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This Portable Projector Doubles the Space in My Tiny Room—and It’s 21% Off Right Now

All you need is a TV stick.

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Published on October 11, 2022 01:26PM EDT

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TOPTRO TR23 Outdoor Projector — Photo:
Amazon

I was never a big television watcher until the pandemic hit, when the Netflix “ta-dum” became a soothing background noise. After years of keeping a screen-free bedroom, I hauled a big flat-screen directly in front of my bed to keep me company.

When I recently moved into a tiny city bedroom, I agonized over how to best recreate my setup. I wouldn’t have the space for a media stand, and I didn’t want to use a phone or tablet that I might scroll through instead. For days, I pored over Amazon reviews of projectors (a perfect space-saving backdrop over my blank white wall), stressing over singular negative reviews that seemed to sour 10,000+ five-starred averages.

In the end, I landed on the Toptro TR23 Outdoor Projector because of its under-$200 price point and Amazon Fire Stick compatibility—and it’s on sale for two days only at 21 percent off for Amazon’s Prime Early Access Sale.

To buy: $135 (was $170); amazon.com.

The projector itself is a sleek, lightweight gray cube with touch-sensitive control buttons at the top and an included remote. It looks more like a portable speaker than anything else, gaining points for subtlety. I especially love the small leather strap across the top, ideal for carting the device to friends’ houses, camping, or anywhere else you might want a watch party.

Installation was effortless. I plugged it in, followed by my Amazon Fire Stick, and determined the best distance and focus to get the clearest picture. That was it—ready to go.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve now tested this dust-proof projector on a stack of books beside my bed, on a shelf above my bed, and even facing my window screen. The maneuverability of the device meant I could play around with the angle and setup. Even though my college background is in visual arts, the picture is crisp, colorful, and bright enough to satisfy my pickiness—even with ambient light in the room (although the screen, of course, looks best when it’s darker.) The projector worked remarkably well at close range, my main concern for my space.

Most projectors in this price point are generally criticized for being loud, but I had no trouble with the Toptro version. Better yet, the built-in speakers are great, so I don’t need any separate audio, although you can choose to connect to a bluetooth speaker or sound bar. For some additional piece of mind, Toptro offers a 1-year money back guarantee and 3-year repair, with lifetime professional technical support.

My one critique is that the HDMI port is in the back of the device, so if you plug in a TV stick (like the Amazon Fire Stick, on sale today only at $24.99 for a whopping 50 percent off), the projector won’t align flat against the wall. You have to make sure any shelf is deep enough to accommodate the extra inches, or use a DIY hack like I did and wiggle a book over the lip of the shelf to give the projector some additional surface area.

After scouring reviews upon reviews of each device, I’m grateful that the Toptro projector turned out to be such a solid choice. Its small-space friendly design was stellar for my needs, and it far exceeded my demands for sharp image quality. I’m looking forward to toting it around with me as needed, and I relish each evening I settle in for one more episode. Although I chose this edition as a budget-friendly and intro-level pick, I have no doubt it will satisfy more experienced viewers too.

Act now to buy the Toptro projector at a reduced price as part of the two-day-only Amazon Prime Early Access sale. This price will be gone by 11:59 p.m. PT tomorrow, but your movie nights could last forever. Shop the projector now and an Amazon Fire Stick to join in on the fun.