Aurzen Zip Cyber Foldable Portable Projector: Not Bright, Poor Connectivity, but a Lot of Fun

Execs

• Preem cyberpunk aesthetic
• Folds up tiny
• Dongle add-ons enormously improve usability

Cons

• Dim, although much like different small portables
• No HDMI enter
• Connectivity challenges

I am attempting to consider what the twisty Aurzen Zip Cyber most appears like. Maybe a brand new ultra-foldable telephone. Or just a little robotic snake. Possibly the Zat gun from Stargate. What it does not seem like is a projector. Effectively, apart from the sunshine which blasts from the entrance of it. With its cyberpunk-inspired decorations, the Aurzen appears fairly futuristic.

With its 720p decision and a claimed 100-lumen brightness, its efficiency matches its diminutive dimension. Then once more, it is one of many solely projectors I’ve seen that may actually slot in your pocket. With a 5,000-mAh battery, it may give you a TV-sized display nearly wherever. Anyplace that is pretty darkish.

The principle problem with the Zip is its lack of an HDMI enter. Some units can hook up with the Zip wirelessly, however are restricted to non-copyrighted content material (so no Netflix, and so forth). For that, you will additionally must get both the CastPlay Professional or CastPlay HDMI wi-fi dongles. For a pocket-sized PJ, although, the Aurzen Zip Cyber continues to be fairly neat.

Specs and such

• Decision: 720p 
• Lumens spec: 100 (claimed)
• Zoom: No
• Lens shift: No (although you may tilt the sections)
• Battery: 5,000 mAh, 1.5h claimed playtime
• Gentle supply sort and life: Not listed, seemingly LED

Cyberpunk is one in all my favourite genres of sci-fi, and having not too long ago re-read Gibson’s Sprawl trilogy for the 4th or fifth time, performed about 250 hours of Cyberpunk 2077, plus having fun with numerous different media, I’m actually, to illustrate “predisposed,” to love the aesthetic. The Zip Cyber’s appears are preem, choom, although it is mainly beauty with a very good sticker and a distinct coloured energy button in comparison with Aurzen’s common Zip. The urged retail worth is $30 extra for the Cyber, or 7.5%. Personally, I would pay the additional for the look, however as talked about, I am into it.

Stickers apart, it is the type of the Zip that’s distinctive. It is a squat little field that expands by way of two hinges that may rotate roughly 90 levels every. Totally upright, the projector kinds a right-angled “Z” or “S” form relying in your perspective. Adjusting the 2 non-base segments is the way you angle the projector, and automated keystone correction tries to keep up an oblong picture. This function might be disabled within the menu.

There are management buttons up prime, which might be duplicated within the Aurzen app (which annoyingly requires you to create an account). Subsequent to the ability button on one aspect are quantity controls, and on the opposite is a toggle for the excessive brightness mode. The latter kicks the followers into overdrive, making them fairly noticeable, however leads to an about 40% improve in brightness. This feels like lots, however subjectively it is only a bit brighter.

As you’d most likely anticipate, given the dimensions and worth, that brightness is not going to set any data. I measured roughly 88 lumens, which, given the variations in measurement methods, is fairly near their claims. Additionally, I wasn’t capable of do my ordinary measurement suite due to the Zip’s foremost disadvantage, which is…

Connections

• HDMI inputs: 0
• USB port: 1 USB-C
• Audio output: 2 audio system, 1-watt whole
• Web: None
• Streaming interface: None
• Distant: N/A

There is no HDMI enter, only a single USB-C connection, which can be the way you cost the battery. You may forged wirelessly to the Zip, or not less than some units can. Sure units simply cannot. For these units, Aurzen additionally sells the CastPlay Professional, a USB-C dongle that connects to a supply like your telephone or pill and streams its display to the Zip. That is additionally the one strategy to ship DRM-enabled (copy-protected) content material like Netflix, Disney+, HBO and so forth. Most USB-C iPhones and iPads ought to work; some Swap tablets work, as do many laptops. If you recognize your gadget helps video output from the USB-C connection, it ought to work. My Pixel 9 Professional, for instance, would not forged to the Zip immediately, however labored simply advantageous with the dongle. My TCL pill would not work with the dongle, however did forged immediately, although not with DRM content material.

Aurzen additionally has a CastPlay Wi-fi HDMI Dongle, which connects to an HDMI supply to broadcast to the Zip, however this wasn’t accessible throughout my overview, and as of this writing is offered out in most areas.

So the Zip is a bit odd to overview as a result of, relying in your units and what equipment you add, you will have a radically completely different expertise. I made a chart:

Mainly, most trendy iOS and non-Google units ought to work with the Zip by itself, although you may’t watch DRM-enabled, copyrighted content material (like what you get from the most important streaming providers). YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and related will work advantageous, nevertheless. To attach different telephones and units, so long as it will probably output video by way of USB-C, the CastPlay Professional dongle will allow you to watch Netflix and different DRM-enabled streaming providers (mainly something that is not user-created). If you wish to hook up with a gaming console like a PlayStation or a streaming gadget like Roku, you will need the CastPlay HDMI. I feel a whole lot of this confusion would have been solved with the addition of a Micro HDMI enter someplace, however I am positive that may have added price. 

Image high quality

As a result of compatibility challenges talked about above, I wasn’t capable of do my full measurements with the Zip. I am assured these outcomes are shut, although, particularly since they’re fairly much like these of different cheap transportable DLP projectors I’ve measured, like Anker’s Nebula Capsule Air.

Whereas mild output, within the high-brightness mode, was round 88 lumens, it was round 63 within the a lot quieter, lower-brightness mode. That is inside just a few lumens of the Capsule and Capsule Air, shut sufficient that you just’d be unlikely to note any distinction in mild output. These are all small, dim projectors, among the many dimmest I’ve examined. That is advantageous, because it’s an comprehensible consequence of the dimensions and worth. So long as you retain the projected picture to round TV-sized, it is shiny sufficient to take pleasure in in a darkish room. 

Distinction can be pretty low, however throughout the similar vary because the competitors. I measured a median distinction of roughly 401:1, which is about the identical because the Capsules in addition to some bigger, dearer portables just like the Mars 3 Air (405:1). That is solely barely lower than standouts just like the TCL PlayCube (492:1) and even full-size projectors just like the Epson Flex Plus (468:1). So whereas the picture does not pop as a lot as higher-end, and far bigger/dearer projectors, it is nonetheless contrasty sufficient that it does not look overly washed out. Once more, dimension and worth are the principle attributes of the Zip, so it is nice to see that it additionally appears respectable, graded on a curve with different small portables.

Shade is a little bit of a combined bag, nevertheless. The general shade temperature is just a little on the cool/blue aspect, however not sufficient that it is distracting. Some colours, like blue and cyan, look advantageous. Greens are fairly correct too, which is a shock. Most projector firms sacrifice a sensible inexperienced for extra mild output. Something involving pink is a bit off, nevertheless, with pink itself being fairly undersaturated, magentas are considerably blue, and yellows are slightly inexperienced. Essentially the most noticeable result’s that many pores and skin tones look just a little pasty, and something that ought to have a stable pink appears extra pastel.

Maybe essentially the most helpful function within the Zip speaks to how Aurzen expects individuals to make use of it. Should you lay the Zip on its aspect, it is going to rotate the picture 90 levels. This implies if you happen to’re primarily watching 9×16 content material like TikTok, it is going to fill the DLP chip, and you may reap the benefits of the whole 720p decision. This makes watching vertical content material rather more satisfying in contrast with a closely letterboxed picture that solely takes up the middle portion of the projected picture. Flipping it sideways does make it tougher to place appropriately, since there is no rotation within the hinges in that path, however oh properly. Simple sufficient to only prop the entrance up with no matter’s helpful.

The unit’s two tiny audio system do not play notably loudly, nor have they got any bass, no shock there, however so long as you are sitting shut, they get the job achieved.

Blade working

For essentially the most half, I actually just like the Aurzen Zip Cyber. It is a intelligent design that appears futuristic even with out the cyberpunk clothes. It is one of many smallest projectors I’ve ever examined, and it performs equally to its barely bigger transportable rivals. The colours it produces aren’t nice, however they’re higher than many small, cheap projectors I’ve examined, like the varied AAXA fashions.

My hesitation is with the connectivity. I feel I’ve a worse perspective on this than most individuals since I’ve a Pixel telephone and a pill with out DisplayPort Alt Mode, so neither works totally with the Zip. Relying in your gear, you will have completely different luck. The dearth of an HDMI enter additionally signifies that to observe content material from the principle non-YouTube streaming suppliers, you must get one of many dongles, including $100 to the overall worth.  

That stated, if you happen to’re anticipating to observe an infinite scroll of TikTok or YouTube movies, and you’ve got a tool that can forged with out the dongle, the Zip is a cool-looking gadget that may slot in a pocket and provide you with a TV-size picture in rooms, vans or wherever it is pretty darkish.