In this section, we will take a deep dive into projectors suitable for use outside the home due to a built-in battery. While lacking smart features, these compact, easy-to-carry projectors usually includes a good built-in sound system.
Elite Projector MosicGO
Elite Screens MosicGo 360 Portable Projection System
Price
$1199 ($899 without Battery)
Brightness
1000 ANSI lumens
Resolution
1920 x 1080
Light Source
LED
Light Source Lifespan
25,000 fours
Inputs
HDMI x 2, USB-A x 2, USB-C
Portability – size
Weighs about 6 lbs (bundle with projector, tripod, screen weighs 25lbs)
Portability – power
30 hours of music, 3 hours of video playback, can charge other mobile devices via USB-C
Portability – durability
IPX2 spill-proof
Sound
Dual 8-watt built-in speakers
The Elite MosicGO is an ultra-short-throw projector with 1,000 lumens The projector has full HD resolution (1,920 x 1,080), and because it’s an ultra-short-throw projector, you can wow your guests by projecting a 100-inch image from just over a foot away. The MosicGo Sport ($1199) has a built-in battery while MosicGo Lite ($899).
A built-in battery offers up to 3 hours of video and up to 30 hours of music. You can enjoy at least one regular-length movie, or hours of video games, before needing to charge the projector. During our review, the battery also lasted over 3 hours while powering an Amazon FireTV stick via USB that we used to watch a football game via Hulu TV outside on the deck. MosicGO 360 can also function as a wireless speaker via Bluetooth connection and a power charging hub for a variety of portable devices.
The Elite MosicGo is great for gaming, with a low input lag of just 17ms. During our review, we used a Bodnar lag tester to verify Elite Projector’s claim and we actually measured a slightly lower 16.8ms. The very low input lag, combined with the projector’s 1080 resolution and ultra-short throw design, makes the MosicGo ideal for gaming on the go.
The MosicGo has dual 8-watt built-in speakers located on the left and right sides of the projector. They can play more than loud enough for everyone sitting around the projector to hear. The overall sound quality matched that of a decently sized portable Bluetooth speaker. If higher quality audio is needed, the projector has a mini-jack audio output that can be used to connect to an external audio system.
There are several MosicGO packages available that include an outdoor screen and/or an indoor screen. You will also get a carrying bag for storage and transportation and a tripod stand for easy setup.
The projector, tripod, and screen can be neatly packed into the carrying cases, which were clearly designed with portability in mind. When packed up, the MosicGO 360 with included tripod and the 58” portable screen together weigh less than 20 pounds. This unit is IPX2 spillproof certified to protect from changes in weather for outdoor/indoor use.
The AAXA M6 is a bright, single-chip DLP pocket-class projector with LED technology. Instead of a lamp, the 1,200 lumen M6 features three LED lights – one for each color (red, green, and blue to recreate the color spectrum. The M6 has 1080p resolution (1920 x 1080) and claims 1200 lumens when plugged in, 500 when running on battery power – that’s pretty good for a projector this size. At $599, it’s rather aggressively priced for a 1080p resolution, small LED projector.
The AAXA M6 is a small pocket projector that weighs a mere 2.5 pounds. It is only 7 inches wide, 7 inches long, and 2.1 inches tall. The projector comes with a black carrying case with handles and is notably smaller than a laptop. Now that’s portable!
The AAXA M7 is a portable projector that delivers big-screen projection at Full HD 1080p and it is 4K 30 fps ready. Thanks to a 3-hour built-in battery capable of showing an entire movie, this is a great projector for outdoor adventures like camping trips or beach parties. The projector can also act as a power bank for charging your smart devices. Although it doesn’t have a handy case like the AAXA M6, it weighs just under 3lbs and fits easily into a backpack.
If you’re wondering how you are going to play content while out of the home, the AAXA M7 includes an onboard media player capable of playing videos, picture slide shows, and other media. The M7 can accept media from a micro-SD card, USB (up to 64GB), or through its HDMI video or 3.5mm AV input. It also outputs audio via a 3.5mm headphone jack. A USB-C compatible input port allows for screen mirroring from USB-C compatible devices.
Although the AAXA M7 comes equipped with two 4-watt speakers placed side by side on the right side of the projector, we found the positioning is not optimal for good stereo reproduction. The speakers may be loud enough for a small audience, but we recommend connecting the M7 to external audio via the included 3.5-inch audio jack.
The AAXA P6X is ultra-compact with a long-lasting battery
Price
$359
Brightness
1100 LED lumens (641 ANSI lumens measured)
Resolution
WXGA 1280x800
Light Source
Solid state light source
Light Source Lifespan
30,000 hours
Inputs
HDMI x 1, USB x 1
Media Player
Onboard
Portability – size
1.81 lbs
Portability – power
Up to 4 hours (ECO mode)
Portability – smart
None
Portability - durability
Solid state light source resists shocks
Sound
Built-in speaker
AAXA Technologies claims the AAXA P6A is the world’s brightest battery powered Pico Projector. The PX6 weighs just 1.8lbs and retails for $359. The large 15000mah (54 watt) lithium ion battery provides up to 4 hours of battery life and you can also use it to charge your phone or other mobile device.
The AAXA P6X is powered by premium 30,000 hour Osram LEDs – more than 6x the average life-span of lamp-based projectors. LEDs allow instant ON and OFF Projection and are mercury-free and more environmentally friendly. Suitable to the bumps and knocks of travel, a solid state light source resists shocks and falls much better than traditional lamp-based projectors.
This bright, tiny, long-lasting, rugged, and affordable projector would be a great solution for many outdoor entertainment applications whether is in the backyard at a campsite. I can also see how the ultra-portability would be appealing to college students, military members, and salespeople who are always on the go.
The speaker isn’t the best in terms of clarity and bass, but it is more than adequate for casual viewing, and the 3.5mm jack allows for external sound devices to be easily connected.
The AAXA P300 Neo is a tiny, portable projector with an LED light engine, as is typical of pico and pocket projectors. It is so small that it sits comfortably in the palm of my hand and would easily fit into a small or medium sized purse – possibly even a man’s back pocket. This itty-bitty projector weighs less than a pound and only measures 4” x 3.5” x 1.2”. The P300 Neo has 720p native resolution – the lower end of HD.
The manufacturer claims 420 lumens but our own tests didn’t measure anywhere close. This projector really isn’t bright enough for most people. It might be okay in a very dark room but it would struggle to combat the ambient light of a typical back yard (including the neighbor’s porch light or you know, the stars). The smaller the image, the brighter the projector.
The combination of exceptionally small size and decent 2.5 hour battery life do make this projector a mobile option. It also has an onboard media player via the USB port on the back.
The ViewSonic M1 is a sleek pocket projector with impressive sound
Price
$337
Brightness
250 lumens
Resolution
WVGA 854x480
Light Source
DLP with LED light source
Light Source Lifespan
Up to 30,000 hours
Inputs
HDMI, USB-A, USB-C, MicroSD
Internal Storage
16GB
Portability – size
1.5 lbs
Portability – power
Between 4-6 hours
Portability – smart
None
Sound
Dual 3-Watt Harmon Kardon speakers
The ViewSonic M1 is a pocket projector boasting exceptional audio quality, with a fairly low price of just $337. As with most small pocket and pico projectors, the M1 has limited options and has its tradeoffs in favor of audio quality and portability.
The ViewSonic M1 is a small pocket projector that weighs just 1.5 lbs, and measures only 1.6 inches high, 5.8 inches wide and 5 inches deep. In terms of performance, the ViewSonic M1 is not bright enough to be used outside of a truly darkened room or at nighttime with the lights out; it does not handle any ambient light well. At a claim of 250 lumens, though, this is to be expected.
This ViewSonic projector offers an onboard media player with built-in 16GB storage. The Harman Kardon speakers deliver outstanding audio quality for such a small projector and the internal battery provides up to 6 hours of run-time depending on use. I tested the battery at full power and found the battery lasted just over three hours – not bad at all! The claim is obviously based on running the projector in battery saving mode. The rear of the projector features an external battery meter for quickly referencing the charge remaining. If you are using this projector for gaming, you can easily see the remaining battery life at a glance and reach safety to pause or save their progress before the battery dies unexpectedly.
The unit has a sleek design and comes with a carrying case and USB-C cable. The included Smart Stand is functional and looks great. Many tiny Pico projectors do not have adjustable feet and either need to be mounted on a mini-tripod or have something wedged beneath it to get just the right angle on the screen – the ViewSonic M1 solves that problem! The Smart Stand pivots 360 degrees, allowing you to project just about anywhere, any way you want to; +40 degree keystone correction assists in that venture.
The Smart Stand doubles as a lens cover to protect the glass lens while transporting. Coupled with the Eye Protection setting being enabled, the Smart Stand will turn off the light engine and, when rotated into the lens cover position, quickly put the projector into standby mode for battery saving.
