Cheap and cheerful Chinese electronics outfit Xiaomi has announced the launch of a couple of interesting new portable projectors under its Redmi brand. The projectors, which are the first from Redmi, are said to offer native 1080p resolution, with the standard model styled in a black and white casing, while the Pro version (below) is encased in a sleek, all-back body.
The design of the Redmi Projector and Redmi Projector Pro is similar to that of Xiaomi’s Mi Smart Compact projector series, with the most noticeable difference being the darker colours, which are in contrast to the traditional black and white hue of Xiaomi’s products. Like the Mi Smart projectors, they adopt a vertical standing design with a compact body and curved edges.
Going by the specs, the Redmi portable projectors are likely to generate some reasonable pictures. The devices combined LED and LCD technology to create an image of up to a maximum of 100 inches with 150 lumens brightness, the company said.
There are two key differences between the standard and Pro models. For instance, the Pro variant comes with 16GB of internal storage space, while the standard version has just 8GB. Meanwhile, the standard model relies on automatic vertical correction, which is upgraded to include automatic focus, keystone correction and obstacle avoidance on the Pro model.
Both models come with dual, 3 watt speakers built in, with WANOS technology that ensures a “panoramic audio experience”. Of course, they can be connected to external speakers too. As for connecting other gadgets, that’s made possible via the USB 2.0 and HDMI Arc ports that are on board. Alternatively, it’s possible to connect a device via dual-band Wi-Fi or Bluetooth 5.0.
Xiaomi didn’t say anything about the operating system that powers the two projectors, but given that they’re currently only available to buy in China, it’s likely to be some kind of homegrown Android TV variant. Users will be able to control the devices using voice commands thanks to the Xiao AI virtual assistant.
Of course, the biggest plus of the Redmi Projector and Redmi Projector Pro is their portability. The devices are extremely lightweight, weighing just 1.2 kgs with dimensions of 129.5 x 117 x 179.4 mm, meaning it’s just about possible to stick one in your pocket and settle down to watch a movie wherever you happen to be.. Despite their compactness, the devices are said to be IPX5-rated dustproof, meaning they should last for up to 10 years.
Xiaomi said the standard model will retail for 1,399 RMB ($193), with the Pro version costing 1,599 RMB ($220). It’s not known when they’ll go on sale in other countries, but Xiaomi has been expanding the reach of its Redmi brand lately so don’t be surprised to see them popping up in additional markets at some point.
