If you want to play big-screen games or watch blockbuster movies at a friend's house, but their living room TV is already in use, a portable projector is a good way to go. The Wemax Go Pro FHD laser projector can throw 120 inches on a wall or screen, is reported brighter than similar LED-based offerings, and comes with built-in speakers.
At 8.62 x 4.6 x 0.98 inches (219 x 117 x 25 mm), the Go Pro – which is currently raising production funds on Indiegogo – takes up about the same space in a backpack as a hardback novel, and a weigh in of 1.72 lb (0.78 kg) means it won't be too much of a pain to haul around for big-screen game nights in a neighbor's den, movies at camp or mobile presentations at work.
The Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) DLP projector can display images on a wall or screen at up to 120 diagonal inches with a throw ratio of 1.2:1, and boasts an Advanced Laser Phosphor Display light source for up to 25,000 hours of use, support for 102 percent of the Rec.709 color gamut, and 600 ANSI lumens.
Startup Ampula reckons that the laser light source here should be good for daytime viewing without needing to draw the curtains, though you're likely going to need an ambient-light-rejecting (ALR) screen like the 50-inch Wemax flavor available as part of the crowdfunding campaign.
Autofocus and four-point keystone correction allow for positioning flexibility, and the device can auto align with the size of a projection screen and resize to work around obstacles. It comes with 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal storage, and there's Bluetooth 5.0 and dual-band Wi-Fi for cable-free convenience, though a media source or console can be cabled up over HDMI or USB-C if needed.
The unit runs a SmartOS operating platform, which looks fairly basic but is reported to allow access to familiar entertainment apps like Netflix, HBO, Disney Plus and Hulu, and there's support for screen casting from an Android or iOS mobile device as well. Two 2-W speakers are included for an all-in-one multimedia experience, and the unit's 3,485-mAh battery should be good for up to 45 minutes of per-charge runtime but a 20,000-mAh powerbank listed as a stretch goal could extend that to four hours.
"It's exciting to see this sophisticated ALPD laser projection technology miniaturized into such a small package, making great video quality, brightness and color available in a never-before-possible size," said company CEO, Yajun Zhang.
Indiegogo pledges for the Wemax Go Pro start at US$599, which represents 50 percent off the expected retail price. If all goes to plan, shipping is estimated to start in April 2022. A 50-inch ALR screen is also listed for $199.
A smaller and less capable model is up for grabs too at $299, which still packs a laser light source but tops out at 960 x 540 resolution and 300 ANSI lumens, doesn't have a built-in battery, rocks one 0.8-W speaker and offers manual focus and auto vertical keystone correction only. Shipping for this model is estimated to start in February 2022.
Update 11/26: Our coverage initially reported that the projector's internal battery could offer up to four hours of per-charge use, which is incorrect. We apologize for this error. The article has now been updated.
Source: Ampula, Inc
