Yaber L2S Review: The Full HD Projector with JBL Sound That Redefines Entry-Level
Cédric
Ah, home theater! Who hasn't dreamed of transforming their living room into a real projection room? With the explosion of the video projector market in recent years, this dream is becoming increasingly attainable. Today, I present to you the Yaber L2S, a newcomer that could well shake up the entry-level projector market. With its promise of 700 ANSI lumens, its native Full HD resolution, and its JBL speakers, this model has what it takes to attract attention, especially given its particularly competitive price. But does it really live up to its promises, or is it just another projector that makes more noise than light? That's what we'll discover together in this comprehensive review. Buckle up, we're diving into the world of Yaber!
Unboxing the Yaber L2S
Let's start at the beginning: opening the box. The Yaber L2S arrives in neat packaging that effectively protects the projector.
Inside, you'll find the projector itself, a remote control (without batteries, which is a shame!), an HDMI cable, a power cable, a lens cleaning kit, and, of course, some explanatory documents.
The Yaber L2S's design is quite impressive. With its dimensions of 226.9 x 159 x 184 mm and its weight of 2.3 kg, it remains compact enough to be easily moved from room to room, without giving the impression of a toy.
The finish is neat, with a predominantly white color that gives it a modern and sleek look. The JBL logo is immediately noticeable on the side, a reminder of the collaboration with the renowned speaker manufacturer.
At the front, you'll obviously find the projection lens, accompanied by an infrared sensor for the remote control.
The sides of the projector are perforated to allow for good ventilation and incorporate the famous JBL speakers.
On the back, the connectivity is comprehensive but straightforward: an HDMI port, a USB port, a 3.5mm audio jack, an additional infrared receiver (useful for controlling the projector from any position), and of course, the power button and AC outlet.
Under the device, there's a standard tripod screw hole, as well as an adjustable foot that allows you to slightly adjust the projection angle.
One small but important detail: an accessible and easily cleanable dust filter. This demonstrates the device's durability. After all, no one wants their projector to be choking on dust after a few months of use!
The remote control, meanwhile, is simple but effective. It offers the essential controls: navigation, volume, focus, and access to the main menus. Nothing revolutionary, but it gets the job done without fuss.
Setting Up the Yaber L2S
Setting up the Yaber L2S is as simple as possible, and that's a good thing. After positioning it in front of your wall or projection screen, simply plug it in and press the power button. The projector turns on in seconds and immediately projects an image.
One of the Yaber L2S's most valuable features is its autofocus and automatic vertical keystone correction. In theory, this means you don't have to worry about manually adjusting sharpness or correcting image distortion when the projector isn't perfectly perpendicular to the projection surface. In practice, these automatic features work quite well, but sometimes require some manual adjustments to achieve a perfectly sharp, rectangular image.
One small drawback: the Yaber L2S doesn't feature automatic horizontal keystone correction. This means you'll need to position the projector squarely in front of your screen to avoid any lateral distortion. It's not a big deal, but it's something to keep in mind during installation.
It does, however, offer a horizontal leveling calibration feature. This allows you to define which position is considered “flat,” which then optimizes the automatic keystone correction. It's a small touch that can make a big difference in the quality of your installation.
The projection distance is another important factor to consider. With a throw ratio of 1.38:1, the Yaber L2S can create an image from 40 to 150 inches diagonally. For a 100-inch image, you'll need about 3 meters of viewing distance. This is fairly standard for this category of projector, but make sure you have enough space in your room.
The user interface is intuitive and accessible. Upon startup, you'll be presented with a simple main menu that lets you navigate between the various input sources (HDMI, USB, wireless casting) and settings. Initial setup includes language selection, Wi-Fi connection (for updates and casting), and some basic image adjustments.
Usage and Experience: Decent Performance for the Price
Now let's get to the heart of the matter: the daily usage experience of the Yaber L2S. Let's start with image quality, a crucial element for any projector.
The Yaber L2S displays a native resolution of 1080p (1920 x 1080 pixels), which is appreciable at this price point. The image is sharp, with a good level of detail for watching movies, series, or playing video games. The advertised brightness is 700 ANSI lumens, but several independent tests suggest it's closer to 330 ANSI lumens in practice (difficult to verify for myself at my level). This is a notable difference, but not unusual in this price range.
In practical terms, this means that the projector works very well in a dark room, but it struggles to deliver a contrasting image in the presence of ambient light. For a successful movie night, it's best to draw the curtains and turn off the lights. I tested the projector in my living room during a movie night, and the experience was really pleasant once the room was plunged into darkness. Colors are vibrant, although they sometimes lack a bit of precision and depth compared to higher-end models.
The projector covers approximately 51% of the sRGB color space, 35.2% of AdobeRGB, and 36.2% of DCI-P3. This isn't exceptional, but it's sufficient for occasional home use. Demanding moviegoers, however, may find this performance a bit lacking.
The projector offers several preset picture modes (Standard, Dynamic, Mild, and User), allowing you to adapt the rendering to different content. The User mode is particularly interesting because it allows you to manually adjust brightness, contrast, saturation, and color temperature. After a few adjustments, I was able to achieve a more balanced and pleasing image than the factory presets.
Now let's talk about the sound, one of the Yaber L2S's major selling points. Equipped with two 8W JBL speakers, this projector clearly stands out from the competition in this regard. The sound quality is surprisingly good for a projector of this size and price. Dialogue is clear, sound effects are well-rendered, and the volume can reach high enough to fill a medium-sized room without excessive distortion.
Of course, we're not talking about a dedicated home theater system here—the bass remains limited and the sound spatialization is basic—but for everyday use, it's more than sufficient. In fact, this is one of this projector's strong points: in many cases, you won't need to connect external speakers, which greatly simplifies setup.
If you still want to enhance the audio experience, the L2S offers a 3.5mm jack output and a Bluetooth connection for connecting external speakers. I tested the Bluetooth connection with a portable speaker, and pairing went smoothly. The projector can even be used as a simple Bluetooth speaker with the screen off, which is a rather nice bonus feature.
In terms of connectivity, the Yaber L2S offers the essentials. The HDMI port makes it easy to connect a game console, computer, or Blu-ray player. I connected my Xbox One X for a few games, and the experience was quite good, although the latency is slightly noticeable in games that require quick reflexes. It's not a gaming projector per se, but it does the job for casual sessions.
The USB port allows you to play media files directly from a USB flash drive or external hard drive. The projector supports numerous video (3GP, ASF, AVI, FLV, MKV, MP4, MPG, RMVB, TS, VOB) and audio (AAC, FLAC, M4A, MP3, WAV) formats, which is useful for use without an external device.
The projector also features wireless casting, allowing you to stream content from a smartphone or tablet via Wi-Fi. The projector is compatible with iOS and Android streaming protocols, making it easy to quickly share photos, videos, or presentations. I tested this feature with my Samsung S24 Ultra, and the connection was successful. I was able to watch a Prime Video series streamed directly from my smartphone. This is a rather practical feature, given that this model doesn't have Google TV like the models I've seen previously.
A word about operating noise: the Yaber L2S is advertised as particularly quiet, with a noise level below 35 dB. In practice, you can actually hear the fan, but the noise remains discreet and consistent, quickly blending into the overall soundscape. This is a positive for immersion, especially during quiet scenes in a movie.
Battery life isn't an issue here, since the L2S operates solely on mains power. It's a home projector, not a portable model like some other Yaber products. In terms of power consumption, you should expect around 100 Wh of battery life. I had the opportunity to use it in “portable” mode connected to the Ampace Andes 1500 battery, and I can honestly say I had several hours of battery life without any problems :p
Conclusion: excellent value for money
After several months of intensive use, what's the verdict on the Yaber L2S? Overall, it's a projector that perfectly fulfills its purpose for its price. Typically priced between €150 and €200 depending on sales, it offers a perfectly respectable home theater experience for users who aren't looking for absolute perfection.
Its strengths are undoubtedly its ease of use, its above-average sound quality thanks to the JBL speakers, and its native Full HD resolution. The automatic vertical keystone correction and autofocus, while not perfect, greatly facilitate setup and daily use.
On the downside, the main drawbacks are its lower actual brightness than the advertised specifications, which limits its use to dark rooms, the lack of automatic horizontal keystone correction, and its color accuracy that remains in the low-average range. These aren't deal-breakers at this price point, but it's important to be aware of them before purchasing.
The Yaber L2S is primarily aimed at those who want to explore the world of home projection without breaking the bank, or who are looking for a second projector for a bedroom or game room. It's perfect for family movie nights, casual gaming sessions, or simple presentations.
For demanding movie buffs or hardcore gamers, it's better to invest in a higher-end model offering better brightness, greater color accuracy, and dedicated gaming features. However, this will necessarily mean a larger budget.
The Yaber L2S is an excellent entry point into the world of home projection. It proves that it's now possible to enjoy a satisfying home cinema experience without breaking the bank. And isn't that what's most important? Being able to treat yourself to a moment of escape on the big screen, comfortably seated on your sofa, without having to mortgage your house? In this respect, the L2S perfectly fulfills its mission. If you're looking for an affordable first projector that's easy to use and offers a good overall experience, the Yaber L2S clearly deserves your attention. It doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it offers a coherent and effective package that will satisfy the majority of users. And frankly, at this price, it's already a great achievement, especially since during the spring sales, it'savailable for just €159 (until March 31st, by checking the coupon below the Amazon price).
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