In my latest video review, I take a look at a new projector from a company called Aurzen that comes with Roku built right in. When you power it on, you’re greeted with the Roku interface, and it even ships with a Roku remote. It’s not a stick or an add-on—it’s fully integrated.
The projector is on the lower tier price-wise – this is one of those devices that sees frequent price fluctuations and sales so take a look over at Amazon (compensated affiliate link).
At 330 ANSI lumens, it isn’t very bright, so in a well-lit room the image can be hard to see. It performs better in a darkened room with blinds drawn. Resolution is capped at 1080p, though it will accept 4K input and downscale. There’s no HDR support, but the major streaming services negotiate resolution correctly, and Netflix plays back at full 1080p, which is notable since many budget projectors don’t have a Netflix certification.
The hardware is compact, with a built-in power supply and stereo speakers that sound decent. There are options for connecting external audio via Bluetooth or the analog output. On the back you’ll find a USB port for loading in media files, an HDMI input, and minimal physical controls. The included remote works reliably, and because it’s a Roku device, the Roku mobile app is also supported. For positioning, there’s a small kickstand and a standard tripod mount. An 85-inch screen requires about 8 feet of throw distance, and that’s close to the maximum usable size in my testing.
In practice, the image looks sharp enough and color reproduction is consistent with expectations for the price. Brightness, however, remains a limitation, especially with darker content. There’s no manual brightness control, though autofocus and auto-keystone work well. These adjustments, along with orientation settings, are accessed through the Roku menu rather than physical dials. You can manually adjust the focus and keystone through the interface.
Streaming performance feels similar to a Roku stick. Apps like Disney+ and YouTube run at 1080p, and casting via Apple AirPlay or Miracast works smoothly. I tested AirPlay with a Keynote presentation with my iPhone, and the projector was able to carry the presentation while my iPhone displayed the next slide and presenter notes.
Gaming was a different story. While HDMI inputs displayed a sharp, fluid 60 fps image, input lag was severe—around a quarter second. For casual presentations or watching content, it’s fine, but fast-paced gaming is not something I can recommend with this one.
For someone who already likes Roku’s ecosystem and needs a simple, low-cost projector, this fits the bill. It’s best suited for smaller screen sizes in dark rooms. The biggest drawback is brightness and input lag, but for straightforward streaming use, it works as advertised.
Disclosure: Aurzen provided the projector to the channel free of charge. However no other compensation was received, they did not review or approve this content before it was uploaded and all opinions are my own.