One of the brightest portable projectors I've tested is also one of the cheapest (at $140 off right now)

ZDNET's key takeaways

Superb brightness for various lighting conditions. Highly portable and durable. Currently on sale for $140 off.

As someone with nyctalopia (the fancy word for night blindness), the Yaber T2 Plus Projector does my eyes justice. Its 450 ANSI lumens make it very bright, even in the presence of ambient light. Its built-in JBL speakers (with Doby Audio support) also make it loud, with admirable clarity and very little distortion, even when the volume is cranked way up.

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The T2 Plus goes for $349 at most outlets, which is $50 more than the standard T2 model -- and for good reason. The T2 Plus comes with a Google TV dongle; the standard T2 does not. You can pair the dongle with Google Home on your phone to access plenty of apps, including Netflix, Hulu, Prime, Disney, and more.

The good news is that right now, the Yaber T2 Plus is on sale for $140 off at Amazon, selling for $239 instead of $379. That's a steep discount on an already affordable projector.

Without the dongle, you have two options: screen-mirroring the projector with your phone or using an HDMI hookup. So, in terms of portability, paying the extra $50 for the T2 Plus is more than worth it.

The unit itself is smaller than a loaf of bread, and about the same shape. Its folding handle serves as both… well, a handle, and an adjustable stand for projecting up onto a wall or screen. This would be great, except that despite my best efforts, I couldn't adjust the stand to establish a 16:9 (perfectly) rectangular projection while testing in our ZDNET lab.

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When placed at standard coffee table height (18 inches) at about eight feet from the screen, the best I could do was get a slightly trapezoidal shape, with the bottom of the image being narrower than the top. Honestly, this wasn't a huge distraction for watching Outer Banks, but I was somewhat perplexed by the fact that the keystone adjustment wasn't doing its job.

On the other hand, placing the T2 Plus at standing eye level -- somewhere between five and six feet high -- yields a properly proportionate rectangle. While I did not suspend the unit from a higher position, like the living room ceiling height, my estimation is that this, too, would present the desired shape. I base this on my experimentations with moving the projector around in the testing area, holding it overhead, and so on.

This all brings to mind one of the most important questions when considering the purchase of a projector: Where should I place it in my viewing area?

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Along those lines, I discovered the T2 Plus won't yield satisfactory results at a lateral angle. This means I had no luck setting the projector in the corner of the room (specifically, to the left/right of the seating area). Again, from that position, attempting to use the keystone correction resulted in an error message or a wonky shape.

That's why you might need to literally "hang it up" to get the best picture with the Yaber T2 Plus. To get the most optimal viewing angle, I'd advise hanging it high on a platform or bracketed to your ceiling.  

Unlike the dimmer but more versatile Anker Nebula Capsule Air, the T2 Plus should be front and center. That is, right in front of your couch on a stand or table. This will not necessarily make the unit block your view at all, as it will be aimed upward at about a 30- to 45-degree angle. This is no problem as long as you can tolerate a slightly trapezoidal shape on your wall or screen.

Okay, all positioning aside, the Yaber does offer several attractive qualities. Its handle and form factor make it plenty portable, especially if you take advantage of its built-in battery that provides up to 2.5 hours of use on a single charge.

I mentioned the smart TV dongle that comes with the T2 Plus and will reiterate that it's worth the slight upgrade (an extra $50) if you're thinking about making a purchase. However, I was able to plug in a Google Chromecast dongle to access streaming platforms as well, and the T2 Plus is compatible with other dongles, like Roku's or the Amazon Fire TV Stick.

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I also mentioned the T2 Plus's brightness, which impressed me, along with its native 1080p full HD resolution. The visuals are crisp and detailed, and its sound quality is equally admirable, rivaling many standalone speakers.

Its remote control (batteries included) navigates the T2 Plus's interface with ease. The menu is presented onscreen as soon as you fire up the unit, allowing you to access anything from presentation documents to screensaver photos you can upload from your personal library.

The downloadable Yaber App enables screen-mirroring, remote control, and NFC functionality when you're within close range. Yet I found it just as convenient to use its native remote control.

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Despite struggling to find an ideal spot to put the Yaber T2 Plus for that perfect 16:9 image, I have to say it offers a combination of performance, portability, and convenience, making it a viable option as a mid-priced projector solution

ZDNET's buying advice

If brightness and clarity are primary criteria for your decision-making, this mid-level projector is for you. While you may need to experiment with where to place the Yaber T2 Plus for optimal imaging, it's a great option in terms of portability and durability. To sweeten the deal, Amazon is currently offering a discounted price of $239 (when you add the $60 off clip-on coupon).