Strong Q1 Review
Exciting movie nights, gaming, or presenting vacation photos on the big screen can be achieved in a particularly impressive and simple way with a projector. That it’s not necessarily expensive is proven by the extremely affordable entry-level projector Q1 from Strong. The compact model offers a brightness of 180 ANSI lumens, a native maximum resolution of 720p, and a projection size of up to 120 inches (304.8 cm).
The remarkably diverse features of the stylish mini projector also include two integrated speakers with a total output power of six watts, an HDMI port, and integrated Wi-Fi. But how does the incredibly affordable projector, available for just $95, perform in practice? Can it keep up with established brands, or do compromises have to be made in terms of image and build quality? Furthermore, in our detailed test report, we clarify how the operating noise turns out, whether automatic image adjustment is included, and what control options are offered.
Did You Know…that Strong also offers the N1, an even smaller and more mobile projector? This one is particularly lightweight at only 420 grams and can be taken anywhere, such as on a camping holiday or an evening trip to the lake. It offers a native resolution of 720p, full connectivity thanks to HDMI, USB, and AV ports, simple operation via various control buttons on the device, and a brightness of 120 ANSI lumens. The mini HD projector is already available for under $84.
The home theater projector, finished in silver-gray, has a cuboid shape with gently rounded sides. Apart from the missing carrying handle, the shape and color remind us of the Nebula Cosmos 4K SE that we recently tested. The body is made of simple plastic and is flawlessly processed, giving an overall simple yet appealing impression.
Noticeable is the large projector lens on the front, hidden in a recess about two centimeters deep. The two side panels show a perforated pattern, behind which the two 3-watt stereo speakers can be seen. In addition, there are various elongated ventilation slots in an area of 4 × 4 centimeters, supplemented by further openings on the back. The connections, apart from the power connection at the bottom left of the left side, are located in a narrow section at the top of the back.
They consist of an HDMI 1.4 interface, a headphone output, an AV input, and a USB 2.0 port. Despite the sensationally low price of under $105, the manufacturer did not hesitate to include both an HDMI and an AV cable, which is sometimes not the case with significantly more expensive models that we have tested in the past. The only control button on the top is a standby button, while the accompanying infrared remote control can be used for general operation. The mini projector stands securely on four small rubber feet, which ensure a firm hold even on smooth surfaces. The tripod thread on the bottom also offers users another useful setup option.
Remote Control
The infrared remote control made of plastic fits comfortably in the hand due to its compact size. Centrally located in the middle is a control ring that serves for menu navigation. In addition, there are buttons for adjusting the volume, adjusting the focus, accessing the system settings, and selecting the input source.
The Q1 uses LCD technology for projection with a 2.69-inch lens. This provides a brightness of 180 ANSI lumens, a long lifespan of approximately 30,000 hours, and a maximum native resolution of 1,280 × 720 pixels (720p), which corresponds to HD ready resolution.
“Compact and affordable LCD projector with integrated stereo speakers, Wi-Fi, and HDMI connection”
There is no upscaler to higher resolutions, so users have to do without Full HD and 4K as well as HDR or 3D technology. However, the mini projector offers both Bluetooth 5.0 and Wi-Fi. The so-called RTOS system is used as the operating system. In addition, the LCD projector has 128 MB RAM. Strong currently does not offer matching accessories, but according to the manufacturer, a travel bag will be added to the range in the future.
Setup and Installation
PROS
- Decent picture and sound quality
- Remote control
- Low weight
- Bluetooth 5.0
- Simple setup and operation
- AirPlay
- Miracast
- Wi-Fi
- HDMI port
- USB connection
CONS
- No Full HD
- No HDR
- No power switch
- No automatic image adjustment or focus
The simple initial setup is quickly completed and basically consists only of selecting the language, with 18 options to choose from. In the system options of the user interface, users can also establish a connection to the home Wi-Fi network, which opens up the possibility of wirelessly mirroring content to the projector. However, the user interface does not offer smart TV functions that would, for example, make it possible to access an app store or similar.
User Interface
The user interface of the compact LCD projector is quite sparse and therefore very clear. It shows a total of eight tiles, of which the top four can only be used when a USB storage device is connected. These allow direct access to the film, music, image, and text files stored on the medium. The lower tiles lead to the input sources HDMI and AV, to the cast area for screen mirroring, and to the settings.
When setting up and aligning, it should be noted that the Q1 does not offer supporting features such as autofocus, keystone correction, or automatic screen alignment. Therefore, it is necessary to manually choose a suitable position and alignment where the image is projected as desired. However, the focus can be adjusted in two directions with the remote control. The size range supported by the projector, where the image offers optimal resolution without blurring or distortion, ranges from 35 to a massive 120 inches (88.9–304.8 centimeters), with a variable projection distance between the projector lens and screen ranging from 0.85 to 2.9 meters.
Operation and Operating Noise
The control of the compact projector from Strong is done via the included infrared remote control, which offers a manageable keypad. The most space is taken up by the centrally placed control ring with an OK button inside. There are also other buttons for accessing the home area, selecting the input source, and adjusting the focus. The buttons are all easy to reach in everyday use and enable highly comfortable operation. However, as the mentioned user interface offers hardly any options or internal apps or similar, control is usually done via the remote controls of connected playback devices. Nevertheless, it can be noted that the mini projector always responded quickly and without delays to the inputs made or executed them.
In operating mode, we noticed a distinctly audible fan noise with the Q1 from Strong. Our volume measurement resulted in a fairly high value of around 46 decibels from a distance of one meter, which even increased to over 61 decibels in close proximity, comparable to the noise of a normal conversation. During video playback, the noise level of the projector was still audible, but it did not reach a conspicuous or even disturbing level.
Features
This colorful live image of the mini home theater projector shows a scene from the monster film “Godzilla vs. Kong,” which we played from our Blu-ray player and transmitted to the Q1 via HDMI connection.
The mini projector from Strong is box-shaped and held in a gray tone. On the front, the large projector lens catches the eye, while on the top, the standby control button can be seen, which lights up in red or green depending on the operating status. On the other sides, there are numerous ventilation slots that serve for heat regulation.
Image and Sound Quality
In our practical test, our test candidate delivered a surprisingly clear picture despite a rather low brightness of only 180 ANSI lumens, even in not completely darkened environments or limited daylight. However, active room lighting or stronger sunlight should absolutely be avoided. Under optimal conditions, the compact Strong projector impresses with an overall appealing image quality, where content is reproduced quite colorfully and richly detailed. Although exceptional sharpness or impressive contrast values should not be expected here, it is more than sufficient for everyday TV content or the evening movie. In the settings, the home projector even offers the possibility to choose between the preset formats Standard, Dynamic, or Soft for the picture mode, or to select a user-defined setting where the values for contrast, brightness, color, and sharpness can be adjusted in a range between 0 and 100, which opens up more room for refinement in image quality in everyday use.
Apart from the power connection, which is located at the bottom left on the left side, all connections of the Strong projector are located in a narrow area at the top of the back. These consist of an HDMI 1.4 interface, a headphone output, an AV input, and a USB 2.0 port.
Similar options are available for sound, with preset modes Standard, Movie, Music, and Sport, while in User mode, adjustment options for treble, bass, and the balance between the two speakers are available. The two 3-watt speakers provide clear, clean stereo sound, where dialogues are reproduced well and even a certain sound depth is noticeable. However, during more action-packed sequences, such as the space battle scene at the beginning of “Star Trek VIII: First Contact,” the integrated speakers clearly reach their limits and are unable to transfer the displayed impact from the screen to the home theater environment. Here, high-quality Bluetooth speakers that can be connected wirelessly to the Q1 can provide relief. For less demanding film and series content, however, the built-in speaker drivers are completely sufficient.
After almost three hours in use, significant warming on the Strong Q1 remained limited to a few areas, while the temperature on most of the casing remained at room level. Higher values were measured at the front on the projector lens and around the lower sensor with a maximum of 24.9 and 25.0 degrees Celsius respectively. Also on the side-mounted ventilation openings with up to 32.9 degrees Celsius and below with a maximum of 35.0 degrees Celsius. The connections, on the other hand, were in a very moderate range of around 22 degrees Celsius.
Conclusion
The new Q1 from Strong is not only an especially compact but also an extremely affordable mini home theater projector, available for an amazingly low average market price of around $95. Despite the low cost and setup effort, it creates a full-fledged home theater experience with huge screen diagonals of up to 120 inches. The projector’s numerous highlights include an HDMI and USB interface, integrated Bluetooth and Wi-Fi modules, adequate image and sound quality, and a brightness of 180 ANSI lumens, which ensures surprisingly vivid and strong colors in darkened rooms.
Another plus is the easy setup and handling of the projector, which has a simply designed user interface where users can easily find their way around. It should be mentioned here, however, that for playback of VoD or film content, the connection of a suitable external device is necessary. However, content can also be wirelessly transmitted via Miracast or AirPlay from a smartphone or tablet. Slightly unfortunate is the lack of automatic image adjustment, which limits the flexibility of placement.
Nevertheless, the Strong Q1, which uses LCD technology, is a very versatile mini projector that is ideal for all those users who are looking for a simple, cost-effective way to create a full-fledged home theater experience in their own four walls. Despite the aforementioned minor limitations, the home projector achieves a more than respectable overall score of 8.9 out of 10 and thus the test grade “good.” In combination with the exceptionally low sales price, this results in a very good price-performance ratio, making the device a recommended choice not only for beginners.
T. Metzger
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Founded in July 2014, 7Review is a free audio resource for beginners, and we're dedicated to helping you create the ultimate movie-watching experience right at home. We pull insights from top audio magazines and trusted industry sources to bring you well-researched, reliable reviews and tips. Whether you're a home cinema pro or just starting out, we aim to give you the info you need to make the best choices for your setup.
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