▷Asus Zenbeam S2 review: portable and versatile but at what price? 🥇

Asus ZenBeam S2 it is very different from the projectors I was used to up to three weeks ago. It does not hang on the wall, it is not cluttered, it does not have to remain permanently connected to the autonomous current. By contrast, the ZenBeam S2 is almost pocket-sized. However, this does not make it any less powerful. Indeed, you will have at your disposal a compact projector but perfect for enjoying some great movies alone or with friends, provided of course that you have a sufficiently large vertical surface.

Asus ZenBeam S2: iincredibly versatile

The glance is definitely satisfying. Clean lines, rounded edges, metallic details and flush keys: Asus ZenBeam S2 is an object elegant and able to adapt to any environment. From his then also has the weight: 497 grams which make it very easy to move. You can change rooms several times a day or even take it to a friend or relative's house. All without effort of any kind.

The structure is quite simple. On the upper part we have three flush buttons: one dedicated to keystone correction, one that allows you to select the input and one that can activate the Splendid function or return you to the previous screen if necessary. To the left of these three buttons we find two LEDs: one allows you to check the battery status, the other lights up when the projector is connected to a power source. On the right instead we have a small joystick which allows you to access the menu, adjust the focus and lower / raise the volume.

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The front part houses the lens instead, perfect for distances between 1,5 and 3 meters, and the sensor for l’autofocus laser, which measures the distance between the LED projector and the wall and then automatically focuses the image. Normally you can rely on this function without worrying about adjusting everything manually. If the image does not seem perfectly focused, you can use the aforementioned joystick to achieve the desired result.

Let's now move on to the back, dedicated to the different inputs of this ZenBeam S2. From left to right we have:

the 3,5 mm headphone jack;
un HDMI;
a USB port dedicated solely to charging your smartphone because yes, the projector can become a
powerbank;
a USB-C port that can both power the smartphone and transmit video content (if the device is compatible);
a hole for resetting the device;
the infrared sensor;
the on and off button.

On the two sides we then have the input for the power supply, the air intake and the speaker while the lower part houses the attachment dedicated to the tripod and a small plastic pedestal that allows you to tilt the projector 4,5 ° or 9,7 °.

Finally, the packaging is rich. Inside you will find the power supply, an HDMI cable, a remote control and a small carrying case.

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Bewilderment and surprise

I admit it: the first few minutes in the company of Asus ZenBeam S2 were a bit difficult: the power button takes a few seconds to give the desired result, switching off is unnecessarily complicated (long press until a dedicated screen appears and then quickly press the same button) and the calibration requires a few minutes of patience. In general, know that at 1,5 meters away from the wall you will have a 60 inches and at 3 meters instead a 120 inches, while to adjust the possible distortion you will have to enter the Menu, select Display and then do some experiments with the items Keystone correction and Quick angle.

After this phase of loss, however, things will get better and any subsequent calibrations will become faster and faster. In short, you will get used to it and you can launch yourself into the fantastic world of projectors. But how? Well, the alternatives are different. You can watch a movie using the HDMI input (compatible with Blu-Ray players, consoles and computers of all kinds), show vacation photos with your smartphone or take advantage of the screen mirroring. Yes, you are not forced to use traditional cables but you can transmit everything wireless, provided of course that you have compatible devices or any computer with Windows 10.

All this you can do either by keeping ZenBeam S2 connected to the electricity supply or by using the internal battery from 6000 mAh. But be careful: autonomy is not infinite. On average the battery will allow you to use the projector for around 3 hours after that you will have to connect it to its power supply. In general, therefore, it should allow you to watch an entire movie, but if you plan to make it a daily habit, remember to put it in charge every day.

How do you see it?

The small projector from Asus reaches i 500 lumen and a resolution equal to 1280 x 720 pixels. What does it mean? Basically your movie in Full HD it loses a few pixels during projection, so the image that ZenBeam S2 gives you does not have the same definition as that offered by a monitor or a Full HD TV. Over the past three weeks I have been using this projector to view a ton of different content and by and large I enjoyed the experience. Sure, I probably missed some details, but all in all nothing disastrous. Eventually you get used to it quickly and having a 120-inch "screen" at your fingertips really has its why.

Not bad brightness, but as long as you use the projector in a very dim or even dark room. In short, 500 lumens is not a lot but they do their job.

Finally, the audio that uses the Sonic Master technology. So don't expect a cinema system, on the contrary, I often preferred the Harman / Kardon speakers on my laptop.

Asus ZenBeam S2: buy it or not?

Answering this question is particularly difficult. On the one hand, in fact, we have a portable, compact projector with an internal battery that makes it autonomous, several inputs to adapt to any occasion and a decent image quality. More than enough for an evening with friends at home or even for an outdoor screening on hot summer nights. On the other hand, however, we have the price: 529 euro.

In short, if you want to make an investment, if you plan to use it often, if Full HD is not essential and if versatility is what you need, then ZenBeam S2 is definitely the projector for you. If you don't find yourself in this description, you will probably find a new TV or even a more expensive and performing projector, such as Asus F1, more useful.