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Portable projectors are a lot of fun and there are so many great options. These are great for those who want or don’t want to permanently install a projector in their home. Portability gives you the flexibility to take them anywhere. You can use it in the office for presentations, or outdoors for a movie night or a football game.
While they’re not very cheap, you can get a lot of tech for a lot of money, and they’re surprisingly good.
I recently reviewed the superb BenQ GV30 Portable Projectorwhich is a 720P projector with 2.1 speakers, built-in battery and Android 10.
I reviewed before Anker Nebula Capsule III would say it’s not that great, but still great.
BenQ GV30 Portable Projector
- Resolution: 1280×720
- Projection ratio: 1.2:1
- Brightness: 300 ANSI lumens
- Elevation adjustment: 0-135°
- Keystone Correction: Auto Vertical ±40 degrees
- Speakers: 2x4W & 8W subwoofer
- Battery: 2.5 hours video playback time and USB-C PD charging
- Android: Android 10, 2GB RAM, 16GB storage
- Weight: 1.6kg
- Estimated price: £525
I listed this first mainly because this is my most recent review and I think it is better than the Nebula Capsule II I listed 2nd.
I prefer the Nebula Capsule II because it has a brighter image and is easier to watch in light. 2.1 speakers and wide vertical adjustment let you choose to project vertically up or down on the table.
Anker Nebula Capsule II
- Resolution: 1280×720
- Throw ratio: 1.2
- Brightness: 200 ANSI lumens
- Height Adjustment: None, requires stand
- Keystone: Auto Vertical
- Speaker: 1x8W
- Battery: 2.5 hours and USB-C PD charging
- Android: Android 9, 2GB RAM, 16GB storage
- Weight: 0.9kg
- Estimated price: £455
Ankers sub-brand Nebula has one of the broadest lines of portable projectors, and you should be able to find an option that fits your needs and budget.
Capsule II is at the top of the capsule series, and I might miss the original Capsule due to its low resolution and low brightness.
Nebula Solar Portable
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080
- Throw ratio: ?
- Brightness: 400 ANSI lumens
- Height Adjustment: Small Pop-Up Stand
- Keystone Correction: Auto (Vertical ±40°) Manual (Horizontal ±40°, Quad ±40°)
- Speakers: 2 x 3W
- Battery: 20,000mAh / 3 hours and USB-C PD charging
- Android: Android 9, 2GB RAM, 8GB storage
- Weight: 1.31kg
- Estimated price: £599
I haven’t used the Nebula Solar Portable, but it seems to be one of the best value for money overall specs. Unlike the first two options, this is 1080P, which boosts the brightness to 400 ANSI lumens.
It doesn’t have the same placement flexibility as the BenQ’s 13- and 135-degree angles, but it does have a ¼” threaded hole on the bottom for a tripod, which alleviates this problem.
It also only has 2x3w speakers, which may be a bit underpowered.
If you don’t care about the battery benefits, you can get a standard Nebula Solar for just £400.
Nebula Mars 2 Pro
- Resolution: 1280×720
- Projection ratio: 1.2:1
- Brightness: 500 ANSI Lumens
- Height Adjustment: None, requires stand
- Keystone Correction: Auto Vertical + Manual Horizontal
- Speakers: 2 x 10W
- Battery: 3 hours in battery mode
- Android: Android 7.1, 2GB RAM, 16GB storage
- Weight: 1.77kg
- Estimated price: £392
Projectors from the Mars brand can still run on battery power, but they are much larger. The Mars II Pro weighs more than twice the Capsule II at 1.6kg and 0.72kg respectively.
The RRP is the same as the Capsule II, but noticeably brighter at 500 ANSI lumens with more powerful 2×10W speakers.
XGIMI Mogo Pro Plus
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080
- Projection ratio: 1.2:1
- Brightness: 300 ANSI lumens
- Height adjustment: built-in stand 0-30°
- Keystone: 45° vertical and horizontal automatic keystone correction
- Speakers: 2 x 3W Harman/Kardon, Dolby Audio, DTS-HD & DTS Premium Sound
- Battery: 2 to 4 hours of video playback time
- Android: Android 9, 2GB RAM, 16GB storage
- Weight: 0.9kg
- Estimated price: £560
XGIMI may not have the brand recognition of Anker or BenQ, but they are known for their projectors.
Mogo Pro Plus is 1080p FHD with 300 ANSI lumens and automatic vertical and horizontal keystone correction.
It has a small kickstand that gives you 0-30° elevation adjustment.
XGIMI Halo+
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080
- Brightness: 900 ANSI Lumens
- Altitude Adjustment:
- Keystone: 45° vertical and horizontal automatic keystone correction
- Speakers: 2 x 5W Harman/Kardon, Dolby Audio, DTS-HD & DTS Premium Sound
- Battery: 59.4 Wh
- Android: Android 10.0, 2GB RAM, 16GB storage
- Weight: 1.6kg
- Approximate price: £750
The Halo+ is up a notch, and it’s probably the best projector on this list, but it’s also the most expensive. It’s 1080p, but it claims to deliver 900 ANSI lumens, which is impressive for a £750 projector.
You get 45° vertical and horizontal automatic keystone correction, which will make your pictures easier to align.
ViewSonic M2
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080
- Projection ratio: 1.23:1
- Brightness: 1200 LED Lumens / 500 ANSI Lumens
- Elevation: bracket but no elevation data
- Keystone correction: H:+/-30°, V:+/-40° Does not indicate whether it is automatic or not
- Speakers: 2 x 3W Harman/Kardon
- Battery: No battery but USB-C charging
- Android: custom version of Android
- Weight: 1.32kg
- Estimated price: £599
The ViewSonic M2 received some positive reviews, and its high resolution and brightness made it very appealing. However, the software running on the projector is not as good as Android TV, and there is no built-in battery, so if you want to bring this phone, you have to consider the cost of the power bank.
Last updated on April 25, 2022 / Affiliate Links / Image from Amazon Product Advertising API
