All rights reserved. Apps - your projector is only as smart as the apps running on it. The Anker Nebula Solar Portable is a compact and stylish mini-projector that delivers in almost every area. Bafflingly, although you have access to many of the major streaming platforms, including Disney+, Amazon Prime and Apple TV, there's no BBC iPlayer or Netflix app available as a native app. It's neither the lightest nor slimmest machine, and it isn't battery-powered, but if you're after a cheap and cheerful portable projector for watching occasional films, sport or TV programmes with the family or friends, the Yaber V7 Pro is an excellent choice. Although a few palmtop projectors have a brightness of less than a hundred lumens, most fall in the range of 200 to 600 lumens. Needless to say, budget is a factor. Its important to know what to look for when buying a smart projector. With battery-powered operation, built-in speakers and lamps that last for tens of thousands of hours, these portable projectors are perfect for take-anywhere entertainment. It comes with one MHL-ready HDMI input, a USB 2.0 slot for thumbdrives, a universal I/O slot, and a microSD card slot. Not only that but this unusually shaped projector is also capable of projecting a bright image of up to 300 lumens, making it more than a match for the best battery-powered machines we've tested. Taking your smart projector on-the-go? Sporting a sleek design, it will look great on a shelf in your living room between uses, and its small enough to fit easily into a drawer, or even a backpack or tote bag for taking out and about. Bath This is where portable projectors come in handy. The ML750e by Optoma is a lot more powerful than the pocket-sized PicoPix from Phillips, but it's not quite as small. The Asus ZenBeam E1 is a beautifully designed pocket projector that's small and light enough to carry around with you if you often make presentations on the road - or if you like to watch movies while travelling. So, it makes sense to have an app store enabled on your projector. Pico or pocket projectors are a little larger than smartphones. LED portable projectors tend to achieve anything from 100 to 2,000 ANSI lumens, with the vast majority sitting somewhere between 300 and 800 ANSI lumens. Read our review of Samsung's The Freestyle. It might be a bit on the pricey side, but there's no denying it: the Anker Nebula Capsule II is the king of portable projectors. Its incredibly easy to set up, auto-adapting for different heights and angles, with a superb auto-focus. Stephen Lambrechts Most are brighter than pico models, and have more connection options. Which Ring video doorbell is right for you? The Optoma ML750e is one of the best portable projectors in the world thanks to its impressive range of ports. You wont get the same levels of contrast and brightness with a portable projector, either. In a dark room, you can still get a decent picture, but if youre expecting true cinema quality or something thatll work with the curtains wide open, you may end up feeling disappointed. PROSHighly compact and lightweight.1080p native resolution.Built-in battery.Good data-image quality.Plays music and displays photos or video from memory cards or USB sticks. Expert Reviews is a registered trade mark. Still, it weighs just 380g with a small footprint that makes this easy to carry around. Projectors are best positioned with the lens facing directly at the centre of the screen, but in practice this isnt usually practical, so the projector has to be placed above or below or even to one side and angled up or down and left or right. While a few reach 1080p Full HD, the more affordable, portable models top out at 720p HD. In daylight, the picture isn't so great, and turning on the eco options to hit the maximum five to six-hour battery life dims the output, but if youre looking for a solid, take-anywhere projector at a bargain price, the M1 is the one to beat. Picture quality could be better but it's otherwise packed with features. Go for the Solar or the M2 if you prioritise image quality, but as a quick-and-dirty, all-in-one home cinema, the GV30 works a treat. Portable projectors encompass a surprisingly wide range in size, brightness, and features. The Kodak Luma 350 Portable Smart Projector is an Android-based palmtop that throws a larger-than-usual usable image given its brightness output. No, but its a fantastic gadget for games, TV and movies. This combination limits their effective use to projecting onto a small screen in a darkened room, with optimal image sizes ranging from 24 to 48 inches, measured diagonally. Their optimal image size tends to be between 36 and 60 inches, depending on their brightness and resolution. The best portable projectors also have batteries, which makes them easy to place for optimum image quality. The Miroir Synq M189 delivers impressive color accuracy and robust audio, plus it packs a compartment big enough to hide your favorite streaming stick. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. It projects a bright, clear Full HD image up to 120in in size, has an integral battery pack that delivers up to three hours use from a single charge, plus there's Android TV built in so it's just as easy to use as a regular TV. In a rather nice touch, the projector can also double as a power bank for other mobile devices. Nearly all projectors have some form of correction to sort this out. While youre limited by the 480p resolution, the image is surprisingly vibrant with deep blacks and punchy colours when used in a darkened room. The GV30 is a different take on the portable projector. With a 12,00 ANSI lumens output and a 1080p DLP chip you get a vibrant, detailed full HD picture, and while wed normally take the talk of HDR and 125% Rec.709 colour reproduction with a pinch of salt, theres no doubt that 4K content from Amazon Prime and Disney+ looks fantastic. Lamp-Free is what to look for. Theyre eco-friendly, too. It's a similar shape to the original, albeit slightly larger, and just as easy to sling in a bag or pop in a cupboard when you've finished using it. No, it wont beat a soundbar or mid-range Bluetooth speaker, but its more than good enough for watching movies, TV or sports events and it helps drown out the low hum of the fans. Al Griffin has been writing about and reviewing A/V tech since the days LaserDiscs roamed the earth, and was previously the editor of Sound & Vision magazine. We asked Luke Chen, senior business line manager at Viewsonic (opens in new tab) Europe, a display and projector specialist for his point of view (no pun intended). It's certainly ideal as anoutdoor projectortoo. If you were hoping that the Viewsonic M2 was a sequel to the brilliant M1, you might be disappointed. The ViewSonic M1 is a versatile and portable projector thanks to its decent selection of ports despite its small size. READ NEXT: The best cheap projectors to buy. Heres why you can trust us. Its small design looks good and makes it easy to carry this projector around with you. Still, it's a great portable projector, especially for work presentations. Color accuracy isn't perfect, but it's good enough for most people to accept without a second thought. It means you no longer have to rely on bulbs, which need to be replaced over time. Does it come with a carry handle? You can connect a streaming stick through the HDMI port, but the Nebula Capsule has its own built-in media player running on Android 7.1. In that capacity, it can play music streamed from a Bluetooth-enabled device, such as your mobile device or computer. If too much ambient light is introduced, or the image is enlarged too much, it will look washed out and detail will be lost. Some palmtops have 480p or lower resolution, and a few have resolutions up to 1080p (1,920 by 1,080), but most are 720p (1,280 by 720 pixels). The differences in size between this and the PicoPix are negligible for the power you get in return: a 700 Lumens lamp that lets you present in rooms that aren't completely darkened. It has a built-in rechargeable battery so you can use it on the go without having to faff around with a power cord, and it comes with integrated speakers and a range of connectivity options. Everything about Samsung's The Freestyle is geared around ease of use. Read our full Yaber V7 Pro reviewfor more details. The highest-end smart projectors will call themselves True 4K projectors. Matt Hanson Some of the best portable projectors also offer wireless connectivity, which makes broadcasting from your smartphone or tablet easy. Many models come with built-in rechargeable batteries so you can use them away from a power outlet. Our expert industry analysis and practical solutions help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology. The same goes for auto-focus features, although most models have a manual slider or wheel. In short, theres no such thing as a one-size-fits-all projector. Meanwhile, other portable projectors have a simple USB output, which allows you to connect laptops and other compatible devices to it. Epson EpiqVision Mini EF12 Smart Streaming Laser Projector, Best for Movie Watching Away From a Power Socket, Best for Playrooms, Watching Movies Away From Home. Key specs Brightness: 200 ANSI lumens; Native resolution: 1,280 x 720; Speakers: 8W 270 internal speaker; Throw ratio: 1.3:1; Max recommended image: 100in; Inputs and outputs: HDMI 1.4, USB-C; Wireless: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth; Battery life: Up to 2hrs 30mins; Dimensions: 80 x 80 x 150mm; Weight: 740g. Key specs Brightness: 100 ANSI lumens; Native resolution: 854 x 480; Speakers: 360 internal speaker; Throw ratio: 1.35:1; Max recommended image: 100in; Inputs and outputs: HDMI 1.4, micro-USB; Wireless: 802.11n, Bluetooth 4; Battery life: up to 4hrs; Lamp life: 30,000hrs; Dimensions: 68 x 68 x 120mm; Weight: 898g. We have seen a few small laser-based projectors and a smattering of liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) models. Because most of them can accommodate videos and photos for on-the-go entertainment (in addition to slides and charts for business or classroom presentations), these models can be thought of as multimedia display systems. You can use Google's Movies and TV service to purchase and watch video or download Android TV apps. Key specs Brightness: 1,200 ANSI lumens; Native resolution: 1,920 x 1,080; Speakers: 3W stereo speakers; Throw ratio: 1.23:1; Max recommended image: 100in; Inputs and outputs: USB-A, USB-C, HDMI 2.0, SD card, 3.5mm headphone/audio; Wireless: 802.11n, Bluetooth 4; Lamp life: 30,000hrs; Dimensions: 224 x 224 x 51mm; Weight: 1.32kg. When you switch one of these projectors to Bluetooth mode, it operates purely as a speaker. In normal or bright mode, the image is crisp and well-defined and colour performance is solid, enabling you to project a bright, watchable image up to 100in in size in dim or dark rooms. Most pico and palmtop projectors can run files from a USB thumb drive and/or SD card, so you don't need to lug your laptop with them. Thin-and-lights and standard-sized portable models are often in the 3,000-lumen range, use standard projector screens, and can tolerate ambient light. Naturally, you can plug in your video source via HDMI and use it like a normal projector, but there are multiple other ways to access video. Pico projectors have low brightness (from less than 50 to up to several hundred ANSI lumens). But a few years ago the combination of small, high-quality DLP chips and energy-efficient LED lamps made it possible to build projectors the size of a hardback book or even smaller. So without further ado, here are the best portable projectors of 2022. Key specs Brightness: 400 ANSI lumens; Native resolution: 1,920 x 1,080; Speakers: 2 x 3W internal speaker; Throw ratio: 1.2:1; Max recommended image: 120in; Inputs and outputs: HDMI 1.4, USB-C, USB-A; Wireless: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth; Battery life: Up to 3hrs; Dimensions: 188 x 100 x 100mm (WDH); Weight: 1.4kg. They used to be massive things, ran hot, were power-hungry and needed a chunky stand or coffee table to sit on if not a dedicated home cinema room. Subscribe to our newsletter, Daredevil: Born Again has a key difference to other Marvel shows and I'm all for it, The next Windows 11 update could transform your laptop and it's coming soon, I should love PSVR 2's virtual cinema, but it's half-baked without Dolby Atmos, The new-look Gmail had landed, with one important addition, Apple TV Plus' new thriller is a stylish take on a well-worn concept, You can now play Stray in splitscreen multiplayer, AMD and Nvidia leaks show we are drunk on power, and the hangover is going to be brutal, Nous savons enfin ce que signifie "Wi-Fi", et ce n'est pas ce que vous croyez, Netflix's $200 million gamble pays off but it isnt its biggest movie of the year, The best tech tutorials and in-depth reviews, Try a single issue or save on a subscription, Issues delivered straight to your door or device. Anker makes its own mini-Bluetooth speakers, and we suspect the same drivers and technology are used here. As well as listing the best portable projectors, we also have our very own price comparison tool that will help you find the best prices as well. However, the vast majority of pico, palmtop, and other small projectors are LED-based, and most use TI's Digital Light Processing (DLP) technology in their light engines. This isnt as much of a plus point as you might expect theres no Google Play store and no official apps for Amazon Prime or Netflix, leaving you to navigate the browser-based apps using a virtual trackpad on Ankers connected smartphone app. This makes it much easier to tilt the beam upwards if you have the projector sitting below the level of your screen and theres no need to find a prop if you use it on a coffee table or the floor. TechRadar is supported by its audience. In our experience, the built-in Android apps are usually flaky or seem to struggle to find the best-quality streams. You will receive a verification email shortly. Most of these portable models have a relatively short throw and the shorter, the better if youre stuck for space or planning to project from a coffee table. Thats not a bad offer for a $2,199 gadget. You cant expect the kind of experience youd get from a good, dedicated home cinema projector. While very crisp, its not as bright and the colours arent quite as rich. You might just have found a new way to enjoy your favourite TV, games and films. Here, we will help you sort out their differences, as well as highlight our favorite modelsall of which weigh less than two pounds. So, what should you look out for when buying the best portable projector for your needs? If youre using a portable projector, you probably dont want to lug a full surround-sound setup with you, so most include built-in speakers. (Even if "anywhere" these days just means around the house.). While theres no onboard battery, you can power it from a USB-C power bank with USB PD. There are some aspects of the M2 that were not convinced by, particularly the built-in Android OS with its dated versions of the most popular streaming apps youll get a better experience and better image quality by plugging in your own Roku or Amazon Fire TV stick. Most should have HDMI, which will let you plug in almost any device into it, though some will have a mini HDMI port, so you'll need a special cable. All in all, the Anker Nebula Solar is a cracking little projector. Its built-in rechargeable battery lasts up to five hours, there's a full array of connectivity features, including HDMI and USB-C video inputs. It does well in projecting photos, and its video quality is fine for casual use. Sounds good? Most smart projectors have to compromise on sound. Keystone-correction is another must-have. If you want to go one better, some include a headphone socket or better still Bluetooth connectivity. There was a problem. Slightly larger mini-projectors can have brightnesses of 1,000 lumens or more. They are highly portable, but you pay a premium for their svelteness, and they usually have a limited set of connection choices. Key specs Brightness: 300 ANSI lumens; Native resolution: 1,920 x 1,200; Speakers: 5W internal speaker; Throw ratio: 1.2:1; Max recommended image: 100in; Inputs and outputs: HDMI 1.4, USB-C, USB-A, 3.5mm headphone output, microSD card; Wireless: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth; Battery life: Up to 5hrs; Dimensions: 188 x 100 x 100mm (WDH); Weight: 775g. LED light sources run much cooler than bulb-based light sources (meaning less fan noise). Read on for our labs-tested favorites, followed by the buying basics you should know when shopping for one. This makes it easy to hook up a good range of different devices. Starting with its streamlined setup process, which can have you up and running in mere moments, Samsung's The Freestyle keeps its approachability up by offering a suite of built-in smart features and streaming apps it's like a Samsung TV OS that you can take with you. The Asus ZenBeam E1 isn't the most powerful portable projector, but its versatility, ease of setup and eye catching design gives it a place on our list of best business projectors (opens in new tab). You can play video back from USB flash drives and microSD cards, stream from your phone or laptop using screen mirroring, or play audio through the speaker via Bluetooth. On top of all this, it's also possible to connect to the projector via Bluetooth and play music via its built-in 8W speaker. Also note: At the very end of this article is a detailed spec breakout of our top choices. It certainly doesn't have the bells, whistles or crispness of other, more expensive portable projectors on this list, but the Yaber Pro V7 is a good budget option. Best projector screens 2022: The perfect screens to master movie night, Best projector 2022: The best 1080p and 4K-ready projectors, YABER Pro V7 9800L 5G WiFi Bluetooth Projector, Auto 6D Keystone Correction &4P/4D, Zoom, HD 1080P Native Projectors Home&Outdoor Projector Support 4K for Android/iOS, etc. Best Hosted Endpoint Protection and Security Software, Want the best Tech discounts and exclusive codes?
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