Move over large screen TV’s, welcome back projectors! Contrary to typical technological advancements, the revisiting of this ‘old’ technology has begun to gain momentum, not just for the power-packed projections ranging from an already bright 1000-odd lumens to some 2000 lumens, but also in combination with it’s compact size and easy controls make it a perfect solution to a cinema experience, whether in your own home or even out on a camping trip.
Imagine the convenience of a media center, portable projecter and Android OS all in one standalone device.
The development and progress of LED technology has led to better screen displays for computers and for the television and media industries, in much the same vein, this technology has advanced LED projection significantly beyond it’s original limits of light bulbs, fans and large mounted boxes.
These new compact LED projectors are not only transportable because of their size, but the majority of them come battery-powered, ready for use just about anywhere. Most of them are powered by an Android operating system and come with memory card slots, USB for external storage and flash drive and some even have touch-screen controls.
In this post we look at some of the very best compact LED projector Theatre Systems; tiny gadgets that pack a huge punch.
The 5 Best Portable Projector with Media Player
The perfect big screen home entertainment projection system with the features and conveniences of an Android OS.
XGIMI Z4 AuroraScreenless TV Entertainment Center
JmGO G1s 1500LM LED Projector Multi-media player and Smart Home Theater System
PowerLead Gypo P002 130″ Entertainment Multimedia Pico 3D DLP Projector
ZTE 4G Hotspot DLP Touchscreen Smart Projector WiFi
ELEGIANT 1080P Mini Pocket Projector 2000 Lumens
Let’s see how these media center projectors compare:
1. XGIMI Z4 Aurora TV Entertainment Center
The XGIMI Z4 Aurora is a Smart LED projector that can transform any surface into a screen up to 300-inch screen with unparalleled brightness and clarity. The built-in Harman Kardon stereo produces superior sound quality and the dimension converter converts any 2D video to 3D. Powered by an Android system, you can install apps and games directly onto the device. Before we get carried away with the capabilities of this box, you can also use it to mirror your screen from phones or tablet onto the projector wirelessly, which is what a typical projector would do.
Key Features:
Quality of sound with Harman Kardon stereo;
16 image quality enhancement techniques and 11 color enhancement profiles
Home Entertainment Center powered by Android Operating System
1.5GHz-cords processor, Mali-450MP4 graphics processor, 2GB dual-channel DDR3 memory controller, 16GB eMMC Storage
Wi-Fi and hotspot connection for mirroring display (AirPlay, DLNA, Miracast), converting 2D images to 3D images;
Resolution: High Definition WXGA output (1280×800): support 1080P/2K/4K movies, XBOX, PS4 gaming consoles HD
Projected image size: up to 40 to 300-inch (25 feet) projection,
Brightness: 700 ANSI Lumens
Vertical +/-35 degree and horizontal +/-30 degree keystone correction provide an optimal
Connectivity: HDMI x 2; USB 2.0 x 1; USB 3.0 x 1; AV x 1, Headphone/SPDIF x 1, WiFi, Bluetooth
Bluetooth Remote Control with high-capacity rechargeable battery, which has built-in mouse function
2. JmGO G1s 1500LM LED Projector Multi-media player and Smart Home Theater System
Smart TV with built0in Android OS in a sleek circular aluminium alloy package equipped with four directional speakers for DTS TruSurround (SRS) sound plus Dolby Digital Plus and powered by quad core processor. The speaker also works as a Bluetooth speaker with the projector is switched off making this a multi purpose device.
Key Features:
Quad-core ARMⓇ Cortex™-A9r4 processor with Mali 450 MP4 GOY, 2GB DDR, 4GB FLASH storage, Android V4.3 OS
Resolution: 1280 x 800 native resolution HD
Projected image size: 15 – 300″ with distance between 1 – 7.5meter
Brightness: 1500 lumen with 5000:1 contrast ratio
Keystone: Auto keystone, vertical: +/- 40 degrees
Connectivity: Wi-Fi: 2.4 GHz, IEEE802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, working as a Hi-Fi speaker in Standby mode. RJ45, AV Jack, HDMI, Audio+S/PDIF, USB2.0, USB3.0
Size & Weight: 219 mm x 60mm, 1.55kg
3. PowerLead Gypo P002 130″ Entertainment Multimedia Pico 3D DLP Projector
Portable and lightweight projector for business, education and entertainment running Android OS with all the connectivity you need for it to work on its own or connected with an external device such as laptop, DVD player, media player, game console and USB storage.
Key Features:
Dual Core 1.6GHz. 1G DDR3 RAM, 8GB ROM Storage, Android 4.4.2
Projected Image Size: 15 – 300 inches, 0.5 – 7.5 meter distance
Resolution: 1280 x 800 Pixels, Supports 1080P – HD
Brightness: 1000 Lumens with 10000:1 contrast ratio
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Miracast, Airplay, DLNA, WIDI, Uconsole. Bluetooth 4.0
HDMI, SPDIF, Headphone, 2 x USB ports, SD card
Dimensions: 10.9 x 7.9 x 4.2 inches
4. ZTE DLP Touchscreen Smart Projector WiFi – BUILT-IN BATTERY, TOUCH PANEL DISPLAY
The ZTE stands out from the rest of the projector here as it incorporate a 5.0 inch HD 1280 x 720 pixel Capacitive Touch display. Running Android 4.4 OS the Smart Projector makes navigating the features and using the projector easy. What is more, there is a built-in high capacity battery that also lets you charge your mobile devices.
Key Features:
5-inch touch screen display
Snapdragon 800 dual core 2.1GHz processor
ROM 16GB + RAM 2GB, support TF/SD card up to 64GB.
Android 4.4 OS
Resolution: 1280 x 720 pixels – HD
Projected image size: 20″-300″ with throw Ratio: 1.66:1(68″@2.5M)
Brightness: 200 lumens with Contrast Ratio 500:1
Interface: HDMI, SD, USB, 3.5mm audio jack, built-in stereo speaker
Connectivity: Wi-Fi: 802.11 b/g/n/ac 2.4G/5G, MIMO, BT: 4.0 supports wireless screen mirroring: airpin/airplay/miracast
Battery: 6300mAh
Size & Weight: 134.5 x 131 x 31mm(5.30 x 5.16 x 1.22inch), 526g(18.55oz)
5. ELEGIANT Mini Pocket Projector 2000 Lumens – BUILT-IN BATTERY, SMALLEST
A compact pocket projector, the ELEGIANT is a as bright if not brighter than some of the projectors listed here. Running Android 4.4 with WIFI connecivity, the portable projector has its own battery built-in for up to 150 minutes of HD movie play time. It employs a silent graphite cooling fan to dissipate heat and has a big touch pad on top of the projector for easy control.
Key Features:
4 Core processor + 8 core GPU with support for 1080p decoding, 2GB RAM, 16GB storage
Resolution: 854 x 480 (WVGA)
Battery: 3300mAh built-in battery for up to 150 minutes play time
Connectivity: 2.4 GHz / 5 GHz dual-band WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, Built-in speakers, USB port
Interface: USB2.0 / Micro USB / OTG Audio-OUT
Projected image size: 15″ – 120″ display on any wall or ceiling around you — all with crystal clear and vibrant video.
Brightness: 2000 Lumens
Size and Weight: 3.94* x 3.94 x 0.98 in (10 * 10 * 2.5cm), 10oz
Others
AOK Smart Projector – 4200 ISO Lumens WIFI Android 4.4 LED Bluetooth 1280 x 800 Contrast Ratio 7000:1 Best Choice for Home Theater