Projectors are a great way to get a big screen no matter where you are. You can even carry them while traveling to get a large display to view content. However, Most projectors are bulky and require a lot of space to dump the output — both of which aren’t ideal when you’re traveling or outdoors. Enter short throw projectors.
Short projectors can project a large screen even when placed a few centimeters away from the screen. If you don’t have a small room or place to rest the projector a few feet away. A short throw projector is the best solution. When you travel, you may want to take it a step further and get a portable short throw projector. Here are some of the best portable short throw projectors where you can enjoy an immersive experience.
Before we get to the projectors, here are some recommended articles you might find interesting.
With that, let’s move on to the projector.
1. AKIYO Mini Short Throw Projector
- Output resolution: 480p | Brightness: 120 lumen | Drawing Size: Up to 120 inches
The Akiyo Mini projector is one of the most affordable projectors you can buy. It has a compact form factor that can easily fit into your backpack or your pants pocket. computers, smartphones; and compatible with streaming devices.
This mini projector from Akiyo lives up to its name quite a bit. It fits in the palm of your hand and requires a small surface to rest it on. You also get a tripod in the box for getting to certain heights. It can output 1080p content, but output resolution is limited to 480p, the industry standard for small projectors.
It has a built-in battery that provides up to 1.5 hours of playback time. Thanks to the USB-C port on the back, you can also use a power bank to charge it and extend your binge-watching session. A full-sized HDMI port and USB-A port are also available on the rear for input, as seen on a projector of this size.
As mentioned, the only complaint from users is poor battery life, and a power bank can solve that problem. The brightness is not too high, So there may be a problem using this projector in a bright environment.
2. AAXA P400 projector
- Output resolution: 1080p | Brightness: 400 lumen | Drawing Size: Up to 180 inches
The AAXA P400 short throw projector is one of the few portable projectors with 1080p output resolution. This alone makes it one of the best mini short throw projectors out there. The brand claims that you can get a 100-inch projection by placing the projector 5 feet away.
This little projector has a lot of tricks up its sleeve. Apart from being portable and having a short range, you get a Built-in-Battery that lasts up to 2 hours. It’s also brighter than most portable projectors, so you don’t need pitch darkness to use it. According to the connection options; USB-A port; There’s a full-size HDMI and microSD card slot for convenient direct-to-play clips.
Unlike the first option, You don’t get a built-in speaker on this product, but the other features are better, so it’s an understandable compromise. You can always get an external speaker and connect it to the projector via the 3.5mm jack.
A few downsides, as mentioned by users, are the lack of Wi-Fi and keystone repair. Some users have also reported that it is difficult to focus properly and they have to play with the focus ring for a while.
3. JMGO O1 Ultra Short Throw Projector
- Output resolution: 1080p | Brightness: 800 lumen | Drawing Size: Up to 100 inches
ok Now we’ve moved into expensive territory with this projector. JMGO O1 is almost 4 times the price of the previous product. However, Are the features worth paying 4x? We’ll let you decide. You get 1080p output, but the projector can handle 4K content, something previous options couldn’t.
The O1 ultra short throw projector from JMGO is not as small as the two previously mentioned projectors. Because it has powerful hardware capable of processing 4K videos, the output resolution is limited to 1080p. This projector is in the brightness department. You get 800 lumen output, on par with larger projectors.
It has stereo speakers for focused sound and convenient features like autofocus and auto keystone. For connection, 2 USB-A ports; 2 HDMI ports; There is an optical port and a LAN port. now, The image quality through this ultra short throw projector is good, but there are some weaknesses that cannot be ignored; Especially at this price point.
First, This projector does not run on batteries. So it’s portable and has to be powered from a wall outlet. The Luna OS that runs on it is pretty bad and many apps like Netflix don’t run well, so you have to plug in an external device like a streaming stick. If you can handle these deals, You can get this projector based on its impressive image quality.
4. ViewSonic X10 4K Short Throw LED Projector
- Output resolution: 4K | Brightness: 2400 lumen | Drawing Size: Up to 120 inches
This is the ultimate short-throw projector that’s easy to carry with you if you’re willing to put in a lot of money. The ViewSonic X10 boasts 4K HD resolution, which is rare to see in a portable projector, not to mention the compact size. It is also an LED projector that ensures superior picture quality and extremely high brightness.
If picture quality is the highest parameter on your priority list and you want to enjoy crisp and clear content, then the ViewSonic X10 is for you. It’s a 4K projector with a massive 120-inch screen output and can stream content from YouTube or Netflix via Wi-Fi. The included Harman Kardon speakers add to the immersive experience.
It’s not as portable or small as some of the other options on this list, but it’s not too bulky, so it’s easy to carry around. However, This product has one major drawback that you should be aware of before adding it to your cart. To maintain the projector, the projector size is fixed, which means you need at least 6 feet from the screen to maintain the projector; Otherwise, the output will not be focused.
with other projectors; The projector can be placed closer to the screen to reduce image size. But with this projector, that’s not possible. If you have that space, There is no doubt that this is an excellent short throw projector. There is also some latency during gaming, so if you want to use it, you should choose a projector with a high refresh rate.
FAQs about Short Throw Projectors
A short throw projector is used when you want to project a large screen from a short distance. While a conventional projector may need 10 feet to project the screen, a short throw projector can achieve the same screen size when placed 3 feet away.
Depending on the models being compared, the two cannot be compared in terms of image quality. But if you have a small room, a short throw projector is better.
that’s right There is no difference in the type of screen you can use with a regular or short throw projector.
Yes, But this also completely depends on the brightness of the image quality.
Don’t let space be a constraint
If you live in a small apartment or don’t have enough space when you travel to set up a large projector. As described in this article, a portable short-throw projector is a great way to overcome space limitations. You can enjoy the big screen experience in a small and portable form factor.