Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
EDITORS’ NOTE
November 22, 2025: With this update, we added the Aurzen Eazze D1G as Best Budget Portable Mini Projector, and the Anker Nebula X1 as Best 4K Outdoor Projector for High Brightness. (We also removed the discontinued Anker Nebula Capsule Air and the Epson EpiqVision Mini EF22.) Our remaining picks have been vetted for currency and availability. Since our last update, we tested and evaluated four projectors for inclusion in this roundup and our other projector roundups.
- Roughly the size of a stack of Post-it Notes (and not much heavier)
- Built-in battery, rated at 90 minutes of use
- Autofocus and auto vertical keystone correction
- Wireless connections to video sources
- No settings to adjust image quality
- Pricey for a pocket projector
- Connection to HDMI devices requires optional dongle
True to its name, one of the most striking features of the ZIP Tri-Fold projector is that, thanks to its three sections held together with hinges, you can fold it into a compact 1-by-3.3-by-3.1-inch near-square that easily fits in a pocket. Aurzen rates the battery at 90 minutes in Eco mode—a respectable length for a projector this small. If your projector being small enough to carry as an afterthought is a key requirement, the Aurzen ZIP Tri-Fold is the obvious pick. It easily outshines its like-size competition.
Big spenders: Although the Aurzen ZIP Tri-Fold is the most impressive tiny projector we’ve seen, it’s also the most expensive. It’s for people who need the best features and quality they can get in a pocket-sized projector—and are willing to pay a premium for that combination.
People who prioritize portability over image quality: Nobody expects top-tier image quality or high brightness from a projector this size, but in that context, the ZIP does well enough on both scores.
Engine Type
DLP
Rated Brightness
100 ANSI lumens
Native Resolution
1280 by 720 using 640-by-360 DLP chip with XPR fast-switch pixel shifting
Inputs and Interfaces
Wi-Fi Direct
Dimensions (HWD)
1 by 3.3 by 3.1 inches
Weight
9.9 oz
Warranty
2 years
Learn More
Aurzen ZIP Tri-Fold Portable Pocket Projector Review
- Compact
- Built-in battery rated at 90 minutes per charge
- Unusually sure focus control
- Supports up to 1080p input resolution
- No image adjustment settings
- Low native resolution (640 by 360 pixels)
- Low 30-lumen rated brightness
Weighing in at 5 ounces and more or less matching a 3-by-3-inch pad of sticky notes in size, the Kodak Luma 75 is small enough to lose track of if you cover it with a piece of paper. You can connect it to most video sources, including mobile devices, to mirror the screen, thanks to its HDMI port, and it’s bright enough to offer a watchable 32-inch image for short sessions in a dark room, or something roughly as large as a letter-size page in typical office lighting. Whether you’re showing a business presentation or watching a movie, that translates to a much bigger picture than you can get on your phone from a projector that fits easily in a pocket.
People who need to mirror their phone’s screen: If you’ve ever wished you could mirror your phone’s screen at a larger image size, the Luma 75 is worth considering. And because it can also read files stored on a USB memory key, you can even use it without a phone.
Business travelers: It’s as easy to carry as a second phone, and it lets you show photos, business presentations, or movies to a small group without having to pass your phone around.
Engine Type
DLP
Rated Brightness
30 ANSI lumens
Native Resolution
640 by 360
Maximum Resolution
1920 by 1080
Inputs and Interfaces
HDMI, USB
Dimensions (HWD)
0.8 by 3 by 3 inches
Weight
5 oz
Warranty
1 year
Learn More
Kodak Luma 75 Portable Pocket Projector Review
- Lightweight
- Full HD (1080p) native resolution
- Android OS 9 for streaming, Wi-Fi, and screen mirroring
- Battery rated at up to 2.5 hours per charge in Eco mode
- No controls for adjusting image quality, even for brightness and contrast
- Only one picture mode
- Image is slightly oversharpened
- Requires a network connection to mirror mobile devices
- Hard to adjust for best focus
The flagship model in Kodak’s Luma line, the 1080p Kodak Luma 450 weighs just 1.2 pounds. It’s also small enough—at 1.3 by 5 by 5 inches (HWD)—to fit on your palm or in a coat pocket, and it comes with a table-top tripod to make it easy to aim at whatever you’re using for a screen. Built around an LED light source and a DLP chip, it includes an HDMI port and a USB Type-A port for reading files from USB memory or powering an HDMI dongle, plus Wi-Fi for mirroring iOS and Android devices via the network it’s connected to. (The Wi-Fi also supports streaming using Android OS 9 apps, but we’d recommend getting a third-party streaming dongle instead.) Its battery life is rated at 1.5 hours for High power (brightest) mode, 2 hours for Normal, and 2.5 hours for Eco.
Buyers who prioritize portability over image quality: Any projector this small will necessarily have limited brightness and audio volume, which makes the Kodak Luma 450 the wrong choice if either of those issues is a deal killer for you.
Users who also carry portable speakers: The 3.5mm audio-out and Bluetooth support will let you connect headphones or an external sound system for better audio.
People who need a big screen: Although the usable image size will depend on the ambient light level, the rated 200 ANSI lumens is enough to light up a roughly 55-to-75-inch screen in a dark room. If that’s bright enough for what you have in mind—whether that’s watching a movie or viewing photos or a presentation in small groups—the Luma 450 will give you a 1080p image from a projector that’s light enough to bring with you without weighing you down.
Engine Type
DLP
Rated Brightness
200 ANSI lumens
Native Resolution
1920 by 1080
Maximum Resolution
3840 by 2160 30Hz
Inputs and Interfaces
hdmi 2.2 (HDCP 2.2)
Dimensions (HWD)
1.3 by 5 by 5 inches
Weight
1.2 lb
Warranty
1 year
Learn More
Kodak Luma 450 Portable Full HD Smart Projector Review
Best Portable 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+ starts with a combination of high brightness, robust audio, and image quality—enough to make it one of our top picks for a mini projector. It also features Android TV for streaming as an added bonus. 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, and its audio was also among the best, delivering good enough quality at high enough volume for a large family room. Color accuracy and shadow detail were better for SDR than for HDR in our tests. Still, it handled HDR well enough to deliver a watchable picture, which is more than many 1080p-resolution models with HDR can manage. Another key benefit is the onboard rechargeable battery. Using it reduces brightness and usable image size, but the 2.5-hour battery life is sufficient to let you watch a full-length movie.
Note that, although the version of the Halo+ with Android TV that we tested is still available at the time of writing, Xgimi is in the process of replacing it with a nearly identical version under the same name. The only difference is that the new version uses Google TV instead.
Users who set projectors up outside: The Xgimi Halo+ is a strong candidate for anyone who wants a smart (i.e., streaming) portable projector that’s easy to carry and set up as needed, inside or outside.
Buyers who don’t have power or an external audio source: It’s an even stronger candidate for those who also want robust audio without needing an external sound system or want to run on a rechargeable battery when an AC outlet isn’t available.
People who prioritize brightness: High brightness for its size and class translates to larger usable images in any given light level than its competition can deliver.
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
- 1080p native resolution
- Guaranteed not to show rainbow artifacts
- HDR10 support
- Google TV with licensed Netflix
- Includes a standard brightness setting for adjusting black level (and improving shadow detail)
- Only 200 ANSI lumen brightness rating
- No 3D support
- Negotiated HDR connection for streaming only, not with our Blu-ray player
If your budget is strictly bargain basement, and you want as much capability as possible, the native 1080p (1,920-by-1,080-resolution) Aurzen Eazze D1G, at $209.99 list, is a good place to start. The single LCD chip design ensures that it can’t show rainbow artifacts, and our tests show it delivers appropriate image brightness for the 200 ANSI lumen rating, plus solid image quality for the price. Beyond that, it offers fully integrated Google TV with a licensed Netflix app for streaming, plus a measured 21.9ms input lag—easily short enough for casual gaming. It also helps that its sound system, built around dual 8-watt speakers and Dolby audio, offers high enough volume for a medium-sized family room and can double as a Bluetooth speaker for other devices.
People who frequently move their projectors: The D1G lacks a built-in battery, but it weighs only 4.4 pounds, making it easy to move from room to room, to the backyard, or even to slide into a backpack for carrying elsewhere.
Google TV fans: Keep in mind that, in addition to letting you stream from the web, Google TV will let you mirror Google Cast-enabled apps from a phone, tablet, or PC connected to the same network as the projector.
Budget-savvy buyers: The D1G can serve nicely for anyone who needs a portable projector for casual viewing and gaming, regardless of their budget constraints.
Engine Type
LCD
Rated Brightness
200 ANSI lumens
Native Resolution
1920 by 1080
Maximum Resolution
3840 by 2160
Inputs and Interfaces
HDMI, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-A (2)
Dimensions (HWD)
3.2 by 9.1 by 6.9 inches
Weight
4.4 lbs
Warranty
1 year
Learn More
Aurzen Eazze D1G Review
- 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
The Nebula Mars 3 may look like a car battery with a handle on top, but that’s only because it comes equipped with an internal battery rated to deliver its maximum brightness—full power mode, at a rated 1,000 ANSI lumens—for 2 hours on a single charge. It’s also rated for 5 hours in Eco mode.
Along with its long battery life, it boasts water, drop, and dust resistance, which means it’s designed to survive a den full of rambunctious kids, a movie night in the yard that gets rained on midway through the movie, or being bounced around in the back of an SUV if you bring it on a camping trip. It also delivers 1080p native resolution, along with pretty good onboard audio quality for the projector’s size, and it can serve as a Bluetooth speaker or as a power bank to charge other gear.
Families that watch movies outside: You’ll find water and drop resistance in just a few projectors. And the more often you watch outside—whether backyard movie nights, regular TV watching by the pool on warm nights, or rainy-day entertainment on camping trips—the more appealing the Mars 3 will be.
Users who value durability over weight savings: You can find lighter alternatives if you don’t want to lug around its nearly 10-pound bulk. But if you can handle the weight, the Mars 3’s balance of durability, brightness, and battery life will be 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
- 4K resolution
- Higher-than-typical brightness
- Good color accuracy, contrast, and shadow detail
- Supports HDR10, HLG, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, Filmmaker mode, and IMAX Enhanced
- Integrated smart TV OS includes Netflix app
- Designed for Xbox certification
- Single-chip DLP design can be prone to rainbow artifacts
The 13.9-pound Hisense C2 Ultra stretches the definition of portability, but a good portion of that weight is due to three features that make it an exceptional choice among 4K room-to-room models. Its gimbal mount and its optical zoom lens (rare for the breed) help make setup quick and easy without degrading image quality or brightness with a digital zoom. And its JBL audio system, with two 10-watt speakers and a 20-watt subwoofer, delivers sound that’s robust and sharp enough that you should never need to lug an external audio system along with it.
Just as impressive? Top-tier brightness and image quality for its class, plus leading-edge features. Hisense rates the C2’s brightness at 3,000 ANSI lumens and its color gamut at 110% of the spec for 4K UHD projectors and TVs (BT.2020 aka Rec.2020). It also supports every current variation of HDR, including Dolby Vision, plus Filmmaker and IMAX Enhanced modes. It even boasts a Designed for Xbox certification for gamers, and its Vidaa OS for streaming improves on the more common Google TV. With all these features, all nicely implemented, it’s our top pick for a high-end room-to-room portable.
Users who plan to move it only occasionally: The C2 Ultra’s weight will limit its appeal for most people to applications that don’t require moving it very far. If you want a projector strictly for moving from room to room as needed, it’s an excellent fit. It’s also a solid choice for installing semi-permanently in a family room, say, and only occasionally moving to another room or to the backyard for a movie night—or even beyond that for applications that require longer treks.
Shoppers who value image quality over portability: If you want to avoid sacrificing image quality for easy portability, it may well be the most portable choice available.
Engine Type
DLP
Rated Brightness
3000 ANSI lumens
Native Resolution
3840 by 2160 using 1920 by 1080 DLP chip with XPR fast-switch pixel shifting
Maximum Resolution
3840 by 2160 60Hz, HDR; Full HD 3D
Inputs and Interfaces
HDMI 2.1, USB 3.0, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, HDMI (eARC)
Dimensions (HWD)
11.3 by 9.7 by 9.7
Weight
13.9 lbs
Warranty
1 year
Learn More
Hisense C2 Ultra Review
- 4K resolution
- Hybrid laser/LED light source
- Supports HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision
- Automated image adjustment for fast setup after moving
- Built-in handle for easy carrying
- Black level is high enough to hurt contrast in a dark room
The Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE’s $1,299 list price and only slightly lower street price may not scream “budget,” but it’s our top pick for a low-cost, room-to-room 4K model, and it delivers a lot for the price. Key features include a laser-LED hybrid light source rated at 1,800 ANSI lumens, a color gamut rated at 123.3% of BT.709 (the standard for HDTVs), and Dolby Vision support added to the more common HDR10 and HLG HDR. It also offers fully integrated Google TV for streaming, easy automated setup, high volume, and robust audio built around two 15-watt speakers. Most important, it delivered good color accuracy in our tests, along with good shadow detail and a decent sense of three-dimensionality.
People who value function over form: The 4K SE isn’t a good choice if you insist on a sleek, consumer-electronics look. (It looks more like a tall car battery with a handle on top.) However, it’s a solid choice if you want a projector you can take from room to room, out to the backyard, and beyond, and you care more about how well it works than how good it looks.
Budget-savvy buyers: If you’re on a budget and want 4K in a portable projector, the 4K SE may well be the one you want. It does better on both image quality and audio than some more expensive competition; it doesn’t cost much more than an equivalent 1080p model; and the handle makes it easy to carry.
Engine Type
DLP
Rated Brightness
1800 ANSI 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
HDMI 2.1, HDMI (eARC), USB-A, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi Direct, USB Thumb Drive
Dimensions (HWD)
8.7 by 6.5 by 10.4 inches
Weight
9.9 lbs
Warranty
1 year
Learn More
Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE Review
- 4K resolution
- Supports HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision
- Three-color laser light source
- Leading-edge automated image adjustment for fast setup after moving
- Retractable handle for easy carrying
- Expensive
- Hefty for a room-to-room portable
- Frequent rainbow artifacts in our tests
The 4K Anker Nebula X1 is the most expensive portable projector we’ve seen, at $2,999 list for the X1 by itself or $3,998 list when bundled with two wireless speakers, two microphones (for karaoke, of course), plus a carrying case. It’s also the heaviest, at 16 pounds even without the speaker bundle. The good news is that it offers enough to be a tempting choice despite the high price and weight, starting with its 3,500 ANSI lumen rating, which makes it the brightest portable projector we’ve seen.
The X1 also scores points on features and image quality, thanks to a color gamut rated at 110% of the standard for UHD TVs; support for SDR, HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision input; out-of-the-box color accuracy good enough for a high-end home theater model, and more. Beyond that, the audio is equally impressive, with a 40-watt on-board sound system that turns into a 200-watt system with the optional pair of 80-watt wireless speakers, plus the built-in speaker acting as a sub-woofer.
Users who value image quality over portability: If you want a portable projector you can take with you without a second thought, the X1 isn’t for you. But if you want top-tier brightness for a 4K portable, not to mention top-tier image quality, and don’t mind it being more of a luggable than a portable, it’s probably the projector you want.
People who need a bright image and robust speakers: The X1 is easily bright enough for both SDR and HDR material to light up a 130-inch screen in both a dark room and in low to moderate ambient light. Even the onboard 40-watt sound system, by itself, delivers a high enough volume to fill a large family room at well below its top setting.
Engine Type
DLP
Rated Brightness
3500 ANSI lumens
Native Resolution
3840 by 2160 using 1920 by 1080 DLP chip with XPR fast-switch pixel shifting
Maximum Resolution
3840 by 2160 60Hz, HDR; Full HD 3D
Inputs and Interfaces
HDMI 2.1, USB-A, USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Dimensions (HWD)
9.7 by 7.3 by 11.1 inches
Weight
13.7 lbs
Warranty
1 year
Learn More
Anker Nebula X1 Review
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The Best Portable Projectors for 2025
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Buying Guide: The Best Portable Projectors for 2025
Portable projectors come in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and weights, which are among the most important factors in deciding whether they fit the applications you have in mind for them. Quite simply, if a projector is bigger or heavier than you’re willing to lug around, it’s not the right model for you. The same factors are also closely tied to capabilities—bigger, heavier models tend to be brighter, for example, and often deliver more robust audio, two issues that also determine what each model is best suited for.
A good place to start your buying search for the best portable projector is to categorize the universe of models by size, shape, and weight. To help you decide which category to look in, we’ll start with the smallest and lightest projectors and work our way up, noting additional factors that define categories where appropriate and covering what you need to know about key specs along the way.
Note that although the names we’re giving the categories are widely used, individual manufacturers are free to define them however they like. So, if a model has a term like “Pico” or “Pocket” in its name, it will usually fall into the category as we define it here, but not always. We’ve seen some “pico projectors” that are way too big to fit in any pocket. Also, keep in mind that the categories tend to fade into each other at the extremes. So, if you think you might want a model at the biggest, heaviest end of one category, you should also look at the smallest, lightest end of the next step up.
Pico Projectors: The Smallest and Lightest
Pico projectors, also known as pocket projectors, are the smallest and lightest category of portable projectors. Most weigh well under a pound, but some are a pound plus a few ounces. Their defining characteristic is that they can fit in a pocket, which could mean fitting easily in a shirt pocket or just barely making it into a large overcoat pocket. They tend to have low brightness (less than 100 ANSI lumens for the smallest ones) and typically include onboard batteries. They also tend to have low resolutions (as low as 640 by 360 pixels), but their low brightness ensures you won’t usually notice the low resolution, because keeping the images small enough to make them suitably bright will hide any loss of detail or sharpness that might mar image quality compared with higher resolutions
(Credit: ViewSonic)
If you want a smartphone companion that takes no more effort to bring with you than carrying a second phone, the smallest projectors in this category are ideal choices. They can provide a somewhat larger image than you can get from a tablet, whether for showing off photos or streaming movies. The largest will be a better fit for a backpack or briefcase. However, they’ll give you a little higher brightness for a bigger picture or for viewing in a higher level of ambient light. For road warriors, they’re perfect for giving desk-side presentations to one or two people from files stored on a smartphone, a memory card, or USB memory. For home entertainment, they’ll similarly display a large enough picture for just a few people, but you’ll probably need an external Bluetooth speaker to accompany them.
Palmtop Projectors: Fitting in Your Hand
What you personally consider a palmtop projector will vary depending on the size of your hands. However, as a rule, these models have a square or nearly square footprint (similar to the shape of your palm) and a relatively flat shape, making them stable when sitting in your palm. (Projectors shaped like towers aren’t palmtops.) For our classification purposes, we limit the size to no more than about 5 inches on the longest side. Typical weights are well under 2 pounds, and sometimes less than 1 pound; rated brightness is typically in the 200-to-400-ANSI-lumen range; while native resolution is often as high as full HD (1,920 by 1,080 pixels). At the time of writing, few projectors in this category offer built-in streaming features; however, as this capability continues to migrate to increasingly affordable projectors, that may change.
(Credit: AAXA)
Models in this category also tend to have built-in batteries and are small enough to slip easily into a briefcase or backpack. Their higher brightness, relative to pocket projectors, allows them to project the same image brightness at a larger size in any given level of ambient light. That makes them better suited to viewing by several people at once rather than just two or three, whether for business presentations, showing off photos, or watching movies. As with pocket models, the audio tends to be low volume and low quality.
Oversize Palmtops: Bigger and More Versatile
The next step up in weight category divides into three distinct groups. The first is oversized palmtops. (The others are mainstream mini projectors and a special-purpose variation on mini projectors. We’ll cover each of those in the next two sections.) As you’d probably guess, oversized palmtops look like bigger versions of palmtops. Widths and depths can be up to slightly more than 8 inches, and weights typically range from 2 to 4 pounds. Native resolution is typically 1,920 by 1,080 pixels. (At least one 4K model was available at one point, but it has been discontinued.) Rated brightness for the category is typically between 400 and 800 ANSI lumens, which can give you a big enough picture to see all the detail 1080p promises.
Most, but not all, oversize palmtops include built-in batteries, so you don’t always have to connect to a power outlet. When using battery power, however, they typically drop brightness significantly to get a longer battery life. Depending on the projector, you may or may not be able to set it for the highest brightness when using battery power. But if you can, don’t expect the battery to last long.
In addition to being well-suited to the same sort of applications as palmtop projectors, but for bigger audiences or brighter rooms, oversize palmtops can also serve as business projectors for small conference rooms. Models that handle movies and video well are good choices for casual viewing at home, particularly for ad hoc setup as needed. Some even include built-in smart TV choices for streaming, most often Google TV or Android TV.
Mainstream Mini Projectors
The best mini projectors have changed over the years. Originally, they had traditional lamp-based designs and weights of less than about 4 pounds, making them distinctly different from the slightly lighter categories mentioned above that use solid-state light sources—mostly LEDs. Today, however, solid-state light sources have completely taken over the mini projector weight class, which now covers the same 2-to-4-pound range as oversize palmtops. The two categories also offer similar ranges for brightness, native resolution, and most other features. And as with oversize palmtops, most include built-in rechargeable batteries.
(Credit: M. David Stone)
Where the two categories differ is in their shape and in some key features that make the best mini projectors a better fit for home entertainment. Although no particular shape defines a mainstream mini projector, most are tower-like, such as models in the Xgimi MoGo series. The extra height makes room for relatively robust audio systems, which deliver higher volume and better sound quality in almost every case than any oversize palmtop. Most couple that with built-in smart TV features for streaming—typically using Android TV for older models or Google TV for newer ones. None of this hurts their usability for business presentations, and some types of presentations can benefit from the better audio. But the extras also mean these models will do a better job than most oversized palmtops for watching movies. Many can also double as Bluetooth speakers.
Inexpensive Single-LCD Mini Projectors
A relatively new category of mini projector is—for lack of a better term—the inexpensive single-LCD projector. Most projectors that qualify as portable in any sense use a single DLP chip for their display, at least partly because it’s easier to keep the weight down when using only one chip. However, they show only one primary color on screen at a time, rotating through the primaries in sequence, and leaving it to your brain to combine the primaries into all the colors you see.
This works fine for most people most of the time, and for some people all the time. However, even an eye movement or an object moving on the screen is enough for bright areas to potentially break up into small red/green/blue flashes, known as rainbow artifacts. And for those who both see these easily and find them annoying, that can be a problem.
(Credit: M_a_y_a/Getty Images)
One way to avoid these artifacts at a manufacturing level is to use three chips, as with the three-LCD chip design that’s standard for most LCD projectors. The three chips display all three primaries on screen simultaneously, allowing your brain to integrate the colors across space rather than sequentially over time. But three-chip designs are expensive and tend to add weight. Another alternative that these lightweight single-LCD models offer is to use a single large LCD with enough individual cells to deliver the required resolution. Cover each cell in a 5,760-by-1,080-pixel matrix with a red, green, or blue filter, so each set of red, green, and blue gives you a single pixel, and the image resolution works out to 1,920 (5,760 divided by 3) by 1,080 pixels. This single-LCD approach typically won’t provide the same level of contrast as a DLP chip, but it’s guaranteed not to introduce rainbow artifacts, potentially resulting in more comfortable viewing.
Models in this group weigh between 2 and 5 pounds, with most models weighing less than 4 pounds. All the units we’ve seen require AC power. Although light enough to be easily portable, they’re designed to set up either permanently or to be moved no farther than to another room or to the backyard for a movie night. Native resolution is typically HD (1,280 by 720 pixels) or full HD (1,920 by 1,080 pixels), and rated brightness ranges from approximately 200 ANSI lumens to slightly over 400 ANSI lumens, making them best suited for use with lights off for maximum picture quality.
Audio volume and quality are both typically at least good enough to let you watch movies without needing an external audio system, and in some cases are a lot better than merely good enough. Most do not offer built-in smart TV features, but they typically offer both an HDMI port that can accept a streaming dongle and a USB port that can power the dongle.
Room-to-Room Portables: Can You Hear Me Now?
Room-to-room portables are best understood as standard, lightweight, mainstream projectors that incorporate their own robust audio systems, eliminating the need for external speakers. Before this category existed, the conventional wisdom for setting up any projector for a home theater or home entertainment had been that if you’re going to go to the bother of getting a projector, you’ll want a better audio system than any projector can fit in its case. For projectors that were light enough to move easily from room to room or to the backyard to watch a movie, that typically meant that you also had to lug an external audio system with them.
Room-to-room portables solve that problem. Most make extra room in their bodies for a worthwhile audio system by being about twice the height of a typical standard projector, making them cubical, or close to it. A few gain the extra space by using an oval shape instead. Because these models aren’t meant to be moved far, they can be heavier than other categories of portables and have a large range of weights. The lightest we’ve reviewed is just over 3 pounds. The heaviest is more than 14 pounds.
(Credit: M. David Stone)
Most other specs vary tremendously, as well, so you have plenty of variety to choose from. Among the models we’ve tested, rated brightness ranges from 300 ANSI lumens to 2,400 ISO lumens (equivalent to ANSI lumens), native resolution ranges from 720p to 4K, and display technologies include DLP and three-chip LCD. All use either LCD or laser light sources. Most require AC power, but some of the lighter models include onboard batteries, and a few of those are also drop-resistant and water-resistant, making them particularly suitable for carrying to the backyard. Like mainstream mini projectors, many can also serve as Bluetooth speakers. All the models we’ve seen offer smart TV for streaming, most often in the form of Android TV in older models or Google TV in newer ones, which is either fully integrated or supplied on a dongle—sometimes with a second remote.
Larger (But Still Portable) Projectors
Keep in mind also that you can find any number of standard, mainstream projectors that weigh between 5 and 6 pounds that are also reasonably portable, and in some cases, even include “portable” as part of their model names. They can be single-chip DLP or three-chip LCD models, and can be virtually any common resolution. They can use lamps or solid-state light sources. They can also be designed primarily for business or for home use, and they all require AC power. Typical brightness levels range from 3,000 to 4,000 lumens, making them suitable choices for displaying a large image in a brightly lit room.
Ready to Buy the Right Portable Projector?
Portable projectors offer a wide range of sizes, weights, brightnesses, resolutions, and other key features, making the best one to buy depend almost entirely on the application or applications for which you want to use it. Be sure you’re clear on what those are. Whether you’re a business traveler who makes presentations at multiple venues, want to share movies and photos with friends, or need a projector strictly for an occasional movie night in the backyard, there’s a portable model up to the task. Just make sure you pick one that’s designed for the type of images you’re projecting, the spaces you’ll be in, the number of viewers, and—assuming you don’t want to be forced to get an external sound system as well— the audio volume and quality you need.
The projectors we highlight in this guide run the range from 5 ounces (and small enough to fit in your pocket) to well over 10 pounds (and luggable from room to room). Any one of them could be your best fit for a travel companion or as a stay-at-home portable projector for moving no farther than the backyard. For more options, check out our guides to the best home projectors, the best outdoor projectors, and the best projectors overall.
