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Anker Nebula Solar Portable: We didn't like the Solar Portable as much as the BenQ GS50, Xgimi Halo Plus or even its sibling, the Mars II Pro. Its main disadvantage compared to others on this list is its relatively dim image, which means it can't project as large a picture and still look good. If you want a sleek, budget-friendly portable with 1080p and plan on keeping the image on the small side, however, this is a solid choice. Read our Anker Nebula Solar Portable review. Yes! Think of it like the difference between a portable Bluetooth speaker and the speakers in your living room. The latter may sound better and go louder, but you can't exactly pop them in a bag and take them to the beach. Even taking them into the garden is an enormous pain. Most smart projectors have to compromise on sound. This is the only way to fit all the components into such a small size. If you don’t already have a premium sound system integrated into your home theatre, opt for premium speakers. In short, there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all projector. How we test the best portable projectors What's important here is that, despite its small size, it can project images that are up to 120 inches in size with a decent 150 lumen Eco-LED light source.
So a good place to start your buying search for the best portable projector is to divide the universe of portable projectors into categories by size, shape, and weight. To help you decide which category you should be looking in, we'll start with the smallest, lightest projectors and work our way up, adding in additional factors for defining categories where appropriate, and covering what you need to know about key specs along the way. This Samsung projector keeps its approachability by offering built-in smart features and streaming apps. It's like a Samsung TV OS that you can take with you.The Optoma ML750e is a versatile and powerful projector but weighing in at just 0.4kg and measuring only 10.4 x 10.5 x 3.9 it it has a n incredibly small footprint that literally fit in the palm of our hand during testing. This makes it easy to carry around and more than worthy of our best portable projectors guide. 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 towers, like models in the Anker Nebula Capsule 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—most often by way of Android TV. 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 oversize palmtops for watching movies. Many can also double as Bluetooth speakers. Inexpensive Single-LCD Mini Projectors Whether you're looking to enhance your viewing experience at home, in a dorm, at a conference, or even outdoors, a portable projector is an ideal solution and offers advantages that even the best TV cannot match like portability, image size, and more. 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, even when using battery power. But if you can, don't expect the battery to last long.
Its teeny tiny dimensions make it ideal for carrying around with you, whether you want to watch movies while you travel or you need an easy way of sharing presentations during meetings or work-related trips. Something else to consider is resolution. Smart projectors are much smaller than standard projectors, this makes resolution the first thing to go. For those who enjoy camping, and just want some form of entertainment next to the campfire, a lower resolution works. Mini projectors have the hardest time with resolution. But, not all smart projectors suffer from poor resolution. 4K Smart LED projectors are now on the market. If home entertainment is your preferred use, opt for 4K resolution. The highest-end smart projectors will call themselves “True 4K” projectors. 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 Android TV or other smart TV choices for streaming. Mainstream Mini ProjectorsWe've tested many different types of projectors over the years, but when we were looking for the best portable projector, we needed to see a few key considerations. When it comes to projectors, "portability" is a flexible and evolving concept. Three decades ago, models that weighed about 12 pounds and fit in an airplane overhead bin were considered fully portable—in fact, they were the smallest and lightest available. Today, they're not, except for some that are designed for moving no farther than from one room to another. The vast majority of what we now consider portable projectors are 5 pounds or less. Some are mere ounces—small and light as a cell phone, and also perfect phone companions. No matter where you happen to be, they'll let you show your photos and videos, or stream a movie, at a larger size than you can get on a tablet. Size and picture aside, the Optoma ML750e is also one of the best portable projectors in the world thanks to its impressive range of ports. 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. Next, up, apps. Your projector is only as smart as the apps running on it. So, it makes sense to have an app store enabled on your projector. Does the projector you’re looking at come with app store integration? To work with apps, enable voice commands, and stream movies (all at the same time) look for a smart projector with ample processors, memory, and storage. What's more, the max brightness is a bit too low at 300 lumens. which means that images may look washed-out when you're using it in bright environments. Still, it's a great portable projector, especially for work presentations or for carrying around on holidays if you don't want to spend much. Frequently Asked Questions Do more lumens mean a better projector?
It isn't the cheapest option on this list — look at the Anker Nebula Solar Portable below for a budget alternative — but it's the most polished and covers all of the bases. In our review of the Samsung The Freestyle projector, we wrote: "Compact, portable and with a built-in suite of apps, The Freestyle is a projector that offers everything you need in one place." All you need to do is provide a blank surface to project onto.
Anker Nebula Mars 3
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: ViewSonic) LG CineBeam PH30N: The LG PH30N is tiny even compared to other portable projectors, even smaller than the AAXA. It's not particularly bright, however, nor does it have built-in apps. The battery doesn't last as long as the AAXA either although it is a bit cheaper. Read our LG CineBeam PH30N review. This works fine for everyone most of the time, and for some people all of the time. However, an eye movement or an object moving on screen is enough for bright areas to break up into little 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)
In a rather nice touch, the projector can also double as a power bank for other mobile devices as well. Lumens for projectors is like horsepower in a car – it’s important but only a part of how well the projector is suited for the task.In the past lumens were the most important element.Now things are different, as most projectors today are far more advanced than projectors sold five years ago.So – what makes for a better projector? The main compromise with portable projectors is in brightness: that's the biggest drain on their power, so battery-powered projectors have to strike a balance between the brightness of the picture (which in turn affects the maximum range and size of their display) and the amount of time they can run for between recharges. What's the difference between a projector and a mini projector? One way to avoid these artifacts is to use three chips, as with the three-LCD chip design that's standard for most LCD projectors. The three chips put all three primaries on screen at once, and let your brain integrate the colors over space rather than sequentially over time. But three-chip designs are expensive, and tend to add weight. Another alternative, which these lightweight single-LCD models offer, is to use a single large LCD with enough individual cells to deliver the resolution you need. Cover the cells in a 5,760-by-1,080-pixel matrix with red, green, and blue filters, 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 won't usually give you the same level of contrast that a DLP chip would, but it's guaranteed not to bother you with rainbow artifacts, potentially making for better image quality.
Kodak Luma 450 Portable Full HD Smart Projector
The ViewSonic M1+ is small, measuring in at just 5.7 x 1.6 x 5 inches, but it's versatile and has a decent selection of ports despite its size. Wireless Presentation System– For business or education use, a wireless presentation system is faster and more secure than the other two options. The best models enable you to plug in a button to your phone or tablet and start sharing instantly.Others use either a dedicated app installed on your phone or Airplay to share the screen.While they are more expensive, the best models encrypt the transmission, so sensitive information can’t be wirelessly captured and seen from curious people in the area. Are portable projectors any good?
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