The Emotn N1 we now have is relatively compact and can play back streaming in HD resolution thanks to Widevine L1. He also knows an autofocus and an automatic keystone correction. What particularly impressed us in the test was its quiet working volume.
design & processing
The Emotn N1 is advertised as portable. If you only look at its dimensions of 12.5 cm x 18 cm x 19.5 cm and its weight of almost 2 kg, you are inclined to agree. In addition, it appears robustly processed. It should easily survive being transported in a backpack. What it lacks, however, is a cover for the sensitive lens. In addition, you always have to carry the large, external power supply with you. If you want a really portable projector, you should use a battery version. This is where the Xgimi Halo+ (test report) comes in handy. The 400 g projector Blitzwolf BW-VT2 (test report) is even more compact and cheaper.
The large lens is on the front of the projector, and the fan is hidden behind a grille underneath. There is just a single button at the top to turn the Emotn N1 on and off. Otherwise it can only be controlled via the Bluetooth remote control. That’s a shame, we would have liked a few controls on the device.
Connections, sound & fans
The projector has a tripod thread on the underside. On the back there is a LAN port, a 3.5 mm line-out jack, an HDMI and a USB-A port and the connection for the power supply. In addition, two 5 W loudspeakers and the outlet for the exhaust air are hidden behind a perforated cover. There are two special features here.
For one thing, the two speakers are quite good for a projector, especially if the user has previously activated the surround option in the settings. Don’t expect miracles though. However, there is some bass and the maximum volume should be sufficient for most scenarios. If you want, you can also use the N1 as a Bluetooth box.
The second point is extraordinary. Of the dozens of projectors in different price categories that we have tested over the past few years, the Emotn N1 is the quietest. You can still hear it, after all, an active fan transports the waste heat out of the case, but the volume is really low. This is also due to the fact that Emotn does not integrate the N1’s 120 W power adapter, which warms up during operation, into the case.
Bild
The Full HD image of the Emotn N1 is said to achieve a maximum brightness of 500 ANSI lumens via an LCD panel with an LED lamp. In fact, it is so bright that you can easily use it in a slightly darkened room. In direct sunlight, it is just as useless as any other projector. In comparison, it is significantly brighter than the roughly equally expensive Samsung The Freestyle (test report), but not as bright as the 750-euro battery leader Xgimi Halo+ (test report). The illumination of the picture isn’t quite perfect, it gets a bit darker at the corners. The sharpness distribution is flawless. We can’t determine an annoying rainbow effect either.
The high resolution only comes into its own when the focus is right. The Emotn N1 offers an autofocus for this, which can also be controlled via the remote control. In addition, it recognizes its position in space via a motion sensor and carries out an automatic trapezoidal correction. Both work quickly and reliably in the test. The N1 cannot do auto-leveling to compensate for a crooked image.
The minimum distance to the wall, or rather the screen, is around 1.5 m. The projection now has a diagonal of around 60 inches. Below that, the image is blurry. Emotn recommends 3 m as the maximum distance, the image is then 120 inches in size. Of course, more is also possible, but then the brightness of the image suffers.
Software
A Linux operating system specially adapted for the projector called Tionndadh OTA runs on the N1. In the test, it proves to be fast and clear. There the user can determine how the projector is mounted, so overhead projection is also possible. In addition, the image can be reduced. Adjustments to the sound and the image are also possible.
Emotn N1 setup and operating system
We give the N1 credit for investing in a Widevine L1 license from Emotn. In contrast to many other inexpensive projectors, it can play streaming services such as Netflix, YouTube and Prime Video in its native Full HD resolution. If you don’t have a projector with Widevine, you can use a simple trick and connect a cheap streaming stick. Here are our top 5: The best 4K streaming sticks and boxes from 40 euros.
Preis
The Emotn N1 currently costs 500 euros. It is currently only available from Amazon (purchase link). Here we show the most popular Full HD projectors from 500 ANSI lumens in a price comparison.
Conclusion
The Emotn N1 is one of the best Full HD projectors you can buy for 500 euros. It’s bright, offers very good sharpness distribution, a compact form factor, autofocus and auto-keystone, a well thought-out and fast operating system and a decent sound. It also knows Widevine L1 and thus displays streaming services in Full HD. We are particularly impressed by its quiet operating noise.
However, it is not really portable, but it lacks a battery. The picture also gets slightly dark towards the corners and it doesn’t know any autoleveling. We also miss a control unit on the device itself, so the remote control is always necessary.