Canon Rayo i5

The canon rayo i5 is not your average home projector that you would mount on the ceiling and binge-watch your favourite Netflix show. This diminutive projector, all of 111 x 111 x 17.2 mm, is for folks who are on the go and need to have a projector for their presentations… and the occasional movie/TV show wherever an empty wall presents the opportunity. The black and silver finish doesn't look out of place in the boardroom and it is small enough to slip into a jacket pocket and be carried around unobtrusively.

Yet, don't be fooled by its size — the i5 is no pushover, pushing out 100 ANSI lumens which is bright enough for indoor use with the shades drawn, and Canon claims a lamp life of 20,000 hours. The 854x480 pixel resolution isn’t particularly high, which means it is better suited for photos, presentations and static content than for watching the latest movie. Place it within the recommended projection distance (5m) though, and you should be able to push it all the way to a massive 4m/157-inches screen if you have the space. The standard tripod screw mount is convenient to place the i5 anywhere without having to rely on a flat surface, but there’s no keystone correction to adjust an off-center image.

Setup is quite simple, and if you have charged it completely, you should be good for about 2 hours of use on the built-in 1900mAh battery. Aside from wired HDMI connectivity, the i5 has a number of wireless connectivity options, with support for Miracast, DLNA and AirPlay standards. Wireless streaming requires you to connect to the i5’s peer-to-peer network, and setup is straightforward, save for some initial issues connecting to the devices… not to mention a hit to battery life. The i5 has stereo speakers and are only really suited to quiet environments. Best to use the audio out to connect to an external pair of speakers or headphones.

Yet, the Rayo i5 isn’t for everyone; it is priced at Rs 50,000 and is strictly suited to business users who can justify the outlay for their work. Home users who don't need this level of portability can look at other better performing options.