Portable projectors arrive in many shapes and forms, but the good ones are easy to spot. They’re stylish, chic, and well thought out, and thus laden with helpful features.
Those include shock, drop, and water resistance for outdoors use, so you or the folks you gift the projector to aren’t limited to indoor usage. Good portables also have at least three hours of battery life, use LED technology as we mentioned above, and project a minimum of 500 lumens to ensure bright and visible images. You should also choose models that support 720p. Careful, some of the really cheap models are limited to 480p or less, and may not even have HDMI. Conversely, excellent portable projectors make sure to include USB-C these days.
So yes, check that HDMI, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth are there. You’ll need them to connect to source devices and streaming apps.
Look at the weight specs for the portable projector you’re considering. Too light (like under half a pound) means it’s a micro projector, and those are not suited to home entertainment. They’re more for quickly showcasing presentations in a meeting room in very low quality. Premium portable projectors average three pounds. That’s not heavy, nor too light: the heft indicates the tech engineers have packed into the modest form factor. Good portable projectors are durable and dense with goodies.