The reality of super portable projectors, is that while you gain the ability to put it in your pocket, and take it anywhere, you tend to lose some advanced features. That’s perfectly fine for some people, because portability, more than anything else, is what they want, and if they have that, along with some pretty good features, they’re happy. I wrote this Ivation Portable Rechargeable HDMI Projector Review, to let buyers know, just what features this projector does have, to complement the portability, and to alert buyers to anything that might be missing.
PROS
- Easy set-up
- Very Portable
- HDMI connection
- Great for streaming
- Rechargeable
- Includes a tripod and carry case
CONS
- Only 60 inch max screen size
- 100 lumens
Overall Impression
Size and Design
The measurements are 3.8 inches in length, by 3.9 inches of width, and it has a depth of 0.9 inches, so you’re getting a very small projector, that you literally can fit into your pocket. The weight is 8 ounces out of the box, and it comes to you fully packaged at 1.5 pounds. The weight is really extraordinary on this projector, and a real achievement. The design is actually quite stylish, compared to other super portable projectors, with a great finish, and streamlined edges. All in all, it’s rather aesthetically pleasing.
Performance
The picture quality is really good, but HDMI doesn’t mean the Ivation, displays in HD. What it means is that you can connect an HD device and this projector will translate the signal into pixels. When it does this, you’ll be seeing pictures in 854X480 resolution, which is, somewhat less than 720p or 1080p quality, but most viewers will notice only a minor difference. Overall the pixels perform well, and I think you’ll be pleased with the picture.
The set-up is easy, and in under 4 minutes you’re done; it’s designed to turn on and immediately guide you through until completion. Pulling the screen out, you’ll notice it only goes to a maximum of 60 inches, which is the price you pay for all that portability, but 60 inches is still larger than most peoples TV sets at home. The Ivation can stream from almost any device, and it streams quite quickly, so you’re not constantly spending time waiting for a signal. And, if you want to go into work, or to a friends house to stream something, there’s a battery included, with a 2 hour lifespan.
Interestingly and rather surprisingly for the price, Ivation have also included a 5v USB output, that allows you to charge your phone or tablet. This kind of feature can be extremely useful, especially when you’ve spent all night preparing a presentation on your mobile device, and it’s running out of power, in the morning on your way to work.
The downside is the lumens and at only 100 lumens, you will have to draw the curtains or close the blinds to see a picture in bright sunlight. It will be up to the individual as to whether this is a problem, but some people may be used to watching movies, and giving presentations in the absence of natural light anyway. In which case lumens aren’t an issue.
Quick little piece of advice is to sit more than 2 metres away for optimum display quality.
Final Verdict
The Ivation comes at a vey low price, and although the resolution isn’t HD, at 854×480, it’s still very good. For streaming this projector is excellent, and it even charges your phone, which is a bonus on any projector. For some the screen size might be a problem and for others, the lumens might be one. If however, you think 60 inches is enough, and drawing the curtains is ok, what your getting is a great portable projector. An excellent purchase.
