Currently, projectors are a hot commodity because you can get them in every shape and size, and some for as low as $100.
A projector’s size, weight, and price becomes a paramount concern for a dorm room because you don’t want the projector to take too much space in an already small room.
Hence, keeping your concerns in mind, I’ve created this list of 5 Best Projector for Dorm Room. The projectors offer excellent picture quality, tons of features, and won’t empty your pocket.
I’ve made sure to keep budget in mind specifically, and thus you can find projectors as low as $100 too if you’re on a shoe-string budget.
Without wasting any more time, let’s jump straight into the list.
Shall we?
Best Projector for Dorm Room: Top 3 Picks
5 Best Projector for Dorm Room
1. Yaber Pro V7
As far as budget projectors are concerned – the Yaber Pro V7 is my favorite pick. It offers all the necessary and modern features without asking for a lot of money. Priced under $300, the Yaber Pro V7 is a value-for-money projector that will turn your dorm room movie nights interesting.
The projector comes in a compact box and includes plenty of accessories. The package includes a full-size carrying bag, a power cable, HDMI cable, 3-in-1 AV cable, user manual, cleaning kit, and remote control. The projector comes encased within the carrying bag.
For starters, the Yaber Pro V7 offers 1920 x 1080p native resolution, which provides better performance compared to 720p resolution projectors found at a similar pricing. It uses DLP projection technology, and the lighting is handled by an LED bulb. While Yaber doesn’t mention the exact brightness output; however, from my experience, the brightness output is around 400 lumens.
Thus, you can easily use this projector in a moderately dark room, and movie nights with your friends will be an enjoyable experience. To further improve image quality, this projector comes with a 12,000:1 contrast ratio. With a higher contrast ratio, you get excellent separation between dark and bright colors found in higher-priced projectors.
Connectivity-wise, the Yaber Pro V7 is equipped with 2x HDMI ports, 2x USB Type-A ports, 1x RJ45 port, AV jack, and a headphone jack. Most projectors at this price come with only wired connectivity options; however, the Yaber Pro V7 also includes wireless connection options. For the price, you get Dual-Band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz/5GHz) and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity options.
Priced under $300, the Yaber Pro V7 also gets an essential feature found on expensive projectors. It comes with automatic keystone adjustments. While the company uses fancier terms like 6D automatic keystone correction; although, it offers automatic horizontal and vertical keystone adjustments. Thus, you don’t have to make manual adjustments to get a perfectly rectangle projection output.
The Yaber Pro V7 can produce up to 350-inches projection screen. From my experience, the sweet spot is between 80-100 inches as you get the right balance between contrast, color output, and brightness. It weighs just under 5 pounds and includes 3W dual stereo speakers with SRS technology.
“If you want a projector that packs an excellent punch at an affordable price, then it doesn’t get better than the Yaber Pro V7. With features like Full HD resolution, wireless connectivity options, and automatic keystone adjustments under $300, it makes the Yaber Pro V7 the best projector for dorm room usage.”
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2. Viewsonic M2
The Viewsonic M2 is a compact projector that you can easily store in your cupboard or drawer once you’re done using it. Weighing just under 3 pounds, this projector is lighter than most slim laptops available in the market right now.
While the Viewsonic M2 isn’t pocketable compared Viewsonic M1 range of projectors; however, you can easily carry it in a backpack and take it wherever you go. Even with its small size, this projector is packed to the brim with features that undoubtedly make it the best projector for dorm room usage.
To use a regular projector, you need to connect it to an input source like a PC, Laptop, smartphone, gaming console, pen drive, SD card, etc. Although, you can use Viewsonic M2 right out of the box without connecting it to any device. It is a smart projector and comes built-in with Aptoide UI, and you can watch every type of content you want.
This projector is equipped with built-in Wi-Fi. Thus, you can connect your dorm’s Wi-Fi router and access plethora of apps like Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, and more and enjoy movies and TV shows on this projector. Moreover, you can connect your favorite gaming consoles like XBox and PlayStation and play the latest games on a big screen.
Design-wise, the Viewsonic M2 looks very modern and minimalistic. The front sports the projection lens, IR sensor, and laser system for auto-focusing. Next to the projection lens, you can see perforations to eliminate excess heat from the projector body. Its back sports multiple connectivity options like HDMI 2.0 port, USB Type-C port, USB 3.0 Type-A port, microSD card slot, and a headphone jack. The back also features exhaust fans, an ON/OFF switch, and a second IR sensor for the remote control.
The projector’s bottom features an adjustable kickstand to keep it in an inclined position for better viewing. The bottom also hosts Harman Kardon speakers that work exceptionally well and ¼-inch threading for tripod or ceiling mounting.
In terms of performance, the Viewsonic M2 comes with 1920 x 1080p Full HD native resolution. You get an LED light source that produces up to 1200 lumens brightness. With such high brightness, you can use this projector in a moderately bright room.
To improve picture quality, its projection technology is fine-tuned to cover 125% of Rec.709 color space; thus, you get vivid and sharp color reproduction. With its DLP projection technology, the Viewsonic M2 can produce up to a 100-inch screen from a distance of just under 9 feet. Other features include automatic focusing, automatic keystone correction, and the ability to use only the built-in speakers via Bluetooth connectivity.
There’s also a lighter version of the Viewsonic M2 projector know as the Viewsonic M2e. It weighs 800 grams less and has higher internal memory of 16GB. We’ve featured the Viewsonic M2e in this list.
“The Viewsonic M2 is a marvelous pick if you want a no-comprise portable projector that you can store easily and carry around anywhere with you. You get almost all the features found in the costlier smart projector. The 1200 lumen output makes it the best projector for dorm room compared to smart projectors from Anker and Xgimi.”
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3. LG PF50KA
The LG PF50KA is a portable and battery-powered projector that offers built-in smart TV capabilities. It is very lightweight at 2.2 pounds and measures 6.7 inches in width and depth, and just under 2 inches in height.
The built-in battery is rated to power this projector for up to 150 minutes. Our testing found that at low brightness, the battery life can stretch up to 3 hours. Thus, you can watch an entire movie in a single sitting.
Talking about specifications, the LG PF50KA offers 1920 x 1080p Full HD native resolution and can produce up to a 100-inch screen. It uses DLP projection technology, and the lighting department is handled by an LED bulb. The LED bulb can produce up to 600 ANSI lumens brightness and is rated to last around 30,000 hours.
Even with its minute size, the LG PF50KA can give tough competition to bigger and costlier projectors. The image output is exceptionally detailed and watching movies, and TV shows will be delightful on this projector. You also get plenty of viewing modes like Movie mode, Sports mode, Game mode, etc., that change the color output for better content viewing.
Like the Viewsonic M2 mentioned above, the LG PF50KA is also a Smart projector and comes equipped with LG Smart TV UI. Thus, you do not need to connect a streaming media player to access apps like Netflix, Hulu, and Prime Video. Once you connect this projector to your dorm Wi-Fi, you can access many apps and services through the built-in Smart TV UI, found in LG TVs.
Other than Wi-Fi, the LG PF50KA also comes with Bluetooth connectivity. Hence, you can connect this projector to your wireless headphones and watch your favorite content without disturbing anyone.
Design-wise, the LG PF50KA looks very sleek and modern. The outer body is constructed of rigid plastic and can endure day-to-day usage without any issues. Even with its tiny size, the projector boasts many connectivity options like 2x HDMI ports, 1x USB Type-C port, 1x Cable-in port, 1x USB Type-A port, LAN port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
“If you want the best projector for dorm room that’s compact in size and free of wires, then the LG PF50KA is a worthy pick. Due to its built-in battery, it doesn’t need an active power supply to operate. It can be truly taken anywhere with you.”
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4. Epson VS260
The 3 projectors mentioned above are featured packed to the brim; however, they lack an important function, i.e., higher brightness and better picture quality. On the other hand, the Epson VS260 is an entry-level projector yet covers the basics very well.
Compared to the above-mentioned projectors, the Epson VS260 offers a whopping 3300 lumens brightness coupled with a high contrast ratio of 15,000:1 and Epson’s legendary 3LCD projection technology. Compared to the Viewsonic M2 and LG PF50KA, the Epson VS260 offers 3 times and 6 times higher brightness respectively.
Most projectors in the budget and mid-range price come with single-chip DLP technology. Although, Epson’s 3LCD projection technology is superior than DLP technology. Thus, you get vivid color output, sharp contrast, and better color separation.
In a side-by-side comparison, the Epson VS260 offers better picture quality due to its high brightness and 3LCD projection technology. Although, there are a few comprises you have to make if you choose the Epson VS260 over the Viewsonic M2 and the LG PF50KA.
Firstly, the Epson VS260 comes with XGA resolution, which translates to 1024 x 768p. Hence, compared to the Full HD native resolution found in the previous 3 projectors, the XGA resolution seems like a significant downgrade. Moreover, you also have limited connectivity options and no wireless options. The Epson VS260 only comes with an HDMI port, VGA port, and USB Type-A port.
In terms of size, this projector is larger than the other 4 projectors mentioned in our list. It measures 12 inches wide, 9.3 inches deep, and 3.2 inches high and weighs around 5.2 pounds. Compared to a regular projector, the Epson VS260 seems compact, although it might look big for a dorm room.
The most significant advantages of Epson VS260 are its picture quality and color output. It covers 100% colors of the sRGB color space; thus, you can expect the highest color accuracy than the other 4 projectors mentioned in this list. Plus, the high brightness of 3300 lumens ensures you can use this projector during the daytime too.
To turn this simple projector smart, you can connect it to streaming media players like Amazon Fire Stick, Chromecast, or Roku. With such devices, you can connect them to a Wi-Fi router and access tons of apps like Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, and more. In addition, the streaming media players also offer built-in Bluetooth connectivity, which you can use to connect your Bluetooth headphones or speakers.
Furthermore, suppose you want a projector like this with Full HD resolution, improved picture quality, and multiple connectivity options. In that case, you should consider the Epson’s Home Cinema 880 projector.
“The Epson VS260 is the least feature-rich projector in our list of best projectors for dorm room. It misses out on many features found in the 3 projectors mentioned above. Although if your main concern is picture quality, you should definitely consider it. “
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5. DBPower L21
Suppose you’re on a shoe-string budget and want a valuable projector by spending the least amount of money. In that case, the DBPower L21 is a preferred option.
It is a sub-$100 projector, and there are tons of projector options to choose from in this price category. Hence, it can be very confusing to select the best option for you. Hence, leave it to my expertise and get the DBPower L21 if you want a dorm room projector under $100.
Most projectors at this price range come with 480p native resolution, whereas, with the DBPower L21, you get 1280 x 720p HD native resolution. Hence, you get better image output compared to similar priced competitors.
While the projector page states it outputs 6000 Lux brightness. Although, it is a misleading number and the DBPower L21 offers up to 200 ANSI lumens brightness output. Compared to Epson VS260’s 3300 lumens brightness, 200 lumens is very low, and you’ll need a dark room to get the best projection.
Hence, if you plan on using this projector before bedtime, then you should definitely consider it. However, daytime usage and bright room legibility are questionable.
Design-wise, the DBPower L21 is very lightweight and compact. It measures 7.4 x 5.9 x 3 inches in width, depth, and height. The compact size is further aided by its low weight of just 2.3 pounds.
Under $100, its package also comes with a zippered carrying bag that makes it easy to carry this projector anywhere with you. The package also contains a user manual, setup guide, power cable, 3-in-1 AV cable, HDMI cable, and small remote control.
For easy access, this projector sports IR sensors on the front and back. Thus, it saves you the struggle of using this projector via the provided remote control. In terms of connectivity options, you get 2x HDMI ports, 2x USB ports, VGA port, AV port, and headphone jack.
You can watch movies and photos by connecting a USB drive. The default user interface is clunky and seems non-intuitive. To make the best use, I’d suggest getting streaming media players like Amazon Fire Stick or Chromecast.
“The DBPower L21 is the least expensive projector option on our list. It is compact, lightweight, and costs just under $100 – making it an ideal pick for freshman students. Hence, if you’re on a tight budget and want the best projector for dorm room, then go get the DBPower L21.”
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Conclusion
In this list of best projector for dorm room, I’ve considered various options like budget, size, and weight. Hence, none of the projectors mentioned in this list weigh over 5 pounds except the Epson VS260 that weighs 5.3 pounds.
Depending on your budget, you wouldn’t go wrong with any of the projectors mentioned above. Although, if you want a featured-packed projector without splurging much, I’d suggest going with our #1 pick, i.e., the Yaber V7 Pro.
If you want a truly portable projector, then the LG PF50KA is a superior option to consider. Suppose you want the right amalgamation between brightness output, portability and smart features, then you should definitely consider the Viewsonic M2 projector.
If you have any questions regarding the projector mentioned above, please don’t forget to leave your queries in the comment section below.
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Thank you for informative blog post
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