These are our top picks for the best portable projectors, which enable you to project videos, slideshows, and games directly from your computer, phone, or tablet.
In order to identify the top tiny projectors out there, our knowledgeable staff has examined the top 4K and business projectors as well as screen resolutions, supported screen sizes, and other factors.
The Samsung Freestyle 2nd Generation is the best little projector that we have tested. This Full HD device is incredibly small and portable. We’ve also added a ton of excellent portable projector recommendations that bring the movie theater experience into your house, perfect for gaming, presenting, and watching movies. These have been updated with new reviews.
We’ve examined resolutions, refresh rates, optical technology, and design as part of our assessment process to identify the mini portable projectors for the home, office, and on-the-go.
1.JMGO N1 Ultra
A formidable competitor among the top projectors is the JMGO N1 Ultra. The most remarkable surprise offered by this very short throw is its triple-laser light source. It delivers an astounding color gamut in addition to remarkable brightness thanks to the utilization of independent red, green, and blue lasers. The projector is mounted on an easily movable pedestal, allowing it to cast a magnificent 4K picture anywhere you want it.
The JMGO N1 Ultra boasts surprisingly powerful speakers for its size, which will work fairly well in a tiny space. The greatest soundbars can be connected to the eARC port for true audiophiles, but doing so will only free up one HDMI port for additional external sources.
At 2143 lumens per ANSI,the N1 is a pretty remarkable projector even in daytime. While you will still need to get some shades to blot out the sun, you do at least have exceptional color coverage at 96% of the DCI-P3 and 100% on the sRGB range.
Although JMGO is a relatively new player in the projector industry, it has already made an impression by providing robust hardware at affordable costs. Despite appearing poised to launch regardless, the JMGO N1 Ultra is the product of a successful crowd-funding campaign.
At the top of the product line is this model. With features that outshine those of the other pedestal projectors that Samsung and LG have just released, this intriguing pedestal-style projector offers a great deal of setup freedom.
Although many of the projectors it competes with are less expensive, the N1 Ultra stands out thanks to its increased brightness, color, and 4K resolution. Even while the excellent picture may make you want for a speedier operating system and a little bit more sound, it’s an excellent option nonetheless.
Pros
Strong brightness and color
Wonderfully flexible in setup
Cons
Few ports
2.BenQ HT2060
When it comes to the best projectors, BenQ provides what gamers need: speed. Furthermore, the BenQ HT2060 is as capable in other areas. The BenQ HT2060’s primary drawback is that it only supports 1080p video, however this is offset by the fact that it can operate at 120Hz, which allows for even faster, more fluid gameplay and nearly undetectable input latency. Its brightness is sufficient for use in a room with moderate lighting, but its remarkable contrast ratio of 3253:1 makes it even more stunning in darker settings. It furthermore boasts a broad color spectrum, which greatly contributes to the realism of your preferred gaming environments.
However, because the projector is somewhat huge, you’ll need to locate a spot where you can set it permanently.Thankfully, there’s a lot of flexibility in that department, as it uses a hardware zoom, focus, and vertical lens shift for simple adjustments. You’ll need your own video source for streaming and gaming, but you can get by on the decent built-in speakers if you don’t want to deal with too many cables coming from the projector.
BenQ is a significant competitor in the projector market, and while its models aren’t always the most interesting, especially in terms of hardware aesthetics, it can nevertheless provide an appealing package. Indeed, that is the BenQ HT2060.
Although it’s not nearly as costly as some home theater projectors, it still has good performance. You may place it wherever is most comfortable and still have your projection aligned squarely with the wall or projector screen thanks to the ample mechanical adjustment. The image it couples with that projection is actually rather pleasant for the price, even if it’s not 4K, and it has respectable sound to match.
Although it’s not nearly as good as some of its rivals, such as the Xgimi Horizon Pro, as a home theater in a box, it could still be a good display choice for anybody on a tight budget who wants a large screen for gaming and entertaining. Our BenQ HT2060 review will show you that it’s among the best projectors available for the money.
Pros
Strong contrast
Respectable audio
Cons
Brightest setting is hideous
3.Xgimi Horizon
Because of its low price, the Xgimi Horizon Pro is the one to choose if owning the best in every category isn’t essential to you and you’d rather acquire something that’s excellent enough in exchange for saving some money. Originally but now down to to make room for the Horizon Ultra, the Horizon Pro isn’t the brightest, the most colorful, or the loudest projector on the street. But it’s not dragging at the rear of the pack among best projectors, either.
The Xgimi Horizon Pro is a visually stunning device. With 1296 lumens of brightness, it’s fairly bright, but for anything other than light cartoons, you should close the curtains and turn down the lights. Additionally, it has a respectable color performance, hitting just 90% of the DCI-P3 and 100% of the sRGB range.
Its 4K picture provides sharp detail that’s not so easy to find at the price. And when you want to game, it provides surprisingly low input lag of 26ms — but you’ll definitely find something better among the best gaming TVs.
With a built-in Android TV platform, the projector is effectively an all-in-one solution for home entertainment, and its portable size means you can bring it just about anywhere you like to enjoy TV and movies on the big screen — and it can’t get much bigger than a potential 200-inch.
While Xgimi may not have the same influence as companies like Epson or Optoma, it has made a name for itself by providing straightforward, all-in-one projectors that lessen the hassle of setting up and taking pleasure in a little home theater. An example of that? The Horizon Pro by Xgimi.
The ultra-short-throw Xgimi Aura and the Xgimi Horizon Pro served as the projector manufacturer’s flagship models for a while, but the Xgimi Horizon Pro was recently surpassed by the Horizon Ultra.
At this pricing, the Xgimi Horizon Pro stands out as a terrific deal for projector purchasers. Even while it’s not perfect, its small speakers, passable appearance, and competent smart TV operating system make it a capable package without needing any other hardware.
Pros
Bright and colorful for the price
All-in-one package
Cons
Contrast is a little lacking
4.Dangbei Mars Pro 4K
The Dangbei Mars Pro 4K can be a touch more pricey than we’d like, but it often has discounts that bring to a much more tolerable level. You get a good 4K far-throw projector with a laser light source for the price. Since it uses a laser phosphor system, it can achieve a brightness of 1812 lumens, but it lacks the color saturation of some of the greatest projectors available that use tri-color laser systems. Nevertheless, it’s a passably appealing image, and you can enlarge it significantly for home theater use thanks to its great brightness and contrast.
Although the Dangbei Mars lacks some of its competitors’ built-in Android TV, it does come with a quick streaming stick and functions well without other external sources. Crucially, the built-in operating systems runs quickly and smoothly, making it easy to power up, select the source you want, and get watching. Where many projectors run a slow operating system that can make it tedious to start watching, Dangbei avoids this, providing a little extra convenience.
Xgimi has successfully advanced the trend toward more affordable, sleeker box projectors that combine all the features you require into a single unit, such as the Horizon Pro. However, Dangbei is making a competitive entry into the market with the Mars Pro 4K.
The Dangbei Mars Pro 4K is a capable laser projector that offers excellent value in terms of features, audio, picture quality, and cost. For a little over, it’s probably one of the best, more comprehensive bundles available without requiring you to spend a lot of money on a soundbar or streaming stick, and it performs better than others at a comparable price. It doesn’t perform any better than the best projectors available.
The Dangbei Mars Pro 4K is in line with the current trend of compact, boxy projectors that look more like furniture than the ubiquitous projectors that resemble office supplies. With softened edges, it’s nearly an ideal cube. A perforated grille wraps around the back and sides, giving airflow and a route for sound from the two 10-watt speakers to get out.
Pros
Respectable picture
Ample, full sound
Cons
Some issues with dark scenes
5.Epson Home Cinema 3800
The Home Cinema 3800 projector is a clear example of Epson’s extensive experience in the projector industry. Despite not having the newest, most luxurious features, this model of the best projectors is still very functional.
The Epson Home Cinema 3800 projector is among the brightest models we’ve tested, with a lumen output of 2375. Unlike the Optoma GT2100HDR, it looks good at that brightness. Its high contrast ratio of 2055:1 combined with high brightness maintains excellent on-screen graphics. Because of its somewhat narrow DCI-P3 gamut range of only 76%, it lacks color a little bit, but it still doesn’t look bad. Additionally, the potentially disturbing rainbow effect with Epson’s 3LCD projection system to some people is largely mitigated.
You should connect Epson’s projector with one of the top streaming devices because it lacks a strong speaker system and a primary operating system compared to other options in the market. Thankfully, it comes with a ton of tools to assist you in fine-tuning your configuration. Epson’s projector can perform optical changes to relocate and resize the projection without causing any unwanted artifacts, unlike many other projectors that will digitally manipulate an image to match your specific configuration, often resulting in the loss of pixels. As a result, positioning the projector where it is convenient and maintaining the alignment of the projected image with your screen or wall is made easier.
It doesn’t take long to discover that Epson is one of the leading companies in the projector business. Its extensive feature set caters to a wide range of applications, from casual entertainment and the workplace to the most sophisticated home theater systems available. Before a home theater user considers installing stadium seating, the Epson Home Cinema 3800 is a moderate model that leans toward the upper end of what they might want.
Although the projector is a somewhat ugly piece of plastic, its practical design opens the door to several really powerful hardware features. With so much flexibility in placement, you may place this projector wherever that’s both practical and still getting your picture perfectly projected where you want it.
With a high brightness, it’s a system you can use day and night. However, the lack of a smart TV platform, unenjoyable speakers, and a lack of optical or eARC outputs mean you’ll be looking at pairing it with a few extra home theater items. And the more finagling you have to do to round out the setup, the more it feels like the limited color gamut and shorter bulb lifespan compared to LED and laser projectors are trade-offs not worth making.
Pros
Fantastically bright and high contrast
Hardware projection adjustments
Cons
Color is a little weak for the price
What to look for when buying a projector
Rightness: Brightness, which is commonly expressed in lumens (though there are a few various ways firms measure lumens, and the advertised brightness is not simple to trust), is one of the major criteria in determining if you’re going to be able to enjoy your projector. You can get away with a projector that just has a few hundred lumens of brightness in a very dark room, but anything less than 1,000 lumens is pretty much worthless if you want to see during the day or don’t want to turn out all the lights. 1,000–2,000 lumens should be sufficient for watching at home, provided you have good shades and can turn down the lights.
Color gamut: This basically refers to the depth of color will appear from the projector. It won’t matter how bright your projector is if all of the colors look faded as a result. For the home theater, you should expect good colors, which ideally means at least 90% coverage of the sRGB color space and all the better if you’re getting over 90% of the DCI-P3 color space.
Contrast: Brightness and contrast go hand in hand. A high brightness combined with a low contrast will result in washed out dark hues and shadow details, which can ultimately tarnish your desired cinematic image.
Native Resolution: Since projectors provide a large image, resolution can play a significant role. You’re extending a lot of information out across your screen, so if there’s too little detail, it’s going to be that much more obvious. The differences between 1080p and 4K can be little difficult to detect in action, but the benefits of 4K will become more noticeable if you’re watching a lot of static video. At the very least, strive for 720p, and ideally 4K, for a good home theater. There are plenty of 4K options out there, though 1080p or WUXGA are decent enough if you sit far back. It’s also important to look for “native” resolution on projectors, as many will prominently advertise a “supported” resolution. Long story short, “supported resolution” is just the signal the projector is capable of receiving, and “native resolution” is what it’s capable of displaying (e.g., a projector could receive a 4K signal but turn that into a 720p image if it has a native 720p resolution.