{"id":412884,"date":"2026-01-17T12:08:10","date_gmt":"2026-01-17T12:08:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/412884\/"},"modified":"2026-01-17T12:08:10","modified_gmt":"2026-01-17T12:08:10","slug":"tcls-playcube-projector-is-more-fun-than-a-rubiks-cube","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/412884\/","title":{"rendered":"TCL\u2019s PlayCube projector is more fun than a Rubik\u2019s Cube"},"content":{"rendered":"

The best all-in-one portable projector is the one that makes all the right compromises. It needs to balance image and sound quality with battery life and responsiveness in a device that\u2019s not too expensive and small enough to take anywhere. TCL\u2019s fun little PlayCube<\/a> delivers the right mix to justify paying $800 for a 1080p projector in 2026.<\/p>\n

I tested the TCL PlayCube running Google TV during a two-month road trip, and then again for a few months at home. It\u2019s so small, adaptable, and enjoyable that I\u2019ve had no problem setting it up at a moment\u2019s notice, day or night, anywhere I\u2019ve been.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

$800<\/p>\n

The Good3 hour battery in brightest modeClever, twisting design helps placementBright for its sizeThe BadSluggish at timesStandby power weirdnessMono, muddy sound<\/p>\n

TCL says the PlayCube\u2019s 90-degree rotating design was inspired by the Rubik\u2019s Cube. Just give it a twist whenever you need to lift the image over obstacles. Otherwise, you can mount it on a tripod via the threaded connector at the bottom, or flip it over onto its backside for some bedtime ceiling viewing. The PlayCube also features all the automatic adjustment modes you\u2019d expect in a modern portable projector, including focus, keystone correction, obstacle avoidance, screen detection, and eye protection.<\/p>\n

The other notable thing about the PlayCube is its brightness. 750 ISO lumens isn\u2019t bright for a home theater projector, but it\u2019s very bright for a portable that easily fits into the palm of your hand, measuring 149.8 x 96.6 x 96.6mm (5.90 x 3.80 x 3.80 inches) and 1.3kg (2.7 pounds).<\/p>\n

It\u2019s bright enough to watch videos during the day when all those lumens are focused into a tight 30-inch rectangle inside my van, or at 100-inches when projected against it at night. Unfortunately, it doesn\u2019t have that color-adaptation tech found on Samsung\u2019s new (battery-less) Freestyle+ projector<\/a>, so the blue-gray hull affected the palette. Regardless, it was still very watchable.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Watching an NFL game streamed over the DAZN app inside my van at night.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Enjoyable during the day inside my van even under a scorching Croatian sun.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Can project over obstacles without needing a tripod.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Projected onto the side of my van at night with volume turned down.<\/p>\n

The audio produced by the PlayCube\u2019s lone 5W speaker is fine. There\u2019s no stereo separation, but it\u2019s loud enough to fill a room. It just lacks fullness, warmth, and detail. Music from Florence and The Machine and Kendrick Lamar sounds shrill and thin. The screeching tires, gunshots, and explosions from a 007 chase scene produced a rather muddled soundscape, but it was still enjoyable. The sound is uncomfortably harsh above 60 percent volume, which is still plenty loud. During one outdoor movie night, I felt compelled to set the volume no higher than 20 percent to avoid bothering the closest neighbor some 50 meters away.<\/p>\n

Alternatively, you can connect headphones or self-powered speakers through the audio jack or over Bluetooth. The projector can also be used as a Bluetooth speaker, which turns off the lamp but, annoyingly, not the fan. That fan produces 27dB when measured at a distance of one meter, which is fairly quiet for a projector but still noticeable during still moments.<\/p>\n

\"Vanlife<\/a><\/p>\n

Vanlife is ideal for outdoor movie nights.<\/p>\n

The runtime from the PlayCube\u2019s 66Wh battery was inconsistent, but it performed very well in recent tests. TCL claims up to three hours \u2013 I measured exactly three hours and one minute after a full charge in the projector\u2019s brightest mode, while streaming The Aviator over Netflix, a film that runs for 2 hours and 50 minutes. It also works with USB-C power banks if you need even more time. The PlayCube recharged from zero to full in 104 minutes from a 65W USB-C charger.<\/p>\n

I experienced wild shifts in battery life over my four months of testing, which I think can be attributed to TCL\u2019s power management in standby mode. A short press on the power button puts the projector to sleep, allowing it to wake in less than 30 seconds. In standby, the fan spins up periodically, sapping energy \u2014 which could be the reason I saw severe battery drain when vanlifing in warmer climates. The issue disappeared when I returned to the mild temperatures at home. A firmware update might have also helped.<\/p>\n

Regardless, you can long-press the power button for a full shutdown to avoid any phantom power drain suffered in standby. The PlayCube then takes about 80 seconds to boot up, but that can be accelerated by turning off some of the automatic screen adjustment features.<\/p>\n

1\/13Works when flat, too.<\/p>\n

The user interface can also be sluggish at times, like most battery-powered projectors. Sometimes Google TV needs a frustrating second or two before it\u2019ll respond to navigation commands from the remote control. The automatic image adjust features are also rather slow to kick in. But I\u2019m grateful when they do, even if obstacle avoidance can be hit or miss. Fortunately, everything can still be fine-tuned manually.<\/p>\n

TCL says the PlayCube is \u201cdesigned specifically for camping projection<\/a>.\u201d That makes me \u2014 an avid vanlifer<\/a> \u2014 its primary target, and I\u2019ve come away very impressed. At $799.99<\/a>, TCL\u2019s PlayCube<\/a> projector isn\u2019t cheap, but you won\u2019t typically find this mix of brightness, battery life, and portability for less. Xgimi\u2019s Halo+ comes close for the same price, only in a bigger package that offers improved stereo sound but shorter battery life\u2026 but it\u2019s currently on sale for just $449<\/a>, which is a very good deal.<\/p>\n

Photography by Thomas Ricker \/ The Verge<\/p>\n

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