Reviews You Can Rely On

AuKing Mini 1080p Review

A bottom-dollar mini projector with high portability and not much else
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AuKing Mini 1080p Review
Credit: AuKing
Price:  $130 List
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Manufacturer:   AuKing
By Sentry Kelly and Adam Stout  ⋅  Mar 22, 2024
39
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#11 of 11
  • Entertainment - 30% 2.3
  • Business - 30% 6.1
  • Contrast Ratio - 15% 2.3
  • Brightness - 15% 2.1
  • Set up/Use - 5% 4.4
  • Input Lag - 5% 9.5

Our Verdict

The Auking Mini 1080P is the latest iteration of a line of compact ultra-low-budget projectors that can be snagged for a fraction of the cost of higher-quality units. It's small and light and will project an HD image, but it's hard to recommend for anything besides those novelty use cases where its abysmal color accuracy and low brightness can be overlooked. See how this little projector stacks up against the rest of the class in our comprehensive projector review.
REASONS TO BUY
Cheap
Small
Portable
REASONS TO AVOID
Dim
Inaccurate colors
Poor image quality

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Overall Score Sort Icon
39
79
68
45
39
Star Rating
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Bottom Line A projector to avoid unless you prioritize price and portability above allA very bright projector that excels in an office environment and offers a decent movie experienceThis basic projector offers straightforward functionality well suited for office useIf your expectations are low and you're deadset on an ultra-low-budget projector, this is the one to getA no-frills mini projector for the leanest budget and lowest expectations
Rating Categories AuKing Mini 1080p ViewSonic PA503W Epson EpiqVision Fl... Happrun H1 TMY Mini
Entertainment (30%)
2.3
6.8
5.9
3.7
2.8
Business (30%)
6.1
7.8
6.5
6.2
5.9
Contrast Ratio (15%)
2.3
9.0
8.7
3.2
2.0
Brightness (15%)
2.1
9.5
7.7
2.4
2.0
Set up/Use (5%)
4.4
4.9
4.9
5.0
4.4
Input Lag (5%)
9.5
9.1
8.2
9.3
9.3
Specs AuKing Mini 1080p ViewSonic PA503W Epson EpiqVision Fl... Happrun H1 TMY Mini
Measured ANSI Lumens 136 Lumens 2664 Lumens 2061 Lumens 249 Lumens 119 Lumens
Measured Fan Noise 43 dBA 41 dBA 38 dBA 45 dBA 30 dBA
Measured ANSI Contrast Ratio 51:10 775:26 638:23 43:5 41:10
Measured Input Lag 45 ms 48 ms 54 ms 46 ms 46 ms
Measured Dimensions (L x D x H) ‎7.95" x 6.3" x 2.91" 11.6" x 8.6" x 4.3" 11.6" x 8.3" x 3.4" 9.3" x 8.1" x 3.5" 7" x 5.31" x 2.76"
Measured Weight 3 lbs 4.9 lbs 5.3 lbs 3.5 lbs 2 lbs
Projection Technology LED DLP 3LCD LCD 3LCD
Light Source Lamp Lamp Lamp Lamp Lamp
Claimed Brightness 9500 Lumens 3600 Lumens 3000 Lumens 9500 Lumens 7500 Lumens
Carrying Case Included No No No No No
Native Resolution 1920 x 1080 Support 1280 x 800 1280 x 800 1920 x 1080 1280 x 720
Smart Streaming Capability? No No No No No
Contrast Ratio 2,000:1 22,000:1 Not Specified 10,000:1 5,000:1
Aspect Ratio Not Specified Native 16:10 Native 16:10 Not Specified Native 16:9
Zoom Ratio Not Specified 1.0 - 1.1 1.0 - 1.35 Not Specified Not Specified
Throw Ratio (Wide to Zoom) Not Specified 1.55 - 1.70 1.27 - 1.71 Not Specified Not Specified
Backlit Remote No No No No No
Vertical Keystoning Correction Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Horizontal Keystoning Correction No No No No
Lens Shift No No No No No
Lens Cover Yes No No Yes No
3D Capable Yes No No No

Our Analysis and Test Results

This cheap projector boasts full HD capability and high portability, but it falls short in color accuracy and brightness, severely limiting its appeal for entertainment and business applications.

Performance Comparison


auking mini 1080p - the auking 1080p is ultra-cheap and small, but it's not a great...
The Auking 1080p is ultra-cheap and small, but it's not a great performer.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Entertainment


We scored our Entertainment metric by pitting projectors against one another using an HDMI splitter from a single video source. We awarded extra points to products featuring smart features like native streaming apps and screen mirroring.

Although the Auking Mini 1080p pulled off slightly better clarity than the other ultra-cheap projectors tested, it still presented terribly inaccurate colors and poor saturation, making for a dull and grainy image. And since it has no smart features to boost its appeal for streaming, it scored lowest among all the projectors we tested.

See the dramatic quality difference between a high-end projector (left) and the Auking Mini 1080p (right), even in a dark environment.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Business


Scoring for this metric was based on the projected image's color accuracy and clarity compared to source documents on our laptop. And, because business meetings tend to occur in bright spaces, the projectors needed to cast bright pictures. This was all bad news for the Auking Mini 1080p. However, portability and connectivity are also crucial in the business segment, so the Auking was able to redeem itself a little there.

Thanks to its small form factor and weight, portability is high, and we appreciate that this unit comes with remote control as well as onboard controls in case the remote gets lost or left behind. The input port selection was lacking compared to more expensive units, but there was enough for essential business connectivity with 1x HMDI, 1x computer,1x USB, 1 video, and an audio in/out.

auking mini 1080p - this projector is dim and murky with terrible edge-to-edge clarity...
This projector is dim and murky with terrible edge-to-edge clarity for spreadsheets.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Once again, poor colors, lousy contrast, subpar corner-to-corner clarity, and its characteristic dimness held this budget product back in terms of picture quality and readability; therefore, we don't recommend it for business use.

Contrast Ratio


With a low contrast ratio of 41:10, the TMY Mini Mini does not produce a great distinction between light and dark areas on the screen, making for a dull, washed-out picture. It is one of the worst projectors we tested in this regard, falling far behind the quality of the average and high-priced projectors.

auking mini 1080p - the auking mini bombs the ansi contrast test.
The Auking Mini bombs the ANSI contrast test.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Brightness


The story of the Auking Mini 1080p is much the same when it comes to brightness. The manufacturer claims 9500 lumens, but our ANSI lumens measurement with a light meter did not bear that out. The Auking was one of the dimest projectors of the bunch, with an average of 136 ANSI lumens.

auking mini 1080p - two extremes in brightness and clarity: the high-end hisense c1...
Two extremes in brightness and clarity: the high-end Hisense C1 Laser on the left and the Auking Mini 1080p on the right.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Setup & Use


We score a projector's setup based on the amount of imaging tuning that it allows and how easy it is to adjust. While the more expensive projectors have features like auto keystoning or highly adjustable vertical and horizontal keystone, more advanced zoom settings, and front and rear legs to level the unit with, the Auking 1080p only offers manual vertical keystone adjustment and one front leg. So, this unit doesn't score as well as others on the market for setup.

Nor does it shine in our Use metric, where we award points for nice to-haves like built-in eye protection, smart remote control features, speaker audio, and more. All the Auking Mini has going for it in this regard is that it does ship with a remote control, albeit a very basic one, devoid of the smart features that prop up other products in this metric.

auking mini 1080p - the auking mini mini has a poor selection of ports and leveling...
The Auking Mini mini has a poor selection of ports and leveling adjustability, but it does have a conveniently located manual focus ring.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Input Lag


Low input lag is essential for those using projectors for gaming, and surprisingly, the ultra-budget-oriented Auking Mini 1080 really shines here, with the lowest overall input lag of all the projectors in our test. We suspect that has something to do with the simplicity of the cheaper unit's operating system compared to the more advanced projectors, which do more image processing to enhance picture quality.

We used a video signal input lag tester to measure the time in which it takes a video test pattern to be recognized on the top and the bottom of the screen. The Auking scored an impressive 45 milisecond average.

auking mini 1080p - top-mounted projector controls are always preferred.
Top-mounted projector controls are always preferred.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Should You Buy the Auking 1080p?


If you're looking to cast a 1080p image on your wall or screen on the cheap and you don't care the slightest about image quality, brightness, and features, this projector might be worth the tiny asking price. Everyone else should look to the more advanced models for their business and entertainment projector needs.

auking mini 1080p - the auking mini 1080p can't compete with even the lowest quality...
The Auking Mini 1080p can't compete with even the lowest quality tier of more traditionally priced projectors, but it's a fraction of their cost.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

What Other Projector Should You Consider?


If an extremely low price point is your primary concern for a new projector, check out the Happrun H1. While it can't stand up against the more expensive projectors, it's the best ultra-budget unit we tested. If you want to step it up to a well-rounded, high-quality projector for a few hundred more dollars, check out the Viewsonic PA503W.

Sentry Kelly and Adam Stout