Best portable projector for 2021

The Mars II Pro is easily the best compact projector option here due to its light output, overall image quality, ease of use and overall design. This mobile device is a bit bigger and more expensive than any other portable projector here, but the extra money and size is worth it.

The built-in 12,500-mAh is good for about 3.5 hours, longer if you just run it as a Bluetooth speaker. There are apps built in, some of which consider the Mars II a portable device, meaning you can download content to its 8GB internal memory for offline watching. The faux-leather strap also makes carrying the outdoor projector around super easy.

Read our Anker Nebula Mars II Pro review.

I didn’t like the M2 as much as the Anker above but it has one thing in its favor: more pixels. With 1080p resolution, compared to the Anker’s 720p, you’re less-likely to see pixel structure or a “screen door effect” when watching from close-up or with a really big image screen size. In most cases 720p is just fine, however, and the Anker’s screen picture is as good or better in many ways. 

The Viewsonic is a bigger video projector than the others on this list and lacks a built-in battery, so you’ll need to supply your own USB-C battery pack if you want to make this outdoor projector truly portable. It also doesn’t have a handle and the speakers are worse than the Anker. Even so, if you want 1080p and portability, this is a good choice.

Read our Viewsonic M2 review.

The PH30N is not only less expensive than the two above, it’s also tiny. This mini projector fits in my hand, yet creates a 720p image. It has an HDMI cable input plus a USB connection that might be able to run a streaming stick off the LG’s internal battery.

The stick connection is important because the LG lacks built-in apps. Light output is about half that of the Anker Mars II Pro and M2, though their contrast ratios are roughly the same. The internal portable mini projector battery should last around two hours in the projector’s dimmest mode. Less battery life if you’re also powering a streaming stick. 

The mini projector fits in places other projectors won’t, however, making it, ahem, handy.

Read our LG CineBeam PH30N review.

While we didn’t like it quite as much as the Mars II Pro, this smaller, flatter Anker mini portable projector has more pixels than its blocky stablemate and costs about the same. It also has a superior app store, running full Android TV, but the Solar’s dimmer image makes us prefer the Mars overall. Compared to the other 1080p projector on this list, the Viewsonic M2, the Solar lacks brightness and is again dimmer but does have a built-in battery and costs a bit less. If you want a sleek, budget-friendly portable with 1080p, this is a solid choice.

Read our Anker Nebula Solar Portable review.

The GV1 has one of my favorite designs of any mini projector I’ve ever reviewed. To me this tiny projector is like something Pixar or Hayao Miyazaki would dream up. This mini projector is not much bigger than a can of Coke and has a tiltable head that makes it easy to place the projector where it fits or where it’s needed.

Unfortunately, the beauty of this portable projector is largely skin deep. Its picture quality is not very bright, its contrast ratio is fairly low and it’s only 480p. Those all can be excused given the size and price, but it’s also rather difficult to use. The internal app store is frustrating, some apps crash or refuse to load correctly and its one input (USB-C with an included dongle for HDMI connectivity), negates the ability to run a streaming stick without external power.

It sure is adorable, however.

Read our BenQ GV1 review.