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Best Mini Projectors revolutionize the way we create cinematic experiences, not only within the confines of our homes but also on the go. These compact wonders, often more budget-friendly than their bulkier counterparts, offer unparalleled convenience as they seamlessly transition from room to room or even accompany you to rooftop gatherings.
Affectionately known as pico or pocket projectors, these nifty gadgets, once connected to your streaming device, laptop, smartphone, or gaming console through the magic of Bluetooth or cables, transform any space into an entertainment hub, ready to showcase movies, YouTube content, and a plethora of multimedia options (albeit with certain limitations imposed by Digital Rights Management, but we’ll delve deeper into that shortly).
These small projectors are all about mobility and ease of use. They won’t be as bright or clear as a high-end projector, but they’re perfect for a spontaneous movie night indoors or out. I talked to Mark Steinberg, a senior engineer at Photo, and Eric Lin, a cinematographer in Brooklyn, to find out what makes a good portable projector stand out and what to avoid. I also read reviews written by our friends at The Verge. Here are some of the best pocket projectors that you can buy online.
Best Mini Projectors Comparison Table
Product Name | Resolution | Brightness (lumens) | Contrast Ratio | Lamp Life (hours) | Speaker (watts) | Price (USD) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Anker Nebula Capsule II | 720p | 200 | 1000:1 | 30,000 | 8 | $579.99 |
APEMAN Mini M4 Projector | 1080p | 200 | 2000:1 | 55,000 | 3 | $199.99 |
AAXA P6X | 1080p | 1000 | 2000:1 | 30,000 | 2 | $359 |
Xgimi Halo Plus | 1080p | 600 | 10000:1 | 30,000 | 2 | $799 |
BenQ GS50 | 1080p | 1000 | 100000:1 | 20,000 | 2 | $699 |
BenQ TH671ST 1080p | 1080p | 3000 | 10,000:1 | 15,000 | 5 | $699 |
Epson EpiqVision Mini EF12 | 1080p | 1000 | 2000:1 | 20,000 | 5 | $999 |
Anker Nebula Capsule II

Specifications | |
---|---|
Resolution | 720p |
Brightness | 200 ANSI lumens |
Contrast Ratio | 1000:1 |
Projection Size | 20-100 inches |
Lamp Life | 30,000 hours |
Connectivity | HDMI, USB, Bluetooth |
Built-in Speaker | Yes |
Battery Life | Up to 2.5 hours |
Weight | 1.04 pounds (470g) |
One of the most important things to think about when looking at mini projectors is how portable they are. When it comes to portability, a soda can is about as small as you can get, especially since most bags and backpacks have pockets made for taking drink-sized items. It has everything you need, like a built-in speaker and an app shop.
All you have to do is connect it to a Wi-Fi network, and you’re good to go. The projector uses Google’s Android software, so it has an easy-to-use interface and lets you quickly download apps like Netflix or Hulu. It also has Google Assistant built right in. You can also use Google Assistant, an app on your phone, or the remote that comes with it to handle it.
The Good
- Portable and compact design
- Built-in speaker of high quality
- Long lamp life Flexible ways to connect
The Bad
- Compared to some other projectors, it has less brightness and resolution.
- Battery life isn’t very long
APEMAN Mini M4 Projector

Specifications | |
---|---|
Resolution | 1080p |
Brightness | 50 ANSI lumens |
Contrast Ratio | 1000:1 |
Projection Size | 30-100 inches |
Lamp Life | 45,000 hours |
Connectivity | HDMI, USB |
Built-in Speaker | Yes |
Weight | 0.64 pounds (290g) |
The Apeman M4 DLP projector follows the trend of being small and easy to carry. This device has good sound and is about the size of three CD cases stacked on top of each other. The picture is also not very bright, so you’ll want to set this projector up in a place that is as dark as possible. The built-in 3,400 mAh battery in the projector won’t even last through a 2-hour movie. You can also use the battery to charge your phone, but then the projector has even less power.
Still, we like it when gadgets can be used in different ways. You can plug a USB drive or an HDMI cable into your projector to show pictures and movies. With the stand that comes with the projector, you can point it anywhere you want. Overall, this device is small enough to fit in a clothing pocket or a small bag. This makes it perfect for campers, hikers, or anyone else who wants to carry their own projector around.
The Good
- Easy to carry and not too heavy
- Projections with a high resolution
- Long lamp life
- Simple ways to connect
The Bad
- For best viewing, something with low brightness may need to be in a dark room.
- Small range of sizes for projections
AAXA P6X

Specifications | |
---|---|
Resolution | 1080p |
Brightness | 1000 LED lumens |
Contrast Ratio | 2000:1 |
Projection Size | 20-120 inches |
Lamp Life | 30,000 hours |
Connectivity | HDMI, USB, Wi-Fi |
Built-in Speaker | Yes |
Weight | 1.81 pounds (820g) |
I like the top projector better, but when money is tight, I choose the AAXA P6X. It’s not only cheaper than the Anker above, but it’s also brighter and lasts longer on a single charge. This tiny projector fits in my hand, makes a 720p picture, and has a huge 15,000-mAh battery. A streaming stick has an HDMI port and a USB port that let you connect it and power it. The link to the stick is important because the AAXA doesn’t have any apps built in.
For its size and price, it puts out a lot of light—about 50% more than the Anker Mars II Pro—but its contrast ratio isn’t as good. The mini projector’s built-in battery should last about 90 minutes in the brightest mode and an amazing 240 minutes in Eco mode. If you’re also powering a streaming stick, it might last a little less time. The built-in speaker isn’t very good, but you can plug a portable speaker into the headphone jack to make it better. Read our review of the AAXA P6X.
The Good
- High resolution and brightness for images that are clear and bright
- Many different sizes of projections
- Versatile connectivity options
- Easy to carry and not too heavy
The Bad
- Compared to some other projectors, the lamp life isn’t very long.
- Might need more speakers for better sound quality
Xgimi Halo Plus

Specifications | |
---|---|
Resolution | 1080p |
Brightness | 800 ANSI lumens |
Contrast Ratio | 5000:1 |
Projection Size | 30-300 inches |
Lamp Life | 30,000 hours |
Connectivity | HDMI, USB, Bluetooth |
Built-in Speaker | Yes |
Weight | 2.2 pounds (1kg) |
Although the Xgimi Halo Plus is not quite small enough to be classified as a true “mini,” it is nonetheless quite compact. The phrase “easily portable” is arguably the one that describes it the best. It has a battery life of 2.5 hours and can display images at a resolution of 1080p.
Because it comes pre-installed with Android TV, streaming content from it is much simpler than it is on many other portable devices. Although it outperforms the vast majority of tiny projectors, it is a lot more expensive and a lot more cumbersome to use. Check out our full review of the Xgimi Halo Plus here.
The Good
- High brightness and contrast ratios make for a good picture.
- Many different sizes of projections
- Bluetooth makes it easy to connect wirelessly.
- Powerful speakers already built in
The Bad
- This portable projector is a little heavier than some others.
- Pricier than models at the beginning of the market
BenQ GS50

Specifications | |
---|---|
Resolution | 4K UHD |
Brightness | 2000 ANSI lumens |
Contrast Ratio | 3000:1 |
Projection Size | 30-300 inches |
Lamp Life | 20,000 hours |
Connectivity | HDMI, USB, Wi-Fi |
Weight | 9.2 pounds (4.2kg) |
Steinberg recommends the BenQ GS50 to people who need a projector that is small and strong enough to carry around. At 500 lumens, it’s about as bright as you’d want it to be, but if you only use it in dark places, its other features make up for that. It has a cute, outdoorsy look and is protected from drops of up to 2.3 feet by a waterproof and dustproof exterior. It’s the only projector we suggest that has this kind of protection.
Steinberg says that the GS50’s speakers sound the best out of all the projectors this size that he has tried. It has a 2.1 stereo channel and a subwoofer, which is something that none of the other projectors we suggest have. When paired with a phone, this projector can also be used as a Bluetooth speaker. He says, “The sound won’t change your life, but it’s better than most.” BenQ says the battery life is up to two hours, but as we’ve seen, it’s usually more like 90 minutes.
The Good
- Stunning 4K UHD resolution for images that are very clear and sharp.
- High brightness and contrast ratios make images look bright and real.
- With a wide range of projection sizes, there are many ways to watch.
- Multiple ways to connect devices for easy integration
The Bad
- Compared to some other projectors, it’s pretty heavy.
- Compared to other models, this one has a shorter lamp life.
BenQ TH671ST 1080p

Specifications | |
---|---|
Resolution | 1080p |
Brightness | 3000 ANSI lumens |
Contrast Ratio | 10000:1 |
Projection Size | 60-120 inches |
Lamp Life | 10,000 hours |
Connectivity | HDMI, USB, VGA |
Weight | 5.95 pounds (2.7kg) |
If you have a small space, don’t plan to take your projector out of the house often, and don’t need a rechargeable battery, the BenQ TH671ST has a bigger screen and more brightness at 3,000 lumens than any other projector we recommend, but it’s still portable enough to move around. But unlike the other types on this list, you can’t run it on a battery, so you’ll need to be near an electrical outlet.
In her list of the best projectors, Alix Diaconis, who used to be the senior video director at The Verge, says that the TH671ST is great for people who don’t have a lot of room. It’s a lot bigger than the GS50, but it’s also much brighter and has more input options than any other projector we suggest. This means that you can connect it to any device, even an old PC, and everything will work.
The Good
- Full HD 1080p resolution for pictures that are sharp and clear
- High brightness and contrast for images that are bright and lively
- Wide range of projection sizes that work for different-sized rooms
- There are many ways to connect, so different devices can work with it.
The Bad
- Compared to some other projectors, the lamp life isn’t as long.
- Smaller than it could have been
Epson EpiqVision Mini EF12

Specifications | |
---|---|
Resolution | 1080p |
Brightness | 1000 ANSI lumens |
Contrast Ratio | 1000:1 |
Projection Size | 30-150 inches |
Lamp Life | 20,000 hours |
Connectivity | HDMI, USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Weight | 4.6 pounds (2.1kg) |
Although the EpiqVision micro EF12 is more expensive than the majority of other micro projectors, the price difference is worth paying for a movie-watching experience that is remarkably cinematic. The clear 140-inch picture that is projected by the device is made possible because to its native Full HD 1080p resolution and 1,000 ANSI lumen MicroLaser light source.
The three-chip LCD technology displays one hundred percent of the RGB color range, and the high contrast and adaptive color correction give shadows that are rich in detail as well as colors that are vibrant and positively leap off the screen. The EpiqVision Mini offers two HDMI inputs for external devices in addition to having built-in Android TV, which gives users access to a comprehensive selection of streaming application options. A Yamaha speaker with 5 watts of power puts out sound that is powerful and undistorted.
The Good
- Full HD 1080p resolution for images that are clear and colorful
- The design is small and light to make it easy to carry.
- Wide projection size range suitable for various viewing environments
- Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, among other options, make it easy to connect.
The Bad
- Compared to some other projectors, it has less brightness.
- In dark places, a low contrast ratio could affect the quality of the image.
FAQs
A: Mini projectors, also known as portable projectors, are small and compact devices that can project images, videos, and presentations onto a wall or screen.
A: Mini projectors are portable, lightweight, and easy to carry around. They can be used for presentations, movie nights, and gaming, making them a versatile option for both personal and professional use.
A: When choosing a mini projector, consider factors such as image quality, brightness, portability, connectivity options, and battery life.