightness is also a crucial factor in determining the quality of a projector.
The Xiao Ming V1Ultra this time employs a higher light-transmissive LTPS screen, claiming to have a brightness of 700 CVIA. After testing it in our lab environment, its peak brightness measured at 516.24 CIVA lumens (Note: there are differences between our lab testing environment and the official testing environment). It barely passes muster for this price range and among LCD projectors; the brightness difference isn't so pronounced when watching streaming videos at night. However, it definitely won't cut it during the day. It's recommended to close the curtains for optimal viewing.
And the Xiao Ming V1Ultra also incorporates an AI brightness contrast engine (seems like these days tech products are too embarrassed to step out without AI, huh?), along with a contrast ratio of 2000:1, making highlights more vivid, transparent, and providing sufficient depth in darker areas.
As a projector priced at around 3,000 CNY, the Xiao Ming V1Ultra boasts true 4K resolution and decent brightness. Its color performance is also satisfactory, and it features pixel-level precise light control, preserving more details in the image. When it comes to picture quality, it's hard to beat the V1Ultra.
Apart from the visual performance, there are two aspects I consider crucial when choosing a projector: ease of use and sound quality. Unlike home televisions, projectors project the image onto a surface (like a wall) before it reflects into our eyes. Therefore, even a slight deviation in the projector's angle can cause image distortion, demanding high precision in placement and distance.
When it comes to tasks like moving around or powering on, most projectors typically trigger the keystone correction function, which might seem "simple" but the user experience varies greatly.
The XiaoMing V1Ultra automatically focuses and corrects keystone every time it powers on, and with remarkable precision. Basically, within 2-3 seconds of booting up, it can project a perfectly aligned 16:9 image. And features like global automatic obstacle avoidance and intelligent eye-protection are not overlooked either, ensuring a hassle-free experience of just plug-and-play, keeping you away from the hassle of manual adjustments.
Compared to other projectors, it's like pure performance domination. And not only that, even if you're not satisfied with its automatic calibration results, it also offers manual calibration, with equally impressive speed.
If you think the usability of Xiao Ming V1Ultra is just so-so, then it's a case of "too young to sample".
We've mentioned earlier that Xiao Ming is actually part of the Xiaomi ecosystem, which boasts a comprehensive "people, car, home" ecosystem. Naturally, Xiao Ming can integrate into the Mi Home ecosystem. After setting up keyword recognition and logical controls, you can simply command Xiao Ai to enter movie mode, providing you with an immersive viewing experience. It can also control your Mi Home devices through the built-in Xiao Ming assistant, serving as a central hub for your smart home.
Not only that, but Xiao Ming's speech recognition and semantic understanding abilities are also excellent, with quick and responsive reactions. Just after finishing speaking the voice command, the relevant operations are already completed, providing an excellent user experience. Searching for songs, finding movie sources, checking the weather, and similar tasks are a breeze for Xiao Ming.
Thanks to the unique design of Xiao Ming V1Ultra in terms of appearance, it cleverly integrates two 6W speakers on the base of the projector. Coupled with genuine Dolby Audio and proprietary FAA sound engine, the audio experience over the past few days has been quite satisfying, providing a sense of "spatial presence". Especially when watching some action scenes, it feels like being right there, immersed in the moment.
The coolest thing is, with Xiao Ming V1Ultra, you can open the "Bluetooth Speaker Mode" in the settings, connect it to your phone, and use it as a Bluetooth speaker after turning off the projector. This feature is really awesome. During this time, you can also call "Xiao Ming" and it can still respond to Mi Home commands normally. With all these functionalities combined, it's basically like having a projector version of Xiao Ai Bluetooth Speaker.
The appearance boasts bold and expressive features, effortlessly blending into various home decor styles.
After all this talk, let's finally introduce the appearance.
In terms of appearance, the Xiao Ming V1Ultra can be likened to its predecessor, the Xiao Ming V1, with the addition of a "base."
The matte finish remains consistent, as does the placement of the power button. The prominent cooling vents, initially mistaken for speakers, adorn both sides and the rear. Furthermore, both models feature rear HDMI 2.1, USB 3.0, and a 3.5mm headphone jack, with the V1Ultra relocating the power port to the base.
The stand is the most noticeable upgrade for this generation. Apart from the mentioned built-in two 6W speakers, it also supports tilt adjustment from 5° to 15° and features a seamless hovering function, essentially covering every angle users might need.
Summary: First-hand Experience with the Youngster's Initial True 4K Projector
After nearly a week of utilizing the Xiao Ming V1 Ultra, parting with it was quite the reluctant affair.
I understand, the boss is just trying to celebrate my housewarming, but it feels like blatant encouragement for me to spend money.
I remember when I first started working and renting a place, I spent a few hundred bucks on a so-called "top brand" projector from a certain platform. Honestly, the viewing experience was even worse than my phone's. After that, I've been quite dismissive of projectors.
In terms of personal experience, the Xiao Ming V1Ultra projector truly revolutionized my perception and impression of projectors. It boasts high image quality comparable to projectors priced at five to six thousand or even higher. Additionally, it offers seamless integration with the Mi Home ecosystem. The dual 6W speakers can also function as Bluetooth speakers when the projector is not in use, further enhancing its versatility. It can be considered the king of cost performance in the three-thousand-yuan price range, making it affordable for renters and even students living in dormitories who are saving up some money.
But when you think about it, why did Xiao Ming's V1Ultra lower flagship-level picture quality to the three-thousand-yuan price range?
As a twenty-four-year-old, my perception is that current spending involves cutting corners wherever possible. Buying discounted snacks at "SomeSpecialGo," checking "SomeGroup" for meal deals, sticking to the basement floor when shopping. However, when it comes to pursuing quality of life, such as traveling, attending concerts, watching sports games, collecting blind boxes, or buying trendy gadgets, we're willing to splurge. Young people tend to sacrifice in some areas but are generous when it comes to matters concerning life or personal enjoyment, giving off a vibe of "enjoy life to the fullest."
Xiao Ming precisely grasps the consumption psychology of young people like us. Want high picture quality? Sure, here's genuine 4K for you. Want Dolby Atmos sound? Sure, I'll give you two speakers. Want high contrast? Sure, how about 2000:1...
The Xiao Ming V1Ultra epitomizes the ongoing intensification within the projector industry, with a foreseeable trend of more products aggressively pricing down while enhancing quality. Over the coming years, it's expected to gradually secure its place in the living rooms of young households.
In short, if you're looking for a projector with excellent picture quality, balanced specifications, user-friendly interface, and no significant drawbacks, then the Xiao Ming V1Ultra is a good choice. However, if you're not in a hurry, it might be worth waiting until June 18th (618) for potential price surprises.
