Hands On: 3M MPro110 Pocket Projector

Performance and Real Life Use

In terms of performance, I wasn’t really expecting much. After all, LCoS technology aside, just how well can a projector this size perform?

Image quality was merely so-so, with a great deal of pincushioning all around and no way to correct it. Towards the outer edges of the projection, the image turns blurry, and the colors go off; white turns yellowish etc. Things basically get faded. You can still get a half-decent projection in a well-lit room, though obviously turning down the lights gets you much better results.

The specifications state a maximum projection distance of about six feet, with a projection size of up to 50 inches; I managed to get more or less the same. The MPro110 is able to accept input resolutions of up to 1280×768, but the output resolution stays fixed at 640×480. You’re also stuck with the 4:3 aspect ratio, as there’s no option at the moment to support widescreen projection. The throw distance can’t be adjusted either, though you can tweak the focus thanks to a handy dial.

One other advantage is that the MPro110 runs virtually silent, as there are no fans of any sort within. I can easily imagine using one of these to watch movies or videos while on the plane, projected towards the back of the tray in front of you. Being silent, you won’t have to worry about the MPro110 bugging your neighbour with the hum of whirring fans. What’s more, it doesn’t too warm even after extended use, so its completely plausible to be able to turn it off, pop it into your pocket and go about doing your thing without worrying if it’ll burn a hole in your pants right next to the family jewels.

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