Key Takeaways
- Google TV and Netflix certified for convenient streaming experience.
- Ultra-compact design with bright 900 ANSI lumens and HDR-10 support.
- Easy setup with adjustable stand, auto keystone, and focus features.
The JMGO N1S is a triple laser HD projector with fantastic performance from such a compact device. But although marketed as portable, it requires mains power to operate, so you’ll need to look elsewhere if you want to run on internal battery power.
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JMGO N1S
The N1S is an ultra-compact triple-laser projector that runs Google TV natively and is Netflix-certified. 900 ANSI lumens provide a bright picture, combined with vibrant colors and HDR-10 support. The adjustable stand with auto keystone and focus features make it as simple as pointing at a surface and powering on.
- Brand
- JMGO
- Native Resolution
- Full HD 1080p
- ANSI Lumens
- 900
- Throw Ratio
- 1.2:1
- HDR
- HDR-10
- Audio
- Two 5W speakers
- OS
- Google TV
- Lamp Life
- 30,000 hours
- Wattage
- 100W
- Mounting Type
- Adjustable stand
- Lamp Type
- Triple laser
- Ports
- HDMI 2.1, USB-A
- Size
- H191 x W187 x D170mm (7.52 x 7.36 x 6.69 inches)
- Weight
- 2kg (4.41lbs)
- Audio Return
- eARC supported
- Input Lag
- Not specified; game mode available
- Google TV and certified Netflix built-in
- Pivot stand for any angle or even vertical projection
- Auto keystone and focus makes setup effortless
- 900 ANSI lumens and HDR-10 produces a superb picture
- Ultra-compact and lightweight design
- Needs AC power; there is no battery
- Projecting from an extreme angle is technically impressive, but wastes resolution
- No on-device controls, other than power
Price and Availability
Though we don’t yet have an official word on pricing, the N1S is expected to launch in June, and is the follow-up to the original N1 1080p HD projector which retailed at around $700. The major differences are the addition of an official Netflix app and a slight spec bump (900 vs 800 ANSI lumens). The N1S is also the baby brother to the brighter, higher-resolution N1S Ultra 4K, itself a minor upgrade on the N1 Ultra, which currently retails at around $1700.
If the 900 ANSI lumens isn’t bright enough for you and the Netflix certification or 4K resolution isn’t such a big concern, the N1 Pro is brighter, at 1500 lumens, and otherwise similar specs.
All the JMGO N1 series projectors feature the same adjustable angle design and ultra-compact body.
Specifications
- Brand
- JMGO
- Native Resolution
- Full HD 1080p
- ANSI Lumens
- 900
- Throw Ratio
- 1.2:1
- HDR
- HDR-10
- Audio
- Two 5W speakers
- OS
- Google TV
- Lamp Life
- 30,000 hours
- Wattage
- 100W
- Mounting Type
- Adjustable stand
- Lamp Type
- Triple laser
- Ports
- HDMI 2.1, USB-A
- Size
- H191 x W187 x D170mm (7.52 x 7.36 x 6.69 inches)
- Weight
- 2kg (4.41lbs)
- Audio Return
- eARC supported
- Input Lag
- Not specified; game mode available
Setup and Software
The N1S comes packaged in a handy, durable polystyrene carry case, but it adds a lot of bulk to an otherwise ultra-compact projector.
The JMGO N1S runs Google TV natively, and I’d be quite surprised to find anyone who hasn’t used it before. The only customization I could see was an included “Live TV” application on the home screen. Naturally, I thought this meant I could watch live TV via a clever embedded aerial or web streaming service. What it actually means is “HDMI input”, which is an essential feature for any projector, but also nothing at all related to live TV.
One big selling point of the N1S is the official Netflix certification, which few competitors can offer. Often, you’re forced to rely on uncertified APKs that will only play SD content or have to connect through yet another streaming dongle.
MALC Triple Color Laser Optics: Bright, Looks Brilliant
The light source for N1S, along with a number of other JMGO projectors, is specified as “MALC Triple Color Laser Optics”. It’s a patented technology developed by JMGO themselves, but which probably bears a lot of resemblance to other triple laser light sources on the market. High-end home theatre projectors like the AWOL Vision LTV-3500 Pro also use a triple laser light source, which typically results in a more vibrant image and wider color gamut.
There are three key technical parts to this laser light source worth mentioning. The first is 9-chip modular laser system developed in conjunction with Nichia, offering better optical efficiency at a lower price point. Next is the quad-layer diffuser; this uses hundreds of micro-diffusers to spread the light uniformly over a 16:9 plane and provides 95% uniformity (compared to 85% industry average). Lastly, the JMGO system incorporates a Dynamic Light Speckle Reducer Technology to mitigate over 96% of possible speckle—that’s the noise that typically comes from using a laser light source.
The N1S also supports 3D content in the standard SBS, TB, or frame-packed formats and outputs to DLP link active shutter glasses.
Design: Compact With an Adjustable Stand
Standing a mere 191mm tall, 187mm wide, and 170mm deep (7.52 x 7.36 x 6.69in), the N1S is minuscule by projector standards—and it’s lightweight, at just 2kg (4.41 lbs) for the main body. This doesn’t include the 24V 100W power brick though, which is essential for operation as it doesn’t contain a battery.
The sleep/wake button is situated on the front of the stand, with a subtle white glow when on. At the back of the stand is a cavity to put your fingers through and easily carry it. A remote control is included, and with no other buttons on the device to access menus, you better not lose it.
The only thing I don’t like about the svelt design is the lack of lens protection. Some portable projectors have a physical lens slider that doubles as a power button. The N1S doesn’t have any lens cover, but it is recessed about 5mm, which should help to mitigate any potential issues if it is dropped.
The N1S features what JMGO calls a “gimbal.” However, by strict definition of the term, it’s an adjustable stand as it doesn’t freely rotate to keep the body balanced. It does, however, make it super easy to angle up to 127 degrees vertically—even directly at the ceiling if you want.
Upright projection is only possible if you use the native Google TV software, though; an HDMI cable or USB stick stops it from going completely vertical. The N1S remains perfectly stable regardless of where it’s pointed—assuming a stable surface, that is. You might be inclined to lie in bed and watch movies on the ceiling, in which case, don’t make any vigorous movements.
The time of flight image sensors combined with a 6-axis IMU can detect a skewed picture and correct it automatically within seconds. It can even detect objects like light switches and position the image away from them. It’s impressive to see in action, but as I’ll discuss later, you should disable it if unnecessary—you can keep auto-focus enabled.
The power connection is built into the pivot points of the stand, so if you’re using Google TV, there’s no awkward cabling dangling off the projector’s main body. But if you want to plug in an external source via HDMI, this goes into the projector while the power remains plugged into the base. It’s a shame the HDMI port couldn’t have been integrated into the base, too.
With a native resolution of 1080p, you can get crisp video throughout your media—but there’s one massive caveat to that. You’ll only get the full benefit of that native resolution and the fullest image size possible if you’ve disabled all keystoning and image adjustments.
Automatic Keystone: Only Enable If You Need It
With the lens horizontal and straight on at 150 inches from the screen, I was able to get a reasonably large 127-inch wide projection; this lines up almost perfectly with the stated 1.2:1 throw ratio (you can divide the distance you’ll place it from the screen by 1.2 to get your projection width). This is very much a long-throw projector. If you want an enormous screen size, you should look at a UST (ultra-short-throw) models instead.
While the JMGO N1S is technically capable of projecting from an extreme off-center angle and automatically correcting the image, doing so will cut off much of the projectable area and limit the resolution you can use, creating a softer image.
To illustrate this point, I placed the JMGO N1S at the most extreme angle it would go without errors. The areas of grey that are missing from the smaller, corrected image are pixels that are being wasted; I’ve outlined the area in red in case it’s not obvious. Over half the pixels are gone because of the extreme correction required at this angle, so you’d be effectively watching HD content at DVD quality or worse.
You might also notice some distortion on the screen in the image: this is not a result of rolling shutter or other camera errors. The test image is an alternating pixel arrangement of black and white. At native resolution, with all keystoning disabled, it should appear uniformly grey (and if your projection is big enough, you can see each alternating pixel). If there’s any difference to the native pixel arrangement, it shows up as this kind of distortion. You won’t actually see this in your content, it’s just to make it easy to see when pixels are being remapped.
Auto-keystone is an impressive technical accomplishment, but it should be used if you want the best image quality. If you prefer ease of use over resolution, the N1S makes it incredibly easy to place the projector anywhere and get a focused, straight image.
Brightness: Good Enough for Daytime Use
JMGO claims the N1S is capable of 900 ANSI lumens, which is amazing for such a compact projector, and just about enough for daytime use.
The stated contrast ratio is 1600:1 FOFO (full on, full off) without dynamic features, which means the white level can be 1600 times brighter than the black level. Higher numbers are better, and FOFO figures are more reliable than those stated with dynamic contrasts, so this is good to see. I attempted to verify this with a basic light meter, resulting in a reading of 0.5 lux on full black and around 900 lux for full white, but my home cinema is not a laboratory setting, and there’s a large margin of error at such low levels for my equipment (it’s designed more to measure bright flashlight outputs).
Combined with 10-bit color depth, HDR content looks brilliant—much better than I’d expect from such a small projector—with deep blacks and bright highlights. At least, when supported, it does. During my testing, it correctly recognized an HDR signal from YouTube but not Plex (in fairness, this is likely a Plex issue). From an external device like a PS5, video worked well, too. Speaking of which, a game mode is available to reduce input lag, and after enabling it, it certainly felt playable—though that’s anecdotal, as the product specs we’re supplied with don’t state latency numbers.
Audio Quality: Unlikely to Blow You Away
Two 5W speakers provide decent stereo audio, though it sounds a little mid and top-heavy to my ears. I was pleasantly surprised by the clarity of YouTube music videos, and it can get loud during action scenes without distortion. However, I found certain very low bass frequencies would cause the case to buzz. I also found a slight hiss when using external audio from my PS5. In practice, it didn’t matter and was drowned by any game audio, but for any serious gaming or extended movie watching, I’d be inclined to use headphones.
The JMGO N1S is DTS and Dolby Audio certified, but you should set realistic expectations. It’s about the same audio quality as you’d get from a small, budget soundbar. It’s fine for watching a movie or TV show, but you’re not going to get anywhere near the same level of immersion as you would from even a basic 5.1 home cinema setup or anything with a sub.
For better quality, the HDMI 2.1 port features eARC for returning sound to an external amplifier or soundbar, and a 3.5mm stereo out to connect headphones instead. That gives you plenty of options for how you want to listen if the built-in speakers are insufficient or not appropriate.
Should You Buy the JMGO N1S?
For the price, the JMGO N1S is an impressive compact projector with native Google TV and Netflix certification. The triple laser light source offers a brighter-than-average image and vibrant colors, with zero physical setup needed—just point and project.
The pivoting and compact design most closely resembles the Samsung Freestyle Gen 2, which retails at around $800. However, that model offers a mere 230 ANSI lumens of brightness and runs the quirky Tizen OS. If you were considering the Samsung Freestyle Gen 2, I would absolutely recommend forgetting about it and getting the far superior JMGO N1S instead.
I’m confident in calling the JMGO N1S the best-in-class ultra-compact pivoting projector—but for most people, a different type of projector will be more suitable.
It’s compact, for sure, but it’s not portable since it doesn’t have a battery, so you can’t take this wild camping unless you’re also lugging around an AC-capable power source. For that market, the tiny Nebula Capsule 3 or Nebula Mars might be a better fit (though, as with any battery-powered projector, it won’t get nearly as bright).
On the other hand, if you want a big cinema screen for home use and are happy to leave it mounted or placed on a table, you should look at 4K projectors instead: our budget pick is less than $1000.
So the JMGO N1S is ideal for someone who might travel a lot and wants a simple projector with everything built in; or someone who wants to keep things tidy, and pack away the projector when not needed; perhaps move it around to different rooms when the kids want to use it. It needs zero physical setup: just point it at the wall, and it works. It’s bright, with superb HDR colors, but HD only. With native Google TV and Netflix, you don’t need an external input (but it can do that too, if needed). If that sounds like it suits your needs, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the JGMO N1S.
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JMGO N1S
The N1S is an ultra-compact triple-laser projector that runs Google TV natively and is Netflix-certified. 900 ANSI lumens provide a bright picture, combined with vibrant colors and HDR-10 support. The adjustable stand with auto keystone and focus features make it as simple as pointing at a surface and powering on.
- Brand
- JMGO
- Native Resolution
- Full HD 1080p
- ANSI Lumens
- 900
- Throw Ratio
- 1.2:1
- HDR
- HDR-10
- Audio
- Two 5W speakers
- OS
- Google TV
- Lamp Life
- 30,000 hours
- Wattage
- 100W
- Mounting Type
- Adjustable stand
- Lamp Type
- Triple laser
- Ports
- HDMI 2.1, USB-A
- Size
- H191 x W187 x D170mm (7.52 x 7.36 x 6.69 inches)
- Weight
- 2kg (4.41lbs)
- Audio Return
- eARC supported
- Input Lag
- Not specified; game mode available