We all may know that watching TV and movies on a big screen may be one of the best experiences to enjoy movies, series, etc. This experience may only give you the best projector for your home cinema room. With a portable projector, you have a chance to take your big screen everywhere with you, including on camping or vacation trips.
To have the best experience, the most important thing is to choose the best projector for your needs. This article will help you see the most important things and what to look for in a projector before you buy one.
What to Look For in a Projector
Placement
Before buying a projector, it is important to know where you are going to put it because this may limit the projector you want to buy and not fit your home or wherever you want to set it. The most affordable single-chip DLP projectors have very little lens shift, which means you may not adjust the height of the image without moving the projector you have.
These units have an upward throw angle, and the bottom of the image might be above or at the top of the projector. For this reason, you may have to mount them on the ceiling or some table. Also, you have to know how far back you have to place the projector to make a large image because many projectors have a limited zoom range of distances to work.
Size and weight
These two are the most important factors when choosing a projector. All portable projectors may have significant differences. For example, for XGIMI Mogo Pro+, the unit measures are 146 x 94mm with 0.9kg weight, and for the XGIMI Halo+, the unit measures are 172 x 114 x 145mm with 1.6 kg weight.
The Mogo Pro+ is tinier, lighter, and easier to carry. If you usually travel and want to bring a projector, then this one may be the best. Halo+ is more extensive, and it may be better if you travel by car or just want to use it around your home. Look for a carry case for protection because the lens on a portable projector is very sensitive.
Also Read: How Big Is a 100 Inch Projector Screen
Resolution
If you want to buy older projectors, there is a chance to deal with a low resolution, sometimes even less than 720p HD. It may be good to look for new projectors if you want a better resolution higher than 720p HD.
Many projectors have a high resolution and give the best experience, even though there are many details in what you watch, no matter how far the projector is.
Sound quality
The built-in speakers show that you do not have to carry any additional speakers around, but many portable projectors are not built equally. For example, Halo+ has dual 5W speakers, which means it is clear and loud enough to use even outside.
Mogo Pro+ has 3W speakers and is quieter, so it may not be very loud to use outside. You should look for a projector that has Bluetooth built-in or allow you to hook up an external Bluetooth speaker.
Brightness
The brightness shows when and where you may use the projector. The brighter the projector is, the better and larger image you will get. The best example of this is the Mogo Pro+ with a 300 Lumens brightness and Halo+ with 900 Lumens brightness.
Halo+ will work better in a room with the curtains closed because it has higher brightness, but for Mogo Pro+, you will need a darker room. Because of its higher brightness, you may bring Halo+ outside and enjoy the movies in the summer or on warmer days.
Read More: How Many Lumens Is Good for Projector
Battery life
Almost all portable projectors have batteries to run when you are not near the power socket. The stated capacity of a battery does not tell you much, so you better ignore it. For example, the smallest batteries in lower brightness projectors may last longer than the big batteries. You have to look at the quoted runtime. Usually, portable projectors may last around two to four hours on a single charge so that you may watch a few episodes of a TV show or a regular movie.
While using the projector on battery power, choose your content very carefully, and do not forget that you will need the internet to connect or offline content to watch anything. If you do not want to use your projector on battery power, look for smaller projectors. For example, the XGIMI Elfin has many similarities with Halo+, but it may ditch the battery to get the weight down to 900g.
Apps and interface
Most portable projectors run a version of Android TV, which means you will have apps without turning to an external streaming stick. You have to check what support is available. For example, the most used Netflix platform often does not work because it has to be approved to run by the company. A streaming stick might be a good option on XGIMI projectors because the USB port on the rear powers it.
Many portable projectors use Android mobile versions of apps, so you can easily download contacts to watch. If the projector does not offer this feature, you may connect with the internet to stream content or provide it on a USB drive for watching offline.
Cheap tech
It has three technology types for projector chips: LCD, DLP, and LCoS. Below you can check the highlights of these three chips.
LCD
- Motion blur
- Poor ratio
- Better color than most DLP projectors
DP
- Available from many brands
- No motion blur
- Only average contrast ratio
- Most often, the color is mediocre
LCoS
- Motion blur
- Mid-to high-end projectors, including JVC and Sony
- Great color, but not the best one
Conclusion
It has many great projectors in the market that may give you the best experience to enjoy watching movies with your family, friends, etc. You don’t need to worry because now you know what to look for in a projector when thinking to buy. You have to pay attention to the abovementioned factors before buying any. All projectors are different sizes, so choose one that may only suit your needs.