You know, today every other projector is called portable because it is compact size. However, compact size doesn’t make a projector portable yet. The main feature of any portable projector is a built-in battery, or at least power bank support, so you can use it without a mains supply.
For example, the FATORK Mini projector has a built-in battery, which provides up to 2.5 hours of battery life on a single charge. The projector also supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, so you can connect your smartphone to it and watch movies or play games while camping.
By the way, this is one of the most compact projectors we have tested on our channel Tech Brothers.
Okay, let’s do a full review of the FATORK projector in this article.
FATORK Mini Projector, 5G WiFi 6 Bluetooth Short Throw Projector - Amazon
$169.00
Unboxing
Today we have a compact projector, so it comes in a small box.
There is only FATORK company logo, and mini projector on the front.
On the back, we can read some warnings, as well as the projector model number. So, it has a full name of FATORK D042.
Inside the box is the projector itself, a quick start guide and a user manual.
There are also two black boxes here. One of them has a power adapter, while the other contains the tripod, HDMI cable and remote control.
You know, I wish the portable projector came with a carrying bag, but overall, this box is pretty small, so you can store and carry the projector in it.
Design
When it comes to design, the manufacturer calls it the Coke Can Projector, because the projector is about the size of a coke can.
Its dimensions are 110 x 70 x 70 mm. The weight is only 400 grams.
The body is made of a black matte plastic, while the orange lines freshen up the look.
There is a lens and some kind of sensor on the front. At first, I thought it was an IR receiver, but it is actually an automatic keystone correction sensor.
There are USB A, DC power and HDMI ports on the back.
The FATORK projector has a focus adjustment wheel on one side, and a 3.5mm audio jack with a power button on the other.
If we look at the bottom of the projector, we can see the tripod mount. As I said before, a tripod comes in the kit.
As for the projector control, you can use touch buttons located on the top, as well as the remote control. By the way, the remote is very simple, but I was surprised to see a touch control panel on a budget projector.
I guess that’s all about the design. The FATORK projector is very compact, but still has a good build quality.
Operating System
Now let’s turn on the projector and look at the operating system.
At first glance, the FATORK projector has a simple multimedia system, because there are no applications here, such as YouTube, Netflix, etc. However, there are a few signs that it is an Android system. I will tell you later what the signs are.
So, on the home page we have DLNA, iOS cast and Android Miracast to mirror the screen from different devices.
We can also use an HDMI connection and a USB drive.
I will check out all the connection methods later, but for now let’s look at the settings menu.
First, we can connect to a Wi-Fi network.
The projector also supports Bluetooth, so you can connect an external speaker or headphones to it. We will also check this a little later.
There is only HDMI in the input signal.
The display settings include high brightness, auto keystone correction, manual keystone, initial angle correction, screen scaling and projection mode.
By the way, the projector is battery powered now, but I wonder if it will be brighter if you plug in the power adapter. As you can see, the brightness hasn’t changed.
The other options in the settings menu are as follows Audio, General and System.
Wi-Fi Connection
So, now we can check how screen mirroring works.
I have an iPhone, so I will go to iOS cast from the Home Page.
Now, I need to connect to the same Wi-Fi network as my smartphone.
Do you remember me telling you that the projector has a few signs that it is running Android? When you enter a password from a Wi-Fi network, the keyboard is the same as on Android devices, isn’t it?
After you have connected to Wi-Fi, take your smartphone, go to screen mirroring and select the projector. That’s it!
The FATORK projector supports 5G Wi-Fi 6 network, so the latency is very low.
Bluetooth Connection
As for Bluetooth connection, you need to go to the Settings menu, Bluetooth, enable Bluetooth and search for your Bluetooth device. In my case, it is AirPods, and they are connected to the projector.
Speaker Quality
You can use headphones when you watch a movie alone, but the projector also has a 3W built-in speaker, so you can watch a movie with your friends.
You know, the volume and quality of the built-in speaker is very good for a compact projector. I am really surprised.
Fan Noise
The FATORK D042 is a compact DLP projector, so I knew it wouldn’t make much noise.
The noise level near the projector is 43dB, and it is only 39dB at a distance of 1 meter.
This is a very quiet projector, so it will not disturb your roommates’ sleep at night.
Battery
Before we get to the projection quality, a few words about the battery.
I haven’t found any information about the battery capacity of the FATORK projector, but the manufacturer promises 2.5 hours of battery life on a single charge.
If you turn off the high bright in the settings, it will probably last even longer.
Projection Quality
You know, I saw on an Amazon page that the FATORK projector supports screen size up to 114 inches at a distance of 3 meters.
However, I decided to place it even farther away – 5 meters from the wall. I got a screen of about 300 inches.
I don’t know why the manufacturer only says 114 inches when the projector is able to create a much larger screen.
However, I will be testing it closer to the wall. Right now, the screen size is about 80 inches.
The native resolution of the FATORK projector is 854 x 480 pixels. It is really noticeable because the picture is pixelated. Nevertheless, it is crisp, and even the text is readable.
The brightness of the FATORK projector is 150 ANSI lumens, but because DLP technology is used, the image looks much brighter than LCD projectors.
Overall, watching movies, sports matches or games is very comfortable.
Light On/Off
As for using the projector in a room with light, it is possible, but I would recommend making the environment as dark as possible.
Conclusion
So, the FATORK D042 is a truly portable projector, because it has a built-in battery and compact size. I think it is a great projector to use outside the home, such as camping, backyard parties, on the road, or just at home with a projection on the wall or even the ceiling.
The FATORK projector has Wi-Fi support, so you can mirror the screen from your smartphone, and Bluetooth support for connecting headphones.
You can also connect the TV stick to a projector and watch your favorite shows on Netflix, YouTube and other streaming services.
The image quality is very good for such a compact projector.
In short, I really liked FATORK projector. It is very easy to set up and comfortable to use in all conditions.
FATORK Mini Projector, 5G WiFi 6 Bluetooth Short Throw Projector - Amazon
$169.00
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