After trying a Google TV projector, I may never buy another TV

I’ve been a fan of portable projectors since I first got to try the XGIMI MoGo Pro in 2019. Back then, it was a nice supplement to my streaming setup at home, like a portable TV that I could carry to the balcony or bedroom without having to lug around a huge television set. Over the years, I’ve used Android TV and then Google TV projectors in various capacities, from my kitchen to my outdoor deck. My latest projector replaced my Samsung Frame TV Pro after its display died, and I was left TV-less for a few weeks before it was repaired.

When I moved into my new home, I went out of my way to find a TV that didn’t look like a huge black box permanently taking up visual space in my living room. I had my eye on the Samsung Frame TV and its various competitors from Hisense and TCL. But when Samsung announced the Frame Pro with its brighter and more contrasty Neo QLED panel, wireless box connection, and faster processor, I knew that was the one.

I had to pay a hefty sum to disguise the TV on my wall, and yet, because of Samsung’s really bad software and lack of proper settings and options, I find myself disabling the frame feature about 70% of the time. By which point, I’m back to the big black rectangle despite having paid for the privilege of avoiding that.

By design, a projector is the very opposite of this. It sits on the media console if it’s an ultra-short-throw model, or next to the couch if it’s a regular laser projector, and doesn’t command any wall real estate. I could even have a painting, some decor, or bookshelves there, and mount a white screen on the ceiling that drops on demand. That’s the visual freedom that a projector could give me.

Putting aside my personal pedantic hatred for big black boxes, I’ve spent years enjoying the freedom of carrying my TV everywhere.

Most of my Google TV projectors have been portable models with a built-in battery, which means I can easily go up and down the three floors in my home with my entire TV — streaming stick, speaker, and power included. I go from watching YouTube videos on my white kitchen cabinets on the ground floor, to mirroring my Pixel 10 Pro’s screen on my office wall on the first floor, to streaming a movie on my second-floor bedroom’s slanted ceiling without breaking a sweat. And I don’t need to think about speakers, power supply, or connecting everything over HDMI. Everything is contained in one unit.

Cheap(er) projectors like the XGIMI Vibe One I’m currently using are ideal for intermittent use, like in guest rooms, bedrooms, offices, as well as for outdoor movie nights, or even to lug around to friends’ places or Airbnbs. But when I tried my first ultra-short-throw projector, I realized they could also be “serious” TVs that are much easier to move around the house than any 65-inch or larger panel.

Speaking of moving these, projectors are also, by design, easier to “install” anywhere. I didn’t like the eight large holes we had to drill to install the Samsung Frame Pro, nor did I like the fact that the power cord remained visible for a year until we got someone to figure out a solution to pass it through the wall behind the TV.

Worse yet, when my Frame Pro’s panel died, Samsung France required me to take the TV off the wall to start the repair request, so my husband and I had to figure out how to unmount it without breaking it or giving Samsung any reason to blame us for the dead panel. As TV units get larger and larger, installing them is getting more finicky, especially if you’re not comfortable handling large and heavy electronics like I am. A projector eschews all of that. Even the heaviest ones weigh around 10kg (22lbs) and are easy to move around, unplug, and service.

Besides, they offer you all the benefits and freedoms that a regular TV cannot. Slanted walls and ceilings? A projector doesn’t care. No wall or ceiling available? Use a white curtain or a rollable white screen. Scared of the safety of your toddler tumbling near the big TV on its stand (for renters who can’t hang TVs on their walls)? A projector avoids that. No easy or sexy way to pass all the wires and cables? Most Google TV projectors just need one power cable.

Besides, some projectors, like the XGIMI Mogo 4, even come with their own floor stands, while most other models have at least a built-in tilt stand. That is to say that with a projector, all the headaches of installing a TV no longer exist.

In my home, I opted for a 65-inch Frame Pro because it was the largest logical size that fit on the wall where I wanted the TV. A 75-inch TV would’ve been slightly too big for the space I had. But if I had a projector, I could’ve easily adjusted the distance to achieve a wall-to-wall 73-inch projection without adding a single pound to my setup.

Better yet, the same projector on a different wall or ceiling could go up to 100 inches or more, just like in the image above. That’s a convenience and a perk that any TV I ever buy won’t offer me.

And when I can’t find a large enough empty space on my walls or ceilings, I still have the option of projecting the image on white curtains or buying a roll-up white screen. For now, my bedroom’s walls aren’t completely furnished, so I’ve been using them for the projection. But when I install some closets or shelves, I’ll have to revert back to using the ceiling or the big white curtain.

With Google TV support dwindling among many TV manufacturers, it’s surprising to see the platform remain so popular and nearly universal among projectors. XGIMI, TCL, Dangbei, Epson, and many other brands make excellent projectors with Google TV built in — no separate Google TV Streamer or streaming stick needed. Just turn it on, and all my apps and services, all my videos, and all my content are right there for me to enjoy. I love that!

In terms of services, I don’t need much, honestly. YouTube, the local Canal Plus app, Plex, Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, and the Spotify app. Any other TV platform could provide that, but Google TV gives more than just those apps. It’s a Chromecast target, so I can directly cast from my phone to the projector. I can use the Google Home app to turn on the projector or navigate it with an on-screen remote. And my entire Google Home setup is accessible from the smart home panel, too.

All of this ensures that my experience remains as seamless as it is with the Google TV Streamer that’s currently plugged into my Samsung Frame Pro. But if I pivoted to a projector as a primary TV, I wouldn’t need that. I just have to make sure the updates remain timely, but that hasn’t been an issue with Google TV as much as it was with Android TV.

Look, I’m aware that moving from a TV to a projector isn’t an easy decision. There are downsides to consider, of course, like dealing with ambient light and having to embrace darkness for the highest-quality image, the obvious downgrades in contrast and picture quality, the worst speakers unless I connect a soundbar, and the near-constant fan hum.

But some of the best ultra-short-throw projectors nowadays have fixed most of these issues, and I’m sure newer models will keep improving on that. They’re expensive, for sure, but so are the best TVs, especially if you want ones you can easily disguise on your wall like the Samsung Frame Pro.

So, when the time comes to buy a new TV, whether we want something more powerful than our current setup in the bedroom or the guest room, I won’t be looking at a regular TV but at a projector. It’s just less headache overall.