The pioneering U.S. projector brand Aurzen has just announced a novel take on the pico projector with the new Aurzen Zip.
It’s a unique tri-foldable device that, when folded up, takes on the form factor of an old Sony Walkman, only to unfold and become a kind of Z-shaped hinge device that delivers big-screen pictures on the go, without the need for a mini-tripod.
It’s the next level in projector portability and it’s launching on Kickstarter after winning an innovation award at last week’s CES 2025 show. According to Aurzen, it was inspired by the "challenging camping experience, where poor network signals, unstable brackets, and complex setups highlighted the need for improvement.".
Some companies have attempted to overcome this challenge by integrating a stand with their devices, but these are much bulkier by design, limiting their portability. Yet, pocket-friendly projectors tend to benefit from having a stand or a tripod.
With the Aurzen Zip, the company is going for a “standalone” or all-in-one approach.
It’s basically three connected slates, with the first said to contain the world’s thinnest HD optical engine featuring what is also the world’s smallest DLP chip. This is connected to a mid section that houses “ultra-thin” stereo speakers rated at 1-watt each, so you’re getting 3-watts audio output overall. Finally, the third slate is an anti-slip base that also houses the battery.
This unique design allows for something that’s truly portable. The device measures just 84 x 78 x 26 mm when folded up and it weighs an incredible 280 grams. As such, the specifications are on the lower-end of the scale, with brightness rated at just 100 lumens, meaning it can only realistically be used at night, while the native resolution is capped at just 720 pixels.
That said, it still contains some high-end features like “zero lag” autofocus and keystone correction to ensure easy set up, and there’s an integrated gyro that makes vertical display orientation effortless for when you want to switch to TikTok or Insta Reels-based content without suffering from a cramped picture.
In addition, the Zip doesn’t need a WiFi connection, as it instead utilises AirLink wireless screen mirroring technology to link it to any iOS, Android, Windows or MacOS device.
The integrated battery has a capacity of 5,000 mAh, which the company says is good for around 1.5 hours of viewing. Of course, that’s not enough for a good deal of movies, so you’ll likely want to bring along a power pack too. That way, you can take advantage of its 24-watt fast charging USB-C cable.
Aurzen started the fundraising push on Kickstarter on the same day as it unveiled the Zip at CES 2025, and early bird promotions will get you the device in Black or Titanium Gold colours, plus some other perks.
The Aurzen Zip set itself a funding goal of just $5,000 and to date, users have already pledged $188,517, so that means the device should start shipping in March, as per the Kickstarter page.
Users who pledge $399 will also get a handful of extras, including a CastPlay wireless dongle that allows it to be connected to a HDMI port to link up a console, a magnetic charging stand and a dual-sided magnetic mount.
You can see more about the Aurzen Zip in the video below:
