Living room, bedroom, office… it is not very complicated to temporarily transform a room into a cinema room or ae-sport with a giant screen. Solution: a portable LED projector. Faced with more traditional projectors, even fixed, these more and more models are of an instantaneous implementation.
Under Android TV, they access tons of videos simply through an Internet connection and can wirelessly project the content of our smartphones. The icing on the techno: these devices that fit in a bag fit a simple white wall to project films, series, games and matches in XXL format. Please note: some have a battery, others do not. And these are just add-on devices for occasional use.
The cheapest: Mi Smart Projector 2, from Xiaomi
Elegant with its white dress and anthracite fabric facade, the Mi Smart Projector 2 will be discreet (115 x 150 x 150 mm for 1.3 kg) in any room. Android TV, its use is of a simple simplicity: an Internet connection is enough to tap into the pool of videos and games offered by the Google platform.
Full HD, with images that can be projected up to 3 meters diagonally, the device manages its settings like a grown-up: focusing and keystone correction are automatic.
If it is Dolby Audio compatible, its power of 2 x 5 watts remains a little weak for an action film but sufficient for a classic TV program. Its minimalist connectivity (1 x HDMI, 1 x USB 2.0 and an audio output) confirms its vocation as an auxiliary device.
599 euro.
Our opinion : The 500 ANSI lumens on board the Mi Smart Projector 2 quickly proved their limits in terms of its brightness. For proper use of this projector, it is therefore mandatory to immerse the room in which it is installed in darkness. If its audio capabilities remain limited, the tonal balance is well restored with bass sufficiently present so that it can, in addition to its projector functions, act as a Bluetooth speaker. Good idea than that of the screw thread housed in the base of the device, which allows it to be simply fixed on a tripod.
The most aesthetic: Halo +, from XGIMI
Specialized in projectors, the firm XGIMI offers with this Halo + a well-equipped projector. Compact (113.5 x 145 x 171.5 mm for 1.6 kg), it works on mains, but also battery, with an announced autonomy of 2 hours, just enough for a feature film.
Full HD and compatible with 4K content, the Halo + is also adjustment-free, its focus and keystone correction being automatic. Thus it can project an image at perfectly right angles, even if it is not perpendicular to its projection screen.
Under Android TV, the Halo + can not only take advantage of the content and platforms offered by Google services, but also those of most smartphones, by simple mirroring. XGIMI entrusted Harman Kardon with the sound management of the projector. Result: it displays 2 x 5 watts of power, with DTS and Dolby compatibility. The latter is only of interest once the projector is connected to a compatible amplifier. Via its HDMI socket, PlayStation, Xbox and other Blu-ray decks are welcome.
849 euros.
Our opinion : With a comfortable projection diagonal that can reach nearly three meters, the show is the guest of honor of this good projector which, if not a battery with limited autonomy, fulfills its mission well. With a latency of 26.5 ms, it seems particularly well suited to video games. The care taken in the design with tactile buttons on the surface of the device is a plus. For 99 euros, the manufacturer provides an optional support thanks to which the projector can be perfectly oriented, without having to put it on books.
The most complete: PicoPix Max TV, from Philips
the PicoPix Max TV has exemplary discretion (158 x 150 x 119 mm for 1.96 kg). Once connected to your home network, it’s ready to stream your favorite programs in Full HD.
First, those offered by Android TV. From YouTube to Netflix, all you have to do is connect to the platform(s) to which you subscribe to enjoy your videos like on a classic television. Then and wirelessly, to those from your Android, iOS smartphone or tablet and even Windows or Mac OS computers.
Capable of projecting Full HD images up to more than 3 meters diagonally, this device, which is compatible with 4K content, stands out for its great practicality. Without adjustment (its autofocus and its keystone correction on 4 angles are automatic), its simplicity remains its trademark. Mains-powered, it is even equipped with a 21,000 mAh battery that can give it a battery life of up to 4 hours. What to do a last episode of his favorite series, warm under the duvet, to end a good evening binge-watching ! Or a new level of his favorite game. Offering a nice colorimetry and sufficient brightness in most circumstances, the PicoPix Max TV can suffer from a little insufficient contrast in a room where the darkness would not have been sufficiently made. Turned off, it can act as a Bluetooth speaker with a rather decent power of 2 x 12 watts. Its HDMI socket awaits your game console or DVD/Blu-Ray player. Finally, its remote control with direct access to Netflix and Prime Video avoids further manipulation if you are a fan of these platforms.
899 euros.
Our opinion : Although quite expensive, this projector confirmed its seductive potential during our tests. Its brightness of 900 ANSI lumens remains one of its main arguments, which allow it to offer correct brightness, even in a semi-lit room. Another argument and not the least: its battery, which allows the device to follow us from room to room with a more than respectable autonomy.