Does it cause eye strain? With 4K UHD and bright 2100 ANSI lumens (5000 lumen light source), you get 4x resolution of full HD or 1080p. Nova is built with industry-leading patented ALPD 3.0 and TI DLP technology. ALPD allows for light to be used more efficiently for finer detail across a wider color gamut and deeper vibrance for breathtaking video resolution. Short throw projector reduces eyestrain by diffusing light without losing picture quality. Get more in WEMAX Nova short throw laser projector – 4K resolution UHD HDR10 review.
In the box
- WEMAX Nova 4K UHD Laser Projector
- Remote with Google Assistant Voice Command
- Power Cord: Detachable Three-Prong
- User Manual
Pros & Cons – WEMAX Nova short throw laser projector – 4K resolution UHD HDR10
PROS
- 4K (3,840-by-2,160) resolution using fast-shift pixel shifting
- Ultra-short throw (9” for 100” screen)
- Supports HDR10
- 8-point automatic keystone correction
- Laser-phosphor light source
- Fully integrated Android TV 9 with solid image quality for streaming
- Rainbow artifacts are infrequent
- Powerful clear sound from Dolby Audio
- Built-in Bluetooth and wireless connectivity
- Advanced Android TV system supports most streaming apps
CONS
- Wall not included
- Limited options for tweaking image quality
- Needs an Apple TV if it’s to be used as a presentation tool
- No 3D support
- No HLG HDR support
- Had image quality issues with 1080p and 4K discs in our tests
- Netflix not natively supported
Specs – WEMAX Nova short throw laser projector – 4K resolution UHD HDR10
Projection
- Brightness – 2100 ANSI Lumen
- Light Source – 5000 ANSI Lumen
- Display Tech – DLP
- DMD – 0.47″
- Contrast – 3000:1
- Color Coverage – 100% Rec. 709
- Resolution – 3840 x 2160 (4K UHD)
- Light Engine – ALPD Laser
- Throw Ratio – 0.233:1
- Display Size – 80 – 150″
Hardware/Video/Audio
- Focus – Manual Focus
- Keystone Correction – 8 Point Keystone Correction
- HDR – HDR10
- CPU – T962X-H
- RAM – 2GB
- Storage – 32GB
- Bluetooth – 4.1/BLE
- WiFi – 2.4/5GHz
Software
- OS – AndroidTV 9.0
- Voice Assistant- Google Assistant
- App Store – Google Play Store
- Major Apps – YouTube, YouTubeTV, Disney+, Hulu, Vudu, HBOMax, Peacock, Showtime, ESPN, Crunchyroll, Nick, Cartoon Network, YouTube Kids, PBS Kids
- Casting – ChromeCast
- Casting – Chromecast
- Eco Mode – Yes
- Menu Language – Multi-Language Support
Input
- HDMI 2.0 – 3
- Composite Video – 1 (3.5mm)
- USB 2.0 – 2 (1 x Side, 1 x Rear)
- Ethernet (LAN) – 1 (RJ-45)
- Headphone – 1 (3.5mm)
- S/PDIF – 1
Audio
- Speaker Output – 30W (10W x 2 Full Range, 5W x 2 Tweeter)
- Audio Processor – Dolby Audio
- Audio Decoder – DTS-HD
Power
- Noise Levle – 32dB@25°C
- Power Consumption – <300W
- Standby Consumption – <0.5W
- Operation Temperature – 0~40°C
- Lithium Battery – N/A
Accessories
- Remote – Bluetooth Voice Input Remote
- Remote Battery – AAA x 2 (not included)
- Power Cord – Detachable Three Prong
- User Manual – English
- QSG – TBD
- Registration Insert – Yes
Price
If any 4K ultra-short-throw (UST) laser-phosphor projector qualifies as entry level for the category (“low cost” and “4K UST” are far from synonyms), the Wemax Nova 4K UHD Projector is it, listing at $2,699.
WEMAX Nova short throw laser projector – 4K resolution UHD HDR10 review
Design
For a machine measuring 17.95 inches by 12.13 inches, by 3.58 inches, it’s a heavy 16.5 pounds. It feels heavier, like the weight is compressed into a small unit. You can easily enough move it from room to room, but you’re not going to include it in your regular kit bag when you go out to present. The underside of the device does also include some mounting holes that mean it can be hung from a ceiling.
Connection
The projector has three HDMI 2.0 ports with CEC/ARC support, plus one 3.5mm composite video port. There are two USB 2.0 ports, with one on the back and one on the side of the device. Plus there’s an Ethernet port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and an S/PDIF digital audio connector. That’s for pairing the unit with sound bars.
The unit can show video streamed from phones, but it’s based on Android TV so it’s more fiddly with iOS devices. The best option there, as with other similar projectors, is to couple an Apple TV 4K with it. We also tested it with an Apple TV HD.
Display
The nova smart-laser projector is able to project an image that is not only twice the size of a typical 70 inch home theater screen, but is able to display it at 1080p with no distortion.
The WeMax Nova uses a Texas Instruments DLP display and a powerful laser light source with ALDP 3.0 technology. The result is true 4K resolution with exceptional detail and picture depth. Its wide color gamut helps here, too, producing more nuanced and realistic color than less sophisticated projectors.
Sensor
There is also a proximity sensor around the projector which reduces the beam strength when someone looks too closely at it instead of at the projected image. It’s needed because the laser light is particularly strong, but the sensor is also very sensitive.
Brightness
It’s a laser projector, which provides 2,100 ANSI Lumen brightness with a quoted contrast ratio of 3000:1. The Wemax Nova comes with two small feet that raise the front slightly, and they are adjustable.
Resolution
The Nova pairs a laser-phosphor light source with a single 1,920-by-1,080 DLP chip that uses TI’s fast-shift pixel shifting to put 3,840 by 2,160 pixels on screen. As is standard for solid-state light sources, the laser-phosphor light is meant to last the life of the projector, with a rating of 25,000 hours in View mode.
Audio
The unit includes 30W Dolby Audio DTS HD speakers and the sound produced is loud enough, and rich enough, to not need anything more.
The 30-watt speaker on the WeMax Nova have a higher output and better sound quality than the speakers on most home theater projectors. It uses two full-range drivers and two dedicated tweeters, giving it a relatively wide frequency range with clear dialogue and a decent amount of bass power.
Game mode
Game mode has the shortest input lag, but it is not a great choice for gaming. I measured it with a Bodnar meter at 60ms for 1080p 60Hz input and 73ms for 4K 60Hz, which is a little too long even for casual gamers. Note also that there’s no support for 3D or HLG HDR, the emerging standard for live and broadcast video.
How to connect to iPhone – WEMAX Nova short throw laser projector – 4K resolution UHD HDR10?
With an Apple TV plugged into one of its HDMI ports, projecting a presentation is only a matter of selecting that input. The projected AndroidTV controls are clear enough and choosing the right external input is easy when that Apple TV is connected.
Thereafter it’s Apple’s streaming from iOS to Apple TV, and therefore exactly as simple as that.
It’s not at all great that you need to add an Apple TV on top of a costly projector, and in theory, it isn’t required. Wemax says that you can use any Chromecast device to send to the projector.
WEMAX Nova short throw laser projector – 4K resolution UHD HDR10 performance review
The built-in AndroidTV-based software provides very similar options to Apple TV 4K. There’s no Apple TV+, but there is Disney+ and YouTube, plus depending on your region, also Showtime and HBO Max.
There isn’t a Netflix, though, and so far that can’t be added as an app from the Google Play Store. You can, though, get Netflix through Apple TV 4K so that’s another reason to budget to include one of those.
In the evening or at night, it looks tremendous. You need a large, blank wall and that means actually blank, preferably white or off-white. Any empty wall works, but the results depend on the paint or wallpaper used.
It’s really an evening TV projector. Viewed in the daytime, its short-throw image is brighter than other projectors we’ve tried, but still clearly washed out by daylight.
I was pleasantly surprised by the onboard sound system, complete with Dolby audio and DTS-HD. The two 10-watt full-range speakers and two 5-watt tweeters deliver good audio for a projector and easily sufficient volume to fill a large family room. For higher volume or better quality, you can connect an external audio system to the 3.5mm audio out or the S/PDIF optical audio out. You can also use the Nova as a Bluetooth speaker.
Alternate of WEMAX Nova short throw laser projector – 4K resolution UHD HDR10
BenQ HT2150ST Short-Throw Projector
For someone who wants that movie theater feel at a reasonable price, the BenQ HT2150ST is the best overall short-throw projector. Nominally a gaming projector, the HT2150ST has become a go-to for movie aficionados on a budget (even though it’s more than capable for gaming with its 16ms response time). As a 1080p, DLP projector rated for 2200 ANSI Lumens, it doesn’t promise to be the brightest, highest resolution or the shortest-throwing of the projectors, but this short-throw projector, complete with its 6-segment RGBRGB color wheel, has some of the best color depth and accuracy for the price.
While you will need a receiver or a video source with a digital out to connect to surround sound and a moderate amount of space to place the projector (roughly 5.5 feet for a 100-inch image), there are no out-and-out dealbreakers here. If you’re planning on using this mostly at night, or in a dark room, we think you’ll be pleased with its all-around performance.
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