I’ve always associated good projectors with bulk, and for good reason. I’ve tried a few smaller projectors myself, and while they work fine, especially for the price, they’re not quite the projection quality you’d want. They’re often too dim, too soft, or too awkward to set up for anything useful.
The Aurzen ZIP Pro changes that equation entirely. It’s a projector that only measures 4.5 x 3.8 x 1.7 inches when folded and weighs 1.29 pounds. It runs off a built-in battery, has speakers, supports USB-C display input and USB-C charging, and fits just about anywhere you want, all while delivering an experience that’s surprisingly good for its size.
A Z-shaped projector that doubles as its own tripod
Unfold it, point it at the ceiling, and call it a night
The ZIP Pro’s big party trick is that it’s Z-shaped. This is not just a styling decision either. Unfolding the projector turns its lower sections into a stand, while the top section lets me aim the lens at a wall or ceiling. There’s no tripod to pack, lose, or balance on a stack of books. I can put the projector on a nightstand and turn the ceiling into a screen within seconds.
That flexibility will change how you feel about portable projection. The best portable device isn’t just small; it also removes the accessories and setup friction that often come along with such devices. There’s time-of-flight autofocus to get the image as sharp as possible and four-point keystone correction, which helps square the image when the projector isn’t facing the wall head-on.
You’ll still get the best results by aiming the projector as straight as possible, as keystone correction can sacrifice some usable resolution, but it’s good enough that you don’t notice the drop. All the while, it provides convenience that makes the projector usable in a lot more scenarios and with almost no hassle.
1080p at last, as long as you kill the lights
200 lumens is plenty in the dark and useless in daylight
The ZIP Pro natively supports 1080p resolution, up from 720p on the original ZIP. At the recommended 60 to 80-inch size, that extra detail is easy to appreciate, especially when it comes to subtitles, game interfaces, and fine textures. The DLP system covers a claimed 85 percent of the NTSC color gamut, while the 1.2:1 throw ratio can create an 80-inch image from roughly seven feet away.
Brightness is rated at up to 200 ANSI lumens in Conference mode, which requires the projector to be plugged in, with the Normal and Eco modes dimming things further. Those figures might not look like much, but they’re impressive for its size. Regardless, the projector looks best in a dim setting. Daylight will wash it out, and even Aurzen recommends a dark environment for a 60 to 80-inch picture. Within those limits, I have no complaints about the picture quality whatsoever.
The projector also has 2-watt speakers on board. They lack bass and won’t replace a pair of good stereo speakers or a soundbar, but they get loud enough to work if you’re in a pinch. You can pair separate Bluetooth speakers or headphones if you’d like, as I did most of the time.
It casts from your devices, but forget a built-in Netflix
No Google TV, DRM headaches, and a dongle that costs extra
The ZIP Pro offers some pretty good connectivity options. It supports AirPlay, Miracast, DLNA, Google Cast, and Aurzen’s peer-to-peer AirLink mode, which can mirror a screen without the projector and source device needing to be on the same Wi-Fi network. As mentioned before, there’s also a USB-C input with DisplayPort Alt Mode for a wired path for compatible phones and laptops. Aurzen says it can even connect to a compatible Nintendo Switch directly, without the console’s dock.
There’s a handy touchscreen on the top that lets you navigate the projector’s settings and menus. You can also connect to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and manage image modes via the same interface, which works surprisingly well and is rather intuitive to use.
The catch is that this isn’t a self-contained smart projector. There’s no built-in Google TV, and DRM-protected services such as Netflix and Disney+ may block ordinary screen mirroring. Aurzen’s CastPlay Pro dongle is the intended workaround, but it costs extra and adds another piece to carry. Compatibility also depends on the source device supporting video output over USB-C, which not every USB-C port does.
Aurzen does say in its instruction manual that wired mirroring shouldn’t run into DRM problems. I haven’t had any issues streaming from any media apps wirelessly from my phone or laptop either, so your mileage may vary.
Portability costs you 2.5 hours of battery and a lot of cash
A $630 price tag buys engineering, not brightness per dollar
A 38Wh battery promises up to 2.5 hours in Eco mode, enough for many movies or a couple of longer TV show episodes. Normal mode is brighter, but battery life will take a hit. The good news is that Aurzen bundles a 65W USB-C PD charger and a particularly good cable in the box, so you don’t have to worry about getting a power brick that’s up to the task.
That leaves the only remaining limitation as the value. At its $629.99 price, or $579.99 during its introductory preorder, the ZIP Pro costs as much as some much brighter conventional projectors. Keep in mind that the preorder price ends on October 15, with shipping expected to begin on October 30. Its 300:1 claimed contrast ratio is modest, and the 586-gram body is nearly three times the volume and more than twice the weight of the original ZIP. If you’re getting one, you’re paying for the engineering, portability, and flexibility, not maximum brightness per dollar.
Worth it if your wallet is as flexible as the projector
A tiny cinema for backpacks, bedsides, and campsites after dark
The ZIP Pro works because it’s not competing against a full-size home-theater projector at being a full-size home theater projector. It beats one at being available: in a backpack, beside a bed, at a campsite after dark, or connected to your handheld console. And it does all of that while being one of the coolest pieces of tech that has come across my desk in a very long time, and watching movies on a projector is cheaper than you might think.
I thought shrinking a projector this far would shrink the experience with it. The ZIP Pro proves that size can become an advantage, provided you’re willing to turn off the light and have a much lighter wallet.
- Brand
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Aurzen
- Native Resolution
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1920 x 1080
- ANSI Lumens
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200
- Projection Technology
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DLP
The Aurzen ZIP Pro is a Z-shaped, tri-fold portable projector that measures 4.5 x 3.8 x 1.7 inches folded and weighs 1.29 pounds. It projects a native 1080p DLP image at up to 200 ANSI lumens, with time-of-flight autofocus and four-point keystone correction.