Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
Best Durable Outdoor Projector for Battery Life
Anker Nebula Mars 3
- 1080p native resolution, with support for 4K input and HDR
- Integrated Android TV 11
- Long-lasting, solid-state LED light source
- Resists water, dust, and drops
- Long battery life
- No optical zoom
- Battery status light can be distracting when watching from behind the projector
It may look like a car battery with a handle on top, but that’s at least partly because the Nebula Mars 3, which is rated at 1,000 ANSI lumens, comes equipped with an internal battery boasting a 2-hour life at its brightest power setting or a 5-hour life in Eco mode. It also features water, drop, and dust resistance, which means it can survive a rough-and-tumble den full of kids, a movie night in the yard with gloomy weather threatening, or being bounced around in the back of an SUV if you bring it to watch movies on a camping trip. It also doesn’t hurt that it delivers both 1080p native resolution and onboard audio quality that’s pretty good for the projector’s size, or that it can work as a big Bluetooth speaker or as a power bank to charge other gear.
As with any model with water and drop resistance, the more often you plan to watch outside, the more attractive the Mars 3’s durability will be—whether for special occasions like backyard movie nights, regular TV watching by the pool on warm nights, or rainy-day entertainment on camping trips. If you don’t want to lug around its nearly 10-pound bulk, you can find lighter choices. But if you can handle the weight, the Mars 3’s balance of durability, brightness, and battery life is hard to beat.
Engine Type
DLP
Rated Brightness
1000 ANSI lumens
Native Resolution
1920 by 1080
Maximum Resolution
3840 by 2160 60Hz
Inputs and Interfaces
HDMI 2.1, USB-C, USB-A
Dimensions (HWD)
9.8 by 6.3 by 10.2 inches
Weight
9.9 lbs
Warranty
1 year
Learn More
Anker Nebula Mars 3 Review
Best Durable Outdoor Projector for Light Weight
BenQ GS50
- 1080p resolution
- 500 ANSI lumen rating
- Acceptable color accuracy
- Impressive audio quality and volume
- Included Android TV dongle for streaming and Chromecast
- Durable and water-resistant
- No 3D support
- Brightest mode has an obvious green tint
- Awkward setup for Android TV dongle
On its release, the 1080p BenQ GS50 was the first projector we know of that was touted specifically as an outdoor model. Designed to survive mistreatment better than most, it offers an IPX2 rating for water resistance and is rated for up to a 2.3-foot fall. That means you don’t have to worry about it being destroyed by an unexpected light rain shower or by accidentally dropping it. It also offers 1080p native resolution, comes with a bundled Android TV dongle, and is bright enough to throw a watchable 90-inch image in low levels of ambient light.
The GS50’s water and drop resistance should appeal to anyone who plans to take their projector outside, since the more often you plan to watch outside, the more likely something will happen where the extra protection will make a difference. If your outdoor movie watching area is next to your pool, or you want to watch outside now and then from spring through fall, or you have a rambunctious toddler who might jar a table and send the projector to the ground, the GS50 should grab your eye.
Engine Type
DLP
Rated Brightness
500 ANSI lumens
Native Resolution
1920 by 1080
Maximum Resolution
3840 by 2160 60Hz
Inputs and Interfaces
USB-C, HDMI 2.0b
Dimensions (HWD)
5.7 by 6.1 by 7.3 inches
Weight
5.1 lbs
Warranty
3 years
Learn More
BenQ GS50 Review
Best Budget Outdoor Projector
AAXA P6 Ultimate
- Small and light, with built-in handle
- Carrying case included
- On-board battery good for up to six hours on a charge
- Supports up to 4K 30Hz HDR input, 1,280-by-800 output
- Wireless mirroring for iOS and Android devices
- Stretches some 16:9 sources to 16:10, turning circles into ellipses and squishing faces
- Diamond DLP chip layout introduces artifacts to some images
The AAXA P6 Ultimate may not be truly the ultimate in mini projectors, but it packs a pretty good punch for the price—$369 list, and widely available for less. It delivers a high enough brightness for comfortable viewing on a 90-inch diagonal screen in a dark room (for SDR input at least) and a surprisingly good sound system for a projector that measures only 3.2 by 5.3 by 5.7 inches (HWD). In our tests, it offered enough volume and suitable quality for a large family room. (You can also connect an external speaker to its 3.5mm audio output.) Other pluses include 3D support, a six-hour battery life in eco mode, and a Bluetooth speaker mode. It’s also easy to carry, partly because it has no bulky power block. All you need for AC power or recharging is a USB cable and either a standard USB power adapter or a handy powered USB port.
The P6 Ultimate has some limitations to go with its low price. (The onboard streaming feature is limited, for example.) But if you don’t want to spend a lot for a projector, it’s a good pick for casual movie nights in the backyard, bringing on a camping trip, or using as a dual-purpose projector—for movies in your backyard at home and for a small conference room at work, for example. And if you already have a projector at home, it’s inexpensive enough to consider getting strictly for occasional outside movie nights, so you can leave your bigger, more expensive unit safely inside and undisturbed in your family room or home theater.
Engine Type
DLP
Rated Brightness
1100 LED Lumens
Native Resolution
1280 by 800
Maximum Resolution
3,840-by-2,160, 30Hz with HDR; Full HD 3D
Inputs and Interfaces
HDMI, USB-A, USB-C, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth
Dimensions (HWD)
3.1 by 5.3 by 5.7 inches
Weight
4.1 lbs
Warranty
1 year
Learn More
AAXA P6 Ultimate Review
Best 720p Portable Outdoor Projector
Anker Nebula Capsule Air
- Supports up to 1080p input, downconverting to native 720p
- HDR feature effectively enhances shadow detail
- Built-in Google TV, Netflix for streaming
- Just 1.4 pounds, including battery
- Compact, twist-on stand enables easy image-position tweaks
- Low brightness rating of 150 ANSI lumens
- No 3D support
About as small as it could get and still be bright enough for a useful image size outdoors at night, the Anker Nebula Capsule Air weighs just 1.4 pounds and is a close match to a 12-ounce soda can in size and shape—the right diameter but a touch too tall. Its resolution is only 720p (1,280 by 720 pixels), but it accepts 1080p (1,920-by-1,080-pixel) input and supports HDR, which, when working as promised—as it does in this case—is more important than higher resolution for overall image quality. The 5-watt speaker delivers surprisingly robust audio for a projector this size, with high enough volume to fill a family room. And if your backyard movie-watching spot is close enough to your house to connect to your network by Wi-Fi, you’ll particularly appreciate streaming using the fully integrated Google TV and the licensed Netflix app.
The rated 150-lumen brightness for the Capsule Air won’t give you a big, bright image for a large crowd. In our tests, we settled on a 43-inch diagonal size in a dark room using a 1.0-gain white screen. And if the area has any light, you’ll need to go smaller. But if you’re looking for something easy to carry to the backyard and both quick and easy to set up, so you and two or three friends or family members can watch a movie, the Capsule Air can be just the right pick.
Engine Type
DLP
Rated Brightness
150 ANSI lumens
Native Resolution
1280 by 720
Maximum Resolution
1920 by 1080 60Hz
Inputs and Interfaces
HDMI 2.1, USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
Dimensions (HWD)
5.5 by 2.7 by 2.7 inches
Weight
1.4 lbs
Warranty
1 year
Learn More
Anker Nebula Capsule Air Review
Best Outdoor Projector for Audio Quality
Nomvdic X300 Smart Portable Speaker & Projector
- 1080p native resolution
- 300 ANSI lumen rating
- Impressive audio quality and volume
- Customized version of Android OS; supports streaming
- Long rated battery life
- Hard to focus
- No support for HDR or 4K input
- Uses Android OS, not Android TV
The Nomvdic X300 Smart Portable Speaker & Projector earns its spot on our best outdoor projector list almost entirely because of its sound system. The product’s full name, which gives the speaker portion top billing, pretty much tells you where the design emphasis is, and it shows—both in looking less like a projector than like a 1950s table top radio or a 1980s mini boom box, and in audio that’s the best we’ve ever run across in a projector. If you think of it as a solid choice for a portable speaker, which happens to include a decent 1080p resolution, 300-lumen projector onboard, you won’t be far off.
As a projector, the X300 delivers acceptable (though not impressive) image quality from a typical range of video sources, including its own Android OS-based streaming apps. As a portable speaker, it lets you connect an audio source—including via Bluetooth or the 3.5mm stereo input—to take advantage of its two 8-watt Harman Kardon stereo speakers, both equipped with tweeters and woofers. Volume is high enough to deliver robust sound for a backyard movie night or for playing music at an outdoor party. And the onboard battery is rated at 6 hours for audio. For projection, it’s 2.5 hours in Eco mode and 3 hours in the even-lower-brightness Battery Saving mode.
The X300 is all about the sound system. If you need enough brightness for a big image, it’s the wrong choice. But if you’re looking for a way to watch video or movies outdoors, are satisfied with image quality that rates as good enough, and need a much better sound system than typical for a projector, it could be a good fit. If you’re looking for a portable speaker that you can use on picnics or for backyard parties, and also want to watch an occasional movie or video, it could be ideal.
Engine Type
DLP
Rated Brightness
300 ANSI lumens
Native Resolution
1920 by 1080
Maximum Resolution
1920 by 1080; Full HD 3D
Inputs and Interfaces
HDMI 1.4, USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB-A
Dimensions (HWD)
6.2 by 10.9 by 6.5 inches
Weight
6.6 lbs
Warranty
1 year
Learn More
Nomvdic X300 Smart Portable Speaker & Projector Review
Best Battery-Powered Mini Projector for Image Quality
Anker Nebula Capsule 3 Laser
- Impressive image quality
- 1080p native resolution; supports 4K input
- Handles HDR far better than most native 1080p models
- Built-in Android TV 11
- Bright 300 ANSI lumens rating using AC power
- Lightweight
- Needs some minor tweaking to get good image quality
- No Netflix support in Android TV 11
- No 3D support
The Anker Nebula Capsule Laser 3 is a much more impressive projector than you’d expect from its small size. On first glance it looks like a slightly oversized soda can, but hidden inside is a small laser-phosphor light source, a 1080p DLP chip, and an 8-watt speaker that delivers high enough volume to fill a medium to large family room—a pleasant surprise for a projector that weighs just over two pounds. It can even accept up to 4K (3,840-by-2,160-pixel) HDR input and handle it well enough to make HDR movies look at least as good as their SDR versions—which is something that isn’t true for much of the competition.
Its onboard battery is rated at 2.5 hours in the default battery mode or 8 hours in Bluetooth speaker mode—long enough to watch a full-length movie or listen to music at length in the backyard. And note that when we tested the Capsule 3 Laser, it used Android TV for streaming, but it has since been upgraded to Google TV, which also adds a Netflix app.
The Capsule 3 Laser’s brightness is relatively low, at a rated at 300 ANSI lumens, which means it’s not for anyone who needs a big picture that can stand up to ambient light. However it offers both easy portability and the best combination we’ve seen in a mini projector of color accuracy, contrast, and shadow detail. That’s enough to make it the right pick for anyone who plans to use it primarily in dim or dark lighting, as well as our top pick for anyone who wants a highly portable projector and cares more about image quality than image size.
Engine Type
DLP
Rated Brightness
300 ANSI lumens
Native Resolution
1920 by 1080
Maximum Resolution
3840 by 2160 60Hz, HDR
Inputs and Interfaces
HDMI, USB-C (power only)
Dimensions (HWD)
6.7 by 3.3 inches (diameter)
Weight
2.1 lbs
Warranty
1 year
Learn More
Anker Nebula Capsule 3 Laser Review
Best Battery-Powered Mini Projector for Brightness
Xgimi Halo+
- Small and light
- Image quality easily good enough for casual viewing
- Built-in Android TV 10 for streaming via Wi-Fi
- Rated at 900 ANSI lumens using AC power
- Supports 4K input (native resolution is 1080p)
- Android TV doesn’t include a Netflix app
- Although HDR input is watchable, SDR input looks better
The Xgimi Halo+ is our top pick for high brightness in a mini projector, making a particularly good choice for outdoor use in neighborhoods that don’t get pitch black on a moonless night. It also offers robust audio, built-in streaming, and easily good-enough image quality by most people’s standards. It’s rated at 900 ANSI lumens, but even when set for best picture quality rather than highest brightness, it lit up a 90-inch screen in low levels of ambient light in our tests. It also delivered good-enough audio quality at high-enough volume to fill a large family room.
Although its native resolution is 1080p (1,920 by 1,080 pixels), it can accept and downconvert 4K (3,840-by-2160-pixel) input, as well as support HDR. In our tests, color accuracy and shadow detail were better for SDR than for HDR, but it handled HDR well enough to deliver a watchable picture, which is more than many 1080p models with HDR can manage. Another plus: The onboard rechargeable battery’s got you covered should you find yourself too far from a power outlet to plug in. Using it lowers brightness and usable image size, but the 2.5-hour life is enough to let you watch a full-length movie. Note that the original version, as we tested it, used Android TV for streaming, and is still available at this writing. But Xgimi says it plans to phase out the Android TV version in favor of a new version with the same name that’s upgraded to Google TV but is otherwise identical.
The Xgimi Halo+ is a strong candidate for anyone who wants a smart (streaming) portable projector that’s easy to carry and set up as needed. It stands ready to provide robust audio without needing an external sound system, and it’s ready to run on a rechargeable battery when needed. What the Halo+ stands out for, however, is its balance of features, including high brightness for its size and class, which will give you larger usable images in any given light level than any of its closest competition.
Engine Type
DLP
Rated Brightness
900 ANSI lumens
Native Resolution
1920 by 1080
Maximum Resolution
3840 by 2160 HDR; Full HD 3D
Inputs and Interfaces
HDMI, USB 2.0
Dimensions (HWD)
6.9 by 4.5 by 5.7 inches
Weight
3.5 lbs
Warranty
1 year
Learn More
Xgimi Halo+ Review
Best 4K Outdoor Projector for Quick Setup
JMGO N1 Ultra
- 4K resolution on screen
- Supports HDR10 and HLG HDR
- Includes integrated Android TV 11 for streaming
- Good audio quality
- Connects for streaming by Wi-Fi only; no Ethernet
- Full HD 3D did not work with a Blu-ray player in our tests
Weighing just a tad under 10 pounds, the JMGO N1 Ultra is heavier than most of our picks for outdoor projectors, but its finely machined gimbal mount makes it worth the extra weight. The two gimbals, which let it pivot by 135 degrees vertically and 360 degrees horizontally, are easy to adjust in either or both planes with one hand, and they are stable when released. Once the projector’s in place, it takes just a few seconds to aim the lens precisely and position the picture on target. You can even let the full set of auto adjustment features—from focus to screen fit and more—handle the rest of the setup for you.
Beyond that, the N1 offers a host of strong points, including integrated Android TV 11 for streaming; a tri-color laser engine that offers a color gamut rated at 110% of BT.2020 (aka Rec.2020), the standard for 4K TVs; and good enough onboard audio to do without an external sound system in most cases. It’s also bright enough that when testing with a 90-inch-diagonal screen in a dark room, we had to drop the power setting from its maximum 10 to 5 for comfortable viewing.
The N1’s auto-setup features are increasingly common, but its gimbal mount was unique when it first came out (though it’s since shown up on some other projectors also). It’s the gimbals that make setup a lot faster and easier than with most of the direct competition. It also helps that the N1 delivers high brightness along with image and audio quality that holds up nicely. Two potential issues we ran into are that it wouldn’t work with 3D input in our tests, and we saw a longer than rated input lag, so if you’re a 3D movie aficionado or serious gamer, you should probably look elsewhere. But neither will be more than a minor or non-issue for everyone else.
Engine Type
DLP
Rated Brightness
2200 CVIA Lumens
Native Resolution
3840 by 2160 using 1920 by 1080 DLP chip with XPR fast-switch pixel shifting
Maximum Resolution
3840 by 2160 60Hz
Inputs and Interfaces
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB Thumb Drive
Dimensions (HWD)
9.3 by 9.5 by 8 inches
Weight
10 lbs
Warranty
1 year
Learn More
JMGO N1 Ultra Review
Buying Guide: The Best Outdoor Projectors for 2024
What Are the Kinds of Outdoor Projector?
First, a word about categories of projector relevant for outdoor use. A few of the models here are specifically “outdoorsy,” with some combination of water resistance, drop-proofing, and battery power. Others have none of those features. Most of the models in the second category are what we call “room-to-room portables.” But what moves conveniently to another room also moves conveniently to the backyard. In addition to being light enough to carry over short distances, room-to-room portables include robust audio designed to offer both high enough volume and quality so you won’t have to lug a separate sound system outside to go with them. Most also have features like auto-focus to help you set up quickly, and they offer streaming, so you can skip attaching a video source, as long as you keep close enough to your house so you can connect to your network by Wi-Fi.
We’ve also thrown in a portable mini projector or two—defined in part by their smaller sizes and more limited audio systems. But keep in mind that you still have the option of using virtually any projector you like outdoors, so long as you can run a power cable to it. Note also that the street prices for these models (with widely available discounts) start at around $340 at this writing. If even that is more than you want to invest in a projector, take a look at our related story with tips for putting on a backyard movie night without breaking the bank.
Outdoor Projectors: Are You Planning a Permanent or Temporary Setup?
Now that you’ve seen our favorite tested picks above, you might have gathered from our assessments of each that minding the nuances when shopping for a projector can mean the difference between an A-list experience and a B-movie one.
Rule one is that every projector choice you make stems from a single decision: Do you want a permanent installation or an ad hoc setup? At one extreme, you can install all your projection equipment outdoors, fixed in place and weatherproofed: projector, video source, ancillary sound system, and screen. At the other, you can lug everything out to set up only when needed. In between, you might install, say, an outdoor screen and speakers, and carry the rest of the gear out and back as needed.
(Credit: Shutterstock)
For permanent setups, only the projector, the video source, and additional audio components need to be protected from the weather, and that can be easy if you have, say, an enclosed Florida room with a sliding door to the outside. With everything set up, you can just open the door to let the projector light up the screen. For anything short of permanent setup, room-to-room portables let you minimize how much you need to carry back and forth before and after every movie night. But note that you might want to store even outdoor screens inside for winter or before a storm. (They make terrific sails.)
If you’re looking at a true, permanent outdoor installation of all the bits, we’d leave that approach to a local pro A/V installer, who can consult on your property’s specific needs for optimization and ensure all the proper power wiring and the like is implemented safely. We’ll concentrate here on the DIY approach, in which you set up and break down all or most of your setup as needed.
How Big Can Your Projected Image Be? Brightness Matters
Brightness requirements for a given projector are no different outdoors than indoors. It’s all about ambient light and the target image size (which we’ll get to shortly).
The ambient-light level outdoors after dark will likely be in the range between a dark room—if you’re way out in the country far from light pollution, and it’s a moonless night—and a family room at night with dim lighting. But don’t just assume that. Check your backyard at night, including on nights with a full moon, as well as when your closest neighbors have their backyard lights blazing. Then pick a projector that’s bright enough to stand up to the brightest light level you’ll use it under at the image size you want—an issue we discuss in our reviews.
(Credit: Shutterstock)
You can watch a movie outdoors at night even on a pocket projector that puts out 100 lumens or less, but you’ll have to huddle around a small image to watch it. If you want a true movie-watching experience, you’ll want a minimum 80-inch screen size, and preferably larger.
For a comfortably watchable image at that size in dim lighting, you need a projector that puts out about 800 lumens—a level of brightness that rules out most small projectors, from pocket-size models to lightweight portable projectors.
Keep in mind, also, that the highest brightness most projectors can deliver comes at the cost of image quality. Put another way: The best-quality picture mode for any given projector is generally the dimmest. Whatever brightness you need has to be for the picture mode you want to use—which is often just 40% or 50% of the brightest choice.
Should You Just Use the Garage Door for a Screen? (Spoiler: You Can, But Don’t)
You can use just about any more-or-less flat surface for a screen, including a hanging bedsheet, a garage door, or a stucco wall of your house. Seamless photography paper and even white foam board can be good inexpensive screen materials. But for the best image, you absolutely want a dedicated projector screen, and should take a look at our tips for how to choose the right screen for your projector.
It’s easy to find outdoor frames for permanent, seasonal, and temporary setups, but the screen material is the more important part. The key choices are the same as for an indoor screen, starting with a spec called gain, which can increase image brightness.
(Credit: Shutterstock)
A 1.0-gain screen reflects light equally in all directions over a 180-degree viewing angle. A higher gain reflects the light over a smaller angle, making the image brighter within that angle and dimmer outside of it. It’s essentially the same situation as with older LCD screens that have a sweet spot for viewing dead-on in front of them, but show degraded image quality outside of the viewing cone. For projector screens, a 1.2-gain would give you a peak 20% brighter image within the cone. The key thing is the angle, though: You’ll want to make sure nobody will be sitting so far to the side of the screen that they’ll be sitting outside the specified viewing angle.
If you’re screen-shopping, also look for the resolution the screen is designed for. Many are not meant for showing even 4K images, while some are designed for future-looking 8K output. Even if you’re using a mere 720p-resolution projector now, you might want a 4K-rated screen, so you can use the same screen over the lifetime of two or more projectors.
Finally, be sure the screen offers the right aspect ratio—typically, 16:9 for watching movies or TV shows. Common choices range from the almost square 4:3 ratio that was once standard for TV and movies to Cinemascope wide.
What Is Throw Distance, and Why Does It Matter?
Throw distance is measured in feet or inches between the projector lens and your screen. For any projector or projector lens, it falls into one of four categories.
As the name implies, a standard throw is the most common, needing roughly 10 feet to the screen for a 90-inch image (measured diagonally), give or take a couple of feet depending on the lens. A long throw lets you put the projector much farther away for the same size screen.
(Credit: Shutterstock)
A short throw lets you position the projector closer than the range for standard throw, which is absolutely necessary in a tight space and actually helpful for a backyard-movie night. That may seem counterintuitive, but if everyone is sitting behind the projector, rather than between the projector and screen, no one can cast shadows when they stand up mid-movie to get another skewer of shrimp from the barbie.
Last, ultra short throws, or USTs, let you put the projector just inches away for the same image size. However, these are best avoided for outdoors, in part because they are finicky about being positioned “just so” relative to the screen, which adds to setup time. They also require a much flatter screen than longer throws, and a screen with absolutely no tendency to move from a wind gust. Even a slight deviation from perfectly flat will distort the image.
Do You Need Separate Speakers for Your Outdoor Projector?
Most projectors you’re likely to consider for backyard movies have a built-in speaker or speakers. But with the exception of room-to-room portables, which offer good audio systems by definition, and the growing category of laser UST projectors (which really aren’t suitable for repeatedly lugging to and from the backyard), you’ll often be better off using an external audio system, or at least external speakers. The reason: It’s difficult to deliver good-quality audio at high volume levels from the small spaces most projector chassis leave for the sound system.
Room-to-room portables offer either extra-wide or taller, nearly cubic shapes than traditional projectors, and fill the extra space with low- and high-frequency speakers (technically, “drivers,” in audio terminology), often using chamber speakers. They usually boast plenty of wattage to provide sufficient volume even for outdoor use. (Laser UST projectors are much wider than traditional projector designs, and many use the side facing the seating area for what amounts to a soundbar.)
Of course, regardless of how good the audio quality and volume are for the projector you pick, you might want even more robust audio. If so, consider getting outdoor speakers, and look for analog or digital audio-out ports or Bluetooth speaker support in the projector. Bluetooth can be especially handy if you already own a robust Bluetooth speaker set, but with a caveat we’ll get to in a moment. Many home theater projectors don’t offer even a pass-through audio port, however. They’re designed with the assumption that you’ll use a separate audio system connected directly to your video source.
As for Bluetooth speakers: Because of the vagaries of both video and audio processing, losing sync between the image on the screen and the sound from a Bluetooth speaker is a common issue. To avoid it, look for audio-delay adjustments for Bluetooth speakers in projectors and in external audio systems. Note also that most room-to-room portables, and many smaller portables, offer a Bluetooth speaker mode themselves, so you can use them with other audio sources.
One last thing: A booming audio system might be great within the confines of your own backyard, but consider your neighbors’ comfort when you set the volume. (Or consider skewering extra shrimp, popping extra popcorn, and inviting them over.)
What Resolution Do You Need From Your Outdoor Projector? (720p, 1080p, or 4K)
Any given projector offers a native resolution, which tells you the number of pixels it can put on the screen. More pixels means finer detail. For the projectors most appropriate for movies, you have three basic choices: 720p (1,280 by 720), also called HD; 1080p (1,920 by 1,080), also called Full HD; and 4K (3,840 by 2,160), also called Ultra HD or UHD. In some cases the native resolution for the imaging chip may be slightly greater, as with 1,280 by 800, but when you’re viewing a movie, the actual number of pixels that will light up will be 1,280 by 720 or fewer, depending on the movie’s aspect ratio (the ratio of width to height). All three of the resolutions you care about have a 16:9 aspect ratio.
Choosing among these resolutions depends almost entirely on how big your budget is and much you care about seeing fine detail. Higher resolution costs more, shows more detail, and has a sharper look. However, resolution doesn’t affect color, contrast, or any other aspect of image quality. A lower resolution just gives the image a slightly soft-focus look in comparison. Note also that most 720p and 1080p projectors can accept higher-resolution input and downconvert the image to their native resolution, so they behave like a higher-resolution projector with a soft focus. That’s not always true, however. It’s a good idea to check the highest-resolution input a projector supports before buying.
Recommended by Our Editors
More and more projectors also support HDR, which can do more to improve the visual impact of movies than higher resolution does. Unfortunately, the key phrase in that sentence is “can do more.” Many of the projectors suitable for carrying outside for backyard movies at this writing fail to deliver on HDR’s promise of improving image quality. In fact, it’s not unusual for a projector to put a better-looking image on the screen with the 1080p SDR versions of movies than the 4K HDR versions. So while you can count on 4K projectors giving you more detail than 1080p projectors (assuming you’re using a large enough screen and watching from a close enough distance to see the difference), don’t count on HDR support translating to improved image quality. Check how well the projector actually handles HDR, which is something we cover in our reviews.
Should Your Outdoor Projector’s Power Source Be Battery or AC?
You should plan on using AC power for all your equipment. Some small projectors (but few room-to-room portables) can run off of battery power, and some even claim to run for long enough to watch a movie. But they typically drop brightness significantly when using batteries, and most aren’t bright enough for a backyard movie night at a suitably large size even using AC power. Beyond that, simply as a matter of convenience, the more individual battery-powered devices you’re using, the more of a logistical chore it is to make sure each one is sufficiently charged before you start.
For safety’s sake, add a professionally installed outdoor outlet near the equipment location, so you don’t have to use a trip-me-up extension cord or a chain of cords and power strips. And make sure any outlet you plug into includes ground fault protection to guard against electrical hazards.
The Video Source: How Will You Send Movies to Your Outdoor Projector?
Unless you’re playing movies stored on a flash card or USB drive connected to a projector that can read the files, you’ll need to pipe in your video from somewhere. With most room-to-room portables, the simplest choice is usually to take advantage of the built in streaming or bundled streaming stick that virtually all models in the category offer, most often using Google TV, Android TV, or Android OS. Don’t confuse the third choice on that list with the second. As with the newer Google TV, Android TV offers lots of capable streaming apps. Most Android OS implementations offer fewer apps, and many of the apps they offer don’t work well.
Streaming over a Wi-Fi connection can be a handy way to take advantage of streaming services like Hulu or access files on your home network via an app like Plex. However, note that while most projectors with Google TV make a point of highlighting their Netflix support, most models with Android TV either don’t offer a Netflix app at all or offer one that’s difficult to use. So if Netflix is your go-to streaming service, try to confirm whether there is a Netflix app, and, if so, how well it works, before you buy. If there’s no app, or only a flawed app, one good workaround is to connect your phone to your network via Wi-Fi, stream using a Netflix phone app, and set up your projector to mirror your phone’s screen.
(Credit: Shutterstock)
For projectors that don’t have built-in streaming or a bundled streaming stick, it’s easy enough to add one. And if you’re not happy with the streaming options that came with the projector you otherwise want (or already have), it’s also easy to ignore the built-in or bundled choice and plug in a different dongle. (See our guide to selecting the best media streamer.)
Almost all current home projectors offer a USB port to provide power for an HDMI dongle, typically near an HDMI port and often with no other function. You might want to check for one when choosing a projector. If you wind up with a model without one, a robust power bank connected to a USB power cable may do if a power cord can’t reach.
When you’re outdoors, connecting a larger discrete video source to the projector can be a challenge. Active optical HDMI cables and HDMI extenders can let you connect over hundreds of feet, but typical HDMI cables are limited to a maximum of 25 feet, at best, and even much shorter cables often have problems providing a reliable connection for 4K HDR content. You otherwise may need to haul a Blu-ray player or laptop outside to plug into the projector.
If the projector supports Wi-Fi, and the video source can connect to your network by either Wi-Fi or Ethernet, you can connect wirelessly, of course. But for any of the video sources mentioned here to connect by Wi-Fi, including the streaming sources, you may need to add a Wi-Fi extender to your network to get a strong enough signal to your backyard. Whether you’ll actually need that or not will depend on the configuration of your home and the output strength and location of your router. Another alternative: Convert your home network to a mesh system to ensure more even, complete coverage. (See our primer Wi-Fi Range Extender vs. Mesh Network: What’s the Difference?)
Still another possibility—which will work with any projector and video source with HDMI ports—is a wireless HDMI kit. These kits include a transmitter that plugs into the video source’s HDMI output and a receiver that plugs into the projector’s HDMI port, working in essence just like an HDMI cable, but without the cable.
Finally, as mentioned above, if you want to play content downloaded (legally, mind you) to a USB drive or flash-memory card, make sure to pick a projector with an appropriate card slot or USB port. One wrinkle to that: Verify that the projector not only supports playing movies from the memory card or key, but supports playing them at the target resolution you want to use. That’s not always a given.
Ready to Buy the Right Outdoor Projector for You?
We trust that our advice has cleared things up a bit. In our product-pick summaries above, and in this article’s spec table, we’ve chosen some of the best projectors on the market for specific outdoor-projection situations and usage cases. For more projector reviews and our latest coverage of the category, check out our projector-coverage summary page, as well as our top picks for home projectors.
