Pico projectors are often viewed as "novelty projectors" because they aren't intended to display large images from extremely far distances. They are a decent option for handheld gamers, college dorms or business travelers who don't want to lug full-sized projectors around with them. However, the capabilities of pico projectors are continually increasing, and some companies are even including pico projectors into cell phones, digital cameras and laptops.
What is a Pico Projector?
A pico projector is a handheld projector that can be used to display documents, images and video. As a rule, they are extremely small and pocket-sized, although their exact dimensions will vary depending on the manufacturer. They're typically about the size of an iPod or a cell phone, and they weigh about the same too.
Light Source and Display
Most pico projectors use an LED as their light source. When comparing projectors, look at the number of ANSI lumens it lists for its brightness. This figure will likely be in the double digits, but don't be surprised that it falls so far short of full-sized projectors. Remember that a pico projector is just for portability, and it's not going to be something you can use to impress in a home theater.
While the number of ANSI lumens is not the be-all, end-all for determining how bright a projector can be, it's an OK jumping- off point. Other important display specs to consider are the aspect ratio and the throw ratio. The projector should also list the size of the image it can display, as well as the distance that it can project and image.
Lastly, the projector should list its native and maximum possible resolution.
Memory
Pico projectors, like full-sized projectors, come with a variety of features, inputs and outputs. Many have onboard (or included) memory to enhance their portability, while others add memory card slots to boost the memory capacity. The amount of onboard memory varies dramatically, with some offering just a few megabytes to others boasting 16GB.
Speakers
Some pico projectors also include tiny 0.5- or 1-watt speakers so that an external audio source isn't required, or they may have a headphone jack. As with the display performance, you're just not going to receive home theater quality from the included speakers and should anticipate as much.
Inputs
The variety of inputs on a pico projector will vary, and this is an important spec if you plan on connecting it to another device. Some feature a VGA input so that you can connect it to a VGA-capable monitor, while others may have feature 30-pin ports to enable connection to an iPod, iPhone or iPad. Many pico projectors are adding HDMI ports for high-def displays.
Noise
Pico projectors don't typically include built-in fans to cool them off, which naturally keeps the size and weight down. It also keeps the noise level down, so pico projectors are usually pretty quiet.
Battery Life
One downfall of pico projectors is that battery life often tops out before reaching the two-hour mark, so watching a full-length movie can be difficult without requiring an external power supply. If you know you're going to use a pico projector in environments that don't have outlets, do yourself a favor and pick up a spare battery.
Price
There's a pretty wide range of pricing for pico projectors, and like most consumer electronics, it keeps coming down as time goes by. Currently (as of 2011), you can expect to spend at least $300 for a pico projector - more if you want high-def capabilities or a great deal of onboard memory. Considering that full-sized projectors often go into the thousands of dollars, you're certainly paying for portability and not performance with a pico projector.
Accessories
You can usually purchase a variety of accessories to enhance a pico projector, such as a tripod, a rechargeable battery, a remote control or even a portable projection screen. If the projector doesn't already have a 30-pin connector, you can look into getting an Apple connector kit.
