Why you can trust TechRadar
We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
Blackview Xplore 2 Projector: 30-second review
This isn’t the first or last projector smartphone to land on my desk, and as ever, it’s quite a sizeable and weighty device designed for people who need a projector out in the field. While that’s more than likely going to be people out camping or trekking off the beaten track and wanting to take a little movie entertainment for the evening, it’s equally usable for anyone working remotely who needs to project presentations.
Running through the specifications, this new rugged smartphone is impressive especially when it comes to outright processor performance and rugged credentials. It has all the usual official stamps of approval and stood up to testing, being submerged in water and generally treated in ways you’d never treat a standard smartphone. The overall rubberised design of the exterior proved tough showing it will survive more than just a simple drop or two, and sure enough, through testing, it proved it stood up to everything I through at it.
As with many rugged smartphones, there’s a huge capacity battery inside, in this case not only to keep the phone on standby for multiple days or in use far longer than a standard smartphone, but also to power the 100-lumen projector.
The Blackview Xplore 2 Projector is instantly recognisable as a rugged smartphone, with bulk, weight and size highlighting its intended market. As usual, there’s a decent camping light on the back, alongside two capable cameras and that headline feature: the built-in projector mounted on the top of the phone.
The projector is relatively decent, although compared with some other rugged smartphones I’ve looked at recently, it has a much lower resolution at just 480p. That’s fine out in the field if you want to watch a film or catch up on YouTube, but it’s not going to deliver a cinematic experience. And with brightness only 100 lumens, it really needs to be dark before you start watching anything.
If you’re running a presentation, then you’ll definitely need all the blinds drawn. That said, while the resolution is low, the image quality is good, with decent tonal graduation and detail, obviously limited by the 480p resolution which means that text on PowerPoint-style presentations if too small will be difficult to read. The visuals are also supported by an internal 2W speaker, which are altogether underwhelming.
Away from the projector, there’s also a host of AI-enhanced creative apps that let you create characters, enhance photos and use various productivity tools. These are surprisingly good, although most require a subscription to unlock deeper features or regular use.
The surprise here is the quality of the cameras, with a decent 50MP Samsung JN1 front camera and a 20MP Sony night vision camera, both capable of capturing good pictures and 4K video. It’s not premium, but if you’re taking shots on site or during adventures and don’t want to carry a separate phone or camera, it’ll do a decent job.
For everything else you’d usually use a phone for, the Blackview Xplore 2 Projector proves to be a capable option, with decent signal strength (especially with 5G connectivity), a large, responsive touchscreen, and enough processing and storage to run Google productivity apps alongside video and image creation with ease. It’ll even run a game or two.
After reviewing the Xplore 2, it’s clear this is a niche device. If you don’t need a projector in your smartphone, many of the best rugged phones we’ve tested deliver larger batteries or slimmer designs that are easier to carry. But if you do need a built-in projector, this is a relatively decent option, although its low projection resolution is a limitation.
Blackview Xplore 2 Projector: Price and availability
- How much does it cost? From $780 / £457
- When is it out? Available now
- Where can you get it? Directly from Blackview or Amazon
The Blackview Xplore 2 Projector is a 5G AI-enabled rugged smartphone with a large 6.73″ AMOLED display and plenty of features appealing to those working or exploring the great outdoors.
The phone is available directly from the Blackview website by clicking here. It’s retailing for $780 / £457 on pre-order, and will also be available shortly through all major online retailers such as Amazon.
Right now, Blackview is also offering $50 off when you use the code X2P50
Blackview Xplore 2 Projector: Specs
Operating system: DokeOS 4.2 based on Android 15
CPU: Octa-core 5G MediaTek Dimensity 8300, 4nm, up to 3.35GHz
Graphics: Mali-g615 MC6
RAM: 12GB / 16GB
Storage: 256GB / 1TB (expandable via microSD up to 2TB)
Ports: SIM/ SD / eSIM hybrid, USB-C
Connectivity: 5G, Wi-Fi 6e, Bluetooth 5.4
Audio: 2W Smart-K Box speaker
Camera: 50 MP main, 50 MP front and 20 MP night vision
Size: 186 × 87.8 × 29 mm
Weight: 710g
Display: 6.73″ AMOLED, 1440×3200, 120hz
Battery: 20,000 mAh, supporting 120W fast charging
Projector: 854×480 up to 100″
Brightness: 100 lm
Rugged ratings: IP68, IP969K, MIL-STD-810H
Blackview Xplore 2 Projector: Design
The Blackview Xplore 2 Projector is instantly recognisable as a rugged smartphone. It’s large and bulky, with a decent amount of weight, and just small enough to fit comfortably in the hand. Any larger and it might be too big for some users.
The size and weight are relatively well-balanced. Measuring 186 x 87.8 x 29 mm gives an idea of just how big this phone is, placed next to an iPhone 15 Pro, it’s roughly an inch longer, and stacking three iPhones on top of each other gives an idea of the height.
The design is stereotypically rugged, with rubberised corners that protect the phone if dropped. It’s a good mix of rubber, plastic and metal and everything feels high quality. The only part that could be exposed to the elements is the USB-C port, which is protected by a secure rubberised cover.
The phone weighs in at 710g, over three times the weight of a premium phone like the iPhone 15 Pro (200g).
Looking at the phone, the projector is mounted at the front, though it’s a shame there’s no built-in stand. You’ll need to prop it up with something unless you buy an accessory.
On the back, two main cameras sit above an LED light. Below are two camping light bars that provide good general illumination, although not a focused spotlight. Along the side and top of the phone is plenty of venting for the projector, and despite this, the phone is still waterproof (IP68 and IP69K rated), with MIL‑STD‑810H certification, meaning it will survive drops which I tested out several times.
Projector focus is adjusted using a small wheel on the left side of the phone. It’s easy to turn with a fingernail. Next to the focus wheel is the SIM and SD card slot, supporting two SIMs and a TF/microSD card, with internal storage expandable up to 2TB.
Below this are the volume buttons and an orange customisable button, a familiar feature in Blackview phones. On the right is the power button, and at the base, the USB-C port. The rest of the phone is kept relatively simple.
Blackview Xplore 2 Projector: Features
The Xplore 2 Projector smartphone has clearly been designed for a specific niche, those looking for a rugged smartphone that can withstand the elements, includes a projector, and features some impressive AI creative tools.
For those working outdoors or looking for a smartphone to take on their travels, the Xplore 2 Projector is well-suited. It’s rugged, with all the right credentials such as IP68/IP69K/MIL‑STD 810H. The build quality is among the best of any rugged smartphone on the market, and this is reflected in the price.
One notable feature is Blackview’s own variant of Android 15, named DokeOS 4.2, which has been customized for this phone. It makes it easy to launch the projector and install popular Android apps. While there are quite a few pre-installed apps, the interface doesn’t feel bloated.
The phone features a 6.73-inch 3.2K AMOLED display with a resolution of 1440 x 3200 and a refresh rate of 120Hz, in line with other recently released rugged smartphones. The screen uses Corning Gorilla Glass 5, which, despite the phone being dropped and not particularly well looked after during testing, avoided significant marks or scratches.
The screen offers a peak brightness of 2600 nits with the regular use value being closer to 500 nits, making it usable even in bright sunlight. It’s one of the best rugged smartphone displays tested recently. It also supports DCI-P3 cinema-grade wide colours, which look good across the board.
On the back of the phone are two cameras, including a 50MP Samsung GN9 main camera with a 1/1.57″ sensor, f/1.88 aperture and 6P lens clarity. Additional software features include Ultra HDR photography for better shadow and highlight detail, and 8x digital zoom. For selfies, the 50MP Samsung JN1 front camera delivers good clarity.
As with most rugged smartphones, there’s also a night vision camera, in this case, a 20MP Sony sensor offering decent clarity in low light.
The main cameras also shoot cinematic 4K video with HDR10+, which is more than adequate for this style of phone, again reflected in the price point.
One standout feature is the AI image editing tools: AI object removal, AI outpainting to expand images, AI blur, AI background replacement, and AI animation, among others, although a subscription to these is needed if you want to use them unlimited.
Powering the AI features and the projector is a 5G 4nm MediaTek Dimensity 8300 processor. It’s supported by up to 48GB RAM (16GB LPDDR5X physical RAM + 32GB virtual expansion). Storage is also impressive, with up to 1TB internal and expansion via microSD/TF card up to 2TB, giving a potential total of 3TB.
The key feature, the projector is a little disappointing when it comes to specifications along it’s good to see it offers a maximum screen size of 100 inches. The resolution however is limited to 480p, but it does produces a clear image. Brightness is 100 lumens, which might seem quite low but will work in semi dark conditions. It includes auto vertical keystone correction, and visuals are supported by the 2W Smart-K Box speaker.
Other features include a built-in remote, NFC, and a broad selection of connectivity and satellite options.
Blackview Xplore 2 Projector: Performance
Benchmark scores
Disk Speed Read: 1923 mb/s
Disk Speed Write: 577 mb/s
Geekbench CPU Multi: 4491
Geekbench CPU Single: 1458
Geekbench GPU: 8103
Solar Bay: 4991
SlingShot: maxed out
SlingShot Extreme: maxed out
Wild Life Extreme Overall: 3053
Wild Life Overall: maxed out
Steel Nomad Overall: 1227
In use, there’s no doubt that this is a big smartphone. Anyone interested will need to truly want the projector integrated into the body of the phone; otherwise, it’s simply a bulky unit, however well-made.
For general phone use, it picked up signal in locations where other smartphones struggled and DokeOS ran smoothly and offered good suggestions. While there are quite a few pre-installed apps, they’re all relatively useful and support the AI features.
Unlike other smartphones with built-in projectors, where there’s a large projection icon integrated into the OS, here you need to dig through menus, to find the app to start the projector. In the projector App there’s a brightness slider, and despite the low lumen spec, the projection is brighter than expected. Auto keystone correction does a decent job, and manual adjustment is also available.
The 480p resolution is limiting, you’ll notice a lack of detail compared to 1080p models. Still, it’s good enough to watch films, TV shows, or run presentations, though for text-heavy slides, body text will be hard to read even when projected at that 100-inch scale.
The projector does of course generate heat, and here I was impressed with just how quiet the fans were, far less audible tha other models I have tried with the noise picking up slightly after 30–40 minutes, it’s also worth noting that naturally, using the projector drains the battery much faster.
Audio is another point worth mentioning. The speaker could be described as simply okay, sounding tinny and slightly muffled. It’s a good move by Blackview to offer a Bluetooth speaker as a suggested additional purchase!
Another welcome feature is the built-in FM radio, something I still appreciated on Android phones. You’ll need wired headphones to act as the antenna, but the signal quality was decent.
Taking a look at the productivity apps, this phone outperforms most rugged smartphones. All Google apps ran without issue, and browsing was fast, thanks to the bright, responsive screen.
Battery life is decent, 20,000 mAh isn’t the largest on the market, but it delivers several days of moderate use. During testing, it only needed a couple of charges, despite heavier-than-average usage with that projector.
Benchmarks showed fast internal storage: 1923 MB/s read and 577 MB/s write, more than sufficient for media playback, documents, and gaming. Apps like CapCut ran smoothly for video editing. The CPU performed well, as shown by Geekbench results. Multitasking with Google Docs and other apps didn’t cause any issues.
Th Blackview Xplore 2 Projector even handled Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop Mobile well, processing images quickly, whether shot on the phone or imported from Google Photos. As mentioned earlier, CapCut handled 1080p and 4K editing well. It’s a good choice for content creation in the field.
Gaming performance was also good with Asphalt Legends running smoothly, and benchmark scores showed that, unless you’re playing very GPU-intensive games, the CPU and GPU should handle it.
Blackview Xplore 2 Projector: Final verdict
The Blackview Xplore 2 Projector is an interesting rugged smartphone with the, almost, unique feature of a built-in projector. If it were the only option on the market, it would stand out as absolutely unique, and for those looking specifically for such a device, it would be ideal.
However, there are other options available with higher-resolution projectors at similar prices. While the Blackview Xplore 2’s projector resolution is lower than some competitors, it still delivers a surprisingly good and bright image in use. Although 100 lumens might not sound like much, in the dark, it projects a decent image up to 100-inches, making for a solid viewing experience.
One of the main drawbacks is that the built in speaker is especially weak, it just doesn’t sound good, being a little too tinny and muffled to make viewing truly enjoyable. They’re adequate for watching the occasional YouTube video or checking social media clips, but for presentations or film viewing, the audio falls short. It’s good to see that at least Blackview sells a Bluetooth speaker as an optional extra to address this.
Despite the lower resolution, the projector delivers an image with good tone and detail. The real appeal lies in its ease of setup, point, activate auto keystone correction, and you’re good to go. The large focus wheel on the side makes it simple to sharpen the image.
The projection capability is complemented by the 3.2K AMOLED screen, which provides a good reference display in the field.
Then you have all the usual rugged phone features: IP68 and IP69K waterproofing, MIL-STD rating, and a 467-lumen camping light that offers a pleasant spread of illumination.
As you dig into the phone, you discover more features that make it stand out. Two worth highlighting are its above-average processing power compared with other rugged phones and the AI integration using DokeOS. All the AI image tools sit within ImageX, which gives you access to powerful features, though only a few are available for free. A subscription is required for full functionality, which is unfortunate.
There’s a lot to like about this phone, but also a quite few let-downs. Projection brightness and clarity are excellent, though the resolution could be higher. The speakers are underwhelming for a device at this price point and then there’s the subscription cost for the Ai apps. However, the phone makes up for this with strong processing power, good battery life, and being one of the most capable rugged smartphones overall.
If you’re in the market for a phone with a built-in projector and useful AI apps, and you’re willing to pay for a subscription, then this is a solid choice. For everyone else, there are cheaper or higher-resolution projector phones worth considering.
Should I buy the Blackview Xplore 2 Projector?
|
Value |
A niche phone with potential, just a shame the resolution isn’t higher. |
3.5 |
|
Design |
Decent, robust design, but it’s larger and heavier than most rivals. |
3.5 |
|
Features |
Great features, but again, it’s a shame the projection resolution isn’t higher. |
3 |
|
Performance |
Processing power is very good. Projection is decent, but the speaker underwhelms. |
3.5 |
|
Overalls |
A capable phone in terms of performance – let down by low projection resolution and speaker quality. |
3.5 |
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
For more durable devices, we’ve rounded-up the best rugged laptops and the best rugged tablets.
The post Blackview Xplore 2 Projector review first appeared on TechToday.
This post originally appeared on TechToday.