Aurzen Zip Review: A big idea, but a small disappointment

Aurzen Zip is a portable projector with design praise but lacks brightness and sound quality.

: The Aurzen Zip introduces a compact tri-fold design, making it the world’s first of its kind. Measuring 3.3 x 3 x 1 inches, it fits into a pocket and offers easy setup, but suffers from dim 100 lumens brightness. Streaming app limitations due to DRM, loud fans, and low battery life at $400 make it hard to recommend. Released in April 2025, it pre-orders for $250 but shows promise in niche use cases despite shortfalls.

The Aurzen Zip, launched in April 2025, represents a breakthrough in compact projector design, making it suitable for carrying in a pocket at just 3.3 x 3 x 1 inches and a weight of .6 lbs. Jorge Jimenez notes that while the tri-fold feature adds a unique appeal, its usability left much to be desired with a brightness of only 100 lumens, making it necessary to have a darkened room to watch content comfortably. Moreover, the loud fans and deficient battery life—lasting only 45 minutes on Turbo mode and slightly over an hour on Eco mode—further diminish its practicality. Jorge amusingly mentions its purpose as “a novelty more than useful” in scenarios like blackouts.

Despite design advantages, the Aurzen Zip's performance is held back by technical limitations. The ease of connecting through screen mirroring on phones and computers is marred by latency issues when used with an iMac or PC, with minor syncing problems noticeable in videos. Notably, certain streaming apps like Netflix and Max face compatibility issues due to DRM constraints; however, this is commonplace and not unique to the Zip. Reviewers suggest alternatives such as the Nebula Capsule Air for those needing compatibility without facing these issues since it offers built-in Google TV and is slightly larger.

In terms of use cases, Jorge humorously recounts projecting Ms. Rachel videos for his toddler, underscoring the Aurzen Zip’s potential despite frequent compromises. Screen size ranges from 30-40 inches at two to four feet away, extending to 70 inches, but suffers in clarity and brightness with distance. The projector does bring satisfaction in short-lived scenarios, like screening Mets games for fellow enthusiasts, but remains cumbersome due to audio interference from its noisy fan overshadowing the dual 1W speakers.

Though it may serve niche audiences or provide a last-minute solution in low-light areas, reviewers have criticized the Aurzen Zip regarding its $400 price tag and poor performance indices such as its sound volume at maximum still competing with fan noise. The pre-order pricing, available at $250, appeals to those willing to potentially overlook these shortcomings. For better options suited for diverse streaming without mirrored content, more extensive galleries recommend other models, adding alternatives in the same compact category but with higher prices or adjusted size considerations.

Jorge concluded that while the Aurzen Zip’s novelty and size appeal are appreciated features, the difficulties stemming from limited battery life, sound quality, and brightness provide a fragile justification for its value. The ongoing consumer search for functionality and innovation continues to challenge manufacturers in balancing constraints like size and performance, despite creating novel tri-fold projectors. The pursuit of overcoming such limitations likely guides tech firms toward refining these mini-projectors under performance-driven brackets with broader market adoption in mind.

Sources: Gizmodo, Amazon

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