The protagonist of this review is the ETOE E3 Pro, a projector with a truly high quality-price ratio that integrates the Android TV platform very well and which will perhaps make you stop wanting to buy a new TV
Once upon a time, owning a projector was the prerogative of the wealthiest for reasons of cost, space and complexity of installation. Today instead We can all have one of these devices at home and enjoy a large screen, spending less than half the average price of televisions. But ETOE E3 Pro is much more than just a projector. Indeed it is a real multimedia platform, with integrated audio speakers and Android TV system which makes it simple and intuitive to use. If we have intrigued you, all you have to do is continue reading this review of ETOE E3 Pro.
Main features
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080 pixel
- Brightness in the center: 600 ANSI Lumen
- Dimensions and weight: 13 x 11 x 15 cm, 2.68 kg
- Operating system: Android TV 11.0
- Interfacing: USB × 1, HDMI × 1, AV & Audio Out × 1, DC 19V in × 1, WiFi, Bluetooth
- Autofocus e Auto-Keystone
- Equipment: remote control, power supply, carrying bag
ETOE E3 Pro review: design and construction
The design of this projector follows the dictates of modern consumer electronics products. Elegance and minimalism are the key words. In fact, the dark grey, slightly satin-finish aluminum-like livery makes it a very pleasing object to the eye. It can also be found with a white body, although we prefer the gray version. Thanks to remote control supplied, it was possible to reduce the number of controls on the body of the projector to a minimum, making it very clean and elegant. The designers worked a lot with symmetries and details to create balance in the design of this projector. We like it!
ETOE E3 Pro is made entirely of plastic and you immediately perceive a certain fragility to the touch. Being a product that can be easily transported around, this might make us turn up our noses a little. However, the plastic makes this projector very light and easy to install. Being gifted with a 1/4″ screw connection – the same standard as cameras – you can easily install it on any tripod, even a cheap one. Or even place it on a surface thanks to the rubber feet. Installation is therefore very quick. Thanks to‘autofocus and automatic keystone correction, you really just need to turn it on. The automatic features work quite well, although they are not 100% accurate, but you can always intervene manually. If you are not too fussy however, the performance is very good. The only annoyance could be the supplied power supply, whose cable is a bit short.
ETOE E3 Pro review: image and audio quality
Aside from the “wow” effect given by the enormous size of the projected screen, let’s evaluate the image quality of this compact projector. Overall we can say that there are both positive and negative aspects. The brightness of 600 ANSI lumens is all praiseworthy if we take into account the price range of this product. Despite a fairly noticeable drop in edge brightness in peripheral areas, much of the projected screen is uniform. As with all projectors, the quality of the blacks and the contrast strongly depend on the ambient light: to get the most you will have to have total darkness, especially if the peak brightness of the projector is not very high as in this case. The ETOE E3 Pro handles contrast quite well anyway. It does instead a little effort with the color and brightness nuances. As you can see in the monoscope image, the color shades are sometimes a little abrupt. The same goes for the image with shades of gray which are not distinguishable until level 10-12. Overall the dynamic range is a bit limited.
Despite the 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution, the ETOE E3 Pro doesn’t always succeed reproduce fine details in images. You can see it quite well in the lines of our monoscope. However, the perceived detail also depends on the size of the projected screen and the distance at which it is placed. In general, however, it happens that images are perceived as unclear if they are rich in details. We also noticed a sort of ghost effect which tends to project luminous halos around luminous sports.
We were very impressed by the integrated audio sector. The sound emitted is really powerful and full-bodied. It doesn’t make you feel the need to connect an external audio system, as often happens with projectors in this price range. Let’s be clear: it’s not a perfect sound, sometimes it tends to muddy a bit. But in most cases it is more than satisfactory and in any case you can connect an external audio system easily.
ETOE E3 Pro review: user experience
Let’s now look at the overall user experience. How pleasant was it to use this device? Thanks to Android TV and the various applications, use is truly intuitive and immediate. From the first switch on to the playback of our favorite TV series, literally a few minutes pass.
But which TV series and films do we recommend watching with ETOE E3 Pro? In general we noticed that quality drops in dark scenes or in any case in the presence of scenes with a wide dynamic range, such as those in the film Interstellar. In these situations the projector struggles to reproduce all the nuances, with the result that the scene appears unclear and the colors unrealistic. In scenes with a more limited dynamic range, however, the result is far superior and the impression is precisely that of being at the cinema. For example, in the excerpts from “The Rings of Power” that you see below, the quality is very good. In projecting cartoon images, ETOE E3 Pro is truly excellent. Probably due to the lower complexity in terms of color shades and brightness, the final effect is truly excellent.
Conclusions
So let’s sum up this review of ETOE E3 Pro. It is certainly a product with an excellent quality-price ratio given that It is offered for less than 300 euros. You can forget about buying a good TV at this price. Why not replace it with this product? It is a light and compact projector, with a modern design and very simple to install.
The image quality juggles between highs and lows, but overall we can consider ourselves quite satisfied. The management of fine details, nuances and dynamic range certainly needs to be improved a little. However, the effect of seeing our films and TV series on such a large screen makes us turn a blind eye. If you have children then they love cartoons – or if you love them directly – you’re good to go! The integrated audio system is excellent and makes ETOE E3 Pro an all-in-one multimedia system, usable as it is out-of-the-box.
So do we recommend purchasing it? If you are able to bear some defects in terms of image quality and you are interested in the experience itself (and the very competitive price for the features offered), absolutely yes! That’s all from the electronic section, keep following us.
Good projector, great price
Points in favor
- Modern design
- Integrated Audio that you don’t expect
- Easy to install and use
- Value for money
Points against
- It struggles a bit with dynamic range
- Details are sometimes unclear