ASUS ZenBeam L2 Review: The Best Portable Projector for Travelers!
I’ve never owned a projector before - mainly because I really, really like my 4k TV. But as I’m exploring my home state of Colorado, I’m looking for ways to take entertainment with me. This is the ASUS ZenBeam L2, a portable little guy with a big wow factor, I was impressed. So let's see if it lives up to the hype. And hey, if you're new here, don't forget to hit that subscribe button for more mobile tech reviews!
Alright, let's talk about what's in the box first. Huge shoutout to Asus for sending this over. For $699, you're getting the ASUS ZenBeam L2 Smart Portable LED Projector, a Google Certified Android 12 TV box, a remote control, a power adapter, and a carry bag. The brand really made something here that is all about convenience and portability. I really like the carry case, it feels nice and high quality and it has separate compartments for the remote and the cables.
Design-wise, the ZenBeam L2 is sleek and compact. It weighs just enough to feel substantial but not too heavy to carry around easily. It’s really cute and has a handle up top made out of what feels like leather. It's got a short-throw lens that can project a 40-inch image from just one meter away, and up to a 120-inch image at three meters. So that should be perfect for small spaces and impromptu movie nights! If you are camping this summer and wanna bring some entertainment with you, throw this thing in your car and set it up in your tent. Luckily it does have a little kickstand on the bottom so you can just rest it on the ground and angle it upwards. And if you’re wondering if that’ll effect the angle of your video, I’ll talk about that in a bit.
When it comes to connectivity, the ZenBeam L2 has you covered. It features HDMI, two USB-C ports (one for charging and one with DisplayPort Alt mode), a USB Type-A port, and a headphone jack. Whether you're connecting a laptop, gaming console, or another device, you'll find the port you need.
Smart features and setup are pretty easy. The ZenBeam L2 comes with this little Android 12 TV box preloaded with Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and more. Setting it up is a breeze, you can connect it to your phone to pick and choose any additional apps you want to download to it and you can control everything with the included remote. Plus, it's got built-in Chromecast for easy wireless content sharing from your phone or tablet too. Super convenient!
You can stream movies and tv shows via wireless straight from the Android tv box and the UI is very simplistic and easy to navigate, especially if you already have a Chromecast - you’ll be able to futz around in here with no issues at all.
So really, you can just use this as another Android box to stream whatever content you like, you don’t necessarily need to connect anything external to it. But if you need or want to, you’ve got all those ports on the back for plug in to.
Navigation is smooth and user-friendly thanks to the Android TV interface. You can also use Google Assistant for voice commands, making it even easier to find your favorite shows and movies. Just press the Google Assistant button on the remote and you're good to go!
If you don’t have the remote nearby, you can also access the input settings, volume, and focus straight from the buttons on the top of the projector.
I went into this having a good idea of what to expect since I’ve seen plenty of projectors, but this baby packs a punch with 960 LED lumens and a native 1080p resolution. It's also 4K compatible, so you get crisp, detailed images with vibrant colors. The LED lifespan is rated at 30000 hours and the display tech is DLP. And with the ASUS Light Wall feature, you can choose from 26 different cinemagraphs to set the perfect ambiance. [show settings] I probably wouldn’t use the Light Wall settings very often but just for some added ambiance, it is pretty cool. The one way I thought of using it is as a nice backdrop for my youtube videos. I really like this rainbow light reflection and the window shadows. Some of the Light Wall scenes are a bit cheesy or fake looking, while other ones look really pretty and soothing.
I mentioned the throw a bit at the top but let’s dive into it some more, because it really is impressive. You can get a 40-inch image from just one meter away, and up to a 120-inch image at three meters. The srgb color gamut is 120% - super accurate.
And due to the 960 lumens, it’s still rather bright and clear even in a bright sunny room. It’s not perfect in a bright room, you do lose some of that saturation and contrast, but when using this in a darker environment it is REALLY bright.
And do add to this impressive output, the speakers also rocked. Harmon Kardon packed in some high quality sound, so you don’t necessarily need to add any extra external speakers to it. I do wish it got a little bit louder for outdoor entertainment, but in those cases, I’ll just plug in a external speaker for some additional sound.
Now this is where this thing really shines. Setting up the ZenBeam L2 is a snap with its instant autofocus and horizontal/vertical keystone correction. It even has four-corner correction to make sure your image is perfectly aligned. And with auto obstacle avoidance, it adjusts the projection area if something gets in the way. It’s incredibly fast at determining proper angles and adjusting as necessary. When I was testing this on various areas of my studio, I was pickin’ this thing up and moving it and setting it on odd surfaces and it would be crooked or sitting on a cable and it automatically fixed the image every single time. It’s very intelligent.
Portability is key with the ZenBeam L2. It has a built-in battery that gives you up to 3.5 hours of playtime on 'Battery Low' mode at 240 lumens. Perfect for a full-length movie or a binge-watching session. And with the included carry bag, you can take it anywhere with ease. But if I’m using it at home, I’ma power up this beast via the wall adapter and put it on movie mode for the brightest display.
Overall, the ASUS ZenBeam L2 is a fantastic portable projector that brings the cinema experience to your home or on the go. With its vibrant display, smart features, and versatile connectivity, it's a great investment for a movie lover, especially someone that travels a lot or takes kids on trips - this can keep them entertained anywhere. The ASUS Light Wall feature is just the cherry on top, adding a fun and cozy vibe to any room.
So, should you buy the ASUS ZenBeam L2? It’s certainly a pricey product - it’s $700. If you're looking for a portable projector with top-notch features and easy usability, then absolutely! Thanks for watching, S'mores! Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more tech reviews. And let me know in the comments what you think of the ZenBeam L2. Thanks again to Asus for sending this amazing projector my way!
