Top 10 Pico Projectors on the Market Today Featuring Aaxa Micro Projectors

I like to start every hub by telling you why I am the expert; Why should you listen to me? I worked for a mini projector company as a marketer in 2010 and was charged with testing all the products under different conditions, using accessories of all types. You name it, I probably tried it; iPhone, Xbox, PSP, Cell phones, DVD players... the list goes on and on. At any given time I would have at least 3 different pico/portable projectors in my house that I was using daily. I've had in my possession nearly every projector on this list.

There are two types of mini projectors in this list: 1) Pico projectors, which fit in your jeans pocket, 2) Portable projectors, which fit in the palm of your hand, but not your jeans pocket. Both versions are extremely portable but choose the type that would best suit your personal needs. Generally, a little extra size produces a significant amount of extra power (measured in Lumens/Brightness for projectors).

MicroVision is one of only two laser pico projector manufacturers, the other being Aaxa Technologies. This projector got a ton of publicity at all the big trade shows over the past couple years and was reviewed on every tech website imaginable. It's not better than the Aaxa L1V2, but is a great second option, and is currently in it's second generation, which is 50% brighter. It has all the other advantages of a laser projector for about the same price as the L1V2, but sacrifices some in picture quality and brightness. Still, for someone looking for a laser projector at a great value, the ShowWx Plus can't be beat. And getting your hands on an L1V2 is practically impossible right now, so the ShowWx may literally be your only option in laser technology.

The Aaxa P1 Jr certainly isn't the most powerful pico projector out there, but it is by far the least expensive. Aaxa decided to make as economical a projector as possible without sacrificing on the amenities, and did a fine job with the P1 Jr. This was literally meant to be a Toy, and it is exactly that. At $99 it is a great gift for any kid or anyone looking to be able to have a mini projector without spending a lot of money. It works- Simple as that. It's one of the smallest projectors on the market, 10 lumens, and has the ability to handle almost any input. There are other garbage projectors out there that have gotten a ton of publicity, like the "Eyeclops," that are terrible compared to the P1 Jr. If you need a great gift, you can't go wrong getting one of these.

Next up is the late generation of the 3M Mpro series, the Mpro 150. It is the upper model of the two projector Mpro released as their first generation. It boasts 15 lumens, which for all practical purposes is not very much, but is on par with what most pico projectors are doing (other than the fantastic ones we listed above this). It was one of the best when it first came out, and is now a great "old model" option for those looking to spend less and still have good quality. Keep in mind that new pico projectors come out every 3-6 months and the ability to upgrade is never too far out.

Optoma's lower model of its second generation series, the PK201, just barely squeaked out 6th place on this list, ahead of other "pico projectors", because of its extra power and value. The PK201 still boasts HD capabilities and all the perks of the PK301, with the major difference being a significant reduction in brightness, down to 20 lumens from 50. Still, this puts the PK201's brightness above the majority of pico projectors. And for people looking for instant fun while still having the cash to upgrade as new models come out, the PK201 is a great option. Optoma seemed to have the edge on 3M the release of the Mpro 160, and I would expect new Optoma projectors to be coming out sometime late this year.

This is the only 2nd generation laser projector on the market. There are currently only 3 models in production, of which this is by far the best. In case you haven't heard of them before, Laser projectors literally use laser lights, of a class that is not harmful to the human eye, to produce light instead of the standard LED power sources in most projectors. The lasers distinct advantage is that they are always in focus; Most projectors, if you move even a few inches closer to or further from your target, need to be re-focused. Needless to say, focusing the picture is the most painful part of having a projector (usually unavoidable and people deal with it), but laser technology has removed that. They are also super small, about the size of an iPhone, and produce excellent picture quality. I haven't used the L1V2 personally yet, but I did have an L1 for a long time and posted a picture above demonstrating the raw power. The downside is that these are extremely hard to find because they are in such high demand, Aaxa is currently several months behind on backorder for shipping them.

Aaxa continues to release a new version of the M1 every few months. Right now they are on the "M1 Ultimate," which gives the 2nd best power in its class. The only reason I rate this one below other models is because it is a portable projector, meaning it can't go in your pocket, but is still small enough to fit in your hand. Up until the M2 came out the M1 was the most popular portable projector on the market. Business users gobbled these up in masses since they are the perfect companion for a laptop presentation. The M1 was truly the first portable projector to provide enough power/brightness to be used for a variety of different purposes. I have personally used my M1+, the 2nd generation of the M1 series (now in it's 3rd generation) to create crystal clear 10 foot screens for backyard movie night (pictured above). The major downside to the M1 is that you need to plug it in or use an external battery (sold separately), but that's the price you pay for brightness now-a-days, and it is well worth it.

The Mpro 160 is the little brother of the top of the line 3M model, offering a full package of extras, including the standard built in sound, memory, file support, and all the normal features to be expected in a pico projector today. The best parts of the 3M are that it is made by a reputable company, with all the standard features, and will satisfy most users. This is one of the latest pico projectors to come out, and will inevitably be outmatched when Aaxa Tech and Optoma release their next generation products, but the Mpro 160 is among the best projectors available. I would have expected with a late model release like this that 3M would have been able to pack in more power than 30 lumens, but it is double the brightness of their previous model, and puts it above the competition in many respects.

A new powerhouse in the pico projector market is the top of the line 3M Mpro 180. It's power is similar to its little brother, the Mpro 160, with 30 lumens, but the Mpro 180 adds a touch screen display, 4GB of built in memory, media player, wi-fi, and bluetooth capabilities. Still, I place the Mpro 180 behind the Optoma Pk301 because of a lack of brightness to support use in a large variety of settings. It is a great model, and I look forward to seeing more from 3M, but as a 3rd generation pico projector it is disappointing to see lumens that are lower than the 2nd generations from other projector manufacturers. The wi-fi and bluetooth support definitely set this model apart from all other pico's as one of the most unique projectors on the market.

Optoma took the market by storm when it launched its second generation of pico projector, including the PK301 and PK201. The PK301 is the upper-class of the two and was the first pico projector to give HD quality to a projector small enough to fit in your pocket. Tech nerds around the world now enjoy having the ability to keep their iPhone or PSP in one pocket, and a projector that is the brightest in its class, at 50 lumens, in the other pocket. The PK301 does have two modes, one of which provides less than HD quality and less brightness to save battery life, the other of which gives it full power but sacrifices the battery faster. Of course you can always plug the unit into the wall for longer playing times.

The M2 is a portable projector, and is the Elite model in its class. With 110 lumens, it cannot be beat in power, has all the extras you can imagine, and a price tag that makes it a fantastic value. It has built in sound, built in memory, expandable memory slots, input capabilities for nearly every device on earth (including iPhone's), HD resolution, vibrant color, and the ability to produce images up to 100 inches. Gary over at Aaxa Tech has always been a big fan of LCoS display technology instead of DLP, and he has masterfully crafted the M2 to bring power and frame speeds that beat every other portable projector on the market. If you are looking for the best, this is it. It has always been said that once portable projectors top the 100 lumen mark they will be ready for use by the majority of the population, and this is the first model to accomplish that.

For some reason a lot of companies lately have decided it is a great idea to add pico projectors to their products. Laptops, cameras, and other relevant devices have started to attach projectors to their products, and it makes no sense. The whole point of a pico projector is portability. Adding a pico projector only damages their products, decreases the portability of both devices, and adds unnecessary costs. Getting a product with a pico projector attached is an all around bad idea. Stick with getting a projector you can use with any device.