WEMAX Go Advanced Smart Portable Laser Projector Review – A bright 600 ANSI lumens 1080P projector

The WEMAX Go Advanced was funded on Indiegogo back in January. It is now available to buy on Amazon US and directly from Wimax.

It is an incredibly portable projector being just 1-inch thick, yet is full HD and has a brightness of 600 ANSI lumens which makes it superior to most other projectors on the market.

Specification

• Projector Specification
  • Resolution: 1920*1080, FHD, 4K Supported
  • Light Source: ALPD Laser
  • DMD: 0.23″DMD TI DLP
  • Lumens: 600 ANSI
  • Light Source: 15,000 Lumens
  • FOFO Contrast Ratio: Native 500:1
  • Display Ratio: 16:9
  • Color Range: 100% Rec.709
  • HDR 10: YES
  • SGS Low Blue Light Certification: YES
  • Throw Ratio: 1.2:1
  • Display Size: 40″-120″
  • Auto Keystone: YES
  • Auto Focus: YES
  • Auto Screen Alignment: YES
  • Auto Obstacle Avoidance: YES
  • Human Body Induction: YES
• Hardware:
  • CPU: T972
  • Storage: 2GB DDR4+16GB eMMC
• Software:
  • OS: WemaxOS
  • WiFi: 2.4/5GHz
  • Bluetooth: 5.0, Dual Audio
  • Mobile Casting: Miracast, Airplay, DLNA, Huawei Cast+
  • Mode: Office, Movie, Saving Power, Test
  • Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, HBO, Disney+, and more apps can be downloaded from third-party app stores or installed via apk files directly. 
• Sound:
  • Effect: Wanos
  • Bluetooth Speaker: YES
  • Speaker: 2Wx2
• Other
  • Noise: <30dB with Movie Mode at 25 degree temperature
  • Power Consumption: <50W
  • Power Charger: Type-C PD 65W
  • Battery: Yes (1.5hours)
  • Product Size: 8.6*4.6*0.97 inch
  • Product Weight: 1.7 lb

Design

The WEMAX Go Advanced is attractively designed using a metal chassis that is just 1-inch thick. It is small enough to slot into your bag easily. There is a sliding metal grill which protects the lens and also acts as a power-on switch so you can transport the projector without too much concern about damaging the lens.

Unlike some projectors I have reviewed, this has a handy built-in pop-out stand, but it lacks the 135° projection-angle range that the BenQ GV30 has.

Weirdly there is not ¼” thread, so you can’t easily mount it on anything. WEMAX does sell a stand for this, but this is an additional cost.

On the rear of the projector, you have the USB-C port for power, a headphone jack, a USB port and an HDMI port.

It is worth noting that this came supplied with a US two-pin power adaptor. However, it uses USB-C and is compatible with 65W power delivery. I, therefore, used this with a third-party power delivery charger. The power delivery charging is also useful as it allows you to effectively extend the battery life using a power bank.

Set-Up / Keystone Correction / Auto Focus / Settings

Unlike other smart projectors, this doesn’t use Android TV, and therefore there is no need to login into a Google account.

Switching on the projector will immediately do the automatic focus and keystone correction. On my table, I did find it needed some additional adjustments, but it makes life much easier. You can also use manual adjustments to increase the screen size, and I found that these were much easier than the digital adjustments on some other projectors.

The projector uses WiFi 5 with both 2.4Gzh and 5Ghz, and I found the overall performance of this good, I had no issues streaming larger files.

Software / Widevine DRM / Netflix / Disney

This projector uses its own WemaxOS, which is based on FengOS, and I assume that is built around Android. There is no Google Play store or any Google apps, you instead use Aptoide TV to install all your app. It has an extensive selection, including YouTube, Plex, Netflix, Disney and many more.

It lacks the Widevine L1 certificate for high-resolution streaming rather than L3. As far as I am aware, this is true for all projectors that have Android built in. I have had to sideload Netflix for all my reviews.

If you plan to use this at home for watching streaming services, you will be better off using an Amazon Fire TV stick or similar device. This will give you full access to high-quality streams.

Image Quality and Brightness

Daytime

Night / Low Light

The WEMAX Go claims a brightness of 600 ANSI lumens, and it has an FHD resolution of 1920×1080. I haven’t reviewed a huge number of projectors, but this is definitely the brightest I have used, and the image quality is generally excellent.

The projector is set to movie mode as standard, but if you are using this in a brighter environment, it will be worth switching to office mode, which dials up the brightness.

Daytime performance is just about adequate, but quite a bit better than most projectors I have reviewed.

Sound Quality

Having just come away from reviewing the BenQ GV30 with its massive 2.1 CH sound chamber speakers, the WEMAX Go sounds poor in comparison.

The main issue is the complete lack of bass. It can go surprisingly loud with its 2x2W speakers, and mids and highs sound quite good, but the lack of bass leaves an overall sharpness to everything.

The speakers will be fine for business presentations and work, but you don’t want to watch a movie with it. This problem is easily solved by using Bluetooth speakers or the 3.5mm headphone out.

Fan Noise

As far as projectors go, this was surprisingly quiet and better than most other projectors I have reviewed. The fan noise is audible, and you can hear it over the built-in speakers, but it is not intrusive like some projectors. When paired up with bigger speakers, then fan noise is completely drowned out.

Battery

I’d say the battery is not the best. This is rated for around 1.5 hours of use. Its small thing design likely means they can’t fit in a massive battery. You can easily extend this by using a power delivery power bank, and 90 mins should be more than enough for business meetings or watching a TV show.

Price and Alternative Options

The price of the WEMAX Go Advanced is a little confusing/misleading. It is advertised as $999.99 RRP but discounted down to $699 (£590). However, using the discount code VIP29 allows you to get a further 29% discount taking it down to $496.29 (£420).

Use code VIP29 for 29% off. Expires at the end of August

I’d say £420 is an excellent price, £590 is an OK price, and the RRP is overinflated.

The XGIMI Elfin is likely the best alternative option. This has a similar form factor and is rated as being slightly brighter at 800 ANSI Lumen, and it also has slightly louder 3w speakers. This is currently available for £560, hence why I think the £420 price of the WEMAX Go is excellent, but the regular selling price is just OK.

Beyond that, not a lot else competes on paper. The Anker NEBULA Solar Portable is no doubt superb but it is rated at a slightly lower 400 ANSI Lumen but has slightly better speakers, and this costs £600

Overall

The WEMAX Go Advanced is a superb little projector. It is incredibly small with a convenient slim design making it extremely easy to transport in a bad. it has the best overall image quality and brightness of the projectors I have reviewed.

The battery life and sound quality are not the best, but these are both minor issues that are easily remedied with a powerband and dedicated speakers.

It also lacks Widevine L1, but this is true for all the portable projectors I have reviewed and is another easy fix by using a Fire Stick or similar device.

James Smythe( Editor-in-chief )

I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.

As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.

In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing. This advanced study also included Cisco CCNA accreditation, further demonstrating my commitment to understanding and staying ahead of the technology curve.

I’m proud to share that Vuelio has consistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of the top technology blogs in the UK. With my dedication to technology and drive to share my insights, I aim to continue providing my readers with engaging and informative content.