Hisense C2 Ultra projector review

When you think of a projector, odds are you’re picturing a dim, clunky box that only works if you blackout the room and sit very still. The Hisense C2 Ultra flips that stereotype on its head. It’s compact, impressively bright, and unapologetically ambitious—packing a 4K triple-laser engine into a mini projector that wants to be your TV, your gaming display, and your portable home cinema, all in one.

So is this $2,500 projector worth the hype? After a few weeks of gaming, binging, and living with it, the answer is mostly yes—with a few caveats.

The Hisense C2 Ultra is smaller than I expected for something boasting up to a 300-inch projection. At just 11 inches wide and under 14 pounds, it’s surprisingly portable. The gunmetal chassis isn’t flashy, but it’s functional and has a bit of sci-fi charm. Its most notable design feature is the integrated gimbal-style swivel stand, which gives you 360° horizontal rotation and 135° vertical tilt. It’s a manual system, so you’ll have to physically adjust it each time, but it’s smooth, stable, and incredibly flexible for different room setups.

What’s even cooler is that the base of the stand houses JBL-powered speakers: two 10W drivers and a 20W subwoofer. The sound quality is genuinely shocking for something this size. It fills a medium room with ease and feels like it’s coming from the screen itself—not from behind you. It’s not quite Dolby Atmos, but it’s more than enough for casual viewing and even some immersive gaming. I rarely pushed it past 20% volume.

On the back, the C2 Ultra offers plenty of ports: two HDMI 2.1 (with eARC and ALLM), two USB 3.0, Ethernet, AV in, and digital audio out. Wireless is covered too, with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. Whether you’re streaming, gaming, or plugging in peripherals, it’s got you sorted.

And here’s where the C2 Ultra starts to justify its premium price. Hisense’s TriChroma triple-laser engine delivers stunning colors—covering 110% of the BT.2020 color space. Most TVs can’t even get close. Add in 3000 ANSI lumens of brightness and you’ve got a projector that holds its own even in moderately lit rooms. Yes, a proper ambient light-rejecting screen would help, but it works surprisingly well on my regular painted wall.

The 4K resolution is razor-sharp up to around 150 inches, with diminishing returns beyond that. Blacks on a projector can obviously never OLED-level deep, especially in bright rooms, but they’re respectable. In a dark room, it really shines—especially with HDR content. The projector supports Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and HLG, and the difference is noticeable. It’s vibrant, cinematic, and an easy upgrade if you’re coming from a budget 4K TV or entry-level projector.

There is a mild rainbow effect—a typical side effect of DLP technology—but only visible to some and only on high-contrast content. Personally, I’ve only caught it once or twice.

Setup is dead simple: plug in, point it at your wall, and you’re off. There’s auto-focus, automatic keystone correction, and manual zoom. Keystone correction works remarkably well (better than on Hisense’s PX3), but it does shrink the viewable image, so positioning the projector head-on is still best. That might make for a slightly awkward living room setup, but in a dedicated space, it’s perfect.

Fan noise is minimal and never distracting. I’ve only found it noticeable up close during HDR-heavy scenes or silent moments in shows. Even then, the excellent speaker output easily drowns it out.

This isn’t just a projector for movie buffs—it’s built for gamers, too. With a “Designed for Xbox” certification, the C2 Ultra features 15 ms input lag at 4K/60Hz and as low as 12ms at 1080p/240Hz. It also supports Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), and yes—it makes a real difference.

I tested it with my PS5, where God of War looks breathtaking and runs smooth. Destiny 2 is a highlight, offering fluid and responsive gameplay even at high refresh rates. While I didn’t get to push the full 240 Hz potential with an RTX 50-series laptop, what I did see was buttery-smooth gaming with no ghosting or weird latency issues. Just giant, immersive action.

In Australia, the C2 Ultra runs on Hisense’s Vidaa OS. It’s clean, quick, and thankfully light on bloat. You get the core apps—Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, Disney+—but the app store isn’t as expansive as Google TV or Roku. If you’re in the US or Europe, though, your model will ship with Google TV instead, which I’d prefer. Still, Vidaa handles the basics well over here and doesn’t get in the way.

There’s some light AI running in the background for content suggestions and device control, but nothing too in-your-face. Voice assistants, smart home integration, and multi-device syncing are all here if you’re into the Hisense ecosystem. Otherwise, it mostly just lets you get to your shows quickly—which I appreciate.

The Hisense C2 Ultra is a seriously impressive mini projector that delivers on its promise of big-screen versatility. From colorful 4K visuals to surprisingly great sound and responsive gaming, it’s a standout device that fits in spaces where traditional TVs can’t.

It’s not perfect: no motorized stand, no bundled tripod, and the lack of OLED-level blacks might be dealbreakers for some. But it’s also one of the most user-friendly and enjoyable projectors I’ve tested. If you’ve ever wanted to game on a 200-inch ceiling or set up a backyard cinema without needing a forklift, this could be your dream machine.