Portable projectors are becoming popular because of their ability to cast a picture onto any surface and turn it into a massive cinema screen of upto 120-inches.
Overall they are a great companion for frequent travelers and people on the go.
That’s amazing, but can we use mini projector for gaming?
Gaming needs specialized projectors to avoid lag and blur during gameplay. Today’s high-end projectors aren’t falling short in terms of gaming specs: input lag and refresh rate. But such high-end gaming projectors aren’t compact and lightweight.
So if you are finding a mini projector for fast-action gaming, it will be really challenging. We have found only one projector capable of fast-action gaming under this category of a mini gaming projector.
Though in all honesty, mini projectors are not made for fast-action gaming. You will find that most of them are the best fit for casual gaming.
In this article, we have rounded up a list of lightweight and compact portable projectors for gaming.
List of Mini Projector for Gaming
- XGIMI Horizon – Lowest Input Lag
- XGIMI Elfin – Best Budget-friendly
- Asus F1
- Yaber Aurora S
In no particular order, let’s begin discussing our top picks…
#1 – XGIMI Horizon
XGIMI is the leading brand manufacturing high-performance mini and pocket projectors.
The XGIMI Horizon is a Full HD home cinema projector with an input lag of 18.2ms. Generally, the input lag of 16ms is considered ideal for fast-action gaming.
The Auto Keystone Correction, Auto Focus, Intelligent Screen Alignment, and Intelligent Obstacle Avoidance will avoid the hassle of following a lengthy installation process and help you get started quickly.
Specifications
- Input Lag: 1080p – 18.2ms
- Refresh Rate: 1080p – 60Hz
- Brightness: 2200 ANSI Lumens
- Native Resolution: 1920×1080 pixels
- HDR Support: YES
- Screen Size: 40-200 inch
- Lamp Lifespan: 30,000 hours
- Connectivity Options: WiFi, Bluetooth, Dual HDMI, Dual USB, LAN, 3.5mm Audio Jack
- Size: 8.2×8.5×5.3 inch
- Weight: 6.3 lbs
It equips powerful dual 8W Harman/Kardon speakers along with Dolby and DTS Audio support to deliver an immersive cinematic audio experience in a medium-sized living room.
Moreover, the XGIMI Horizon is based on Android TV, so that you can enjoy 5,000+ apps, including YouTube, HBO, and more.
#2 – XGIMI Elfin
If you are always on the move, then XGIMI Elfin Mini is made for you because it can easily fit into your backpack. The weight of this projector is only 1.9 pounds.
It is an intelligent projector made for casual gaming. You will experience an input lag of 26.5ms with 1080p at 60Hz. Note that this much input lag is relatively high for fast-action gaming.
With the brightness of 800 ANSI Lumens and a native resolution of 1080p, it offers bright and crisp visuals for on-the-go entertainment.
Specifications
- Input Lag: 1080p – 26.5ms
- Refresh Rate: 1080p – 60Hz
- Brightness: 800 ANSI Lumens
- Native Resolution: 1920×1080 pixels
- HDR Support: YES
- Screen Size: 40-200 inch
- Lamp Lifespan: 25,000 hours
- Connectivity Options: WiFi, Bluetooth, HDMI, USB, 3.5mm Audio Jack
- Size: 7.6×7.5×1.9 inch
- Weight: 1.9 lbs
The compact XGIMI Elfin packs dual 3W Harman/Kardon speakers with Dolby and DTS Audio support.
Setup is a breeze with Auto Focus, Auto Keystone Correction, Intelligent Screen Alignment, and Intelligent Obstacle Avoidance.
XGIMI Halo+
Also, check out XGIMI Halo+. It has almost similar specifications and comes in a cuboidal shape. It has an input lag of 26.5ms and is the best fit for casual gaming.
In contrast to Elfin, the XGIMI Halo+ has,
- Improved brightness of 900 ANSI Lumens
- Powerful 5W speakers
#3 – Asus F1
Asus is a famous brand often discussed for its high-performance gaming gears. The sharp edges, trapezoidal shape, and hence the overall design of Asus F1 looks a lot like the Asus Republic of Gamers product.
The F1 Mini Projector by Asus is a strong contender on this list of a mini gaming projectors. It comes with an impressive brightness of 1200 ANSI Lumens and Full HD resolution.
For gamers, Asus claims to offer 720p at 120Hz and Full HD (1080p) at 60Hz. This incredible refresh rate will provide impressive performance for casual gaming.
Specifications
- Refresh Rate: 1080p – 60Hz | 720p – 120Hz
- Brightness: 1200 ANSI Lumens
- Native Resolution: 1920×1080 pixels
- HDR Support: NO
- Screen Size: 25-210 inch
- Lamp Lifespan: 30,000 hours
- Connectivity Options: WiFi, Dual HDMI, USB Type A, VGA, 3.5mm Audio Jack
- Size: 9.8×8.2×2.9 inch
- Weight: 3.9 lbs
For high-fidelity sound and immersive entertainment experience, the Asus F1 equips dual 3W Harman/Kardon stereo speakers with an 8W subwoofer.
While you are at your friend’s place for a quick gaming night, the automatic horizontal and vertical keystone correction and the autofocus feature will help a lot in getting started.
#4 – Yaber Aurora S
Yaber has invented a few stunning budget-friendly projectors for home entertainment in recent years.
The Aurora S is a mini projector with Full HD resolution and HDR10 support. It produces bright and vibrant images even in moderate ambient light.
Yaber claims to offer 25ms with 1080p at 60Hz. The refresh rate can reach 120Hz with a 720p resolution for a smooth and immersive casual gaming experience.
Specifications
- Input Lag: 1080p – 25ms
- Refresh Rate: 1080p – 60Hz
- Brightness: 1800 ANSI Lumens
- Native Resolution: 1920×1080 pixels
- HDR Support: YES
- Screen Size: upto 300 inch
- Lamp Lifespan: 30,000 hours
- Size: 5.9×7.9×7.9 inch
- Weight: 0.6 lbs
The dual 10W Hi-Fi stereo speakers deliver powerful audio in a medium-sized living room.
Conclusion
The XGIMI Horizon’s 18.2 input lag with 1080p resolution at 60Hz makes up an excellent gaming projector for serious gamers. The remaining mini projectors discussed in this article are for casual gaming.
Mini projectors are made for on-the-go entertainment, and one should not expect much from them, at least in 2024.
There are not many options available under the category of mini gaming projectors. If budget is holding you back from buying an excellent gaming projector, then check out our article: Budget-friendly Gaming Projectors Under $1000.
Let us know in the comment section if you find any mini gaming projectors worth adding to this list.
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