JMGO’s new Picoflix adds to the ever-growing list of portable projectors small enough to be carried in a water bottle pocket. But instead of standing on one end like many cylindrical compact projectors do, the Picoflix is used horizontally and features an integrated rotating gimbal so it’s easier to aim at a screen or wall.
Available now through the company’s website for $599, the Picoflix uses a 1080P LED light source capable of outputting up to 450 ANSI lumens of brightness. That’s a little less than what similarly-sized projectors — such as the Samsung Freestyle — are capable of, but it should be adequate for use in dark conditions assuming you’re not trying to fill a movie theater-sized screen.
Cylindrical projectors with integrated gimbals aren’t a new idea. Both the Samsung Freestyle and the Xgimi MoGo 3 Pro offer that functionality, but both stand vertically and depend on a base that needs to be wide enough to add stability. The Picoflix can’t fall over because it’s already laying on its side while in use, and simply relies on a small foot on one end to prevent it from rolling away. As a result, it measures in at around 9.5-inches long and just 3.14-inches in diameter. That’s even narrower than a 40-ounce Stanley cup.
Being able to rotate the projector’s lens a full 127-degrees offers more flexibility when it comes to where you set it up. You can position it much lower than what you’re projecting on so as to not obstruct sight lines, while JMGO’s screen alignment tech will automatically straighten out the image — to some degree. The Picoflix isn’t designed to be used as a short throw projector.
An external power source isn’t necessary as the Picoflix has a 10,000mAh battery built in. JMGO claims that it can last for as long as 4.5 hours when watching movies, but that’s dependent on the projector being in eco mode, which is going to significantly reduce its brightness. You can expect playback time to be quite a bit shorter when using it at full brightness, so plan on bringing an extra battery if you’ll be using it away from a reliable power source.
The Picoflix’s connectivity is limited to a single HDMI 2.1 port with eARC support, a pair of USB-A ports, and a USB-C port, all located on either end of the projector. Content can be played from an external drive, but the Picoflix also has Wi-Fi 6 and runs Google TV so you have access to various streaming services including Netflix, which often isn’t supported on all-in-one projectors from Chinese companies.
When not watching videos, the Picoflix can also be used to listen to music through its 10W speaker. It supports Bluetooth 5.4, and JMGO says battery life jumps to about seven hours on a full charge while only listening to audio.