Hisense PL1 vs Hisense PL2: which of these UST projectors deserves a place in your lounge?

The Hisense PL1 ultra short-throw projector won a well-deserved What Hi-Fi? Award in 2024, but with the arrival of the PL2 earlier this year, it now has competition from its very own successor.

Both projectors use the same X-Fusion Laser Technology to beam their big pictures onto your wall, and telling them apart requires very close inspection, but there are technical differences between the two.

We’ve had both the PL1 and PL2 in our testing rooms, and with five-star scores being awarded to both, you might be wondering which one you should allow to live in your lounge.

That’s why we’ve used those reviews to compare them on price, design, features, picture and sound, so you can make a fully informed decision.

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Hisense PL1 vs Hisense PL2: price

Both the PL1 and PL2 were originally launched with prices of £1999 / $2500, but neither will set you back anywhere close to that now.

The arrival of the PL2 saw a drop in price for the PL1, but the PL2 is also now available for a lot less, meaning the gap between the two is now fairly small. The PL2 is generally available for around £1600 / $2000, but we’ve seen it drop as low as £1399 in the UK, while the PL1 is typically available for £1500 / $1500.

The bigger issue is likely to be availability. There aren’t many places that stock the PL1 anymore, particularly in the UK, whereas the newer, better-specced PL2 is easy to find.

Given this, and the relatively minor price discrepancy, we don’t think buying the PL1 over the PL2 would represent a genuine saving, so we’re going to give this one to the PL2.

**Winner: Hisense PL2**

Hisense PL1 vs Hisense PL2: design

Put these two side by side and it’s very clear they’re related, with the same mesh grille on the front and triangular cutout vents on the side. In fact, at a glance, it’s genuinely tough to tell them apart, but if you break out the tape measure, you will find some differences.

Measuring 12 x 53 x 34cm, the PL2 is actually a bit smaller in all directions than the PL1 (above), which comes in at 16 x 55 x 37cm. In reality, that difference is negligible and will only make a difference if the space you’ve got is particularly restricted.

There are no physical lens controls on either of these projectors. Instead, you have to upload a picture of your screen to a website and allow an auto-correction system to adjust it for you remotely, although we achieved the best results by tweaking it afterwards using the adjustable feet on both models.

Most importantly, both of these projectors will easily fit into your setup without being distracting, which is exactly what they’re designed to do. With its slightly more compact chassis, though, we’re going to give this one to the PL2.

**Winner: Hisense PL2**

Hisense PL1 vs Hisense PL2: features

It might be smaller, then, but the PL2 has still been upgraded in a number of key areas.

The most noticeable one is the brightness, which has been boosted from 2100 ANSI lumens on the PL1 to 2700 on the PL2, while the maximum image size is also larger: 150 inches compared to 120 inches.

Both do 4K at 60Hz, which might disappoint some gamers hoping for a higher refresh rate, but the PL2 can manage 1080p at 120Hz if you’re willing to sacrifice some resolution for a more responsive gameplay experience.

HDR support is the same on both – Dolby Vision, HDR10 (and 10+) and HLG.

Around the back of each projector, you will find two HDMI 2.1 sockets (one that has eARC), an ethernet port and two USBs (one 3.0, one 2.0).

Hisense has also found space for an extra HDMI socket on the PL2 (above). It’s only HDMI 2.0, but it does give you more input options if you’re using the eARC port for a soundbar.

If you buy either a PL1 or PL2 in the USA, it will come with Google TV, but elsewhere you’ll get Hisense’s own VIDAA software running the show.

We would prefer they all used the former as the latter is a little clunky, but not disastrously so, and we have no complaints when it comes to app support. Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+ are all there for you to use, although only the PL1 supports Apple AirPlay if you want to send something wirelessly from your phone.

**Winner: Hisense PL2**

Hisense PL1 vs Hisense PL2: picture

Upgraded specs don’t always translate to a meaningfully better performance, particularly when the price is also higher, but the PL2 (above) is a clear step up over the PL1 when it comes to picture performance – although only if you fiddle with the settings a bit first.

In Filmmaker mode, with the Warm 2 colour profile selected, the PL2 is capable of delivering one of the best pictures you’ll find from an ultra short-throw projector at this price. The extra brightness is particularly noticeable, adding more impact and vibrancy to the explosions and large expanses of desert in Denis Villeneuve’s epic Dune: Part 2.

Scenes that demand a high level of contrast between light and dark don’t look quite as vibrant, particularly when upscaling, and there are times when its middling black levels become more apparent, but overall, the PL2’s picture is generally balanced and consistent.

That doesn’t mean the PL1 is suddenly a bad performer. The picture it produces is sharp, punchy and cinematic, and it never fails to keep up with the frantic chase sequences in Baby Driver. There’s a pleasing level of depth to the image and a nice level of detail, even if black levels can’t compete with those you’d get from one of the best OLED TVs.

When it comes down to it, though, the PL2 is our winner here: bigger, brighter and just that bit better all round.

**Winner: Hisense PL2**

Hisense PL1 vs Hisense PL2: sound

Both of these projectors have the same 2x 15W sound system built-in, with front-facing drivers that promise more than they can deliver.

The PL1 (above) and PL2 boast Dolby Atmos certification, but no matter whether you put them in Standard or Theatre mode, there’s little in the way of height or width, although the latter does sound a little more spacious.

Dialogue clarity is more impressive, and we’d argue that should be the priority with built-in speakers on devices like these anyway. If the overall performance isn’t going to be top notch, at least make sure you can hear what’s being said over any background noise.

Neither projector is capable of generating a huge amount of bass, and if you turn the volume up too much on the PL2, things start to distort, while the PL1 doesn’t offer much in the way of detail or dynamics.

As UST speakers go, this is about par for the course. If you just want to watch the news, they’ll do just fine, but the whole point of owning a projector is to make your viewing more cinematic, so budgeting for a separate sound system is essential, whichever model you opt for.

**Winner: Draw**

Hisense PL1 vs Hisense PL2: verdict

By taking everything we loved about the Award-winning PL1 and refining it, Hisense has delivered a UST projector that offers even more bang for your buck.

The audio performance is still mediocre, but with spec upgrades that translate to a picture performance that’s brighter and goes even bigger, and a price that’s already only slightly higher than that of the PL1, it’s easy to recommend the newer model over the old one.

With the PL1 getting harder to find as time goes on, it might actually be availability that makes this decision for you, but even if you found a shop selling both, we’d still go for the PL2 (above) every time.

**Overall Winner: Hisense PL2**

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