Trusted Reviews is supported by its audience. If you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission.Learn more.
Best Portable Projector: Our top mini projectors reviewed
In This Article
Not everyone has the space for a full-sized projector, and if that sums up your situation then you should have a gander at the best portable projector
Portable projectors are known by various names: pico, compact or mini, and essentially they are smaller-sized models that offer more flexibility in terms of where they can be placed. They’re a convenient, room-friendly option for more casual living room users and if they’re bright enough, they could even be used to project onto a screen in a garden.
We’re here to help you find the best portable projector for you, sifting through our reviews to present this list of the best performing models.
When we review pico projectors we look at how flexible they are in terms of placement. Do they support a tripod or come with a gimbal? We take into account their build quality, what features and smarts they have and how convenient they are to use, and of course their picture and sound.
For more home cinema fans you should take a look out ourbest projectors. For those who want to take their home cinema into the garden, we have abest outdoor projectorslist to look at too.
Best portable projectors at a glance
How we test
We test projectors by, well, watching lots of movies on them. But not just movies: we watch sports and TV programmes to get a sense of how they work in terms of motion, sharpness, detail and overall image fidelity.Depending on the projector, we’ll test them in a bespoke home cinema room or in our own rooms and gardens to see if they live up to the manufacturer’s claims about their performance.If it’s an HDR projector, we’ll watch plenty of HDR content to determine if colours are correct and whether the projector can do a decent approximation of HDR. If it’s a gaming projector we’ll test the latency to determine how responsive it is.We’ll also assess the projector in terms of its size and whether it needs a dedicated installation, as well as how much noise it makes during operation and whether that can be a hindrance to watching content. Are they easy to use? And do they require more expert knowledge to operate are considerations we also take into account.With our reviewers knowledge of previous projectors tested, they’ll be considered to what’s come before to determine whether they offer good value, regardless of how much or how little they cost.
Samsung Freestyle (2023)
Pros
Cons
TheFreestyle 2nd Gen’scylindrical shape and stand allow it to be easily carried to and fro, with the adjustable stand able to be angled from 90 to 180 degrees, along with an image size that can stretch from 30- to 100-inches. That helps to make the Freestyle a versatile, easy to set-up and accommodating projector.
Our reviewer found the chassis felt rather robust, so it could survive a few knocks, and controls are kept simple and accessible with touch sensitive buttons for power, casting and volume, as well as a switch for activating the microphone.
Connectivity here is also kept nice and simple with a Micro HDMI 1.4 port that supportsHDR signalsandARCfor a soundbar, while the USB-C port is only for connecting the Freestyle’s power adaptor or external battery.
For wireless connections there’s Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.2 andApple AirPlay 2that offer a range of ways to connect mobile devices to the Freestyle. Wi-Fi support also allows Samsung’s Tizen smart interface with access to apps such asNetflixandDisney+, plus there is Bixby andAmazon Alexafor voice assistants. Samsung’s Gaming Hub is supported, making it possible to play Xbox Game Pass on this projector.
During testing, we found the picture to be generally very good with a clean and detailed performance and punchy HDR colours with its 550 lumens of brightness it has at its disposal. The SDR/HDR image is accurate and motion handling is excellent. It does suffer from the usual issues that plague DLP projectors with weaker contrast and black levels that are more grey.
We measured input lag for gaming at 40ms, slightly better than the older model but a portable projector such as theBenQ X300Gis faster. We also measured noise level at 25dB at a distance of 2ft, making for a quiet enough experience when in operation.
The built-in speakers sound good for such a small projector, the size of the sound is extended beyond the casing for a bigger sound than was initially expected.
Reviewer:Steve WithersFull Review:Samsung Freestyle 2nd Gen
XGIMI Horizon Ultra
Pros
Cons
Housed in a practical yet stylish design, theXGIMI Horizon Ultrais packed full of impressive features includingDolby Vision HDR.
Thanks to dual light technology that combines laser and LED, the Horizon Ultra delivers high-brightness images with a more natural colour palette, with Dolby Vision HDR support allowing brightness and contrast to be adjusted scene-by-scene for the best performance.
It’s not just picture quality that’s impressive though as the Horizon Ultra includes dual 12W speakers, tuned by Harmon/Kardon which provide excellent audio that easily fills a room. Although we found the speakers to be loud, warm and rich, they lack depth with low frequencies.
The built-in Intelligent Screen Adaption 3 (ISA3) technology offers auto-focus and keystone correction plus obstacle avoidance. ISA3 also adjusts screen brightness to suit ambient light, which works by opening the iris to boost brightness and closing it to up the contrast.
The Horizon Ultra also includes optical zoom which means it can automatically scale to fit a detected screen without the need for digital correction. There’s even a useful motorised shutter at the front which slides up when the projector is turned off to protect its lens, plus a useful tripod mount underneath.
Running on Android TV , you can download the likes ofApple TV+, Disney+ andAmazon Prime Videodirectly from the Google Play Store. At its rear you’ll find two HDMI inputs, a 3.5mm line out and two USB ports. There’s also an ethernet port for plugging directly into the router.
An alternative includes theAnker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE, which also has Dolby Vision,Google TVand is less expensive but the Horizon Ultra has a brighter and more accomplished picture quality
Reviewer:David LudlowFull Review:XGIMI Horizon Ultra
JMGO N1S Ultimate 4K
Pros
Cons
Unsurprisingly portable projectors don’t tend to boast the performance of full-sized projectors but theJMGO N1S Ultimate 4Kis one of the few that offers a higher level of performance if you’re willing to spend the cash.
It has the same design as the JGMO N1 with its built in gimbal that makes it easy to point the projector at a surface, although this model doesnt support a tripod mount.
It comes with twoHDMI 2.1inputs, one of which is dedicatedeARCto connect aDolby Atmos soundbar, and the N1S Ultimate 4K swaps Android forGoogle TV, which means this projector has official support forNetflix.
Its brightness is rated at 3500 lumens, less than the N1 Ultra but still bright enough to use in a dark room, though we’d recommend a darker room to produce an even bigger image. Its triple laser backlight offers 30,000 hours of use, and HDR support includes HDR10, although we’re a little disappointed by the lack of Dolby Vision for the money.
We were impressed by the images the JMGO delivered, the levels of detail and sharpness are good even though this isn’t a native 4K projector. Black levels are greyer than what you’d find on a TV but we found them good enough for a projector. Bright objects really ‘pop’ with this projector, making for a cinematic performance, shadow detail (the amount of detail in the darkest parts of the image) is impressive. The dual 10W speakers that deliver a big, loud sound though in terms of bass we found them lacking. If you want a better sound,consider getting a soundbar.
Reviewer:David LudlowFull Review:JMGO N1S Ultimate 4K
BenQ X300G
Pros
Cons
BenQ’sX300Gis a portable projector designed for gaming, its short-throw design would make sense for those in small rooms.
There’s an extensive range of gaming features with multiple low input modes, 1080p/120Hz support, and an FPS Crosshair feature to give you the advantage in games such as Call of Duty. BenQ’s SettingXchange allows you to import custom gaming modes and colour parameters created by experts and professional gamers.
Our reviewer measured input lag at a low 16ms, and at 1080p/240Hz the performance falls to 4ms which is as good as some of thebest TVs.
If you decide to watch movies on the X300G, we found it offered a solid performance with reasonable levels of colour accuracy. The 2000 lumens of brightness isn’t really enough to ward against ambient light, so we’d recommend drawing the curtains when using the X300G. As with other single chip DLP projectors, black levels are more gray and contrast isn’t as good as what BenQ claims out of the box.
Colours only cover 84% of DCI-P3 range, which means you’re not viewing all the colours possible, but its HDR tone mapping works successfully to produce a colourful image and the motion handling is excelent.
The Bongiovi sound system (designed by Jon Bon Jovi’s cousin) is decent for casual viewing but doesn’t have the scale or power to really complement its big screen images. It’s worthconsidering a soundbarto go with this projector.
Reviewer:Steve WithersFull Review:BenQ X300G
XGIMI Halo+
Pros
Cons
Compare theXGIMI Halo+to the original Halo and the brightness has been upped to 900 lumens from 800, making it a brighter alternative to theSamsung Freestyle. While the boost in brightness is not massive, it does help when using it in darker rooms.
Image size can go as far as 200-inches, though we found half that size to be more than adequate. The XGIMI supports resolutions up to Full HD, and we found it produced bright images with vibrant and rich colours, especially when dealing with brighter content. Contrast is generally good, although blacks do veer to grey and it can be difficult to get a sense of detail in darker scenes – the addition ofHDR10+helps by revealing more detail.
Boasting dual 5W Harman Kardon speakers, we found the audio quality was decent with good volume and clarity. The lack of bass puts a spanner in offering a true cinematic experience but for casual viewers it’s a solid performance. Battery life we found to be around two hours when unplugged from the mains, which means average length films should be fine but the Halo+ will likely struggle with epic runtimes. The XGIMI’s LED lamp is claimed to last up to 30,000 hours, which is around ten years of use if the XGIMI were used for eight hours a day.
For a portable projector, there’s convenience in the form of an automatic procedure that optimises the picture when the Halo+ is moved, meaning you won’t have to worry about fiddling with the image each time. Android TV is supported with its convenient and intuitive layout, and although there’s access to Google Play Store library we found thatNetflixwasn’t supported for this projector an apps such as NOW aren’t available. consider adding aFire TV Stickor have a look at Freestyle, which has more supported apps.
In terms of its size the Halo+ can fit into a bag or suitcase, but is pushing at the threshold of portability considering it lacks a handle like theAnker Nebula Capsule Max. There is a room for positioning the projector, as it can be placed on a flat surface, used with its integrated kickstand to angle the projector up, or propped on a tripod mount.
Reviewer:David LudlowFull Review:XGIMI Halo+
Anker Nebula Capsule Max
Pros
Cons
By the standards of portable projectors, theAnker Nebula Capsule Maxis tiny. At 15cm tall, with a diameter of 80mm, it’s smaller than a good proportion of Bluetooth speakers. Its weight of 737g means it’s lighter than most portable projectors, making it easy to carry around or stash in a bag.
Control are kept simple on the device itself with buttons for volume, cursor keys, select and back that are handy for quickly pausing or changing something but both the remote control and Nebula Connect app offer more extensive means of operation. Around the back of the unit is a port for power, 3.5mm audio output, a USB port for connecting external storage and anHDMIport. The Anker runs on Android 8.1 which allows access to a good set of apps, with the likes of Netflix and Prime Video, although at the time of review there was noDisney+.
The Capsule Max can automatically adjust its focus and keystone to make optimising the image much simpler and convenient for those who a desire a no-fuss experience. While we didn’t measure the fan noise, it was noticeable even when we weren’t watching anything. There’s a built-in battery for portable use, able to run for 90 minutes on full brightness or 4 hours when brightness is reduced.
Sticking with the theme of brightness, the quoted 200 lumens is okay for general viewing and we found we could only go the 100-inch screen size when it was dark to get the best from its picture performance. Contrast is fine, though like the Halo+, blacks erred towards grey. Colours proved to be reasonably accurate with decent vibrancy, and sharpness and resolution (720p) was a step up on the originalNebula Capsulefor a more detailed image.
With an 8W speaker, the Anker provided good volume and surprisingly meaty bass. Provided the room you’re watching is quiet, it’s a decent performance, but the 3.5mm audio jack there’s the option of adding an external sound system for a better, louder experience.
Reviewer:David LudlowFull Review:Anker Nebula Capsule Max
We also considered…
Dolby Vision, Netflix and more in this portable projector
A small powerful projector with Google TV under the hood..
A laser-powered projector that can go anywhere.
A tough, resilient portable projector from BenQ
Versatile and fun to use, just don’t expect cutting edge video performance
We’ve reviewed
FAQs
Yes, especially for those that don’t have much space for a more dedicated installation, then a pico projector can work its magic by offering more flexibility in terms of placement. They’re not as good as dedicated projectors, but are fine, affordable efforts for more casual viewing.
You might like…
Comparison specs
Kob began his career at What Hi-Fi?, starting in the dusty stockroom before rising up the ranks to join the editorial and production team as the Buyer’s Guide editor. Experienced in both magazine and …
Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.
Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Why trust our journalism?
Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.
Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
