Projectors are great for sharing everything from TV shows and movies to presentations. However, many projectors are heavy and best suited for staying in one place. If you’re looking for greater flexibility, look for a portable projector. Projectors in this sub-category make it easy to watch videos anywhere that you have a blank screen or wall. Most portable projectors weigh less than three pounds and are small enough to fit in your hand. Plus, they can easily pair wirelessly with your computer or mobile device, so you can stream content from that equipment.
Samsung's The Freestyle allows you to place the projector on any flat surface and rotate it up to a ... [+] 180-degree position to project to a wall or ceiling.
Samsung
A portable projector lets you create a home theater-like setup almost anywhere. You can display your favorite photos, videos or business presentations in an extra-large format without toting tons of heavy equipment, not to mention binge movies or TV shows. We’ve researched tons of portable projectors and have chosen Samsung’s The Freestyle as our pick for Best Portable Projector Overall. Keep reading to find out why.
The drawback to portable projectors, also known as pico projectors, lies with their comparatively low resolution, which is not up to par with larger and less portable home theater projectors. “Pico projectors are shifting from mostly lower resolution 480p and 720p into higher resolution 1080p, but not 4K,” confirms Paul Gagnon, vice president and industry advisor at The NPD Group, which tracks consumer products trends. “Higher resolution displays—whether flat panel or a projector chip—need more light to overcome a reduction in efficiency, which raises the cost.”
We’ve compiled this collection of the best portable projectors available now, with a focus on models which weigh less than three pounds.
Resolution: 1080p | Lamp life: 20,000 hours | Brightness: 550 lumens | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | Inputs: Micro HDMI | Built-in speakers: 360-degree sound | Projection size: Up to 100 inches | Battery life: Optional external battery pack | Size: 3.7 x 5.3 x 3.7 inches | Weight: 1.6 pounds
Best for: Movie buffs who want something small, but sharp.
At 1.8 pounds, The Freestyle projector stands out with its unique and versatile cylindrical design. Pivot the cylinder up to 180 degrees and aim it at a wall, ceiling or screen to view streamed content from your device via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. Based on where you position the projector, The Freestyle automatically adjusts the screen size between 30 and 100 inches. It projects crisp and vivid images at 1080p resolution and 550 lumens brightness.
The Freestyle’s 360-degree speaker supports Dolby Digital Plus audio to provide impressive omnidirectional audio. Samsung’s Tizen OS provides streaming apps and supports Samsung Bixby and Amazon Alexa voice assistants. This portable unit runs on a USB Type-C power bank or an optional battery base ($190), which means you can take this projector almost anywhere—be it your bedroom or your campsite.
Pros:
Amazon Alexa and Samsung Bixby voice assistants
Lightweight and portable
360-degree omnidirectional sound
Cons:
Expensive
Best Portable Projector For Smartphones
Stream Content From Your Mobile Device
Kodak
Kodak Luma 350
Resolution: Up to 1080p | Lamp life: 20,000 hours | Brightness: 350 lumens | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | Inputs: HDMI, USB | Built-in speakers: Dual stereo | Projection size: Up to 200 inches | Battery life: Up to 2 hours | Size: 4.4 x 4.4 x 1.1 inches | Weight: 0.8 pounds
Best for: Throwing into a bag for a weekend trip.
Use the ultra-portable Kodak Luma 350 projector almost anywhere to display content directly from any mobile device or computer. And when you connect the Luma to Wi-Fi, you can stream content directly from popular streaming services via its integrated Android OS. With 350 lumens brightness, this model produces the brightest and clearest visuals in a dark environment. The internal rechargeable battery lasts up to two hours, but you can plug the projector into an external power source for extended viewing.
While not waterproof, this projector is ideal for use in the backyard or while camping since it has an internal battery and you can easily stream content from a smartphone. The projector’s built-in stereo speakers provide adequate but not very loud sound, making it best for use with a smaller group of people watching a large image projected onto a wall or screen.
Pros:
Extremely portable and lightweight
Easy setup
Built in Android OS (requires Wi-Fi)
Cons:
Low brightness
Short battery life
Some streaming services won’t work
Best Portable Projector For Business Presentations
Impress Your Clients With Great Visuals
Best Features
Amazon
AAXA P7
Resolution: 1080p | Lamp life: 30,000 hours | Brightness: 600 lumens | Connectivity: N/A | Inputs: USB, HDMI, mini-VGA, composite AV | Built-in speakers: One two-watt speaker | Projection size: Up to 120 inches | Battery life: Up to 90 minutes | Size: 4.7 x 4.4 x 2.7 inches | Weight: 1.4 pounds
Best for: Business presentations, home use or camping.
The versatile AAXA P7 stands out because of its 600 lumens brightness, which is impressive for a device this small. It’s brighter than most of its pint-sized competitors, allowing bright and clear 1080p images even if the viewing space is not pitch black. The projector uses Digital Light Processing (DLP) technology from Texas Instruments to produce images.
The rechargeable battery lasts up to 90 minutes—enough for a presentation, but not enough to get through a longer movie like The Lord of Rings. The projector does not support wireless streaming from a mobile device or computer, but offers several inputs, including USB, HDMI, mini-VGA and composite AV.
Pros:
Excellent brightness for its size
Portable and lightweight
Large picture size
Cons:
No wireless connectivity
Lacks smart TV functionality
Honorable Mention: Make Presentations Look Professional
Amazon
Anker Nebula Solar
Resolution: 1080p | Lamp life: 30,000 hours | Brightness: 400 lumens | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Chromecast | Inputs: HDMI, USB | Built-in speakers: Dual 3-watt stereo | Projection size: Up to 120 inches | Battery life: None | Size: 7.6 x 7.6 x 2.0 inches | Weight: 1.8 pounds
Best for: Streaming shows and movies in vivid detail.
Although not as bright or small as the AAXA P7 Mini HD, the Anker Nebula Solar supports wireless streaming from computers or mobile devices, and with Android TV it can directly stream from just about any video service. It projects 1080p video and supports HDR10—handy when watching TV shows or movies.
This compact unit has built-in stereo speakers with Dolby Digital Plus sound. For business presentations, the projector fits well in a briefcase or backpack, is easy to set up and projects bright and vivid visuals at up to 120 inches. One drawback: This model lacks a built-in battery, so you’ll need an external power source. If an integrated battery is important to you, step up to the wireless Anker Nebula Solar.
Pros:
Strong wireless connectivity
Stereo speakers
Integrated Android TV smart TV
Cons:
No built-in battery
Low brightness
Best Pocket-Sized Portable Projector
Watch Movies Virtually Anywhere
Amazon
ASUS ZenBeam E2
Resolution: WVGA (854 x 480 pixels) | Lamp life: 30,000 hours | Brightness: 300 lumens | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, USB | Inputs: HDMI | Built-in speakers: One 5-watt | Projection size: Up to 100 inches | Battery life: Up to 4 hours | Size: 4.3 x 1.6 x 4.2 inches | Weight: 0.9 pounds
Best for: Quick business presentations on-the-go.
The Asus ZenBeam E2 portable projector has two notable advantages: up to four hours of battery life, and a large image projection area (up to 100 inches onto a wall or screen). Its resolution is low by today’s standards, so while you can watch an entire movie or binge watch TV shows using battery power, you won’t see it at high-definition resolution.
This model has a few other drawbacks: It has just one speaker, and at 300 lumens brightness, you get the best results when viewing in a dark environment without ambient light. This pocket-sized projector’s other strengths include its portability and easy setup. Plus, when mirroring content from a mobile device or computer, you can automatically adjust the picture by rotating vertically or horizontally.
Pros:
Low price
Lightweight and portable
Good battery life
Cons:
Very low resolution
Brightness could be better
No smart TV capabilities
Best Budget Portable Projector
Big Screen TV Without A Big Price
Best Buy
ViewSonic M1 Mini+
Resolution: WVGA (854 x 480 pixels) | Lamp life: 30,000 hours | Brightness: 120 lumens | Connectivity: Wi-Fi | Inputs: HDMI, USB | Built-in speakers: Dual stereo | Projection size: Up to 80 inches | Battery life: Up to 2.5 hours | Size: 4.1 x 4.3 x 1.1 inches | Weight: 0.6 pounds
Best for:Casual viewers needing a quick fix.
The ViewSonic M1 Mini+ LED projector is a low cost, ultra-portable unit you can take anywhere. It weighs just 0.6 pounds, and it can wirelessly stream content and project it as a large image. It has two built-in JBL speakers for stereo sound. Although small and affordable, this projector lacks in resolution and brightness. You only get WVGA-quality output, meaning no high-definition video playback. And at just 120 lumens, the lamp brightness is best suited for very dark environments. Another consideration: The rechargeable battery only lasts about two-and-a-half hours in Eco mode or 90 minutes in regular mode, which limits its utility. You can, however, plug the projector into an external power source, such as a power bank, for extended viewing sessions.
Even with its limitations, the ViewSonic M1 is one of the most portable options around. It can project an image up to 40 inches when positioned 3.6 feet away from a wall or screen. When the projector and wall are about seven feet apart, projection size increases to 80 inches.
Pros:
Lightweight and portable
Very inexpensive
Easy and quick setup
Cons:
Low video resolution
Short battery life
Low lamp brightness
Best Portable Projector For Watching Movies Anywhere
It’s The Size Of A Lunchbox
Amazon
WeMax Dice
Resolution: 1080p | Lamp life: 30,000 hours | Brightness: 700 lumens | Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | Inputs: USB, HDMI | Built-in speakers: Dual stereo | Projection size: Up to 120 inches | Battery life: Up to 3 hours | Size: 6.1 x 4.92 x 6.3 inches | Weight: 4 pounds
Best for: Streaming movies and TV shows without connecting other devices.
The WeMax Dice is a cube-shaped portable projector which integrates Android TV 9.0 for easy video streaming. When it’s connected to Wi-Fi, this projector can stream content directly from Google Play or run apps for any of your favorite video streaming services. The dual 10-watt stereo speakers support both Dolby Audio and DTS-HD, but the audio output is relatively weak.
When used indoors or outdoors, you can adjust the projection size between 40 and 120 inches. It has four-point keystone correction, so you can make sure the image’s shape looks correct. The WeMax Dice also easily connects to almost any device you can imagine with Bluetooth 4.1, USB 2.0 or HDMI connections. However, iPhone and iPad users must download a specific app and use that to access the projector wirelessly. The Dice even has a handle on top for easy transport, though at four pounds, this model is a noticeably heavy addition to your bag.
Pros:
Bright enough for use in ambient light
Built-in battery lasts up to 3 hours
Streams from apps via integrated Android TV 9.0
Cons:
iOS devices require an extra app
Weak output from built-in speakers
Honorable Mention: No Bigger Than A Soda Can
Amazon
Anker Nebula Capsule Max
Resolution: 720p | Lamp life: 20,000 hours | Brightness: 200 lumens | Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | Inputs: USB, HDMI | Built-in speakers: 360-degree sound | Projection size: Up to 100 inches | Battery life: Up to 4 hours | Size: 3.2 x 3.2 x 5.9 inches | Weight: 1.6 pounds
Best for: Watching video content virtually anywhere.
The Anker Nebula Capsule Max projector is about the size of a soda can, making it small and light enough to carry anywhere without weighing you down. However, with its smaller size comes some sacrifices. The Nebula only supports 720p resolution and its maximum brightness is only 200 lumens. This low brightness level means it is best used in a dark room with no ambient light, however, a nice byproduct is that its built-in battery lasts up to four hours—enough for bingeing multiple episodes or movies.
The Nebula Capsule Max is simple to set up and connects to almost any device with multiple wired and wireless connectivity options. If you want to stream copyrighted content from streaming services like Netflix, you need to use the Nebula Connect app. This model projects images up to 100 inches, and it generates 360-degree audio from its 8-watt speaker.
Pros:
Extremely portable
360-degree audio
Good battery life
Cons:
Low resolution
Inadequate brightness for use in ambient light
What To Look When Buying A Portable Projector
Unlike the larger and more powerful projectors meant for home use, these ultra-small portable projectors typically have scaled-down features, a sacrifice made to achieve their small size. For example, none of the portable projectors on the market today offer as high of a resolution or brightness as the best home theater projectors.
The size and weight of a portable projector will determine how easy it is to transport around.
WeMax
These devices are great for bedrooms, backyard movie nights, camping or watching video anywhere on a wall or screen that’s up to 120 inches when you don’t need 4K resolution. Oh, and many are battery powered too, so you can set up one of these projectors virtually anywhere. As you’re shopping for a portable projector, here are some of the important things to consider.
Resolution
If you were buying a full-size home theater projector, we’d advise choosing one that offers nothing less than 4K resolution. However, even the most high-end portable projectors only offer 1080p resolution, and some are even lower. Based on what you’ll be using the projector for and where you’ll be using it, choose one with the highest resolution possible.
Keep in mind, the basic broadcast TV networks (ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX) still broadcast in 1080p, while the streaming video services (including Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+) have 4K content. Sure, you can still watch this content on a portable projector, but the picture will not be as detailed and sharp. Not all projectors can handle the input of a 4K image.
Lamp Life
Broadly put, this category refers to the average life of the light source inside the projector. Historically, projectors had a user-replaceable lamp bulb inside. Nowadays, this can refer to a bulb, LED or laser engine light source. Lamp life for a portable projector is between 10,000 and 30,000 hours, depending upon the light source used. Choose one with the longest lamp life possible.
Brightness
Lumens is a measure of brightness. The more lumens, the brighter the picture projected on the wall or screen. If you plan to use a projector in a room with ambient light, for example, you want to find one with a higher lumens rating. Laser light engines are typically the brightest. When a projector can output over 2,500 lumens, you can easily see a clear picture, even in ambient light. Conversely, if a portable projector has a low lumens rating (such as 300 lumens), you are best off using the projector in a very dark space.
On the whole, portable projectors don’t offer a high brightness output. In fact, our picks here top out at under 1,000 lumens. These small projectors are best used outdoors at night or indoors with the lights turned off and the shades pulled down. Some can handle use in ambient light.
Inputs And Connectivity
A projector typically has USB and HDMI inputs. These wired inputs determine what devices you can plug into the projector, such as a smartphone, tablet, computer or video game console.
If a projector supports Bluetooth, you can wirelessly pair a computer or mobile device to stream content. (Some models require iOS users to go through their mobile app.) Sometimes, when the projector supports Wi-Fi, it also has its own smart TV operating system, so it can stream content directly from popular streaming services.
Projection Size
This refers to the diagonal size of the picture a portable projector can output. Most portable projectors can output a picture between 40 and 120 inches. Larger is only better if your space can accommodate the bigger picture. The projection size usually correlates to how far the projector sits from the projection surface; if you want a bigger image, the projector needs to sit further from the screen or wall.
The Nebula Anker Solar can display a picture size between 40 and 120 inches, depending on its ... [+] distance from the wall or screen.
Anker
Battery Life
Most (but not all) portable projectors have a built-in rechargeable battery which can last between 90 minutes and four hours. Note that manufacturers usually base those estimates on usage when the lamp is not at full brightness, so temper your expectations accordingly.
Many portable protectors have a battery which can last the average movie length before requiring a charge. Some models can also accept charging from a power bank, so you can use a portable battery with the projector.
Projector Size And Weight
As the product name suggests, the ViewSonic M1 Mini Plus Pico Projector actually fits in a pocket.
ViewSonic
The size and weight of a portable projector matters most if you’re planning to take it with you. All the portable projectors we’ve showcased here are easy to transport and weigh less than five pounds.
