Build Your Own Home Cinema With up to 50% Off Mini Projectors This Amazon Prime Day

Build Your Own Home Cinema With up to 50% Off Mini Projectors This Amazon Prime Day
At Lifehacker, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. We have affiliate and advertising partnerships, which means we may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. BTW – prices are accurate and items in stock at the time of posting.

Who doesn’t love a good movie night? The smell of buttered popcorn, the rustling of M&Ms packets, a dark, cosy room and if you’re lucky, a reclining chair to sink your butt into. While it’s nice to go out here and there, if there’s anything the last two years have taught us, it’s that being able to stay home can be a luxury. So, why not bring the cinema to you by grabbing a mini projector for your home — especially when Amazon’s Prime Day deals will wipe up to 50% off of one!

Not only do you get to enjoy the privacy and comfort of your living room, but you can also talk as loud as you like and hit pause for multiple bathroom breaks. The novelty of watching on a projector screen never quite wears off for us, which is why the ability to recreate it from our bedrooms is a mark of modern convenience.

Which mini projector you choose will depend on your budget, the size of the screen your room can accommodate as well as whether you intend to take it travelling often. While most budget projectors offer the standard HD resolution, you’ll miss out on using it as a two-in-one Bluetooth speaker or as an additional smart home device.

To enjoy the full cinematic experience, all you need is a streaming account, some cool lights and maybe even a wearable blanket.

Let’s pop some corn, settle into our seats and get started.

The best mini projector deals this Amazon Prime Day

ELEPHAS Mini projector — now $133.99 (down from $229.99)

Image: Elephas

This popular Elephas projector has a whopping 3k in reviews on Amazon Australia. It’s perhaps one of the best all-around mini projectors you can find for an affordable price, in addition to its quality brightness, 200-inch projection size and full HD 1080P true-colour support. It’s rare to see it for over $100 off, so make sure you snap up this Prime Day bargain while you can.

ELEPHAS Mini projector specs:

  • Native resolution: 854 x 480
  • Weight: 1.55kg
  • Ports: SD, VGA, Wi-Fi, USB, AV, HDMI (1080P)
  • Speakers: Yes
  • Battery life: No batteries required
  • Lamp life: 50,000

Shop it now.

ELEPHAS 5500 lumens mini portable projector — now $129.99 (down from $229.99)

Elephas mini projector
Image: Elephas

The great thing about this mini portable projector is that it can be connected to a wide range of devices, from Amazon’s Fire TV stick to your PS4 or a hard drive. Its projection size ranges from 33 to 180-inches, plus it boasts a 170-degree viewing angle with zero distortion.

If you want to hook up this projector to your phone, please note that the lightning/Android to HDMI adapter is not included.

ELEPHAS Mini portable projector specs:

  • Native resolution: 800 x 480
  • Weight: 1.2kg
  • Brightness: 5500 lumen
  • Ports: HDMI, VGA, USB, Micro SD, RCA AV (1080P)
  • Speakers: Yes
  • Battery life: 12,000 hours
  • Lamp life: 50,000 hours

Shop it here.

CLOKOWE projector — now $152.99 (down from $249.99)

Image: Clokowe

If you’re in need of a projector with a ginormous screen, this is the one you’ve been looking for. Its projection size can throw up to an unbeatable 230-inches, and it’s best suited to those entertaining in a large room with lots of occupants.

It also comes with a 100-inch projector screen, lens cover, power cable, AV cable and HDMI cable, plus a remote control for convenience. Plenty of bang for your buck.

Clokowe mini projector specs:

  • Native resolution: 1080P
  • Throw distance: 2.9-18.6ft
  • Brightness: 8500 lumens
  • Weight: 1.72kg
  • Ports: USB, HDMI
  • Speakers: Yes
  • Battery life: 100,o00 hours

Shop it here.

YABER Wi-Fi portable projector — now $130.30 (down from $218.99)

Portable projector
Image: Yaber

The Yaber V2 mini projector not only comes with a 100-inch projector screen but also features a rare zoom function to support screen reduction. The accompanying screen can be reduced to 75% without needing to move the projector.

Yaber mini projector specs:

  • Native resolution: 1280 x 720 (with 920 x 1080p supported)
  • Throw distance: 6-10ft
  • Brightness: 6000 lumen
  • Weight: 1.92kg
  • Ports: HDMI, USB, VGA, AV, audio, TF card
  • Speakers: Yes
  • Lamp life: 100,000 hours

Shop it here.

BenQ GV1 portable LED projector — now $384 (down from $649)

BenQ GV1 mini portable projector
Image: BenQ

While most projectors on this list weigh over 1kg, this ultra-lightweight projector comes in at just 708g. This small yet mighty projector also stands at about the same height as an iPhone. It’s ideal for chucking into your handbag or backpack for on-the-go movie sessions — bonus points for being almost $300 off this Prime Day.

BenQ mini projector specs:

  • Native resolution:‎ 854 x 480
  • Weight: 708g
  • Ports: USB and HDMI
  • Speakers: Yes
  • Battery life: Up to 3 hours but requires one lithium battery (not included)
  • Lamp life: 30,000 hours

Shop it here.

Anker Nebula Apollo projector — now $837 (down from $999)

Image: Anker

On the more expensive end of portable projectors is Anker’s Nebula Apollo, which allows you to cast wirelessly from its compatible app on your phone to the big screen. Unlike most mini projectors, the Nebula Apollo features an interactive touch panel for quick navigation and even offers a “mouse mode” for pixel-precise control.

Anker portable projector specs:

  • Native resolution: 854 x 480
  • Weight: 1.6kg
  • Ports: USB and HDMI
  • Speakers: Built-in but can connect to Bluetooth speakers
  • Battery life: 3 hours per charge

Shop it now.

XGIMI MoGo Pro+ projector — now $699 (down from $949)

XGIMI MoGo Pro+ Portable Outdoor/Indoor, FHD 1080P Mini Movie Projector
Image: MGIMI

The MGIMI MoGo Pro+ improves on other projectors by having a built-in Chromecast, so you can remotelessly control your TV, dim the lights or display your favourite photos. It even comes with 2GB + 16GB of storage so that you can pre-download up to 10 movies before your next trip. If you have the spare cash, this mini projector is well worth the investment.

MGIMI mini projector specs:

  • Native resolution: 1920 x 1080
  • Weight: 0.9kg
  • Ports: HDMI, Headphone and USB 2.0
  • Speakers: Yes
  • Lamp life: 30,000
  • Battery life: 30,000

Shop it now.

BenQ GS2 outdoor wireless projector — now $932.20 (down from $1,299)

Image: BenQ

If you suffer from a bad case of butterfingers, it’d be well worth the cash to upgrade to this BenQ outdoor projector. Not only is it waterproof, but it’s also drop-safe. On top of its multi-connectivity, it’s the ideal outdoor companion thanks to its wireless streaming, adjustable tilt hinge, auto-focus and keystone correction. You can even use it as a Bluetooth speaker for pre-screening shenanigans.

BenQ GS2 mini projector specs:

  • Native resolution: ‎1280 x 720
  • Weight: 1.6kg
  • Ports: USB, USB Type C, HDMI
  • Speakers: Built-in
  • Battery life: Requires lithium batteries

Shop it here.

Are there any important accessories?

Yes, you’ll need some essential components to complete your setup. The bad news is that depending on how fancy you want to go, they can be expensive. The good news is that if you shop smart, you’ll be able to pick up these accessories for less than the $100 you’ll be saving on your portable projector.

Some laptops come with a HDMI port so that you can plug it directly into specific projectors via a HDMI cable. If your laptop or computer doesn’t have an available HDMI port, then you can get around this by using a USB to HDMI adapter.

To use an iPhone or iPad to watch something on your projector, you’ll need Apple’s Lightning Digital AV Adapter. For a Samsung Galaxy phone or tablet, you’ll need a USB-C to HDMI dongle. Again, having the correct dongle is only half the solution here.

Unless you’re interested in using your mini projector solely as a backdrop for a themed party, then you’re going to want a projector screen to enjoy a good-quality movie night. Rather than use a blank wall, a screen ensures that the light from the projector is reflected as brightly and clearly as possible. If you were to rely on a white wall, you’d find that most of the colour will be absorbed, making it harder to see.

Another thing to note is that there are two types of projector screens: one that is mountable and one that comes with a stand that allows you to unfurl it as you need. If you plan to keep your mini projector in one room most of the time, this budget-friendly 150-inch projector screen is a solid option if you don’t want to break the bank. It has adhesive hooks so you can permanently fix it on your chosen wall.

If you intend to enjoy a bunch of outdoor cinema nights, this 120-inch projector screen comes with a stand. However, it is on the pricey side, so if you want a more affordable option, then this 100-inch projector screen is your next best bet.

Comments