I Fell in Love With This Tiny Foldable Projector at MWC 2025

If watching movies on your phone’s small display just isn’t cutting it, Aurzen has developed a trifold mini projector you can slip right into your pocket or bag. I got to check it out at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, and am now convinced a tiny projector could be just the thing I need to level up my viewing experience, whether I’m at home or traveling. 

The Zip Projector is a square device that’s 1 inch thick and about 3 inches tall and wide — making it resemble a bulkier Galaxy Z Flip 6 or Motorola Razr. Unfolding the device lets you project content at a good level and a straight angle, allowing the projector to serve as its own stand, too. It weighs about the same as an iPhone 16 Pro Max, Aurzen says. Weighing it in my hand, I felt like I could throw it in my bag and barely notice it. 

Aurzen Zip projector at MWC 2025

The Zip can project movies, photos and social media apps to up to 80 inches in size. You can either mirror your phone’s screen or connect an HDMI dongle into a TV, laptop or gaming system to project what’s on there. The Zip works across iOS, Android, Windows and MacOS. The resolution tops out at just 720p, but Aurzen says it hopes to bump that to 1080p in its next version. Colors looked vibrant and clear enough when I saw a demo projection of stained glass windows, but bumping that resolution definitely wouldn’t hurt. The Zip also has a 100 ANSI lumen brightness and two 1-watt speakers. 

The downside: the Zip Projector can only last 1.5 hours on a single charge, so make sure that movie you’re watching is short and sweet — though if you’re not on the move, you can plug it in and keep it going. It takes an hour and half to charge the projector’s 5,000-mAh battery via 25-watt charging, Aurzen says. 

Right now, you can only mirror smartphone content from Netflix, but Aurzen says it plans to expand that capability to other apps. Anything else you’d like to project needs to be sent from that HDMI dongle, which costs an additional $100.

Watch this: First Look at Aurzen’s Zip Projector Tri-Fold

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Final thoughts on the Aurzen Zip projector

Portable projectors are nothing new, but the foldable aspect is unique, and something a growing number of companies are tapping into for everything from phones to concepts for gaming consoles, making them more compact — and simultaneously awe-inspiring.  

The Zip Projector is available to preorder on Kickstarter, with availability planned for the coming days, according to the company. The price starts at $300, but there are add-on options like a $130 magnetic charging stand that can extend playtime to 3 hours. A $40 magnetic mount also lets you attach the projector to any smooth surface, if you want to raise it higher. 

Even though this is being pitched as a travel-friendly way to project content, I can imagine the Zip being useful if you’re looking for an alternative to high-end projectors or TVs at home. It could also make it easier to arrange an outdoor movie night or set up a presentation for a meeting, no matter where those things are happening. 

Personally, I’m already envisioning some epic Harry Potter marathons, magically projected from a pocket-sized device.