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Remember those old, heavy projectors in science class? They’re long gone, and in their place, are much more advanced, smaller devices – follow our guide, and we can easily tell you what the best mini projector in the world is.
These projectors give you superior quality, better picture, and better sound than all the devices that have come before them. They also work great in your office, at home, or even for projecting movies on a big screen.
Of course, there are also thousands of products on the market, so we studied millions of customer reviews, and tested the top picks. Whether you want a budget model, or the absolute cream of the crop – we’ve got you covered.
Our Top Pick
Vankyo Leisure 3 Mini Projector
This projector comes in at the perfect sweet spot of insanely great features, and affordable price point. With tens of thousands of great customer reviews, and great results during all of our testing, it’s truly difficult to beat this machine.
With 40,000 hours of lamp life, and 1080p resolution, almost every need will be covered. While you can certainly spend more, and get some premium features, for most people – this is the machine to get. Our top pick.
Other Great Picks
Kodak Ultra Mini Portable Projector
Kodak is extremely well-known in the photo industry, and this projector is a truly phenomenal pick. With tons of great user reviews, a built-in speaker, and an affordable price point – it’s hard to imagine wanting more from a tech device.
We even like the unique color of paint on the machine, and it was by far the favored model of nearly our entire staff. A mini projector that not only looks great – it performs great, too. Another excellent pick.
Optoma ML750
If budget isn’t an issue, and you want extreme performance – this is undoubtedly the best mini projector for you. We weren’t as familiar with Optoma as a brand before testing this projector, but we were delighted with the results.
Of course, this is not the cheapest machine on the market (not by a long shot). But if budget is not a priority (or issue) – this is easily the best performing machine on our list.
GooDee Mini Projector
If you want the best budget pick on our list, look no further. GooDee was not a brand we recognized before testing this model, but the results were undeniable.
While this is not a premium choice, if you’re on a strict budget, this machine will be unbelievable for you. It delivers the performance of a machine nearly three times as expensive, and has no drawbacks. The best budget choice on our list.
Anker Nebula Mini Projector
One of the best-reviewed mini projectors on the market, this upscale device is another incredible pick. With great picture quality, and thousands of great reviews, it’s hard to beat this combination of quality and reliability.
While the price point isn’t the lowest on our list, this machine is undoubtedly built to last. That means it will last a decade (or longer) – all while still providing you with pristine picture quality, and stellar all-around performance.
TopVision Mini Projector
With 50,000 hours of battery life, this mini projector from TopVision is another great pick. Coming in at a great price point, while still delivering stellar performance, it’s a perfect mid-range product.
With thousands of great user reviews, it’s also backed by unanimous consent on its quality. If you don’t mind spending slightly more than you would on a budget model, this is a fantastic mini projector for any scenario you might run into.
CiBest Mini Projector
One of the best values on our list, this mini projector feels like it could retail for three to four times the price it’s currently sold at. It offers great picture quality, long lasting battery life, and is backed by a battery that lasts for thousands of hours.
With thousands of great customer reviews, it’s also backed by nearly everyone who has ever purchased it. While you could spend more and get some extra features, this is a perfect middle-of-the-road model – which is perfect for most of us.
QKK Mini Projector
This stellar mini projector from QKK comes complete with a tripod, as well as thousands of perfect customer reviews. Additionally, the price is very low for this model, which makes it an absolute steal.
If you want the most value possible, and don’t want to break the bank, this is a great choice. While you can trade up and spend more to get some additional premium features, this is easily the best bang for your buck.
Dr. J Professional Mini Projector
With tens of thousands of perfect customer reviews, and a 100 inch projection screen – this is one of the best projectors on our entire list. While you might think all of this stuff would cost you an arm and a leg – the price point for this machine remains almost absurdly low.
The lamp lasts up to 40,000 hours, which guarantees you’ll be able to use this projector for years, before it the lamp needs to be replaced. If you want incredible value, at an incredible price – this is undoubtedly the machine for you.
AuKing Mini Projector
With a lamp that last 55,000 hours – and thousands of great customer reviews – this is another stellar mini projector. We definitely weren’t familiar with AuKing as a brand before we tested this device, but we were impressed with the results.
Customers have noted that you’ll need the darkest conditions possible for this machine to shine, so we don’t recommend watching it in bright rooms. However, if you can get by this one feature, you’ll find an excellent device for the relatively low amount of money you’ll spend.
AAXA Mini LED Projector
This mini projector is very bright, provides an excellent picture, and doesn’t even require power. That means it’s perfect for camping trips, or any other outdoor excursions.
While not the cheapest option on the list, this machine offers stellar performance, and a number of different inputs. You can spend less, but you won’t come close to the performance offered by this machine. A great premium option.
What Is A Mini Projector?
Mini projectors are truly incredible devices, as they can take input from your phone, computer, or any other device – and blow it up to a huge resolution. Essentially an upgraded Ferrari compared to the old Chevys that are traditional projectors, the mini models are not only smaller – they have flawless picture displays, low price points, and amazing battery life.
Even though mini projectors can display a movie from your phone onto a screen the size fit for a small movie theater – they can still fit easily inside your backpack. What may be most amazing, is that mini projectors are so far above and beyond the old projectors – which cost ten times more, and were about thirty times heavier.
What Is A Mini Projector Used For?
Mini projectors can be used at work, in your office, on the road, out while you’re camping, or even to project movies right in your living room. There is not a single set use for mini projectors, and part of their strength is in their versatility.
Unlike past decades, you can get a high quality projector for almost no money. Of course, the more money you spend, the better the quality usually is – but for most people, a minor investment is enough to get great results.
Can You Watch Netflix On A Mini Projector?
Yes, you absolutely can. There are a number of ways to do this, but the easiest is simply hooking up your laptop to a mini projector.
You can play movies on your Netflix account on your laptop, all the while having it projected onto a huge screen. This works perfectly for movies nights with your friends and family, of course.
If your iPhone hooks up to your chosen mini projector, you can even beam your Netflix movies from your smartphone right to the projector. Ultimately, there’s hardly a chance you won’t be able to use your Netflix account with your chosen mini projector, so let your imagination run wild.
What Is The Best Cheap Mini Projector?
There are a number of great budget options on our list. Since mini projectors aren’t very expensive to begin with, even the highest quality models will still be affordable.
The GooDee mini projector is our pick for the best cheap mini projector, however. For hardly any money, you can get a machine that will give you truly stellar results.
Can You Watch TV On A Projector?
Yes, you can easily watch TV through a projector. The easiest way to do so, is to sign up for TV service, and then through your phone (or computer), beam the signal to your projector.
Just like that, you’ll be able to watch any television program on a gigantic screen. While there are other, more complex ways to hook up your projector to display television channels – the aforementioned is by far the easiest.
What Should I Look For In A Mini Projector?
There are a small number of things to look for in a mini projector, before making a purchase. First, decide on how much you want to spend.
Smaller budgets will usually result in lesser picture quality, as well as fewer possible input options. However, even budget models usually provide stellar performance, so no need to worry if your budget is tight.
Next, be sure that you are choosing a model with great battery life. This is usually determined by looking instead at the overall lamp life of the mode.
It’s not uncommon to see 40,000 to 50,000 hours of lamp life for many mini projectors. Once these two factors are determined, you just want to make sure that your chosen projector is compatible with the rest of your hardware – which is almost always the case.
How Long Should A Projector Last?
While older projectors might only last a few years, newer mini projectors can last for a decade or more. One of the best qualities to look for, when choosing a device, is just how long the lamp is estimated to last.
The longer the lamp life – the higher the chance your mini projector will last past a decade of use. Of course, a warranty is still a good idea, just in case something goes wrong.
How Important Is Picture Quality In A Mini Projector?
We would argue that the most important factor to look for in a mini projector, is stellar picture quality. We should be upfront about this – if you spend more on a projector, you’ll almost always get better picture quality.
So you have to find the sweet spot that works for you. Do you want to spend a ton, and have amazing picture quality?
Or do you want to spend less, but have a lower quality image? Truthfully, there is no right answer here.
Everyone will have their own budget to work with, as well as their own performance needs. If you’re unlikely to use your mini projector every day, maybe you don’t want to spend more to get a very high quality machine.
On the other hand, if you’re going to be using your mini projector every day, or you simply love movies – we recommend going all out, and opting for the highest quality machine possible. This might mean spending slightly more than you normally would – but a decade of high quality performance, is worth it, in our opinion.
The Best Mini Projector
There you have it – our top picks for the best mini projector. These devices work great at your office, as well as at home.
We tested them these devices by projecting movies, our laptop screens, and even PowerPoints. If you want a very affordable way to present a great image, any of the ten devices on our list will work perfectly.
Mini projectors are a true essential for any home or office, and even the best models are still highly affordable – which makes them the perfect gift for you – or your loved ones. And remember, if you liked this list, be sure to check out some of our other top product reviews.