TCL’s PlayCube Is the Vanlife Projector That Costs More Than Your Car

TCL’s PlayCube projector is so portable it fits in a Rubik’s Cube, but can its tiny body handle the compromises of vanlife entertainment?

The PlayCube costs $799.99 and offers a 3-hour battery life in its brightest mode, with 750 ISO lumens brightness packed into a 1.3kg (2.7lb) frame.

Its rotating 90-degree design allows users to navigate obstacles in tight spaces—a feature absent in the $449 Xgimi Halo+, which sacrifices battery life for a lower price.

The $350 price gap raises questions about whether the PlayCube’s portability justifies its cost for vanlife scenarios.

The PlayCube’s 5W mono speaker struggles with clarity at high volumes.

Florence and The Machine and 007 footage, finding muddied audio above 60% volume. Firmware updates may address reported standby power drain issues in warm climates, but no fixes have been confirmed.