Projectors Tests Reviews

Wanbo T6 Max : test / review

Published on: 13-01-2022 / Modified: 01-10-2023
I tested the Wanbo X1 last year, I knew that this projector was not going to be able to compete with the mid-range but if we keep in mind that this projector costs around 100 €, we have to put it into perspective. I will now test the Wanbo T6 Max which is a projector of a different type as it is a portable projector but I will apply the same logic. Even before I get the projector I'm pretty sure it won't be able to compete with a € 400 projector like the Xiaomi Mi Compact. Is that bad? No, because the positioning of Wanbo is not the same, the price is significantly lower and the portability of the projector also comes at a price.

Special Offer

The Wanbo T6 Max projector is available on just about every Chinese site but I ordered it on Banggood because this was where the price was the best. I also have a promo code which will allow you to obtain a reduction of 12% (not cumulative) so take advantage of it!

Special offer: Wanbo T6 Max on Banggood 243$
Promo code: BGVBSRR

The price displayed by Banggood includes VAT, this means that you will no longer have to pay customs fees unless there are restrictions specific to your country.

Manufacturer web site:
http://en.szwanbo.cn/
Site where I have bought or received the Wanbo T6 Max: https://www.banggood...

Price Wanbo T6 Max

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Timeline

January 10, 2022: order on Banggood.com

Why this projector?

I usually test projectors of all types ranging from ultra low cost projectors at 100 € to projectors around 2000 €, something for all budgets. This large difference in terms of price allows me to better qualify the differences in terms of image quality by including the price in my evaluation. Is an 800 projector 8x better than a $ 100 projector? Probably not, but it is necessary to be able to locate the threshold from which the quality becomes acceptable. Hopefully this Wanbo will approach that threshold while still falling in the lower price category.

There are several things that interest me about this Wanbo T6 Max and that made me want to give it a try. The first thing is its native 1080p resolution, that doesn't give any guarantee on the image quality but it's a good start. Then there is the fact that this projector runs on Android TV, so it is not an exotic version of Android that will eventually no longer receive updates. I imagine that the consumption will be quite limited and with 550 lumens, the brightness is equivalent to a Mogo Pro (therefore compulsory use in the dark).

I see a series of risks specific to this type of projector such as sharpness at the periphery, operating noise, colorimetry, sound quality, ... more than to test it to verify all that.

Unpacking

I was surprised by the size of the box when I received it, the projector is much bigger than I imagined, so the size of the box is just a logical consequence and not a desire to make the product appear larger. The projector is protected by a thick layer of foam and the box contains the bare necessities: the projector, the remote control (without batteries), a power cable, the transformer and a small manual.

Operating system

The Wanbo T6 Max uses Android TV as its operating system and that's a good thing because it allows using the Play Store for projectors and TVs. This gives you access to a wide choice of official applications, you do not have to install applications yourself via a USB key (even if it is possible). The projector comes with Netflix and Amazon Prime by default. I don't have a Netflix subscription, so I couldn't test this service.

Finish

The Wanbo T6 Max is a curiosity of nature, it has a very particular format that I have not yet encountered on other brands. I was also surprised by its size, I imagined it to be much smaller, but it's a fairly large block that barely fits in one of the floors of my projection cabinet. This projector is portable, it is equipped with a strap for transport but it is not a pico projector, you will not easily store it in a travel bag.

The construction of the projector is mainly made of plastic but it is frankly not disturbing, I find this same type of rigid plastic on other projectors like the Xiaomi Mi Smart Compact or the Xiaomi Mi Smart 2 Pro. I even think that this skin is made in the same place for both brands.

The top of the projector is dominated by the huge optical block integrated into a black block. The optical block is a little recessed, this should reduce the risk of contact but given the size of the optical block, I find that Wanbo should have provided protection. There was protection on the Wanbo X1 but not on this model.

The bottom of the projector is dominated by a very large honeycomb grille which allows heat to escape from the projector. This grille blends fairly well with the design of the projector, but it should probably have been placed at the back because a large part of the projector's heat is evacuated through the front. If you place the projector behind you, this will give you a little extra heating. I measured the temperature at the exit, I obtained 39°C and I imagine that this may influence the placement of the projector because receiving a hot wind of 39°C at the back of the head is not not very nice.

At the back there are 2 USB 2.0 type A ports, a headphone jack output, an AV input and an HDMI input. This is more than enough for a projector in this budget range, although a second HDMI port would probably have been welcome.

The power connector is also on the back.

Below there is a screw thread that will allow you to fix the projector on a tripod or use an adapter to hang it from the ceiling. The bottom of the optical block matches the bottom of the picture, so you'll need to lay it low enough to match the bottom of your screen or upside down to match the top of the screen.

On the top of the projector, there is a single button that turns the projector on and off. This button is not protected by a rim, which means that if you want to place the projector upside down by placing it on a cupboard, you risk turning it on/off.

On the sides we find the leather carrying strap.

The Wanbo T6 Max has a unique identity in its genre and a somewhat particular format but overall I find that this product has a rather nice design, you just have to be aware of its format to find the ideal placement. I think this projector was designed to sit in front of you because sound comes out the back and heat comes out the front.

Projection room

My projection room is rectangular, 4.6m by 2.9m (height 2.2m). I have two projection walls, one white wall 2.9m wide with just white paint with a possible 4m setback. I then have a 133 inch ALR screen on another wall with a possible setback of 2.8m. I mainly use the ALR screen except when the layout or type of projector is not suitable for this situation.

Battery autonomy

The Wanbo T6 Max is a portable projector but does not have a battery, so you always have to carry the power supply with you.

Power consumption

The Wanbo T6 Max does not consume a lot of electricity, I measured a consumption of around 100W. It's not a very high consumption but other projectors do better.

Operating noise

Entry-level projectors are often noisy because they have to evacuate the heat produced by the lamp, this is also the case for this Wanbo T6 Max where I measured more than 65 dB in front of the projector. If you place this projector at 1 meter, the noise will therefore always be clearly audible. It is from 40-50% of the volume that we end up hearing the ventilation.

These fans are obviously spinning for a good reason as I measured close to 39°C coming out of the front grill. There is no danger here, but the projector is a source of heat which will increase the temperature of your room if you leave it running long enough.

Connectivity

The Wanbo T6 Max is compatible with wifi in 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz, I tested the speed in 5Ghz and I got a lower result than my other connected devices but with a speed fast enough to play a 1080p file in streaming . 4k files, on the other hand, are jerky and subject to frequent buffering.

Image settings

The Wanbo T6 Max does not offer many possibilities for image adjustments, for example it is not possible to adjust the brightness or modify the colorimetry. On the other hand, it is possible to activate keystone correction, adapt the shape and perspective of the image with a 4-point adjustment and there is also a digital zoom which allows you to reduce the size of the image. .

I understand that this projector is an entry level projector and the type of audience for this kind of projector is probably not interested in image calibration but I find pity that it is not possible to modify anything. I had tested the Wanbo X1 which really represents the entry level at Wanbo and even this projector offered image adjustments, so it's a shame.

Image quality

This video is mainly bathed in an atmosphere of cold colors and the cold rendering of this projector goes quite well, we don't really realize that the colorimetry is too cold, it will be seen more on the next videos. The sharpness is good, the images are smooth and the few jumps are caused by the phone I used to shoot the projected image because the image is perfectly smooth in reality. I didn't expect to get an image of this quality from a projector at this price. The image is clearly not perfect, but we are far from what I have observed on other entry-level projectors.

Unlike the previous video, this video uses quite warm colors and despite the color cooling caused by the projector, I find that the image is quite good. The image sometimes looks a little too dark, this is also true in reality but the effect is less pronounced, the image is brighter but some areas are a little too dark. Jumps in colorimetry also come from my phone. The fluidity is excellent and the sharpness is correct, we must not forget that this projector is a 1080p projector that I project on a fairly large surface.

In this video I have a bit of everything in terms of colors and especially scenes with high (even exaggerated) color saturation. Some scenes like the starting one are clearly too bluish but I find that the saturation of certain colors like green is well rendered. The level of detail of certain scenes makes it possible to get an idea of the level of detail and for this price, I find it rather good. Here too some dark scenes are too dark.

The great weakness of projectors is the lack of depth of black, so videos like this are often too dark and you lose lots of details. I find that the Wanbo T6 Max is doing quite well because if the image could certainly have been clearer, the scene is still fairly well restored.

Beyond the purely technical aspect where I note a certain number of shortcomings, you will be able to form a subjective impression from these different videos. My subjective assessment is rather positive because I keep in mind that it is a 250€ projector. Purists will no doubt see nothing but faults in these videos, but since this projector is not aimed at purists, I'm sure that an audience looking for a projector at a low price will find what they're looking for.

Lack of image level adjustments will not correct color flaws and uneven sharpness is a mechanical phenomenon, so it will not be also possible to correct this problem.

Colorimetry

The colorimetry is not correct, it can be seen with the naked eye, the blue is too dominant. I observed two things when testing the colorimetry, there is first the colorimetric difference where the blue is too dominant but there is also the color space (triangle inside the triangle). I obviously can't compare these results with a 500 or 1000€ projector, the Wanbo T6 Max is less good, but if I compare these results with other entry-level projectors, I find myself in a fairly similar situation. I had quite similar results with the Wanbo X1 or the Blitzwolf VP13 but I find that the Wanbo T6 Max produces a better image.

Brightness

Projector manufacturers tend to exaggerate the lumen values of the brightness of their projectors, for once this is not the case because I even measured a brightness a little higher than that advertised. The projector should theoretically have a brightness of 550 ANSI lumens, I measured 565. With this brightness level you cannot use the projector in daylight without loss of contrast. Here is an example of the projected image with daylight (cloudy sky):

The image is perfectly watchable but the blacks are grey. If I blackout my window to be in near total darkness, I get this:

So this projector has good brightness for a portable projector, it clearly sticks out projectors like the Wanbo X1, Blitzwolf VP9 or the Xgimi Mogo Pro.

Sharpness

Sharpness and uniformity of sharpness is often a weak point of this kind of projector. In most cases, the sharpness is correct in the center but degrades quickly in the periphery. I was positively surprised by the sharpness of this projector as the image is clearly sharper than the Wanbo X1 or Blitzwolf projectors I tested.

I was expecting to find this problem of circular sharpness like on other projectors of this type but this is not the case. The sharpness does not degrade in a circular way, it degrades on a horizontal axis where I did not manage to obtain an equivalent sharpness on both sides of the image. If I get a sharp image on the right, it's the left that loses sharpness and vice versa. However, I tried to place the projector in an axis perpendicular to the screen, I deactivated the keystone corrections but despite all my attempts, I did not manage to obtain a clear and uniform image from start to finish. . I took a photo of the corner frames below and you can see that the sharpness is not uniform.

Is this a big deal? I don't find, the overall sharpness is more than acceptable for a projector at this price. I saw this sharpness problem at first glance but it's probably because I tested other projectors before. If this Wanbo is your first projector and you forget what I just wrote, you may not even notice it. I have noticed that it is possible to alleviate the problem a bit by aiming the projector a little to the side and using the keystone correction to even out the image.

Contrast

I measured a contrast ratio of 340:1 with my probe, it's not an extraordinary contrast but at the same time, it's normal in this price range. I get barely better (500:1) with an Xgimi Horizon which costs more than 1000€, so you have to put it into perspective. I've gotten even lower contrasts on other projectors in this price range so again, no the Wanbo T6 Max isn't a champion if you look at the absolute numbers but it does well if you look at it compares to other projectors in the same price range.

Motion compensation

There is nothing scientific about this fluidity test, but it quickly shows the projector's ability to manage rapid horizontal movements. I was not expecting an extraordinary fluidity of movements and yet I was positively surprised, the movements are quite fluid and I have no tearing of the image contrary to what I have seen on other projectors.

This second example confirms the first, the fluidity of the image is good and it is even better in reality than on this video.

Image size and projection distance

The Wanbo T6 Max has a throw ratio of 1.35, which means that for every meter of distance from the projection surface you get an image with a width of 65cm. To get a very large image you will have to step back several meters. This projector is designed for on-the-go use, so I'm not surprised that this throw ratio is lower than average. This is also seen in all images illustrating the use of the product, this projector is designed to be placed in front of you and is not designed to project the image over a large area although this is entirely possible.

I project the image from a distance of about 3 meters and I get an image 195cm wide, this results in a diagonal of about 234cm. This is a fairly large image for a projector of this type and the image quality is quite acceptable, the videos in the "image quality" section were taken at this image size. You can therefore use this projector for non-nomadic use, but you must ensure that you have enough distance and that you do not have the fan outlet near your face.

I noticed something else while testing the throw distance, I usually test the effect of distance on size but I don't often pay attention to minimum focus distance on point. While doing my light tests, I was surprised to see that it needed a distance of one meter to four feet to get a sharp image.

Audio quality

The Wanbo T6 Max is equipped with a built-in low power speaker. You can hear the sound it makes on the demo videos I've embedded in this article. This sound is of average quality, keep in mind that this projector is a portable projector that cannot be compared to a complete home cinema system. I find that the sound quality is quite acceptable for a portable projector and I imagine that those who buy this kind of product do not expect hifi quality sound.

Video games

I measured an input lag of about 180ms, it's too much to be able to use this projector for games requiring a fast reaction (network FPS type). For more static games or puzzle games, this shouldn't be a problem.

Encoutered bugs

Not yet available / tested

ALR/CLR Projection screen

Are you looking for a good ALR/CLR screen for your projector? I may have what you need:
ALR/CLR NothingProjector Screen

Test / Review conclusion

I test projectors in all price ranges and therefore inevitably, I obtain a lower image quality with a 100€ projector than with a 1000€ projector and my article is not intended to demonstrate this kind of obvious but you have to keep the price factor in mind to assess the quality of this Wanbo T6 Max.

I have tested other entry level projectors so I expected this Wanbo T6 Max to produce an average quality image like the others but I have when even been positively surprised. The first thing that surprised me was the brightness, the Wanbo T6 Max is by far the brightest projector I've tested in this price range. This level of brightness will not allow you to use it in direct sunlight, but the brightness should be sufficient for use at the end of the day at nightfall. What also surprised me was the contrast because the contrast of entry level projectors is usually pretty bad and here I still measured 340:1, that's significantly better than the sub 100 contrast that I measured on other projectors.

The sharpness is partially good, unfortunately there is an optical imbalance which does not allow to have the whole image in the same level of sharpness, so you have to play a little with the focus and the orientation of the projector. This is mostly seen on the Android TV home screen, it's seen a little less in movies.

The colorimetry is too cold, the blue is too dominant and it is unfortunately not possible to change this from the settings. I'm used to this kind of difference on entry-level projectors, the Wanbo is neither better nor worse than another, but the absence of adjustments is really a shame.

The image is quite smooth, I didn't notice any jerkiness in horizontal movements and there is no rainbow effect as the projector uses LCD technology instead of the DLP used on many other projectors.

The projector is quite noisy, it's a bit the same as other entry-level projectors, none are really quiet. This is linked to the choice of technology which requires a lot of cooling, these projectors are therefore noisy and emit heat.

Despite these flaws, the Wanbo T6 Max manages to stand out from its competitors on many points and its weaknesses are often on a level comparable to the other projectors I've tested. It therefore has its very reason to be in the 200 to 250€ zone.

Strengths

Brightness
Portable projector
Contrast above average in this price range
All in one with Android TV and built-in speaker
Image fluidity
No rainbow effect
Price

Weaknesses

Uneven sharpness
Operating noise
Lack of image adjustments
Memory sometimes a bit slow to access applications
4k playback possible but with buffer
Input lag too high for fast games