user-friendly projector with stellar sound and visuals

Summary

Excellent picture quality, booming sound at a great price of $600.
Easy setup with autofocus and keystone correction, plus some preinstalled streaming apps.
The built-in elevation stand is only 10 degrees and might require additional support.

I was over the moon to get my hands on the new K3 projector from Yaber after testing its impressive T2 outdoor projector a few months ago. The K3 falls into a different category and forgoes its sibling’s carry handle and built-in battery for a more conventional black box shape suited for indoor use. It’s a convenient option for daily big-screen entertainment and adds comfort features like built-in Google TV, JBL speakers, and an elevation mechanism to raise it above most standard projectors in its price range.

I spent a week with the K3 to see how it performed and whether it’s a viable alternative to a traditional TV screen. My testing involved watching shows and movies and playing my favorite games on its massive screen to discover its strengths and weaknesses.

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Editor’s Choice

Yaber K3

Brand: Yaber
Native Resolution: 1080p
ANSI Lumens: 1600
Projection Technology: LED
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0
Throw Ratio: 1.2:1
OS: Google TV
Ports: 2 x HDMI, 1 x USB-A, 1 x 3.5mm, 1 x Ethernet

Pros

Excellent picture quality
Great price
Booming sound

Cons

Elevation stand could be highter

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Price, availability, and specs

A smooth interface and abundant connectivity

Yaber’s K3 has a business-like black rectangular body with rounded edges to soften the look and soft fabric surrounding the lens to add some class. Its 11.4 x 12.7 x 6.06-inch size and 11.24 lbs weight is about average and manageable to move between rooms. A large autofocus lens dominates the front and is accompanied by subtle JBL branding, reminding you of its audio pedigree.

Large vents cover the 15-watt Dolby Audio JBL speakers on each side. The vents continue at the back to provide adequate ventilation while leaving space for the two HDMI ports, a USB-A port, an Ethernet port, and a 3.5mm audio port for connecting speakers or headphones. Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 are standard for streaming from the internet and pairing your devices.

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The top of the K3 has a simple control panel with buttons for power, volume, and other basic functions. At the bottom is a built-in extendable stand, although its ten degrees of elevation might not be enough for some users.

The K3 offers Full HD 1080p resolution and a 40 to 200-inch projection size with a 1.2:1 throw ratio. It’s fairly bright at 1,600 ANSI lumens and includes auto keystone and autofocus functions for easy setup.

The Y2 included a separate Google TV USB dongle, but this time, it’s integrated into the projector to improve practicality. Everything’s controlled by the user-friendly remote control with shortcut buttons to Netflix, Disney+, YouTube, and Prime Video.

Yaber K3

Brand: Yaber
Native Resolution: 1080p
ANSI Lumens: 1600
Projection Technology: LED
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0
Throw Ratio: 1.2:1
OS: Google TV
Ports: 2 x HDMI, 1 x USB-A, 1 x 3.5mm, 1 x Ethernet

What I liked about the Yaber K3

A cinematic experience at home

K3 projector from JBL facing the camera.

I appreciated the K3’s simple setup — it automatically adjusts the keystone and correction without requiring manual adjustments. Google TV takes a few minutes to configure at the initial startup, but then provides a smooth and intuitive interface to access streaming services or local devices. I like that the remote control has all the buttons in the right places and offers instant responsiveness without lag or delays. Popular streaming apps like Hulu, Disney+, Netflix, YouTube, and others are pre-installed and ready to go to make life that much easier.

Watching movies and playing games on the Yaber K3 is a pleasure — I found the projections were sharp, had excellent contrast, and featured vivid colors. The K3 effortlessly handled the notoriously dark Pacific Rim with incredible detail and no blur in the night scenes. The battles had an epic feel on the massive display and were enhanced by the booming score from the JBL speakers.

The projections were sharp, had excellent contrast, and featured vivid colors.

Rango’s eccentric characters came to life in bright colors and fantastic clarity. The projector highlighted Rattlesnake Jake’s piercing red eyes and sharp teeth, making him seem even more menacing. The live-action One Piece includes a mix of indoor and outdoor scenes with battles sprinkled between. Yaber’s K3 offered crisp picture quality regardless of the environment and highlighted the incredible set designs and creature effects. Spiderman: Across the Spiderverse lost none of its vibrancy. The K3 easily reproduced its wild color palette and kept up with the fast-paced action scenes.

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The Yaber T2 has a portable design with a convenient carry handle for camping trips and other outdoor adventures.

The gaming performance was just as good, and the neon colors of Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3 popped as they would on my regular TV. Racing around the desolate wasteland in Mad Max was terrific on the huge display because I could appreciate the intricate details of the world. Combat felt immersive because of the fluidity and sheer scale of giant characters battling before me.

Sound is just as important as visuals when watching any content, and the pair of JBL speakers set the K3 apart from most other projectors in its price range. The speakers offer clear, detailed sound at high volumes with distortion-free low-end to enhance sound effects and scores. My test unit was the standard K3, and the Pro version includes a standalone subwoofer to improve the sound further and reduce the need for a soundbar.

What I didn’t like about the Yaber K3

The K3’s built-in stand is a handy feature, but it ultimately disappointed me in execution. While its ten degrees of elevation might be acceptable for some users, it was inadequate for my particular room and required additional support to get the right viewing angle. It’s not a deal-breaker, but at the price point, I feel like there should be better functionality.

Should you buy the Yaber K3?

You definitely won’t regret it

The K3 is an all-around performer, and it offers excellent picture and sound quality to create a memorable viewing experience. Setting it up is a breeze thanks to the autofocus and auto-keystone settings, and you won’t need to download popular streaming apps because they’re already preinstalled. One less thing to worry about.

I was impressed by the K3’s 1600 lumens of brightness. It offers fantastic picture quality in the dark and surprisingly good daytime performance, albeit with closed curtains. I’d say the projector held its own during the day for about 80% of the live-action and animated shows in my testing and only struggled with the remaining 20% containing darker scenes.

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The K3 costs around $600 and offers decent value because of its quality and practicality. It’s worth it for anyone looking for a user-friendly projector with great sound to accompany the stellar visuals.

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