Xiaomi unveiled a projector for less than three thousand. It projects up to a 100-inch image and can autofocus.

Do you want to feel like you’re at the cinema at home and project movies, series, or other content onto a large screen? Xiaomi once again shows that it can be done affordably. The Redmi Projector 3C costs 799 yuan in China, which is roughly 2,620 CZK, and offers Full HD resolution, an image size of up to 100 inches, and autofocus.

Full HD and up to a 100-inch image

According to ITHome, the projector has a physical resolution of 1080p, uses LCD technology, and the manufacturer states a contrast ratio of 1,000:1. The projection ratio is 1.2:1, so from a distance of approximately 1.3 to 2.75 meters, it projects an image with a diagonal of 45 to 100 inches.

A ToF sensor near the lens ensures convenience. Thanks to it, the projector autofocuses and corrects distorted images, even with a tilt of up to 20 degrees horizontally and 15 degrees vertically. You can also place it sideways from the screen; Xiaomi promises sharp image edges when projecting from the side at an angle of up to 20 degrees.

Inside, a quad-core Amlogic T950S chip with 1 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage is at work. According to the manufacturer, noise does not exceed 29 dB. The projector weighs 1.1 kg and measures 146 × 113 × 172.5 mm, so you can easily move it from the living room to the bedroom. Ports include HDMI, USB 2.0, and a 3.5mm jack for headphones; dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 are also available. The built-in 5W speaker can also serve as a wireless speaker for a mobile phone.

Low price, but lower brightness and Chinese software

You’ll notice the savings mainly in brightness. Xiaomi states 300 lumens according to the Chinese CVIA standard, with which the projector performs best in a darkened room. In daylight, the image will be significantly paler.

Furthermore, the software is tailored to the Chinese market. The projector connects to smart home devices via the Mi Home app, and according to MyDrivers, it mainly features Chinese services like Mango TV or iQiyi. However, you can also wirelessly send images from your mobile phone or laptop to it, and connect anything else via HDMI, such as a streaming box.

It is unlikely to be officially sold in the Czech Republic, as previous Redmi projectors did not make it to Europe. Those who want a Xiaomi projector with Google TV and a warranty in the Czech Republic can opt for the Xiaomi Smart Projector L1 model. However, that one costs almost five thousand.

Would you import a cheap projector from China, even if it’s mainly intended for a dark room?

Sources: ITHome, MyDrivers, Notebookcheck