6/8/2023 0 Comments Mini projector![]() “If you put it on cinema mode instead of vivid, it drops a lot due to softer elements like contrast. “Even with 2,000 lumens, once you start calibrating it, the peak brightness goes down,” he says. When Lin was looking at projectors for a small space in his home, brightness played a key role, as he needed something that would show up against a good deal of ambient light. “Anything less than 500 isn’t usable, it’ll lose all the contrast and black levels with ambient light,” he says, “It’s awful, it’s almost unwatchable.” He also notes that for projectors with built-in rechargeable batteries, the projector won’t shine at full brightness while on battery power, so it’s important to account for that if you’re planning on using it away from an outlet. Steinberg says a projector’s brightness, which is measured in lumens (the amount of light emitted), is one of the most important things to look out for in a projector. Here are some of the best portable projectors you can buy online. I also looked at reviews from our colleagues at The Verge. To find out what makes a good portable projector stand out, and what to avoid, I spoke with Mark Steinberg, a senior technologist at B&H Photo, as well as Eric Lin, a cinematographer based in Brooklyn. These compact projectors are all about convenience and portability, so they won’t be as bright or as sharp as a high-end projector, but for an impromptu movie night indoors or out, they can’t be beat. ![]() ![]() Once they’re connected to a streaming device, laptop, smartphone, or game console via Bluetooth or cables, they can play movies, YouTube videos, or any other type of multimedia (with some limitations due to Digital Rights Management protections more on that below). Also known as pico or pocket projectors, they are small, typically more affordable than their larger counterparts, and easy enough to move from room to room or bring to a rooftop hang or a BBQ. When you buy through our links, we may get a commission.Portable projectors can take a lot of the hassle out of setting up a theater space, and not just at home. CNET editors pick the products and services we write about based on editorial merit. How we test portable projectorsĮvery projector we review goes through elaborate objective and subjective testing. Its picture is also much better in pretty much every way, so if you're looking for a projector for use around the home, or maybe backyard, and you don't need battery power, it's worth considering. Read our Anker Nebula Cosmos Laser 4K Projector review.īenQ HT2050A: The HT2050 isn't technically a portable projector at all, but it is compact and roughly the same price as one of the more expensive "portable" options. It's nice and bright, but the other downsides - lack of zoom, average overall image quality and a steep price for what you get - keep it off this list. There's also no battery so you'll need to plug it in. Read our Xiaomi Mi Smart Projector 2 review.Īnker Nebula Cosmos Laser 4K: Since it has a handle and a compact size, the Cosmos Laser 4K is technically portable, but it's hardly mini at more than 10 pounds. It's relatively dim, especially for the price, and it lacks both a built-in battery and compatibility with a USB power source, so it's not truly portable. We appreciated the compact size, 1080p resolution and built-in Android TV streaming, but the cons outweigh the pros. Xiaomi Mi Smart Projector 2: Another relatively expensive small projector we didn't love, the Xiaomi at least has a gorgeous, Apple-like design going for it. Worse, its price is a good 50% higher than it should be based on how it looks and performs. However, it lacks a battery and its performance is average, at best. Its built-in streaming is far better implemented than most portable projectors. About the size of a Bluetooth speaker, and in fact can double as one, the Freestyle can pivot on its stand to project an image at any height on walls and even the ceiling. Samsung Freestyle: The small, cylindrical Freestyle is an interesting idea, but it comes up short. The battery doesn't last as long as the AAXA either although it is a bit cheaper. It's not particularly bright, however, nor does it have built-in apps. LG CineBeam PH30N: The LG PH30N is tiny even compared to other portable projectors, even smaller than the AAXA.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |