The best outdoor projectors: movies, streaming, gaming

Watching movies and playing video games on an outdoor projector is exciting. Adult or child, there’s no getting around the fact that it’s a novel, fun and special experience. Thus, it only makes sense that you want to pick up one of the best outdoor projectors around. We’ve gathered a list of the best below, to help you do just that.

These outdoor projectors have earned their place on this list. In addition to casting great image quality, these projectors are stocked with streaming apps, so you can access your favourite streaming services with ease, and abundant connections for smartphones, laptops, USB sticks and media players. They also carry audio speakers, saving you the bother of needing to drag even more technology out of the house (though, honestly, even the best outdoor projector sometimes needs a little help on this front).

In this article, you’ll find the best outdoor projectors, along with a quick buyer’s guide, breaking down key features of projectors and answering some common questions. Now, let’s get to it.

The best outdoor projector shortlist 2021:

• Anker Nebula Solar Portable

• Anker Nebula Mars II Pro

• Epson EHTW7100

• Anker Nebula Capsule Max

• ViewSonic M1

• Optoma UHD38 4K Projector

What to look for in the best outdoor projectors:

If you’re looking for an outdoor projector, there are few things to be aware of. You may not need all these features, but they are worth being aware of so you can make an informed purchasing decision.

Connections: How are you going to connect your projector up to access entertainment? HDMI interfaces let you connect laptops, media players and video game consoles, while USB ports can link phones, media players and memory sticks. Bluetooth can be used for two-way communication with a projector, or as an audio-out for external speakers.

Battery: If you’re outside in an area with mains access, an internal rechargeable battery is needed. You also need to look out for the battery life. If you’re in your back garden with access to mains electricity, then you can opt for a traditional projector.

Brightness: In general, brighter projectors can project a clear image further and in lighter conditions. For movies late at night, 250 to 400 lumens will be fine. 500 lumens or above will perform better in situations with ambient light.

Audio: If you’re outside, chances are you want a fuss-free setup. Many projectors have inbuilt speakers to provide audio, and many outdoor projectors double as Bluetooth music speakers. This adds some versatility to the device, soundtracking a movie intermission or keeping the party going after the final curtain. However, the sound isn’t always the most impactful. For large gatherings or atmospheric movies, consider adding an external speaker.

Resolution: Resolution refers to the number of pixels a projector can display. The more there are, the more precise an image will be. While full-HD 1080p and 4K UHD devices are available, budget projectors are typically limited to 720p. However, when coupled with enough lumens and a deep enough contrast, 720p can still produce an immersive and engaging image quality. Also, smaller resolutions are better suited to small projection ranges. You can read more about this in our buyer’s guide at the end of this page.

The best outdoor projector 2021:

The Anker Nebula Solar Portable Projector is a nicely proportioned choice and truly meets the ‘portable’ brief. It runs from a rechargeable battery which provides three hours of playback time, which should get you through most Hollywood flicks without issue. For a little boost, the battery can be backed up by an external battery pack (disappointingly, there’s no solar recharging, despite the name).

Importantly, the image that the Solar Portable kicks out is bright and vivid, with the 1080p resolution and 400 lumens doing a lovely job at drawing you into the entertainment. HDR10 is supported, which helps add weight to the image. Setting the device up is easy, too, with automatic focusing giving you one less thing to worry about.

Sadly, the sound is a tad pants – like so many outdoor projectors, the audio just isn’t powerful enough. However, connect a Bluetooth speaker, like the Tribit StormBox Pro, and all is well. Equally disappointing and easy to work around is the absence of Netflix and BBC iPlayer support. Screen mirroring and casting gets around this, but they do feel like odd omissions from an otherwise capable smart Android OS.

Yes, it’s another Anker Nebula! That’s because Anker has doubled down on the outdoor and portable projector market, delivering the goods to consumers as part of its “Go Anywhere” series. The Mars II could easily be categorised as a mini-projector, measuring only 7-inches tall and weighing around 1.8kg. The battery is good for three hours of projection.

The Mars II is a surprisingly capable projector that delivers entertainment with ease. It has a bright 500-lumen 720p image, and though this modest resolution may surprise (or disappoint) some, at a sensible range the picture is nice and sharp, full of life and pop. Auto-focus works well, and the cast distance should give you a solid quality image between 70- and 85-inches.

A real strength of Mars II is its speakers. It carries two 10W drivers that provide rich and loud audio. So good are these speakers that you won’t mind listening to music through them, either. The Android OS carries all the essential streaming apps and is very user-friendly. HDMI, USB and wireless connections are supported.

If you’re looking for a projector to use indoors and outdoors, pick the Epson EH-TW5700. The Epson EH-TW5700 is a remarkable projector, providing a crisp and vibrant 1080p image with a huge 2,500 lumens on deck. It’s as easy to use as any we’ve tried, and when combined with an external speaker, it conjures an immersive and exciting atmosphere for watching movies and gaming. The Android OS provides smart capabilities to the projector and proves itself (once again) to be one of the most engaging and user-friendly platforms around. Google Assistant is on board, too, allowing apps and videos to launch via voice control.

All in, the EH-TW5700 is a shining example of a home projector. Just make sure that you’ve got the projector and its cables undercover in case it rains.

The Anker Nebula Capsule Max is a fancy looking all-in-one projector featuring 720p resolution, 200-lumen illumination and a host of streaming apps, thanks to the Android OS. Like the Mars II, the Capsule’s resolution provides a nice, sharp image, especially around 70-inches – though note the lower lumen performance does affect performance in ambient light. Once it’s sufficiently dark, however, it shines.

The audio is provided by one 8W speaker – a notable step down from the Mars II, but still adequate for a respectfully quiet audience. The Android OS is, as is usual, a delight to use and plays host to all the streaming apps you could need (apart from Netflix and Chromecast, sadly). HDMI, Bluetooth and USB support. Battery life reaches four hours at a push.

The ViewSonic M1 is a small projector featuring easy-function buttons and a sturdy 360-degree stand. It outputs at 250 lumens and 480p. These are small numbers for sure, and usually, we’d suggest avoiding this model for regular movie sessions. However, if you are working at a short distance from time to time, the M1 is an entertaining little gadget.

It’ll keep going for 6-hours thanks to the sizeable rechargeable battery, and the speakers are provided courtesy of Harmon Kardon, some of the best you can get for this sized item. Connections are aplenty, with the M1 offering HDMI, MicroSD card slot, USB type-A and USB type-C. One of the strongest features of the M1 is the 16GB of internal memory, allowing you to store content for viewing without external components.

If you want something for family gatherings, look elsewhere. But if you’re looking to relax when camping with a partner or having a quiet glass of wine in the garden on a summer’s night, then this is a safe bet.

If the thought of abandoning your precious 4K smart TV for the sake of outdoor beaming leaves you with a cold sweat, let the Optoma UHD38 calm you. This 4K projector squeaks in at just under £1,000 to offer itself up as a tasty offering to the resolution obsessed. Especially if gaming is your bag, too.

With 4,000 lumens and 4K UHD at its disposal, the UHD38 casts a stunning, crisp and accurate image. It’s going to be bright enough to use in the evenings, fending off ambient light well. The colours are realistic, and the brightness is well balanced. The inbuilt speaker is pretty good, but if you’re looking to add weight and atmosphere to your entertainment, an external option is still best.

While the refresh rate and input lag are all impressive for a projector (250Hz!), gamers with console-specific TVs, like LG OLEDs, might notice a difference. However, the joy of battling it out on such a cinematic screen soon does away with such concerns.

As with the Epson EHTW7100, make sure that you’ve got the projector and its cables undercover in case it rains.

Related: The best budget projectors | The best mini projectors | The best projectors

Projectors: A quick buyer’s guide

What is “4K supported”?

4K supported means that the projector can understand and process 4K signal and display it in its specific resolution. For example, a 1080p Full HD projector that supports 4K will be able to read and display content from an Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K, projecting the image in 1080p Full HD.

When you see 4K UHD, it’s easy to get excited - that’s often why brands put this feature early in the title on third-party sites like Amazon. Just remember there’s a big difference between a 4K UHD projector and a projector that supports 4K, not least the price!

How big can the picture go?

While there is often a large maximum image size on projectors reaching the vastness of 120-inches-plus, this doesn’t necessarily mean that a projector’s image will look its best at such a size. One of the biggest factors in determining how nice an image will look at large sizes is the resolution because you’re more likely to notice blurriness and blocking.

A general rule to have in your head is that the smaller the resolution, the better it is suited to small image sizes – that’s the reason you can still buy 720p 24-inch TVs, but you can’t buy 30-inch 4K UHD TVs. With smaller images, we just don’t need as much pixel information to see clearly what’s going on.

If you’re looking to get a truly huge picture at the highest quality, then you’ll need to splash out on a 4K projector. However, this is a hefty investment for most, who would just like to watch the odd TV episode or family movie in the backyard. For semi-casual use at a medium size (between 50- to 100-inches), a 1080p will do just fine. A 720p projector will be best served up to a size of about 70-inches.

Brightness is also a key factor in determining the overall size and quality of a projected image. Ambient light can interrupt and wash out an image with insufficient lumens behind it. Brighter projectors, therefore, tend to offer better quality large pictures more easily than low-lumen projectors. The darker it gets, the less this difference matters.

What’s throw range?

Throw range refers to the distance between the projector and the image it casts. A single projector has a range of distances it can project an image from, with the closet distance creating a smaller image and a longer distance a larger image. It’s an important specification to consider when purchasing a projector, especially for use in small spaces.

What are lumens?

A lumen is a measurement of light, indicating the brightness of a light source. As a point of reference, ViewSonic report that a candle sits around 14 lumens, while sunset comes in at 400 lumens. A bright sunny day is 100,000 lumens.

A projector with between 200-500 lumens ANSI will be right for living rooms and smaller spaces with limited ambient lighting. Larger areas and brightly lit areas require upwards of 2000 lumens ANSI.

Standardised by the American National Standards Institute, the acronym 'ANSI' should follow any lumen measurement: for example, 1000 ANSI lumens. Some lumens reported on budget projectors are not tested to the ANSI standard and may be inaccurate. The projectors we have listed above all adhere to the ANSI specification.

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William Lobley is a Senior Content Writer and reviewer for WhatsTheBest, specialising in technology and outdoors. He also writes for Empire Online.

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