How To Pick Out The Best Possible Portable Projector For Your Needs In 2024

Traditional projectors were always big, and while they could help you turn your living room into a fully-fledged home theater, their bulky design made them hard to move around and set up. Fortunately, the progressive march of technology has changed that, and now it's possible for portable projectors to offer you the very best experience wherever you go.

If you want to host an outdoor movie night on a big screen, a portable projector can make that happen. The same goes for presentations on the road or even an impromptu gaming session with friends. Then, when you're ready to sit back and relax on your living room couch watching a sporting event or your favorite TV show, they're good for that, too. However, not all portable projectors are created equal. That's why, before taking the plunge and purchasing one, it's important to become familiar with what to look for in order to find the best portable projector for your needs.

Choosing a portable projector with the right resolution for your needs can help you get the most out of your viewing experience. A projector's native resolution refers to the total number of pixels it can display. The more pixels, the sharper and crisper the images it displays will be. While there's many different projectors out there, with a wide range of resolutions — starting at 480p on the lower end — those with 1080p or 4K produce the clearest and most detailed images, which is especially important for larger screens and high-definition content.

Identifying the video source you're going to use will help you figure out which resolution is most suitable for you. For example, if you want to stream 4K Ultra HD, you'll need a 4K portable projector to do so. On the other hand, if you mostly watch Full HD content, a 1080p portable projector like the Dangbei Atom will deliver excellent image quality at a more affordable price.

Besides resolution, the contrast ratio also affects image quality and is something to consider when shopping for a portable projector. The contrast ratio tells you how well the projector can display deep blacks and bright whites. A projector with a high contrast ratio will do a better job at displaying detail in darker scenes along with enhancing the depth and richness of the picture. Pick a projector with a contrast ratio of at least 10,000:1 if you'll be using it for a home theater. However, every projector should have a contrast ratio of at least 5,000:1.

A projector's brightness is measured in lumens, which determines how well it can produce clear images in different lighting conditions. When judging whether a projector has enough lumens, it's a good idea to think about how you plan to use it. If you're planning to use your projector mostly in well-lit areas, you'll need to purchase one with at least 3,500 lumens to prevent the ambient light from washing out the image. In contrast, if you plan to use your projector in darker rooms or outside at night, 800 to 1,000 lumens should provide enough brightness. For example, a projector like the XGIMI Halo Plus would fit the bill. A good middle ground is 1,500 to 3,000 lumens, which works well in areas with a moderate amount of ambient light.

While total lumens will give you a general idea of a projector's brightness, when shopping you should keep in mind that there are two further ways to measure brightness. The first, white brightness, tells you how much white light the projector produces without including color in the equation. Secondly, color brightness lets you know how bright the projected colors will be. The higher the number, the brighter and more vibrant the image will appear.

Portability can mean different things to different people, so you want to be sure that the portable projector you choose is the right size for how you plan to use it. There's no getting around it: a good portable projector is going to have a bit of heft. However, if you're going to be carrying it with you from place to place for presentations, or traveling with it frequently, one that's too heavy will defeat the convenience. 

Look for projectors that are lightweight and compact, ideally weighing between two and four pounds. Several mobile projectors that work with smartphones meet this criteria, and staying within this weight range will make it easy for you to move the projector between rooms or take it with you on the road without much strain.

Battery life is another important consideration when buying a portable projector. To keep portable projectors a reasonable size, manufacturers have to keep the batteries small. You'll get between two and four hours of playback time from most portable projectors, including some of the most affordable outdoor projectors for camping. A lot of factors will determine how quickly a projector's battery is depleted, including how bright it gets, whether the battery has power-saving features like eco mode or automatic power off, and the type of content you're viewing.

HDMI and USB-A ports come as standard with most portable projectors, which will allow you to easily connect devices like laptops, smartphones, and streaming sticks. To give yourself the most flexibility, you should make sure the projector you purchase also has a USB-C port for connecting newer devices and gaming consoles like the Nintendo Switch directly to it. If you want to cut down on cords, many portable projectors have WiFi and Bluetooth capabilities that'll make it easy for you to do things like mirror your screen or connect wireless speakers.

It's also a good idea to select a projector with an Android-based operating system and built-in smart features. A portable projector like the XGIMI Mogo 2 Pro will make it easy to use streaming apps like YouTube and Prime Video, and some even offer voice controls through platforms like Google Assistant. With these smart features, you won't have to rely on other devices to watch your favorite content. Instead, you can stream directly from your projector, turning it into an all-in-one entertainment platform.

No matter how good your projector's image is, if the audio is lacking, the viewing experience will be disappointing and less immersive. This might not be a problem if you're using the projector mainly for basic work presentations that don't rely on sound. However, if you plan to use your portable projector for movies, gaming, or multimedia presentations, you're going to want to ensure it can produce good audio. The problem is that's often easier said than done with portable projectors. While most come with built-in speakers, they often lack the power and depth needed to deliver immersive sound, especially for outdoor use.

However, if you know that you'll need to rely on your projector's built-in speakers, you should purchase one with output 2.1-channel audio that has two speakers and a subwoofer, which will give you the best sound possible. If you know you won't be moving your projector often or don't mind carrying extra equipment, you could also consider a top-ranked soundbar or portable speakers for better sound quality.