Philips has become the latest TV brand to get into the go-anywhere projector game with the launch of the Philips PicoPix Max TV.
The boxy little device is capable of beaming a 120-inch picture against any wall or projector screen, meaning you can watch movies or live action sports, or even play games, on a much bigger scale.
Philips said the PicoPix Max TV runs the Android operating system and comes with on-board speakers that provide 2.1 channel audio. In terms of image quality, it delivers 1080p full resolution pictures via four channel LEDs, powered by a TI DLP cinema technology chip.
Having Android on-board means there’s plenty of stuff to watch, with Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+ and various other apps, hundreds of games available, plus Chromecast. Google Assistant is present too, for those who like their voice controls.
Meanwhile, the PicoPix Max TV has a built-in battery that provides up to four hours of juice, meaning it’s able to be taken anywhere and provide giant-sized pictures on the go.
It’s easy to set up too thanks to its AI-powered Auto Focus and Auto Keystone correction capabilities. The company also speaks of multiple image correction and four corner correction that combine with these functions to ensure a sharp and straight image is thrown against the wall every time.
Philips didn’t mention how bright the images will be, but it should be pretty capable as there is a built-in light sensor that allows it to adjust the brightness to ensure optimum viewing based on the ambient lighting conditions. The company's marketing images suggest it should be ideal for outdoor viewing - when the sun goes down, at least.
The PicoPix Max TV should pack a punch on the sound side. It comes with two 12-watt 2.1 speakers built in, with a dedicated digital signal processor for sound clarity and a reasonable level of bass. Worth mentioning too is that the Philips PicoPix Max TV can also be used as a bluetooth speaker when listening to music or the radio. When used in Bluetooth 5.0 BoomBox mode, Philips claims a battery life of up to 10 hours.
We should also mention the connectivity options, which include USB-C ports and HDMI 2.0 slots that make it easy to hook it up to a laptop, smartphone or gaming console. It includes cables for both ports in the box. Console gaming isn’t a bad use case, with the device offering a low input lag of just 16ms and a 60Hz refresh rate, Philips said.
The device is on sale in the U.S. now, priced at $1,499, and will go on sale in other countries, including the U.K., in the coming months.