REVIEWED: Sony MP-CD1 mobile projector

Ideally sized and able to act as a standalone smartphone recharger, this pocket-sized USB-C projector lacks both detail and brightness

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Do you ever need to deliver impromptu presentations in dingy offices, and in the corners of conference centres? Or do you hanker after a bigscreen movie when camping? If you fall into either of those niche categories, the Sony MP-CD1 mobile projector – a pocket-sized beamer that create images up to 120-inches in size – is for you.

Sony MP-CD1 mobile projector: design

Weighing just 280g and measuring 83x16x150mm, the MP-CD1 switches on in seconds. Attaching to anything via a standard HDMI cable (we’re thinking a laptop, but it works just as well with a games console or a Blu-ray player), it has no interface as such – it just displays whatever it’s hooked-up to.

Sony MP-CD1 mobile projector: performance

Trouble is, the MP-CD1 lacks much detail at all. The 854×480 pixel grid (not even HD) it constructs on a white wall is OK, but completely lacks wow factor. Isn’t that kind of a problem when you’re trying to impress someone with a presentation? TravGear created a good 60-inch image from around 1.5m from a wall, but any bigger and it’s just not bright enough. It is, however, impressive in a blackout, where its 105 lumens get put to full use.

Sony MP-CD1 mobile projector: extras

You can get a wireless dongle so you can mirror a tablet cable-free, and it’s even possible to insert a streaming dongle like the Google Chromecast, Roku Stick or Amazon FireStick. It also works as a phone battery; its 5,000mAh innards could refuel a smartphone twice over. It’s also got a built-in speaker, but it’s pretty terrible. Worse, it’s tricky to mute unless you insert something into the headphones jack to distract it.

Sony MP-CD1 mobile projector: conclusion

But the best thing about the MP-CD1? It recharges over USB-C (or via the USB-C-micro USB adaptor in the box), so you never have to travel with a bulky power pack for a projector again. That said, its lack of brightness and detail gives the MP-CD1 limited appeal.

Price as reviewed: US$399.99 / UK$362.77

Buy the Sony MP-CD1 Mobile Projector on Amazon.com

Buy the Sony MP-CD1 Mobile Projector on Amazon.co.uk