For short-distance presentations and video screenings, the best portable projectors are ideal. These are the projectors with short throws that we suggest.
When searching for a portable projector for on-the-go projection, our team of knowledgeable reviewers has evaluated the best 4K and business projectors, so we know what to look for. The Samsung The Freestyle 2nd Gen is, in our opinion, the greatest portable projector available at this time. It is incredibly small, has a great design, and even has a built-in gaming center.
Whether you’re using it in your house, office, or outdoors, we’ve compiled our list of the best portable projectors by comparing build quality, image resolution, picture quality, and projection distances.
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Last update on 2024-09-13 / Affiliate links/images from Amazon.
Top 5 Best Compact Projectors in 2024
1.Samsung The Freestyle 2nd Gen
- POINT & PLAY: Pick a spot, place it, tilt it and watch content come to life with the smart theater that makes it simple; The cradle stand gives you floor-to-ceiling flexibility with a rotation of 180 degrees – always giving you the best view*
- EASY SET UP: Let The Freestyle 2nd Gen with Gaming Hub do the work with its Auto Leveling, Auto Focus and Auto Keystone technology that adjusts your picture for the best view possible; No fussing with settings—just sit back and enjoy the show**
- SMART ENTERTAINMENT: Access everything; All your apps, workouts, recipes and shows in one portable smart theater*; It’s got your content covered with the streaming services you love***
Last update on 2024-09-13 / Affiliate links/images from Amazon.
We previously considered the original Samsung Freestyle tiny projector to be the best option, as we were already huge admirers of it. Up until we tested out the second-generation model, it had remained that way.
The Freestyle 2nd Generation from Samsung isn’t a major upgrade over its predecessor, but it does come with a Gaming Hub that allows you to attach a wireless controller and use cloud-based gaming apps like Xbox and Nvidia GeForce Now. A major factor in the attractiveness of The Freestyle is how simple it is to assemble, and its understated, portable form makes it perfect for carrying in a backpack.
When used, the picture quality is good, supporting HLG, HDR10, and HDR10+, with deep blacks and realistic colors. The projector also has ‘360 Degree’ sound, according to Samsung. Additionally in our tests, we were surprised to find it really did offer spacious audio, although the bass was admittedly limited.
But we did observe a few shortcomings. This wasn’t the brightest portable projector we’ve ever tested for brightness, and it has poor contrast for outdoor daytime use. Additionally, we wish there had been more than one micro-HDMI connection (or at the very least, an HDMi converter included in the package). Although it might not be a low-cost model either, all things considered, this is a great, user-friendly little projector that places a strong emphasis on portability.
The original Freestyle model is a great substitute if you are unable to obtain the second-generation model.The original Freestyle projector from Samsung caused quite a stir thanks to its small, cylindrical design and better streaming performance than competing portable projectors. It was notable for having the same Tizen smart TV interface as the company’s TVs, which allowed users to effortlessly stream content from a variety of apps and manage the device with voice commands using Amazon Alexa or Samsung’s Bixby voice assistants. In addition, the original Freestyle had the ability to beam images up to 100 inches and had auto focus and keystone adjustments for fast picture alignment on any surface. After testing it, we were so impressed that it quickly shot to the top of our list of the finest portable projectors.
Samsung’s Gaming Hub, a portion of the smart interface that houses a variety of cloud-based gaming services including Xbox, Nvidia GeForce Now, Utomik, and more, is a major addition for the Freestyle 2nd Gen, while it still stays fairly close to the original. With this new capability, you may play high-end games without connecting a real console, which is made more difficult by the Freestyle 2nd Gen’s single micro-HDMI connection. You can couple the projector with wireless gaming controllers.
A variety of add-ons are available from Samsung to go along with their portable device, such as an adaptor that allows you to connect it into a regular ceiling light socket and a rechargeable battery base that provides about three hours of playback time. Although most users won’t have to have images beamed down from the ceiling onto a table or floor, having that capability is just one of the things that makes the Freestyle 2nd Gen a more flexible and fun option than typical projectors.
Pros
- Great smart TV interface
- Highly compact design
Cons
- Limited brightness
2.Anker Nebula Solar Portable
- Cinematic Visuals -Experience up to 120 inches of awesome 1080p entertainment. With HDR10 and 400 ANSI lumens also included, everything you watch and play is packed full of rich detail and color.
- Unforgettable Audio – Hear every whisper, explosion, and song in incredible clarity with Dolby Digital Plus and the dual 3W speakers. The sound is so powerful and clear that you can even use Solar as a portable Bluetooth speaker.
- No Wires, No Limits -With Solar Portable 1080p projector’s built-in rechargeable battery, you can recreate the sights and sounds of the cinema anywhere you want. Get up to 3 hours of power on a single charge—more than enough to mini-binge your favorite TV series.
Last update on 2024-09-13 / Affiliate links/images from Amazon.
We had fun trying the Anker Nebula Solar Portable, a sleek and small projector that performs well in practically any situation at a reasonable cost.
It has a stylish appearance and will look fantastic stored on a living room shelf in between uses. However, at just 2.38kg and dimensions 19.2 x 19.22 x 5.45cm, it’s lightweight enough to fit into a tote bag, backpack, or drawer for portability.
We discovered that the battery lasts roughly three hours, which is respectable for a tiny, portable projector and ought to be plenty for watching a movie when you’re not near a plug outlet. Nonetheless, you ought also be able to connect a portable power bank to its USB-C power connector as well.
We were dissatisfied with the projector’s brightness during testing, even though the picture quality is respectable considering the cost and form factor. Even in optimal viewing settings, the Nebula Solar Portable’s 400 lumen brightness will make it tough for it to stay visible in bright environments, and dark scenes will be challenging to see.
It’s a good option if you’re searching for a respectable projector. However, you’ll need to change to one of Anker’s more expensive versions, such as the Anker Nebula Cosmos Laser 4K below, if you want a bright and striking display.
Anker’s Nebula Solar Portable is a fashionable and small mini-projector that performs well in nearly all situations. Its modern style will look fantastic on a shelf in your living room when not in use, and it’s compact enough to slip into a drawer or even a backpack or tote bag for travel. It’s also perfect for use as an outdoor projector.
The battery life of this portable model is approximately three hours, so it should be plenty for watching a movie when you’re not near a plug outlet. Its USB-C power socket, however, should allow you to connect a portable power bank for a variety of functions.
The Solar Portable’s feature set is greatly enhanced by the Bluetooth speaker capability, which essentially combines two devices into one. While writing this review, we thoroughly enjoyed spending several hours listening to music on the Solar Portable at our desk. Although the sound quality is not as strong as that of some specialized home theater projectors (especially at lower frequencies), distortion is generally negligible at all but the highest volumes. Those volumes can only go so high with a pair of 3W speakers, but at least you can hear most of what you need to.
The projector’s brightness is a letdown, even though the picture quality is respectable given the cost and form factor. Even under optimal viewing settings, the Nebula Solar Portable’s 400 lumen brightness will make it tough for it to stay visible in bright environments, and dark scenes will be difficult to distinguish.
Pros
- Doubles as a Bluetooth speaker
- Stunning design
Cons
- A bit dim
3.Anker Nebula Cosmos Laser 4K
- Laser-Powered Detail: Make your movies shine with the intensity, which is so bright you can even watch with the lights on, then watch every pixel pop in 4K UHD quality—perfect for home entertainment and office or business use.
- Setup is a Snap: Start the movie in seconds with Intelligent Environment Adaptation (IEA) Technology. Analyze your room to avoid furniture or decorations, then watch your screen automatically fit to your space without any disruptions to the action on screen.
- Carry Around the Home: The ergonomically designed handle allows you to conveniently move Cosmos Laser 4K to the bedroom or the backyard, wherever you want to watch movies.
Last update on 2024-09-13 / Affiliate links/images from Amazon.
This small projector is not your typical one, the Anker Nebula Cosmos Laser 4K. During our testing, we found that its peak brightness of 2,400 Lumens was adequate for a semi-controlled atmosphere. Additionally, its laser lamp produces an excellent image quality.
It looks fantastic and is more than capable of serving as your daily go-to projector in your living room. When we were reviewing it, though, we had no issue packing it up and moving it from room to room because of its form factor, which measures 26.4 x 22 x 15.5 cm and weighs 4.8 kg.
But, the lack of an on-board battery poses a significant challenge to the Cosmos Laser 4K’s portability. We stated in the review: “Without battery power, the Anker Nebula Cosmos Laser 4K isn’t exactly portable. It’s easy to bring from place to place, but you’ll still need AC power to use it.” Bear that in mind if you’re looking for a projector to take outdoors or far from home. Check out the Anker Nebula Solar Portable above if you’re looking for on-board battery instead.
It can even power the whole entertainment system for each place you move it into, thanks to built-in speakers and an integrated streaming stick that tucks away behind a cover. For a smartphone costing , that’s not a bad offer.
Though there are many rival projectors available, few can perform as effectively and as effortlessly as the Anker Nebula Cosmos Laser 4K if you want a projector that you can use inside your house instead of outside.
This small projector is not your typical one, the Anker Nebula Cosmos Laser 4K. Its laser lamp and high brightness are combined to provide a high-quality image in a portable form factor that you can move from room to room. It can even power the whole entertainment system for each place you move it into, thanks to built-in speakers and an integrated streaming stick that tucks away behind a cover. As an offer for a $2,199 device, that’s not too awful.
2,400 lumens is more than enough for many situations, including a dimly lit living room, a dark patio, and even a well-lit room—as long as you’re watching bright media like comedies and cartoons. Under control l of your ambient lighting, you can enjoy an excellent picture out of the Anker Nebula Cosmos Laser 4K that does an impressive job of balancing brightness with contrast while providing that poppy HDR color we’ve been getting used to.
While several projectors with brighter 4K images are available at comparable prices, it’s difficult to find any with the same level of flexibility as the Anker Nebula Cosmos Laser 4K. While some may be less expensive, they frequently substitute a conventional projection lamp for the far more durable laser light source that Anker has employed in this instance. The Optoma CinemaX P2, which we recently saw costing $2,299 and offering an even brighter, laser-based picture, is a strong rival to Anker. It is an ultra-short-throw device that is less portable and setup-flexible but would make a better dedicated home theater display.
There are a few peculiarities with the Anker Nebula Cosmos Laser 4K. Action movie fans will find this to be an unsatisfactory alternative because action scenes are badly handled when there is camera movement. Gamers also experience latency. While it’s not awful enough to rule out casual gaming, it’s too slow for serious or competitive gaming. Additionally, we notice some odd HDR behavior, but it’s quite sporadic and could be fixed with a hardware upgrade.
Although the Anker Nebula Cosmos Laser 4K is not the only projector available, there aren’t many that can perform as effectively and as conveniently in as many various locations across your house as this one.
Pros
- Easy setup
- Big and bright
Cons
- Handles action poorly
4.Optoma ML750e HD-ready portable projector
- Compact size: weighing under one pound, This Palm sized mini projector is perfect for the road warrior; it fits easily in a briefcase or backpack to go anywhere
- Incredible picture quality: experience razor sharp images and videos with incredible colors and brightness with WXGA (1280 x 800) resolution & 20, 000: 1 contrast ratio
- LED light source: enjoy up to 20, 000 hours of life with its brilliant LED lamp, An average of 5 hours a day for 10plus years; LED lamps last 7 times longer than traditional lamps which require more Replacement
Last update on 2024-09-13 / Affiliate links/images from Amazon.
The Optoma ML750e is a powerful and adaptable projector, yet while testing, it literally fit in the palm of our hands due to its tiny size and weight of only 0.4 kg and 10.4 x 10.5 x 3.9. Because of this, it is quite portable and deserving of a spot in our list of the best portable projectors.
The ML750e is a 700 Lumen lamp that provides enough brightness to allow you to present in partially gloomy surroundings. If you also wish to use it outside in the evening, this is fantastic news.
Aside from its size and image, the Optoma ML750e’s remarkable range of ports make it one of the greatest portable projectors available. It includes one HDMI input that is ready for MHL, a USB 2.0 slot for thumbdrives, a universal I/O slot, and a microSD card slot.
The ML550 performed admirably on our 90-inch test screen throughout testing, peaking at a size of about 60 inches. It’s important to note that a dongle is required in order to use Wi-Fi. That is the only noteworthy disadvantage we could find.
Pros
- Versatile projector
- Good brightness
Cons
- No Wi-Fi
5.Asus ZenBeam E1 Portable LED Projector
- Pico projection at only W4.3 x H1.1 x D3.3 inches and 0.68 pounds that automatically converts 1080p/4K input to WVGA
- Up to 5 hours of playtime with a built in 22WH rechargeable battery that doubles as a 6000Mah power bank
- Instant set up and optimized display with Auto Keystone Correction and DLP IntelliBright technology
Last update on 2024-09-13 / Affiliate links/images from Amazon.
An award-winning projector with exquisite design is the Asus ZenBeam E1. We adore that it weighs a just 307g and is compact enough to fit in your pocket, measuring just 8.3 x 2.9 x 11 cm.
Whether you want to view movies on your travels or need a convenient way to share presentations during meetings or business trips, its minuscule size makes it the perfect companion.
The fact that it can project images up to 120 inches in size with a respectable 150 lumen Eco-LED light source—despite its modest size—is what matters in this case.
It is particularly versatile because it contains an integrated 6,000mAh battery that can run the projector for up to five hours.as you don’t have to worry about finding a plug socket to power the device to get you through a movie — or even two.
The projector’s ability to function as a power bank for additional mobile devices is a really good feature.
Although the Samsung The Freestyle is a more powerful portable projector than the Asus ZenBeam E1, it is still a great option for travel because to its eye-catching appearance, easy setup, and versatility.
Pros
- Very small and portable
- 5-hour battery
Cons
- Low resolution
Best portable projectors: FAQs
Can I watch Netflix on my mini projector?
With a portable projector, it should be simple to launch Netflix on your phone and couple it with the device to view Netflix or other streaming apps in the large format that the projector can display. However, because to laws passed and regulations upheld by content owners, a lot of premium streaming apps, such as Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, and Disney Plus, include copy protection that forbids mirroring from mobile devices. Therefore, if you’re casting from a notebook, you can cast Netflix material wirelessly using the Google Chrome browser on your laptop, which is wired to an HDMI port. You can stream media using Apple TV or Chromecast wireless devices as well. The greatest tiny projector models come with phone apps as well.
Can you connect a phone to a projector?
A video output port is present on almost all iPhones and Android smartphones. Since HDMI is still the most common input port for projectors, all you need to do to connect the cable is switch the source to begin screen mirroring from your phone to a projector. You can connect the cable with ease using an adapter from the USB-C connector on an Android device or the HDMI connector on an iPhone.
You can wirelessly connect to your projector and mirror your screen if you have an Apple TV or Chromecast. In order to send the content to your projector, you must first connect to the receiver’s network using the built-in screen mirroring feature. This is an excellent choice if you wish to display pictures or videos on your device, or for occasional use.
Are portable projectors any good?
Consider it as the distinction between your living room speakers and a portable Bluetooth speaker. The latter can sound louder and have a better sound quality, but they are not precisely portable enough to be taken to the beach in a bag. It is a huge pain even to take them out into the garden.
With portable projectors, it is the same story. Their go-anywhere talents and extreme practicality make up for their usually – but not always – lower intelligence and power compared to their wired siblings. Because of their portability, battery-operated portable projectors can be used for movie nights without the hassle of locating a power outlet. They are also very easy to put up and move about.
It does not imply that they are just for the great outdoors, though. Because portable projectors are designed to be small, they’re useful for rooms where you don’t want or can’t have a normal-sized projector, or for homes where you might not want the projector in the same room all of the time.