The ASUS ZenBeam Latte L1 is a compact and technically capable projector. With is minuscule size and the full set of accessories ranging from the pouch and carrying loop to the HDMI cable and batteries, you really don't need anything else to get started when opting for the device. Its built-in battery is potent enough to allow for 2 to 3 hours of video runtime, which further underscores its portability. And while its 300 Lumens brightness is "LED" based, it is still bright enough for occasional late afternoon use while performing well at night with only some drawbacks made in color contrast to achieve the standardized vs. human eye brightness.

While it does offer a remote, it is unfortunately IR based, which makes it a bit more frustrating and somewhat outdated to use, especially when one has grown accustomed to Bluetooth-based variants in recent years. On the upside, ASUS has placed all the controls on the top of the ZenBeam Latte L1, which alleviates the issue a bit.

Purely judging from a technological perspective, the ASUS ZenBeam Latte L1 gets you a portable 720p projector which is bright enough to be very functional, with good battery life and a large set of accessories. Thus, the overall price of US$450 is adequate, but it is just around 10% less than something that offers 1080p, brighter projection, and proper Android TV, which results in a far better user experience on which you could simply install the same Aptoide TV app for the same integrated Netflix experience.

The Achilles heel of the ASUS ZenBeam Latte L1 is certainly its software implementation, with the use of a classic Android 9 base, restrictive ASUS UI, and hard-coded Aptoide TV combination yielding some pretty frustrating moments. From the battery warning messages to the spelling errors or forcing users to use a third-party app to get to Google integrated services like YouTube, it just doesn't work well, while the mentioned IR remote just adds to the irritation. The Asus ZenBeam Latte L1 could have been an interesting, compact, portable "first-time buyer" projector package had it simply opted for real Android TV instead.