Mini Portable Projectors

Portable does not mean battery-powered

Three families hide behind the word. The transportable one, which moves from room to room but stays plugged in. The battery-powered portable, which lasts one to three hours depending on the mode. And the pocket size, which fits in a bag but often drops below 200 ANSI lumens, so it is for complete darkness only. The word "portable" does not tell you which of the three you are buying; the spec sheet does.

Brightness, the only figure that decides

Outdoors or in a bright room, no model under 300 ANSI lumens will give a watchable picture before nightfall. For realistic use on the move, camping, on a hotel wall or in a bedroom, aim for at least 500 ANSI lumens, and accept that projection happens in the evening. The "LED lumens" shown by some manufacturers are not comparable and inflate the figure by a factor of about three.

Three budgets, three uses

• Under €300: a back-up for occasional evenings, for dark rooms.
• €300 to €700: the most balanced range, with real batteries and usable brightness.
• Over €700: native 4K, autofocus and keystone correction, when the device is also used at home.

The check to make before ordering: look for automatic keystone correction and autofocus. On the move, you never place the device perfectly square to the wall, and without these two functions every setup costs five minutes of adjustments.

Our four models

The cheap 600 g mini projector is the lightest, with a 1280 x 720 panel and 180 ANSI lumens, for a dark room. The VISTA™ HY9 offers native 1080p and 390 ANSI lumens for about 1.2 kg, with a 180° tilt. The LUMINA™ Vision X1 runs Android with a native 720p panel and accepts 4K sources. The LUMIVISION™ X1, at about 2.5 kg, goes up to 800 ANSI lumens with autofocus.

Frequently asked questions

How long does the battery last?

Between one and three hours depending on the model and the mode chosen. Most devices offer an eco mode that doubles battery life by halving brightness, which suits sound only or projection in complete darkness. For a full film at full brightness, keep a socket nearby.

Can I project outdoors in the evening?

Yes, once night has fallen. Allow at least 500 ANSI lumens for a two-metre picture at dusk, more if street lights shine on the wall. In broad daylight, no portable projector gives a watchable result, whatever its spec sheet says.

Should I choose 4K on a portable projector?

Some portable models announce 4K, but on a picture under two metres watched from three metres away, the difference with Full HD is small. On a portable device, the budget is usually better spent on brightness and battery life than on resolution.

What throw distance should I plan for?

About 2.5 metres for a 100-inch picture on a standard-throw model. On the move, this is the most annoying constraint: measure the typical room where you will project before choosing, and look at short-throw models if you lack distance.