PUTRIMS P66 Smart Google TV Projector Review: a compact living-room cinema that’s actually practical to use

I’ve been using the PUTRIMS P66 smart projector for a couple of weeks in a pretty normal setup: small UK living room, white wall, no fancy projector screen, plus a bedroom test on the ceiling. I bought it mainly for Netflix/Prime in the evening and a bit of console gaming, not as a hardcore home cinema nerd. So this is more "does it work in real life" than "pixel-peeping in a lab".

The first thing that stood out is how easy it is to live with. I’ve had cheaper projectors before where you spend 15 minutes messing with focus, keystone, cables, and external sticks before you even start the movie. With this one, I plugged it in, connected Wi‑Fi, signed into Google, and it was basically ready. The AI autofocus and auto keystone do most of the boring setup for you, which I really appreciated after work when I just wanted to hit play.

I’ve mostly used it at around 90–100 inches from about 2 metres away, on a plain wall. I also tried it in the bedroom pointing at the ceiling using the built-in gimbal stand, which is the kind of feature that sounds like a gimmick but is actually very handy. For sound, I tested both the built‑in speakers and an external Bluetooth speaker to see if the internal 30W setup was enough.

Overall, it’s not perfect, and there are a few things that annoyed me a bit (firmware update step, no carry bag, fan noise is there). But as a daily-use home projector with Google TV built in, it does the job well and feels much more polished than the usual cheap no‑name projectors I’ve tried in the past.

In terms of value, I’d say the P66 sits in a sweet spot for people who want a proper smart projector without going into high-end pricing. You’re paying for a combination of built-in Google TV, decent image, usable speakers, and the 360° stand. If you tried to replicate this with a dumb projector plus a good streaming stick and a stand, you’d get close to the same overall cost, and you’d have more cables and more things to plug in.

Where it earns its price is the convenience factor. Not having to plug in a Fire Stick, not spending ages on manual focus, and being able to quickly move it between rooms actually matters when you use it regularly. If you only watch one movie a month, then maybe a cheaper non-smart projector plus a basic HDMI stick would be enough for you. But if you want something you can turn on several times a week without a big setup ritual, the integration here is worth paying for.

Of course, there are compromises. Blacks are not as deep as on more expensive DLP or laser projectors, daytime performance is just okay, and the fan noise is present. Also, no carry bag and no batteries for the remote at this price feels a bit stingy. You’re also buying into a brand that’s not as well-known as Epson, BenQ, etc., which might bother some people. But looking at what you actually get — short throw, auto focus, 6D keystone, strong speakers, Google TV — and comparing it to big-name alternatives, you’re getting quite a lot for the money.

If your budget is tight and you just want "something big on the wall", there are cheaper options. If you’re picky about contrast and want perfect blacks, you’ll probably be looking at double or triple the price anyway. For an average user who wants a solid, easy-to-use home cinema setup in a small to medium room, this hits a good balance between cost and features.

Design-wise, the P66 looks like a compact cube-ish unit in black. It doesn’t scream “cheap plastic toy”, which is a relief. It’s about 20 x 20 x 23 cm, so roughly the size of a small coffee maker. The big thing here is the built-in 360° rotating gimbal stand. Compared to my old projector where I had to stack books to get the right angle, this is a big quality-of-life upgrade. You just tilt it up or down and the hinge holds its position without sagging, at least so far.

I tested it on a TV unit, on a bedside table and on the floor pointing up at the ceiling. The stand handled all of that without drama. For ceiling projection, I didn’t feel like it was going to tip over, even when angled quite sharply. If you want something permanent, there’s a standard 1/4" screw mount on the bottom, so it will go on a tripod or ceiling bracket easily. Ports are on the back: HDMI (with ARC), USB, power, and audio. They’re spaced enough that you can plug in a chunky HDMI cable and a USB stick without fighting for space.

On the downside, there’s no lens cover built in, only the cleaning kit. So if you move it around a lot or have kids, you’ll probably want to cover the front with something when not in use to avoid fingerprints and dust. Also, no carry bag in the box. For a projector that’s clearly marketed as portable and good for camping and outdoor nights, that feels like a missed opportunity. I ended up keeping the original box for transport, which works but isn’t exactly convenient.

Noise-wise, design does matter. The fan is not silent. In "normal" mode you can hear a steady whoosh in quiet scenes from about 1–1.5 metres away. When the speakers are at a normal movie volume, it fades into the background, but if you’re very sensitive to noise or watch a lot of quiet content, it might bother you a bit. I wouldn’t call it loud, just clearly present. Overall, the design is practical, especially the stand, but a lens cover and a basic carry pouch would have made it feel more complete.

Comfort here is mostly about how much hassle you go through every time you want to watch something. Compared to older projectors I’ve used, the P66 is much less fiddly. The AI autofocus kicks in quickly when you move the projector or adjust the stand. It usually gets it right within a second or two. The 6D keystone correction also helps a lot if you can’t put the projector dead-centre in front of the wall. I deliberately placed it off to the side on a low table and it still managed to square up the image automatically.

That said, auto keystone does slightly soften the image if the angle is extreme, which is normal. For the best sharpness, you still want to keep it as straight as possible. There’s also digital zoom (50–100%), which helped me fit the image properly on a slightly awkward wall without moving furniture. The menus are fairly clear, and Google TV is familiar if you’ve used any recent smart TV or streaming stick. I didn’t feel lost in weird submenus like on some cheap Android projectors.

Wi‑Fi 6 connectivity was stable for me. I streamed several episodes in a row on Netflix and YouTube without buffering, on a decent home fibre connection. Screen mirroring from my Android phone worked without drama. Casting a video or photos took a few seconds to start, but once running it was smooth. I also tried using it briefly as a Bluetooth speaker for background music with the image off; it’s a nice extra, and it actually sounds better than most random Bluetooth speakers in the same price range.

The main comfort downsides: the initial mandatory firmware update is a bit of a barrier if you’re not techy, and the fan noise, while not crazy, is still noticeable in very quiet scenes. Also, the remote doesn’t come with batteries, which is a tiny thing but still annoying when you want to set it up straight away. Once past that, day-to-day use is actually quite painless, and I found myself using it more often than I expected simply because it was quick to get going.

I obviously haven’t had this projector for years, so I can’t pretend to know exactly how it will age, but I can comment on how it feels and behaves after regular use. The housing is hard plastic, but it doesn’t flex or creak when you pick it up. The hinge for the 360° stand feels firm and doesn’t wobble. I’ve adjusted it a lot between living room and bedroom sessions, and it still holds its angle without drifting down during a film, which is a good sign.

Heat management is decent. After a two-hour movie, the top and sides are warm but not "burn your hand" hot. The fan ramps up a bit after a while, but that’s expected. I didn’t notice any performance drop or image dimming over a long viewing session. The brand claims a huge lamp life (they say 300,000 hours in the specs, which frankly sounds unrealistic and is probably just marketing). Realistically, though, LED projectors do last longer than old-school bulbs, and there’s nothing in my usage so far that suggests it’s fragile.

The ports and connectors feel okay. HDMI cable goes in firmly, no wobble. The power plug is standard and doesn’t feel loose. I did move it around the house quite a bit — on and off stands, in and out of the box — and there are no scratches or loose bits yet. The lens is obviously the delicate part; since there’s no built-in cover, dust is the main enemy. The included cleaning kit is basic but useful. I’d strongly suggest not leaving it in a dusty corner or uncovered if you plan to keep it for years.

There’s a 3-year warranty mentioned, which is reassuring for a brand that isn’t a giant household name. I haven’t had to use support, so I can’t comment on how good they are, but at least on paper you’re not completely on your own. Overall, build quality feels more solid than the really cheap projectors you find under £100, but of course it’s not on the same level as premium units that cost three or four times more. For normal home use and occasional moving around, it feels sturdy enough.

Let’s talk about what most people care about: how it looks and sounds. The P66 is advertised as native 1080p with 4K decoding, 1200 ANSI lumens and HDR10. In practice, the picture at around 90–100 inches is sharp enough for everyday use. Text in menus and subtitles is clear, and I didn’t feel like I was watching a blurry mess. Is it as sharp and contrasty as a proper 4K laser projector? No, but you’re also paying a fraction of that price. For films and series, it’s genuinely pleasant to watch.

Brightness is decent. In a dark or dimmed room, it looks great. In the evening with a small lamp on, still very watchable. During the day with curtains half-open, it’s watchable but you do lose contrast and blacks start to look more grey. I wouldn’t buy this as a "daytime in a bright sunlit room" projector, despite the marketing. It can handle some ambient light, but for best results, you’ll want the room at least moderately dark. Colours out of the box are a bit on the punchy side, but there are settings to tweak them. After some adjustments, skin tones looked more natural.

The HDR10 support is there, but don’t expect miracles: you get a bit more perceived depth in some scenes, but it’s limited by the brightness and contrast of an LCD projector. Motion handling is fine for films and series. I watched some football and fast-paced YouTube clips and didn’t notice any major smearing or lag that made it unwatchable. For gaming, using HDMI from a console, input lag felt acceptable for casual play (racing games, story games). If you’re a competitive FPS player, you’ll probably want something more specialised, but for normal console use on the sofa, it’s okay.

The 30W speakers are better than I expected. Dialogue is clear, and there’s a bit of low-end, enough that you don’t feel like it’s a tinny laptop speaker. For a small to medium room, you can absolutely get by with the built-in sound. That said, if you’re picky about audio, a soundbar or Bluetooth speaker still makes a clear difference. I tried pairing it over Bluetooth to an external speaker and had no real issues after the firmware update; audio sync was fine for films. Overall, performance is solid for the price bracket: good picture in the right conditions, sound that’s actually usable, and no major deal-breakers.

The P66 is sold as a "smart projector with Google TV, 1200 ANSI lumens, native 1080p with 4K decoding, short throw, 360° stand, 30W speaker" and all that. In practice, here’s what that meant for me. Out of the box you get the projector, power cable, remote (no batteries), a basic cleaning kit and the usual manual. No HDMI cable in my box, which is slightly annoying if you plan to plug in a console straight away. The brand pushes a firmware update as soon as you connect to Wi‑Fi. You really should do it — before updating, the menus felt a bit sluggish and audio presets were limited; after the update, it did feel a bit smoother.

Google TV is properly integrated, not some sketchy Android skin. You can install Netflix, Prime, Disney+, YouTube, etc. directly, and Chromecast is built in, so I easily cast YouTube from my phone. I didn’t need a Fire Stick or anything, which clears up cables compared to my old projector. Voice control on the remote works well enough for searching titles, but don’t expect it to be perfect at hearing you over loud scenes.

In terms of usage, I mostly ran it plugged into the wall as a semi-permanent living-room unit, then occasionally moved it to the bedroom or garden. It’s about 2 kg, so you can carry it one-handed without feeling like you’ll drop it, but it’s not pocket-size. Throw ratio is short enough that I could get around a 100-inch image from under 2 metres, which is ideal if you’re in a flat and can’t place a projector 4–5 metres away.

So overall, as a "smart TV replacement" for people who want a big image without a massive screen on the wall, it’s pretty solid. It’s not at the level of high-end brands that cost three or four times more, but for everyday use — films, series, some football, some gaming — it finds a good balance between features, ease of use and price.