XDO Pico Projector Review | The comparison

• The comparison
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• XDO Pico Projector Review | The comparison

We recently covered the XDO Tech Pantera Pico computer, and along with this intriguing device, its makers are also promoting another little product, the Pico Projector. An exercise in miniaturization, its designers distilled the critical functionality of a DLP projector into an object small enough to fit in your pocket. The marketing promise is to project images up to 2 inches over XNUMX hours from an HDMI source or mobile device. Making any complex device on this scale inevitably involves compromises. Do these bits and pieces of the Pico projector make it impractical, or has XDO overcome all the challenges of offering usable projection in such a small box?

Prices and availability

Those who visit the XDO site are going to be disappointed to find that the Pico projector is currently out of stock, but you can still get it if you're willing to enter a Kickstarter for the associated Pantera Pico computer in an All-Star bundle. Those who agree to back the Kickstarter with HK €1 (about €12 or €9800) can get the Pico projector with a 1TB version of the Pico computer, a folding keyboard, a portable PowerStation XNUMXV XNUMXmAh battery and a complete EVA case. With the cost of the XNUMXTB Pico PC in mind, the cost of the Pico projector is about the same as this device, which is about half the cost of the bundle minus some accessories. I was notified by an XDO representative that by the time the Kickstarter Pico computer is finished, it will run specifically for the Pico projector, but today this package is the only way to get one. In expliquant pourquoi vous auriez besoin d'un Kickstarter alors that the product exists déjà et est en cours de fabrication, we devons mentionner that the success of Kickstarters n'est pas garanti et that les investisseurs pourraient ne pas récupérer leur argent if they chose tournent evil.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

Integrated

Most of the portable projectors we've seen before are usually the size of a large coffee cup, to say the least. But the Pico Projector is a rounded cube that measures just 480mm in each direction, making it barely taller than the small Pico computer. In this remarkably small form factor is a full DLP LED projector with native 4 x XNUMX resolution, XNUMX core ARM processor with enough GPU, RAM and ROM to run Android, wireless networking and a battery to sustain it. marching for two hours. no power outlet. To keep this tight stuff from overheating quickly while in use, a small fan runs automatically when turned on and its noise can be a bit annoying.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance) Aside from the Pico projector, XDO provides a power supply that doubles as a charger, a small IR remote control, and a small tripod to help the projector stand up and down for perfect positioning. . The tripod uses a standard threaded stud common to photo equipment, so any tripod or gorilla handle can be used to mount the Pico projector. What was missing from this solution was an HDMI cable. Since the port on the side of the unit is a kind of mini-HDMI input that is not generally used. And the remote also comes without batteries, so you'll need 2 AAA batteries to make it work.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

Team

Technical sheet Here are the complete specifications of the XDO Pico projector: Processor: Rockchip RK3128 twelve GHz
Graphics: Mali-400MP2 GPU
RAM: two GB
Storage: XNUMXGB SATA SSD
Ports: 1 x USB 0, 1 x Mini-HDMI, 1x audio jack
Connectivity: Intel AC-9462802.11 0ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth XNUMX
Weight: 210g
Dimensions: 6 x 3128 x 7 mm (H x W x D) The Pico Projector's electronic platform is truly a budget smartphone that might have been next-generation 4 years ago. At the heart of this device is an ARM Rockchip RK400 processor, a partially low-power 2GHz 1-core Cortex-A2 SoC with an associated Mali-XNUMXMPXNUMX GPU. The XDO spec claims XNUMXGB of RAM, but our review model had XNUMXGB, which we expect to be the standard amount. For storing apps and data, the drive contains sixteen GB of flash memory, with just over five GB used by the system and installed default apps. The projection platform and electronics can be powered by the included power supply or by an internal XNUMX mAh battery with a two-hour lifespan. Any device with HDMI output can be connected directly with a convenient cable (not included), or files can be displayed from USB-connected storage. But most owners will likely purchase their content using a streaming service, like Netflix, or stream it to the device from a phone or tablet using Eshare, Airplay, or MiraCast.

(Image credit: XDO) Network connections on the Pico projector are made via dual-band WiFi that supports most standards up to 802.11ac, and for connecting peripherals it also has Bluetooth 0 networking. For being so small, this fixture's projection hardware is tiny, with just a two-inch DLP panel and an LED light source that uses 1,35W and produces just 1 ANSI lumens. With power levels this low, the stated maximum image size of 1 inches seems a bit optimistic, but you can project from just 210 inches away if you want the brightest experience. The projection ratio is XNUMX: XNUMX and the LED light source has a useful life of thirty hours of use. If the led fails, unfortunately there is no practical way to replace it. Audio output is via a XNUMXmm headphone jack or a tiny XNUMXW internal speaker. Normally we have to kudos to XDO for putting all this gear in that little XNUMXmm, XNUMXg box and making it work.

Use

The pre-installed operating system is Android 7.1.2, and this has seen a security patch as of 2017, but nothing since. It's easy to argue that like any phone running this OS revision, this hardware is inherently unsafe to use due to a lack of security updates and the age of the operating system. Those feeling brave enough to know the Google account details on the Pico projector should make sure to use two-factor authentication and never install side-by-side apps from third-party app sources. Following these steps may not prevent you from being hacked, but it is the best mitigation you have. Perhaps setting up a Google account just for the device might also be a good idea. The Pico projector is very easy to use, with an easy-to-follow interface that is controlled by the included remote control or by touch buttons on the top panel. A Bluetooth remote control would have been better than the one included by XDO, which uses infrared communication with a sensor on the back of the projector, limiting where you can place it. We also noted that while the remote control can turn off the projector, the remote control's power button cannot turn it back on. The projector has automatic keystone correction but manual focus controlled by a dial on the side. The control dial has to be scaled down somehow, because it's so sensitive that it's nearly impossible to get truly precise focus. To enter passwords for streaming services, we recommend that you find a USB keyboard and use the twenty USB port on the back to connect it. As a user experience, there are good and bad here. Most importantly, the Pico projector comes with a version of Android that connects to the official Google Play store and is not some obscure alternative with a very limited selection of apps. One caveat from the App Store is compatibility with Android XNUMX, the number of apps insisting on later versions is increasing, reducing the number of apps available for the Pico projector. While this is not an immediate problem, it could become one in the coming years. Benchmarks Here's how the XDO Tech Pantera Pico PC fared in our series of benchmark tests: CPU-Z: 164 (single thread); 639.2 (multithreaded) Geekbench: 443 (single core); 1445 (multicore); 1468 (calculate) CrystalDiskMark: 507 MB / s (read); 373 MB/s (write) Cinebench R23: 437 pts single-core; 1345 multicore points Bank Nova: 685 PC mark: 1738 3DMark: 131 (Timespy); 454 (shot); Wildlife (1141) Atto: 329 MB/s (read, 256 MB); 441 MB/s (Write, 256 MB) Windows Experience Index: 4.3 With at least 10 GB of free space on internal flash memory, there's enough room for a reasonable number of applications, and those that don't use the USB port for other purposes can install more on an external flash drive. In our tests, we played a variety of packaged files from a USB drive and streamed live TV from YouTube, and it worked quite well. The only thing this platform lacks is that Google Casting is not supported, so you may need a MiraCast app on your phone to mirror the content to the projector. Where things get a little weird is when you try to use this device with a PC, as the native resolution of 854 x 480 is normally not supported. The Pico projector will scale to 1920 x 1080 or even 1920 x 2160, with some loss of detail, but strangely recommends 1360 x 768. We don't know which is better, but neither resolution does. I would like to work for long periods of time related to reading. Battery life is close to the quoted 2 hours at maximum brightness.

(Image credit: XDO)

Final verdict

There are some problems with this product, such as the older version of Android and the relatively low light level generated by the LED. But depending on how you intend to use it, these are not roadblocks for many potential customers. The Pico projector isn't a practical replacement for a standard home theater projector, TV, or monitor, but it can still be useful. And, given the size, that it works is a miracle to us. What we can find fault with is that it's incredibly portable, has an old but functional version of Android that connects to the official app store, works with streaming services, and can stream from a mobile device with a bit of effort. If you are on vacation and you want to shoot photos or videos, you have hung them on a wall to show them to the rest, this device will do that job. You must avoid...