Epson Mini EF12 projector still holds up

With the quality and size of big screen TVs today, do projectors still matter? Personally, I think they still have a place in our homes.

There's something nostalgic about being able to transform an entire wall into a movie screen.

The picture may not be quite as sharp as sharp as your OLED panel TV.

And the audio may not be as good as the spatial audio soundbar you dropped a few hundred (thousand plus?) dollars on.

But for certain nights, and certain shows, nothing beats throwing down some blankets, grabbing an overflowing bowl of popcorn and craning your neck up to watch a retro cartoon like you're at an assembly in your middle school gym.

If you're looking for a portable projector, the Epson EpiqVision Mini EF12 Smart Streaming Laser Projector is a solid choice that balances great value with good features.

Why feature a 3-year-old projector?

Heads up, this won't be an exhaustive review. It's more of a reminder that you don't have to blow your budget to get a good quality projector.

My instinct is that since this projector was released in November 2020, Epson could be planning an upgrade soon. But if you can find it on sale, and you're okay with slightly dated technology, there's some good reasons to consider this handy projector.

I don't have a permanent setup for my projector, so I kinda forget about it. But when I do pull out (like I did to recently watch some Christmas movies) I'm reminded of how good this Epson one is and think "I gotta tell more people about this!"

So here, ya go!

Epson EpiqVision Mini EF12: Portable and powerful

This projector was designed for portability. It's relatively small (about the size of two Kleenex boxes) and weighs less than five pounds. The range of size for projection is as small as 30 inches or as large as 150.

Once you turn on the projector, it will do a quick auto calibration to make sure the screen doesn't look skewed. I've used this on a household wall, an exterior stucco wall, the side of a shed, and a sheet hung on a deck and in all cases the projector's auto calibration feature figured out how to make the visuals look decent.

It doesn't have color correction like you would find in the Samsung Freestyle speakers, but the microlaser array is so bright, that even if the wall is off-white, beige, or grey, you still get decent coloring.

Epson EpiqVision audio

In that compact form you also have a built-in Yamaha speaker.

Yamaha doesn't really have the consumer clout of a Bose or B&O, but I've used Yamaha PA speakers for years in my band and they've been solid. For such a small box the Yamaha speakers do a good job of filling a room when you're watching a movie on the projector, and an adequate job when you're using the projector outside.

Epson EpiqVision controls

There are built-in buttons on the top of the projector for basic navigation functions. The included remote is going to be your main way of controlling the projector and it has a built-in Microphone with Google assistant so you can easily call up your favorite shows.

One thing that might stand out is that this still runs on Android TV. This might make the projector seem a bit dated (since now Google TV has taken over from Android TV), but if you're familiar with the Google TV interface from your smart TV or Chromecast, then it's basically the same thing.

Epson EpiqVision apps and media

As mentioned, this is powered by Android TV. Therefore it's very easy to install supported streaming apps like Disney +, Hulu, Apple TV+ and more.

You can also cast video from your phone so if you have some home movies or a downloaded favorite it's easy to pull up on the projector.

Epson EpiqVision connections

If you're not using any of the smart features built in, there's a good array of ports onboard this projector.

There are two HDMI ports (one ARC), a USB type A port (again, a little dated) for watching media saved on a USB stick or harddrive and a 3.5 mm audio jack you could use for headphones or, I guess if you wanted, to connect to a different speaker.

There's also a tripod mount on the bottom in case you wanted to have your projector in a more permanent position.

The bottom line

If Epson is going to continue their mini projector line, the EF12 is likely going to get an upgrade. And while I usually wouldn't buy a product late in its life cycle, my firsthand experience with this projector has been so good that I would recommend it to people if you can pick it up on sale.

For ease of use and setup, it can't be beat. Being able to pull this thing outdoors to play some retro games on the deck in the summer is super fun. If you're having an all ages family gathering and need to plunk the kids down in one room, setting up the projector to make a "movie theater" for them is a breeze.

Epson was very thoughtful in the design of this projector and even though it's becoming an oldie, it's still a goodie.

Smart Projector

Epson EpiqVision Mini EF12 Laser Projector

Movie Night

The portability and quality of this projector make it a good value. You can stream movies and TV series through on-board apps or wireleslly from your phone. Plus there are HDMI ports for connecting gaming consoles. It projects videos up to 150 inches with no screen required.

• $949 Amazon