Bring the Movie Theater Home With Our Favorite Outdoor Projectors (2024)

An outdoor projector is a great tool for upgrading your backyard movie night. Whether you’re looking for a compact model that’s easy to transport or one that has incredible image quality, there are plenty of models out there to recreate your movie theater experience at home—and outdoors. We tested a handful of outdoor projectors in our own backyards for several weeks, and our biggest finding is no matter a projector’s maximum brightness, darker surroundings will always help your picture clarity.

You'll also want to consider the type of outdoor movie screen you purchase—or already own—and the size of your backyard before making a final decision. A projector’s ideal brightness (or the amount of light it produces for a clear image) depends on many conditions and variables when projecting to large screens in dark conditions, which we outline in depth in our setup section below."The larger the picture, the more lumens you'll need to maintain brightness," advises Carl Prouty, the resident technologist from Abt Electronics. "As the picture gets bigger, the light gets dimmer. Ideally, you'd want to start with at least 2,000 [lumens] to be safe.”

When first researching the best outdoor projectors, we evaluated each projector for its brightness, portability, connectivity, and ease of use, before trying it out alongside a movie screen to find the best possible experience for you and your future movie nights.

What to Know Before You Get Started

Brightness is the single most important factor for an outdoor projector. It dictates whether or not you'll be able to use the projector outside during the day and at night. Here are a few key terms to know about brightness:

• Some manufacturers report brightness in ANSI Lumens, and others report light source lumens.
• If you’re trying to watch movies in daylight Prouty notes: "You'll need [a projector] that's at least 3,000 lumens (or 1,250 ANSI lumens)."Our list features projectors with brightnesses that range from 230 to 5,417 ANSI lumens.
• Consider the amount of light pollution in your backyard, like light coming from inside your house, a neighbor’s backyard, and any outdoor lights you have. The amount of light you have outside your home will determine the projector brightness you need—but, minimizing any light pollution also ensures your outdoor projector doesn’t have to combat other sources of light to create a bright picture.

To learn more about the brightness of outdoor projectors and other features to consider, check out our What to Look for in an Outdoor Projector section.

Editor’s Note: This list was updated in November 2023 to include a fully-tested list of outdoor projectors based on testing in our own backyards.

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Other Options We Tested

We also tested the following product and were impressed by its design, though it featured a few too many flaws to earn a spot on our above list.

Kodak Luma 350 Portable Smart Projector w/Luma App

Although we were excited about the middle-of-the-road price, battery operation, and lightweight design of this model, we found it very frustrating to control its functions through both the app and the remote control. The app glitched during use multiple times, which required us to reconnect it to the projector. It was much easier to use external connections through the HDMI port and screen mirroring, but we wish the built-in Android functionalities worked better. For these reasons, we think you could invest in a much better projector that has a user-friendly remote and streaming capabilities.

How We Tested the Outdoor Projectors

To learn more about the different features and technology of outdoor projectors, we tested nine models in our own homes over the course of two weeks. Our methodology aimed at evaluating the setup, design, image quality, sound quality, connectivity, and overall value of each model.

• Setup: After unboxing the projectors, we timed how long it took us to set them up for viewing. This included any account creations or logins we had to complete to become completely connected and ready to stream movies or other media. For battery-powered models, like the Samsung The Freestyle 2nd Gen with Gaming Hub Projector (best overall), we also paid attention to how long it took a projector to be completely charged. Alternatively, for plug-in projectors, we noted the length of the cord and whether we need an extension cord for outdoor setup, which is the case for the Dr. J Bluetooth Projector (best value).
• Connectivity: For the projectors on our list that had multiple connectivity options such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, HDMI, and USB, we made sure to try all of these options and observe any frustrations or other experiences that made the process particularly easy.
• Image Quality: We viewed the projector image on a traditional outdoor movie screen and on a solid background, like a garage door or interior wall. We compared the vibrance, color, and clarity of our different viewing setups. We also moved around the projector’s image to determine if there was a “bad seat” or viewing angle.
• Sound Quality: In general, we learned that most outdoor projectors will benefit from an additional exterior sound bar, but we also used these projectors with a speaker (if we owned one). We measured the approximate maximum radius from which we could hear the speaker as well.
• Design: Throughout our entire testing process, we evaluated the design of the projector. We noted any handles that made them easier to transport. For projector models that boasted a waterproof rating, such as the BenQ GS50 1080p Wireless Outdoor Projector (most durable), we also considered durability. We also ensured that the overall ease of using the projector felt in line with a process that we’d be willing to do each time we wanted to use it for an outdoor movie night.
• Value: Based on the projectors’ consistency and quality during testing, we evaluated the overall value of each model. We considered whether we’d pay the listed price for the product and whether our experience using it would lead us to recommend it to a friend or family member.

How Do I Set Up an Outdoor Projector?

Setting up an outdoor projector starts with picking a site. Depending on the configuration of your house and yard size, you may or may not have the luxury of choosing where to set up your projector. Look for an area where the screen won't be in direct light and where you'll be able to set up a comfortable seating arrangement. As mentioned above, you should consider the amount of light pollution in this space, as minimizing light pollution ensures your outdoor projector can easily create a bright picture. You can then set up your screen or locate a flat surface on the side of your house, garage, or elsewhere that can function as a screen.

"It's important to have the right surface to project onto," advises Carl Prouty, resident technologist from Abt Electronics. "A matte-colored, flat surface is ideal." If your projector isn't battery-powered, you will need to plug an extension cord into your house and run it out into your yard. Make sure to select an extension cord that's rated for outdoor use. If your projector is battery-powered, you don't need to worry about this step, but you will need to charge the battery fully. Once your power source is established, you can turn the projector on and adjust it so the picture fills your entire screen. Then your projector is ready for your DVD player, streaming device, or whatever media source you plan to use.

What to Look for in an Outdoor Projector

Brightness

Because there's usually at least some level of light pollution outside, an outdoor projector must be exceptionally bright if you want the picture to look clear and colorful on a very big screen. In general, we learned through testing that your projector’s picture will always look better once the sun has set.

Many of the smallest, most portable outdoor projectors sacrifice brightness to offer other important features. These projectors typically work fine outdoors, just on smaller screens. "If you are finding the picture isn't bright enough, try moving [the projector] closer to the wall," recommends Prouty. "It will decrease the picture size, but the smaller picture will be brighter."

As mentioned, paying attention to the lumens listed for a projector will help you know what your model is capable of. Our best portable pick, the Nebula Solar Portable Projector, is rated at 400 ANSI lumens, meaning it has a light source brightness of 960 lumens, so you might find its picture quality improves with a smaller screen projection. However, we had no issues viewing the picture of this projector on a 120-inch outdoor movie screen. If you experience a significant amount of light pollution in your backyard, a projector with a higher brightness, like the Epson EpiqVision Mini EF12 Smart Streaming Laser Projector (best image quality), might be a better option. It has a brightness of 1,000 ANSI lumens and offered a crisp image the entire time we tested it.

If you really want to use your outdoor projector during the day, and you're okay with the fact that the picture will look washed out, it's important to choose a projector that's really bright. "You'll need one that's at least 3,000 lumens," says Prouty. You'll be able to see the picture at that brightness, although it may still look washed out. Prouty also advises that "you'll likely have better success with laser projectors as they generally have a brighter output than LED projectors."

Screen Size

Projectors can work with a range of screen sizes, and you can typically adjust the size of the projection by moving it toward or away from the screen, or by adjusting a size setting. However, if you try to project an image that’s either bigger or smaller than the rated size (determined by the throw ratio), you’ll find it to be blurry and difficult to watch. The right screen size depends on the size of your yard and how far away you want to sit from the screen.

If you haven’t yet bought a projector or a screen, you can figure out the best size screen for your yard and then look for a projector that will work with that screen size. Aspect ratio and throw ratio are two other major specs you should look at when purchasing a projector. These are the ratio of a screen's height to width, and the ratio of the screen size to the distance between the projector, respectively. To learn more about how aspect ratio and throw ratio impact your projector and screen purchase, you can reference the What to Look For section in our Best Outdoor Movie Screens roundup.

Portability

Some outdoor projectors are highly portable, making them ideal for being packed away and transported when viewing on the go. These models are lightweight, small, and even run on battery power. Other outdoor projectors are portable because they're light enough to pick up and carry around, but they're not necessarily easily packable. Our best for streaming pick, the Anker NEBULA Cosmos Laser 4K Projector, has a large handle on its top, making it easy to carry, but it is larger than other projectors we tested.

If you're just looking for a projector to use occasionally in your backyard, you don't have to sacrifice picture quality for portability, as the projector only needs to be lightweight enough to carry outside for movie showings. However, if you want to pack an outdoor projector with you and use it at a friend's house, a park, or while camping, then a portable, battery-powered model is the better choice. Our most durable pick, the BenQ GS50 1080p Wireless Outdoor Projector, is a very compact projector that comes with a carrying case for added protection when taking it on the go.

Connectivity

There are a few kinds of connectivity to consider when looking at outdoor projectors. The most important is wireless connectivity, which comes in the form of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. If a projector has Wi-Fi and built-in streaming apps, you can connect it to your home network to stream movies in your backyard.

If it has Bluetooth, you can connect to your phone and stream from there. Many of the projectors on this list are set up with Android TV capabilities, including the Anker Nebula Solar Portable 1080p Projector, Full HD Smart Projector (best portable), meaning they already have several apps downloaded on their interface for streaming. Some projectors also feature USB ports and SD card slots that let you load media. Some even have HDMI ports to connect a DVD or Blu-ray player or a streaming device like a Roku stick.

Why Trust The Spruce?

Emma Phelps, an associate commerce editor, has been with The Spruce since 2022 and specializes in home appliances, including smart tech like outdoor projectors. She’s also written about air quality, home improvement, and home design products. For this list, she reviewed our latest testing data and summarized results to offer digestible product recommendations. She also researched outdoor projector features and necessary setup considerations for the ideal outdoor movie night.

Our Experts:

• Carl Prouty, resident technologist for Abt Electronics
• Jeremy Laukkonen, a freelance writer and product tester for The Spruce
• Marisa Viglione, senior editor at The Spruce