The Rubik's Cube is a timeless toy that needs no introduction, and TCL's latest portable projector, the PlayCube, is inspired by its design. Specifically, the side of the projector can be twisted like a Rubik's Cube in order to more precisely aim over obstacles. Hands-on reports for the device are generally positive, but also framed within the context of other portable projectors, where the experience isn't quite as polished as many full-sized home projectors. The greatest downside attributed to TCL PlayCube is its lack of built-in stereo audio (it's limited to mono output), but fortunately users can pair their speakers of choice instead of being forced to rely on the small, built-in single speaker.
For readers eager to get their hands on the
TCL PlayCube, you're in luck—at time of writing, you can buy the unit for $616.99 instead of its list price of $799. thanks to an ongoing New Year's promotion offer from TCL that runs until January 26th. For a mini projector, it's a fairly fully-featured device, that should be easy to carry around. It even lasts up to three hours on battery at its brightest 750 lumens mode, which is incredibly bright for a mini projector of this size. With flexibility for a 30 to 100-inch display space, 1080p resolution and a rated 124% Rec.709 color gamut coverage, it's hard to find a more technically-proficient mini projector in this price range. There are certainly cheaper options, though, like Roku's
D1R Cube (on sale for
$179.99 currently) or TCL's own
A1 GTV (for
$219.99) which has been heavily discounted from its debut $499 MSRP.
If you're eager for a high-quality mini projector suitable for camping trips and watching at least one full movie's worth of content on battery, the TCL PlayCube should be a good option. With better image quality than most mini projectors (especially cheaper ones), seamless integration with smart devices and a unique form factor that foregoes the need for a tripod, it's hard to fault the TCL PlayCube.
