Philips PicoPix Micro review

The Philips PicoPix Micro is a portable performer, and a great option for big screens in a small space.

Philips PicoPix Micro Review
(Image: © Philips)

Top Ten Reviews Verdict

Its performance has some limitations, but the Philips PicoPix Micro is a strong option for home users looking to max screen-size without a TV.

Pros

  • +

    Excellent battery life

  • +

    LED light lasts 20,000 hours

Cons

  • -

    Image quality is less than spectacular

  • -

    Only 540p

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The Philips PicoPix Micro provides a strong set of features and steady build quality. Externally, it's among the smallest full-sized mini projectors we evaluated - with its dimensions of 2.9 x 3 x 1.34 inches and weight of 1.31 pounds, the Micro feels closer in size to a book than a standard projector. That comes at a price, though, and you'll pay plenty of the PicoPix. If you're looking to set up a movie theater in your yard, though, it's perfect.

Philips PicoPix Micro Review: External features

Externally, the mini projector features a standard selection of connectivity options. While the Philips relies on a mini HDMI port – instead of a full-sized HDMI slot – for video input, it conveniently includes a short mini HDMI-to-HDMI cable that'll comfortably reach a connected laptop or home theater device. Its secondary support for USB storage devices, microSD cards and wireless screen mirroring are strong features tailored toward home and casual users. Essentially, you can project footage from your smartphone or tablet, using this projector.

The lack of out-of-box support for business standards like VGA output and composite video are slight hurdles for working professionals who want to use the PicoPix for meetings or presentations, but accessories for these port types are available from third-party vendors.

Philips PicoPix Micro review

(Image credit: Philips)

Philips PicoPix Micro Review: Internal features

Internally, the PicoPix is an average performer. The mini portable projector put up middling marks in brightness and color accuracy, which refers to how accurately a projector can render a full spectrum of colors. In hands-on comparisons, the projector was still usable in both dark and light viewing environments, but its image wasn't the sharpest and suffered from light washing out of colors and details.

Considering the PicoPix's higher-end price tag, the middling image performance is a slight disappointment, but the projector's general-audience features give it strong value in other areas. With a time of two hours and ten minutes in battery life testing, it was the best battery life among the mini LED projectors we evaluated. It has decent speaker performance for a pico projector, and has enough versatility for home users to broadcast content like a movie or slideshow for a small group.

Should you buy the Philips PicoPix Micro?

The Philips PicoPix Micro has some limitations, but its strengths give the projector considerable value. While the Micro lacks optimal image quality, its best-in-class battery life and portable size make it an excellent low-profile projector for home users. The sound is good enough for external use, although perhaps not in busy areas. If you're going to project in the yard, we recommend finding an external speaker solution.

Ian has been a journalist for 20 years. He's written for magazines and websites on subjects such as video games, technology, PC hardware, popular (and unpopular) science, gardening and astronomy. In his spare time he has a pet tortoise and grows his own vegetables. He also has a passion for cameras and photography, and has written for TTR on these subjects.