VANKYO Leisure 495W Dolby Audio Projector Review

The way we enjoy our entertainment has changed over the past few decades. We now have all-in-one solutions and can find it all from the comfort of our living rooms. It has caused a change in our equipment. This review takes a look at the VANKYO Leisure 495W Dolby Audio Projector to see how it fits in with today’s entertainment options.

This is a sponsored article and was made possible by VANKYO. The actual contents and opinions are the sole views of the author, who maintains editorial independence, even when a post is sponsored.

Setting Up the VANKYO 495W Projector

The VANKYO Leisure 495W Dolby Audio Projector ships with the basics. You’ll need to supply your own batteries and some connection cords, but this seems to be the new trend in tech products.

Included in the box:

• 495W projector
• Quick Start Guide
• User Manual
• Power cord
• HD cord
• AV cord
• Remote (no batteries included)
• Cotton swabs for cleaning

Setting up the projector, you’ll find most of the ports on the back: Audio Out, AV in, USB (2), and HD. Also back there are the Keystone knob and basic controls that are also found on the remote.

On the side of the projector, you’ll find the port for the power plug, the Focus ring, and a detachable dust filter. The speaker and an air outlet are on the opposite side.

The lens cap is already installed over the lens when the VANKYO Leisure 495W Projector ships. It’s a great safety measure, but you’ll need to remove it before using the projector. It’s an obvious cap, though, which is helpful. I reviewed another projector where the cap was not noticeable and was easy to miss.

After plugging in the power cord, turn the projector on at the back, and an image will pop up asking you to choose a language. You can also tune in the sharpness at this point with the Focus knob and adjust the Keystone ring to correctly align the horizontal and vertical.

I struggled with that, but it’s no fault of the projector; it’s simply a difficult placement in my home. It’s the only blank wall I have in my house, but I could have hung a screen or white sheet.

On the Settings menu is an option for “Image Scaling.” This provided much help in spacing, as I was able to choose from 75% to 100% of the image size. This would also provide much help when viewing outside.

The VANKYO 495 Projector connects through Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or HD. In the main menu, you can set the Wi-Fi settings, choose your multimedia type, etc. It should be noted that Bluetooth only works for audio connections.

Using the VANKYO 495W Projector

The VANKYO 495W Dolby Audio Projector can connect to many types of devices: computer, mobile, USB stick, streaming device, etc. The instructions for connecting are very vague and sometimes unclear, so some of this was guesswork.

Connecting to iPhone/iPad

There are two settings for connecting the projector to an iPhone or iPad: iOS Cast and iOS Cable Cast. I tried to connect through cable on two iPad Pros and an iPone and wasn’t able to get it to work. VANKYO has told me it is because they do not yet support iOS 16 and iPadOS 16. One of my iPad Pros is still running iPadOS 15. It would also not connect with that. It needs a USB-A to USB-C cord, and VANKYO assured me it would connect with a high-quality USB-A to USB-C cord.

Initially, I wasn’t able to connect via iOS Cast either, but it turns out I was missing a step.

I kept doing the steps shown here, the same ones mentioned in the user guide, again and again, but I could not connect.

What I was missing is that I had to select my Wi-Fi network on my phone. Yes, that seems obvious, but I knew I was already on my Wi-FI – so I wasn’t clicking over to check it. I needed to go through the process anyway before the VANKYO 495W Projector would show as an option in Screen Mirroring.

Once I could get past that step, I could view my iPhone screen easily and beautifully on the projector. It provided a great image on my wall, even in the daytime without the curtains closed.

I could connect in this same way, through Screen Mirroring, to my iPad Pro.

However, there seemed to be blocks with Apple and video content. I wasn’t able to see much licensed content. I couldn’t watch a video of WWDC. I couldn’t watch much video content through Apple or streaming sites. I even received messages sometimes saying the content wasn’t available to secondary devices. I do know my fellow writer reviewed another VANKYO projector, had no problem connecting to her devices, and was able to view licensed content.

I know it’s related to Apple, as I was able to view my Ring camera view on my iPhone perfectly through Screen Mirroring.

Connecting via Fire TV Stick

It took a little trial and error to connect to my Fire TV stick, but I figured it out. I had to put the HDMI end in the HD port, plug the USB connector in, and plug the USB end into the back of the projector. This connection worked great.

I was able to view YouTube and licensed content. I wasn’t blocked from viewing anything I tried.

Connecting via Bluetooth

The VANKYO 495W Projector also has Dolby Audio that you can take advantage of by connecting to Bluetooth.

To connect my AirPods through Bluetooth, I had to put the AirPods in pairing mode by holding the button down.

The projector will connect to other Bluetooth devices as well, such as headphones and earbuds, but won’t connect to computers.

Final Thoughts

There are many great things to say about the VANKYO Leisure 495W Dolby Audio Projector.

It works with and connects easily to some products, displays sharp images, and has a booming sound. Additionally, this projector has support for the “Green Life” program. It uses environmentally-friendly materials, such as soybean ink on the packaging and trays made of egg shells instead of foam to reduce the amount of plastic used. Also, VANKYO is developing anti-bluelight products to reduce damage to eyes.

Still, the instructions provided are not clear and are missing steps, so using the projector will sometimes take some guesswork and patience, and you need certain cables or versions of iOS and iPadOS to connect via a cord to Apple devices.

The VANKYO Leisure 495W Dolby Atmos Projector is available for $120 off, leaving you to pay just $179.99.

Image credit: VANKYO All images