For both family vacations and business trips, a capable, compact and light, portable projector is an excellent travel companion. The concept of having a projector that is small enough to be carried in a bag is relatively new.
As the size of projectors became smaller portable models came into their own. It is possible to project a video or data anywhere you go. Portable projectors encompass a wide range of features, brightness, and size.
This information is meant to suggest quality products and aid in sorting out the differences. Some of the projectors are referred to as pocket or pico projectors. They are slightly bigger than a smartphone.
They can accommodate photos and videos for on-the-go entertainment. Also, they can be used to display charts and slides for classroom or business presentations. Think of them as multimedia display systems.
Types of portable projectors
Palm Projectors
Palm projectors are brighter and larger than pico projectors. The name is a bit misleading because they do not comfortably fit in the palm of the hand. They are, however, light enough to pack in a backpack or bag.
The palm models run files from an SD card or USB thumb drive. There is no need to carry a laptop. Some have one or more gigabytes of internal memory to store media files. Many project content from a tablet or Smartphone via HML (Mobile High Definition Link)-enabled HDMI port or wirelessly. Several have built-in rechargeable batteries.
Larger Portable Models
There are also portable projectors a bit larger than the palm models that are considerably brighter. They have a relatively high resolution. The larger frames include more connection ports.
There are a few that have internal rechargeable batteries. Most run only off of AC powers. These LED-based mini projectors are approximately an inch thick. They weigh about 4 lbs.
Standard Projectors
Some standard projectors are also light and small enough to be portable. They come in soft carrying cases or can be slipped into a backpack or travel bag that allows taking them on cross-country trips or moving them between classroom. The standard models that are considered portable weigh no more than 2 lbs. They vary in performance, features, brightness, and size.
The best 4 portable projectors
POYANK 200 Lumens Mini Projector
The best mini portable projector is the POYANK 2000 Lumens Mini Projector. The 2000 lumen brightness of this mini projector works well both indoors and outside.
It is not recommended for business and Powerpoint presentations, but video games such as XBOX, Wii, PS3 and PS4 work great with the POYANK portable projector.
It also works well with Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Amplifier, TV box, Blu-ray DVD players, laptops, and PCs. A wireless dongle connects the device to Android Smartphones.
The native resolution is 800 X 400. It can be strengthened to 1920 x 1080. The projection image is 32 to 170 inches from distances ranging from 1.2 to five meters. The aspect ratios of 16:9 and 4:3 support 480P, 720P, and 1080P. The lamp life is 50,000 hours.
YYCB Mini HD Home Theater Projector
The YYCB Home Projector is the best mini home theater projector based on multiple factors including:
- Opinion
- Popularity
- Quality
- Relative Price
- Brand
- Reputation
Based on thousands of discussions, the popularity rating is 9.9, the opinion rating is also 9.9. Articles and expert reviews earned a quality rating of 9.9. Relative price and brand reputation also rated the projector as 9.9.
Every customer who rated the YYCB Home Theater Projector on Amazon gave it a five out of five-star rating. Display size offered is 34 to 130 inches. The projector delivers clear and sharp images. Its advanced LED Light Technology is 50 percent brighter than ordinary LEDs.
WONNIE Projector
WONNIE upgraded their mini projector from 1800 to 2200 lumens. The updated version is 70 percent brighter than the 1800 LED mini projector.
It is ideal for home entertainment. The images are crisp and sharp. Its supported resolution is 1920 x 1080.
The aspect ratios are 16:9 and 4:3. The lamp lifetime is 50,000 hours. An excellent ultra-big screen ranges from 32 to 170 inches from distances 1.08 to 5.2 meters.
The WONNIE projector is fantastic for video games, movies, and home theater. It is not recommended for Powerpoint presentations. The projector is compatible with media plays such as TXT, video, pictures, and music; Android smartphone, iPhone, and iPad. The dongle for HDMI is not included.
It is also compatible with:
- USB Flash Drive
- SD Card
- Blu-ray DVD Players
- Tablets
- Laptops
- PCs
- ChromeBook
- Amazon Fire TV Stick
- TV Box
LG Minibeam LED Projector
The portable, lightweight LG Minibeam LED Projector projects television shows thanks to a built-in TV tuner. There is a wealth of connection options.
Tony Hoffmann, the author of a review on the PCMag website, says the video quality rates among the best he has seen. It is a clear Editor’s Choice for a portable palm projector.
The projector is a Digital Light Processing (DLP-based) model that has an LED light source expected to last 30,000 hours. The native resolution is 720P at a 16:9 aspect ratio. Typical of palm projectors, the brightness is rated at 550 lumens. This is one of the projectors with a built-in battery that works up to 2.5 hours.