Want to enjoy your favorite movies outdoors, stream the latest sports game in the garden or catch up with TV shows while basking in the heat? The best outdoor projects let you watch videos in the rain or shine, offering a rather different package to the overall best projector.
Gadgets like outdoor projectors often get discounted in sales seasons, and Tuesday, July 11 brings the next one, which is Amazon Prime Day. You can expect rare discounts on pricey devices like this if you're a Prime subscriber.
We've listed some of the best picks for you, so you know which outdoor projector is worth buying.
This ranking doesn't just include the best projectors overall, because your outdoor kit needs to be able to contend with the elements. The following are generally more durable, and brighter to fight past all the extra light you might have since you're not locked up in a dark room. They also need to be easily portable so you can cart them around.
Every projector listed below runs on built-in batteries too, so you don't need to rely on nearby plug sockets (or chains of extension leads) to use them.
The best outdoor projectors
Depending on what you plan to watch with your outdoor projector, battery life becomes very important when you are away from a power source for any period of time. After all, when you’ve settled down to watch a film, the last thing you want is to be interrupted by a flashing battery light mid-way through.
The Philips PicoPix Max One PPX520 Mini Projector will last for a massive five hours, so there will be little danger of it dying just as you get to the good part. It’s also extremely easy to set up and use, with focus and keystone correction all done automatically without your needing to touch the settings. The Full HD 1080p resolution is the best on this list, and rare for an outdoor projector. Of course, you’re paying for the great visuals.
There’s a 4W speaker built-in, and you can connect a wide range of devices via HDMI, USB-C, AirPlay, microSD, and MiraCast. And, with a maximum projection size of 120”, you’ll be able to enjoy it all on a massive scale.
One of the benefits of using an outdoor projector over a traditional TV is the size of the screen. Whereas the TV in your living room can’t really go above 85-inches (if it will fit!), the average projector can accomplish a cinema-worthy screen size of more than 100-inches. The Nebula Mars II Pro is a good example of this, as it is able to project up to 150-inches from just over 3 meters away.
Of course, you will need a good outdoor projector screen, but once you’re set up the Mars II Pro is a great HD projector with in-built smarts that mean you can watch content from Netflix, YouTube and more via Android 7.1. Brightness could be better, though, so you will get the best results viewing at night.
Sound quality has been given a boost by Soundcore Audio technology, with a pair of speakers meaning you don’t need to worry about connecting external devices. The Mars II Pro also has a convenient carry handle for extra portability and three hours of battery life.
While most people focus on brightness when looking at the features of a good outdoor projector, we believe that contrast ratio can be almost as important. Generally speaking, the bigger the number, the better, as a low rating will lead to washed-out images that will make the viewing experience far less enjoyable.
The LG CineBeam PH510P Mini Projector has a contrast ratio of 100,000:1, which is the maximum you can expect from an outdoor projector — especially at such a reasonable price. You can enjoy the results on the big screen, too, as the CineBeam PH510P can beam images up to 100-inches.
The brightness isn’t anything to get excited about, so you want to use the projector in a dark room or at night, but the 720p HD resolution coupled with the contrast will mean that your movies look great in the right conditions. It’s also super-quiet, running at just 24dB, so you won’t be struggling to hear the action over a noisy fan.
Designed primarily for business use, the ASUS P3E WXGA Smart Mini Projector is also a great choice for anyone looking for a reliable long-life portable option. It is the brightness example on our list, for example, with 800 lumens meaning you will be able to use it in slightly lighter conditions.
You also get an HD resolution and a screen size of up to 134-inches. It’s slightly noisier than some other examples, but not at a level that will negatively impact your viewing experience too much. The contrast ratio is also excellent, and it’s small and lightweight enough to carry around or pop in a bag for travel.
With features like built-in 2GB flash memory and a foldable stand, it would be a shame to limit the P3E WXGA’s use to business meetings.
Even though they’re cheaper than TVs, the best outdoor projectors can still get quite pricey. This Philips PicoPix Nano PPX120 Smart Mini Projector is a great budget option, however, offering lots without compromising too much on specs and features. We would recommend it for kids' dens or for camping trips.
As said, this isn’t as high-tech as some others on this list, with standard definition resolution and 500:1 contrast ratio along with a brightness of 100 lumens. However, for occasional use, this is ideal, as you don’t want to pay for features that you aren’t getting to get much use from. Battery life is still decent at 80 minutes — perfect for a couple of TV episodes.
How to choose the best outdoor projector
Outdoor projectors are the perfect solution for garden watch parties for a reasonable price, but there are a few things you need to consider in order to make the right choice.
How bright does an outdoor projector need to be?
Because the best outdoor projectors are battery-powered, they generally put out slightly dimmer images than your average to conserve energy. That doesn’t mean, however, that they aren’t capable of delivering great visuals.
The examples on our list range between 100-800 lumens, with the higher number meaning the resulting image will be easier to see in the daylight. So, if you want something that can be used during an afternoon barbeque, always opt for the brighter projector.
How much should I spend on an outdoor projector?
Right now it would be difficult to find a good outdoor projector for less than £150, with the best ones costing as much as £900. This is, of course, still significantly cheaper than purchasing a cinema-sized flat-screen TV, and also comes up less than a high-spec indoor projector. Our advice would be to make sure you’re getting what you pay for, with the more expensive examples sporting higher resolution and brightness.
