Consumer projectors have come a long way: They used to be much larger in size and cost thousands of dollars, but now, you can buy a projector that can go anywhere with you, without breaking the bank. There are a lot of options on the market, but these are my picks for the best portable projectors available today.
Best pocket projector
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For those looking for a projector that’s easy to carry, look no further than the Kodak Luma 75 Portable Pocket Projector. This projector can easily fit in your backpack or purse, and projects up to 100-inches at 640 x 360 resolution with 25 ANSI lumens of rated brightness.
The built-in battery lasts for up to two hours max. For inputs, there’s an HDMI port, a USB port and a microSD card slot. There’s also a built-in speaker, and works with most devices. You can bump up the resolution and projection size a bit by upgrading to the Kodak 150 or Kodak 350.
Best palmtop projector
For a bit more power, there’s the Kodak Luma 450 Portable Full HD Smart Projector. This projector has a native resolution of 1920 x 1080 and a brightness of 200 ANSI lumens. There’s a built-in battery that lasts up to three hours in “eco” mode, and 90 minutes in standard.
The device has built-in wifi and runs Android 9, so you can log in to your favorite streaming apps to watch shows and movies. For ports, the projector has HDMI, a 3.5mm audio jack, and USB.
Best oversize palmtop projector with a battery
The Anker Nebula Solar Portable bumps up the picture quality: It comes with a 1920 x 1080p native resolution and supports 4K, but also comes with HDR 10 and a maximum brightness of 400 ANSI lumens. You’re going to notice that increased brightness over the other projectors.
There’s HDMI and USB, and, just like the Kodak Luma 450, the Anker Nebula Solar Portable has built-in wifi and runs Android 9 for streaming apps.
The battery life of the Anker Nebula Solar Portable is rated at three hours in battery mode or two hours in standard mode.
Best oversize palmtop projector without a battery
If having a built-in battery isn’t a huge issue, then the Xgimi Elfin is a great option. The projector has a 1920 x 1080 native resolution with 4K support, and can even project in 3D. Xgimi built this projector with a brightness of 600 ANSI lumens, making it the second brightest projector on this list.
The device runs Android TV 10, along with built-in wifi for streaming content. For ports, there’s HDMI, USB, and a 3.5mm audio jack.
Best mini projector
For those looking for a compact mini projector, check out the Anker Nebula Capsule 3 Laser. It’s slightly bigger than a Coke can, making it easy to take with you, and the native resolution is 1080p with a brightness of 300 ANSI lumens. The projector is running on Android TV 11 for streaming.
For ports, there’s HDMI and USB-C that is used for power only. Battery life is up to two and a half hours from its 52 Wh battery.
An alternative to the Nebula Capsule 3 Laser is the Xgimi Halo+. The projector has a 1080p native resolution with 700 ANSI lumens of brightness, with support for both HDR and 3D. There’s also HDMI and USB, and the device runs Android TV 10. Battery life is on par with the Anker at two and a half hours.
Best inexpensive LCD mini projector
For even better quality, you’ll want a projector that uses LCD technology like the Vankyo Performance V700W, which has a 1080p resolution at 420 ANSI lumens of brightness. There are also two HDMI ports, two USB ports, and one audio-out port.
To play content on the projector, you’ll need to connect your own streaming device like a Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, or Chromecast.
Best 4K room-to-room projector
If you want true 4K on your projector, you’ll need to spring for something like the BenQ GP500, which sports a native resolution of 4K along with 1500 ANSI lumens of brightness. For ports, the BenQ GP500 has an HDMI and USB port, runs Android TV 10, and has wifi for streaming.
It’s pricey, and not quite as portable as others on this list, but if you’re looking for 4K projection you can take from room-to-room, this is a great option.