Entertainment

I ditched my TV for this portable projector with a massive 150-inch picture for a week — here’s how it went

AnyFans 2025-09-16

By Ryan Epps

Tom’s Guide

Newsletters

View Profile

Search Tom’s Guide

You may like

I tried the XGIMI Horizon 20 Pro and I might finally be able to ditch my TV for a gaming projector — here’s why

Amazon just slashed the price of this Nebula 4K projector — and it’s the perfect camping companion

Forget OLED TVs — this new laser projector beams a 200-inch image and it’s crazy bright

Normally, this is one of the most annoying aspects of projectors. You can spend up to an hour or even more simply setting up the projector to look its finest, but the Flex Plus took away this entire headache and the best part is that it works instantly.
Whenever I moved the projector head, pushing the projection off-alignment and out of focus, the auto-focus immediately fixed the image. It seriously blew me away not only how accurate it was, but how quickly it worked.

(Image credit: Future)
The Flex Plus also runs on Google TV, which is one of my favorite interfaces. This was also super swift in the setup process, hindered only by a few minor issues. You should download the Google TV app first to make the process quicker and easier.
A letdown for some might be the fact that it isn’t equipped with Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision, or HDR10+. For a device at this price, support for either Dolby Atmos or HDR10+ would be a nice touch, but their absence is to be expected on a portable projector. The good news is that the Flex Plus still supports HDR10, making it an ideal on-the-go pairing with the Nintendo Switch 2.
Speaking of its portability, the Flex Plus has USB-C power. This makes it much easier to travel with, but it requires a 100W or 140W portable charger so you won’t be able to use your phone’s charging brick to power it.
The finer details

(Image credit: Future)
In terms of image quality, the Flex Plus falls prey to the same issues plaguing other similarly priced projectors: poor daytime viewing. There’s no getting around this unless you have an ALR screen of some kind, which isn’t exactly feasible with a portable projector like this.
The odds of someone using a projector in the middle of the day are slim, given the setbacks, but in a pinch you could get away with it so long as you’re watching more vibrant content.
The Epson Flex Plus pushes out 1,000 lumens in both white brightness and color brightness. I’d personally like to see this number a little higher, especially on a device that costs $999, but it’s adequate for now, given its style upgrades and enhanced features.

(Image credit: Future)
Thankfully, you’ll get way better performance in darker settings, particularly at night or in a room with blackout shades. In nighttime settings, the Flex Plus blew me away by offering stellar color in the Cinema picture setting mode.
The sound is also surprising for a projector this size. Epson advertises a Bose-designed speaker, which may or may not carry a lot of water, but it’s definitely punchy and delivers crisp and clear audio at higher levels.
That’s good because, if you’re like me, you’ll have the speaker’s volume set to 80 to deliver dialogue that isn’t lost in the background noise. If you’re still having problems with dialogue, changing the audio mode to “Dialogue” can really help.
Should you buy?

(Image credit: Future)
Portable projectors don’t often perform this well, but the Flex Plus surprised me. It’s equipped with incredible picture quality and a robust set of features to suit your needs, whether on the go or at home.
However, there are some cheaper options to consider. The best one that comes to mind is the XGIMI MoGo 4, which is half the price of the Flex Plus at $499. It’s not quite as feature-rich, nor does it offer the same performance, offering just 550 ISO lumens, but it’s not bad at all considering the price.
Short of buying something like the Anker Nebula X1, Epson’s Flex Plus is a worthwhile investment. It’s easily one of my favorite new projectors, which is saying a lot given I’m not usually a fan of portable models like this one.
More from Tom’s Guide

I spent the day with the $5,100 Sony RX1R III — what I loved and what feels stuck in the past
I ditched my iPhone and iPad for the Galaxy Z Fold 7 for 2 weeks — here’s what happened
I tried the XGIMI MoGo 4 Laser Projector: 5 things I like and 3 things I don’t

Social Links Navigation
Staff Writer

Ryan Epps is a Staff Writer under the TV/AV section at Tom’s Guide focusing on TVs and projectors. When not researching PHOLEDs and writing about the next major innovation in the projector space, he’s consuming random anime from the 90’s, playing Dark Souls 3 again, or reading yet another Haruki Murakami novel.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

I tried the XGIMI Horizon 20 Pro and I might finally be able to ditch my TV for a gaming projector — here’s why

Amazon just slashed the price of this Nebula 4K projector — and it’s the perfect camping companion

Forget OLED TVs — this new laser projector beams a 200-inch image and it’s crazy bright

I review projectors for a living and found all the best Prime Day deals from far-throw to Ultra Short Throw models

I replaced all my monitors with the Viture Luma Pro — here’s why they take the fight to Xreal for the best AR glasses crown

I tried a foldable triple-display portable monitor — and it’s the ultimate mobile accessory for power users

Latest in TVs

Score! This Sony OLED is one of the best-looking TVs I’ve ever seen and it’s $1,500 off right now

Apple tvOS 26 is here — all the biggest upgrades and changes you can try right now

5 budget 4K TVs that look like a million bucks

Enough is enough — it’s time for Samsung to put Dolby Vision on its TVs

Sony Bravia 8 II vs Panasonic Z95B: Which OLED TV wins?

I tried the XGIMI Horizon 20 Pro and I might finally be able to ditch my TV for a gaming projector — here’s why

Latest in Opinion

I almost got hit with a phishing attack and a malicious app last week — here’s how I knew not to click

I use ChatGPT every day — but I can’t stand this one feature

I ditched my TV for this portable projector with a massive 150-inch picture for a week — here’s how it went

Apple’s falling further and further behind in the AI arms race — and the iPhone 17 launch proves it

My favorite earbuds for movie nights are the AirPods — here’s why

I’ve finally figured out how to sleep through the night thanks to these 5 things

Hot News_tariffs news_big country news_anyfans news

I ditched my TV for this portable projector with a massive 150-inch picture for a week — here’s how it went

Emmy Awards 2025: Minor Viewership Rebound, Social Media Engagement Climbs

Owner Speaks to Cat in Their Language—Internet Can’t Cope With Response

Stocks rise towards more records, helped by Elon Musk’s purchase of $1 billion worth of Tesla shares

Mystery, intrigue take center stage in ‘The Mousetrap’ at Clague Playhouse

I ditched my TV for this portable projector with a massive 150-inch picture for a week — here’s how it went

You Might Also Like

Emmy Awards 2025: Minor Viewership Rebound, Social Media Engagement Climbs

Owner Speaks to Cat in Their Language—Internet Can’t Cope With Response

Stocks rise towards more records, helped by Elon Musk’s purchase of $1 billion worth of Tesla shares

Mystery, intrigue take center stage in ‘The Mousetrap’ at Clague Playhouse