Portable projectors take the convenience of a standard projector and make them small and portable enough to be able to fit inside a standard laptop bag. Some are so small they are pocket-sized but still pack a surprising punch. They have become popular for use in the business sector and for giving presentations, and are also popular with private customers who want an easy way to view things on the go. They make using a computer or another device without a monitor super simple.
One of the most important factors when choosing a portable mini projector will be the image quality. Everything else about the projector – from the resolution to brightness and surrounding environment – can all impact the image quality. Portable projectors tend to sacrifice quality for their smaller size, but a good one still offers a professional quality image. Keep reading for our quick guide on portable projectors or check out the more detailed portable projector reviews on techimperatives.com.
What to Look for in a Portable Projector
Knowing what to look for in a portable projector makes the buying process so much easier. With that in mind, here are some top considerations;
- Image Quality
The thing to know about projectors is that they are only as good as the image quality they provide. While the image quality can depend on outside factors because they project an image onto a wall or screen, the technology inside a projector still plays a pivotal role in determining overall image quality. When you choose a portable projector, be sure to think about the size and brightness of the image being projected to get a good idea of the level of quality of a projector.
The image size for a projector offers a measurement of how large an image will appear in focus. You use the lens on a traditional projector to adjust focus and size. Portable projects in general don’t have a zoom feature though. They are less adjustable in regards to image size. In general though, you can expect the image to be between one and two feet in size.
The brightness of an image reflects how clear and visible the image is in different environments. The brighter the environment around a projector and screen, the harder it is to see the image. You would need a brighter projector to see an image in a brightly lit room. Portable projectors tend to lack the brightness of bigger models. They are made with energy-efficient LED lamps that provide 1,500 lumens compared to the 2,500+ lumens offered by a larger projector.
- Throw
The “Throw” distance of a projector covers how much space is needed between the projector and the screen/wall to see a clear image from the projector. A minimum throw distance gives you an idea of the amount of space you need to properly use the projector and get a clear quality image out of it.
Portable projectors tend to have a shorter throw distance of between 2 to 8 feet. The smaller this distance, the more flexibility you’ll have over where you can place the projector. Most portable projectors are designed to be placed on a table to project an image of around 22×44 inches on walls up to two feet away.
The throw ratio is a good measurement by which to compare different portable projectors. The throw ratio compares the throw distance and ideal image width. If the throw distance and screen width were equal, for example, it would create a throw ratio of 1:1.
- LED Light
Projectors require some kind of light source to properly cast the image or video to the screen. A large projector designed for home and office use comes equipped with a large lamp or lasers to project the images over large distances. They are designed to be big and powerful for larger images.
Given that portable projectors are, well, portable, they don’t have the size or capacity for large lamps and lasers. Instead of having big lamps, they use smaller and more energy efficient LED lights to get the job done. They are ideal for use in portable projectors where they don’t need to project over long distances. LED lights also offer better color production and tend to last longer than the average lamp.
These LED lights do have some limitations though. Their main drawback is their lack of brightness compared to large projectors. That’s why you should look for a projector that offers plenty of brightness with its LED light. Brightness is one of the things you have to sacrifice with a portable model, but you can control how much brightness you have to give up with certain models.
- Resolution
Projectors work much like monitors and TVs in that they create pictures and videos using pixels. The resolution refers to the number of pixels a projector has. The more pixels they have to play with, the better quality the image they produce. Higher resolutions are needed for things such as games and movies, but it’s less important for business meetings and other standard uses for projectors.
Resolution is another area where portable projectors are less powerful than their larger cousins, but they still offer great quality images. The standard image resolution for a portable projector is around 845×480 pixels, which is more than enough for general and business use. With that said, some portable projectors can offer up to 1,920×1080 resolution – also known as True HD. This resolution is great for games and movies where the smallest details matter. You should aim to get the best resolution you can for your budget when looking at portable projectors.
- Inputs
Given that projectors themselves are not computers they require connections to other devices to project their images. The connection sends the image from the source device to the projector to display. There are different kinds of connection inputs available on projectors to connect them to different devices.
USB connections are the industry standard. Almost every portable projector can be connected to a computer via USB. They don’t take up much room and can project different screen resolutions. More high-end models include support for HDMI cables. They provide a superior image quality and are slowly replacing USB as the industry standard. Modern computers, televisions, and video games consoles rely on HDMI connections. It’s worth investing in a portable projector that offers HDMI connections.
Don’t Forget About Portability
Last but not least, you should never discount the portability of a portable projector. That’s the main reason you choose a portable model after all. You want a compact and lightweight model that manages to fit everything you need in terms of resolution, connection ports, and image brightness and quality. Keep these factors in mind and you’ll find it’s easier than you’d think to get the right portable projector.