This is my first non-bulb projector. It's replacing a Benq HT3550 which I enjoyed for several years, despite some challenges with contrast. I would say the picture is much sharper, as well as improved contrast. I do like the fact that there is no longer a wheel and switching resolutions does not take as long. It's quieter too, especially if you use the 3550 in normal mode. There is no longer a bulb to cool after all. I briefly used the built-in player and can confirm it's pretty responsive. It includes all the various streaming apps including NetFlix, Disney+, Amazon Prime, Paramount and SlingTV.

This projector is incredibly bright! Despite the 1600 lumen rating of the C1, I found the projector to be very bright and had to adjust the laser luminance down a bit. In fact, thehookup reviewer confirmed a 2000 lumen rating.

Dolby Vision is a great benefit and I'm rediscovering all my 4K movies with DV. It really shows off the wide color gamut capability of this projector.

My son has tried it with his PS5 and has played games like Death Stranding and has not complained about latency. One thing we noticed is how incredibly sharp the text is during gameplay. We haven't tried any FPS games as we know latency is not ideal.

With all that said, the lack of flexible placement might be a challenge for some as it has a fixed throw ratio of 1.2. If it offered lens shift and some form of optical zoom, I feel it would attract a broader home theater crowd.

One last thing. Despite the lifestyle projector review where this projector came in 3rd ( https://www.projectorscreen.com/blog/best-4K-lifestyle-projector-shootout-2023-lifestyle-projector-showdown ), I gave stronger weight to the review from the hookup. I feel like the XGMI and Formovie have bigger downsides compared to the C1. The XGMI has poor contrast/blacks and the Formovie has limited calibration controls and a lack of Dolby Vision. I highly recommend his review: https://youtu.be/3KmKv-TTIQQ

       

I recently received my Hisense C1, and I am very impressed so far. I upgraded from the Xgimi Horizon Pro 4K, a projector that I really liked, but I was looking for something brighter and with better color, and this projector is impressive so far. The projector arrived well packed ( triple boxed ) and the setup was very easy, I didn't need to look at the startup guide to make all the necessary adjustments. I am a university professor who teaches photography and digital media, so I would say that my expectations are high for a piece of equipment like this. Most of my review will be a comparison between this unit and the Xgimi Horizon Pro.
Out of the box I was struck by the build quality, the Xgimi was made out of a premium plastic, but the Hisense is built like a little safe with a metal enclosure that feels really robust. It doesn't blend into the room as well, looking a little more hi-tech. The remote isn't quite as solid or sleek, but everything I need is there. I definitely could have done without the dedicated buttons for streaming services.
One of the only things I thought was better on the Xgimi was the auto keystone setting, which made it a breeze to set up. The C1 was a little more fiddly to get set up, but it only took about 5 minutes to get all squared away. Other than the keystone correction, the C1 is a solid upgrade in every sense. It is brighter, sharper and the color is really accurate once I switched the white balance from warm to daylight. I immediately turned off the motion smoothing, I'm really not sure why manufacturers have that feature enabled out of the box, since it makes everything look like a soap opera.
Skin tones and color look great overall, and the projector is bright enough for a dimly lit room, something that the Xgimi Horizon Pro couldn't really handle. Contrast is soft with ambient lighting, but it's very usable. In a dark room this projector really shines, with excellent contrast and color. one of the biggest differences is the fact that this unit can display rich saturated reds without distorting the skin tones at all, and after watching a Marvel movie in Dolby Vision, the highlight and shadow detail were both excellent.I'm also quite impressed with the sharpness which doesn't feel harsh or oversharp, but carries well from the center to the corners of my 120 inch screen.
The fan noise is also noticeably quieter than the Xgimi, impressive since the unit is brighter. One pleasant surprise was the inclusion of Apple Airplay, which allows me to mirror the screen from my MacBook and share images and video from my iPhone and iPad, and the images look great, even monochrome images are perfectly neutral, something that's not easy to do. I wasn't really expecting much from the built in OS, but after using a Firestick 4K for years, I don't think I need it anymore, this projector seems to have everything the Amazon unit and an Apple TV have built in, so all my streaming needs, including Netflix are built right in.
Overall I'm really happy with the unit, I'll update the review if anything else comes up, but so far this projector is a great performer and an excellent value!

After having spent many hours reviewing tech specs and watching a ton of YouTube videos I decided to upgrade my projector.  I was looking for something that would be a TV replacement, be easy to set up wherever I wanted and would also handle my xbox racing games. 



I finally settled on the Hisense C1.  Even though I’m used to 4K resolution from my TV, I am very impressed with the C1 picture quality.  I don’t know if it’s something to do with “Dolby Vision” but the C1 has what I can only describe as having a cinematic quality about it. It’s not just the increase in screen size, which can comfortably go to 200 inches plus, but the sharpness and color vibrancy are really excellent!  One of the features I love, is the luminance adjustment, which is managed from the remote.  This allows the viewer to adjust the brightness of the image without having to fiddle around with the contrast and brightness settings in the projector menu.  This is an incredibly useful feature, especially in a darkened room where you might need to turn it down a bit, but also very helpful when viewing in a lit room where you might want to crank it up!

 

Having reviewed a number of similar projectors, in my opinion the Hisense easily out performs them and would hold its own with other higher priced projectors. I can confidently say that you will not be disappointed with the C1. It’s well worth the money!

 

 

I bought this projector for a small theater in my basement. It can do up to a 150 inch screen in a small 12x12 foot room. It’s nice and dark down there and this thing looks amazing. I love that I can take it outside or into my garage if I want to have a giant 300 inch screen. It has all of the Dolby Vision bells and whistles with the built in Netflix and Disney apps. It’s plug and play in any room with WIFI in your house and one of the coolest features is that it will automatically auto focus and keystone perfectly.

 

Did a ton of research for my new 16'x16' media room. Both ProjectorScreen.com and The Hook Up we're immensely helpful in narrowing down a projector. Ultimately, the C1 won out based on price and Dolby Vision. My room is completely dark ... otherwise I would have gone for the extra brightness of the JMGO N1 Ultra.

One note on shipping, make sure you are able to adjust your schedule to sign for the FedEx delivery. I appreciate the extra security, but I almost missed it!

The Hisense C1 out of the box is amazing. I won't be able to install for a few more weeks, but I couldn't wait to at least try it. So I opened it and within 5 minutes had it projecting on a textured wall in a bright room. We were shocked by the detail and brightness. The built in apps including Netflix are so easy and the speakers are surprisingly good. Runs quiet and cool. Everything I was hoping for.

Next, I'm planning to ceiling mount it when my media room is finished. It'll have a 120" 1.1 white screen and a 5.2 sound setup.

I can't wait!