Projectors

When Samsung unveiled the Freestyle+ at CES earlier this year, it looked like another step in the company’s long-running push to make projection feel less like home-theater homework. Now that initial preview has become an actual product launch.

Hisense’s PX4 Pro 4K ultra-short-throw projector features daylight-bright triple-laser color, Dolby/IMAX cinema support, streaming entertainment and premium gaming, and built-in Devialet-tuned audio for under $4,000.

The Playcube was already an unusual little projector: a palm-sized, Rubik’s Cube-like device built to throw a big image onto whatever flat surface you have nearby. Now, TCL is adding a new layer of interaction through Google’s Gemini AI.

XGIMI says that the newly expanded Elfin Flip series "ends the trade-off between portability and performance." Leading the triple-laser charge is a 4K model with optical zoom, GTV, and low-lag gaming, with a cheaper 1080p model sliding in below it.

The Pixorien Z01 portable projector features a retractable lift design, 2K DLP visuals, 16,000-mAh battery, streaming entertainment, and 90-degree adjustment for wall or ceiling viewing without a separate stand.

8849’s Tank 5 is a 25-oz rugged Android phone with a 2K DLP projector, 17,600-mAh battery, night-vision camera, camping light and impressive specs, but its bulk and price may be as striking as its feature list.

A beautiful box of smart-entertainment goodness turned up at my door last year from home entertainment upstart Valerion. That was the VisionMaster Pro 2 4K triple-laser lifestyle projector, and now I've been sent the series flagship to play with.

Leica has been in the premium imaging biz for more than 100 years. After testing the waters through industry partnerships, the iconic brand launched its first smart projector in 2022. Now the range is expanding with the addition of the Cine Compact 1.

Aurzen's EAZZE D1R air is the world's first portable projector with Roku TV built in, pairing 300 ANSI lumens of SGS-verified brightness with a 180° gimbal, USB-C power with mobile potential when used with a powerbank, and a streaming-first setup.

Flexibility is the key to success with today's smart projectors. The Audiray X5 combines native 4K projection, detachable stereo speakers, Google TV, and wireless karaoke mics in a portable entertainment system.

Huawei's XPixel million-pixel smart headlights debuted at the Beijing Auto Show with full-color projection, capable of beaming movies, games, and navigation cues onto walls and roads – while also boosting safety in bad weather.

JMGO's latest lifestyle projector might look like just another boxy smart entertainment hub. But this model is reported to boast the world's first 3-in-1 optical system, and rests on a nifty gimbal stand that can adjust itself or play follow the user.