I’m genuinely impressed by this $400 portable projector

I recently moved into a new apartment, and during the amicable split with my former roommate, the TV didn’t make the journey with me. While my studio isn’t nearly as cramped as my last living situation, the idea of mounting a bulky television in the limited living space still feels impractical.

A business named Lumi Labs asked me to test their new portable projector, the Lumi Max, as part of my quest for a better option. From the moment I unboxed it, I was struck by how far projectors have evolved since my college days—when a friend loaned me a clunky device that could barely project a grainy video onto my dorm wall.

The Lumi Max's compact, vertical shape is one of its best features; it is perfect for small places. When not in use, it tucks away easily and stores neatly on a shelf.  At just over four pounds, it’s much lighter than many of its competitors. Designed with travel in mind—the founder is a camping enthusiast—it fits into a backpack and comes with its own carrying case, making it easy to take on trips or set up outdoors.

Perhaps its biggest selling point is the built-in Google TV integration, developed in partnership with Google. More than 800 free live TV channels, 700,000+ movies and TV series, and more than 10,000 applications are all included in the package. Setup is seamless if you already have a Google account, and it ships with a remote for smooth navigation.

Beyond that, the Lumi Max comes with some genuinely smart features. Autofocus and obstacle-avoidance tech allow it to recognize objects on the wall—like picture frames, plants, or cabinets—and automatically adjust the projection area. In my case, I had blank walls with no artwork, so setup was effortless, but when my chair blocked the view, the projector alerted me so I could reposition it for the best experience.

The display is equally impressive: it projects between 40 and 120 inches, supports full 1080p HD, and is compatible with 4K UHD.

Sound quality was another pleasant surprise. The projector houses dual 5-watt speakers (for a combined 10W output) with Dolby Audio support. While the built-in sound is respectable for casual use, you can easily hook it up to an external audio system for a richer experience.

At roughly $400, the price feels very fair given the feature set—especially when compared to what I’d typically spend on a decent television.

Lumi Labs also sells add-ons, including an adjustable projector stand for $30 and a 100-inch projector screen for $20. The Lumi IQ mobile app, which features an AI assistant that enables voice control of the projector, is about to be released.