Projectors have long been seen as an exciting alternative to televisions, but in India, they have remained a niche choice. Scroll through any online marketplace and you’ll see dozens of sellers peddling projectors, but questions about their authenticity usually keep buyers at arm’s length. Sensing the gap in India’s home entertainment landscape, Lumio has stepped in, intending to make projectors a household essential.
Lumio Arc 5
Rs 19,999
What Is Good?
- Requires only a small space to cast big images
- Vivid projection
- The speaker gets pretty loud
- Portable structure
- Ergonomic, compact remote
- Aggressive pricing
What Is Bad?
- Picture clarity needs refinement
- Struggles to position and focus the projection correctly
- Hard to discern details in shadow-heavy scenes
Lumio has already disrupted the TV market with its mix of features and affordability and is now turning its attention to projectors. Its mission is clear: take this niche gadget and make it a mainstream home entertainment essential. The first significant step toward this goal is the Lumio Arc 5 projector. On paper, it appears to be a strong start. It comes packed with features that usually demand a much higher spend, including bright projection, auto screen alignment, Google TV OS, and plenty of extras that make both casual and serious users sit up.
Priced at ₹19,999, the Arc 5 makes a strong case for itself in the entry-level projector segment. The question now remains: Does the Arc 5 help Lumio in making projectors more accessible? Read my review to find out.
Design and Build Quality
The design of the Arc 5 is the first indication that Lumio is serious about its goal. What I like about its aesthetic is that the entire projection unit fits inside a matte black box that blends effortlessly with its surroundings. Weighing only 1.33 kg, it is light enough to carry around and set up wherever you need it. The portability comes with a trade-off, though, as the projector does not include an in-built battery and must always be plugged in to run.
| Dimensions | 112 x 142.5 x 185 mm |
| Weight | 1.33kg |
| Power consumption | 65W |
| Box contents | Projector, charger, remote, batteries, and guide |
When it comes to placement, Lumio provides three options for setting up the Arc 5 anywhere in a room. To begin with, Lumio Arc 5 comes equipped with rubber feet, enabling you to place it on any stable surface. It can also be tilted upwards at an angle on its kickstand, cleverly named “under stand.” If these weren’t enough, the Arc 5 can be screwed onto any light stand using the threaded slot underneath.
As for safety, Lumio has tightly sealed the enclosure to prevent dust from entering the projection unit and compromising it. Moreover, its rear side features vents for easy airflow, keeping the temperature under control.
On the wired connectivity side, the Arc 5 includes these ports on the back. On a side note, the HDMI port here is version 2.0, so it doesn’t support 4K at 120fps and above streaming qualities. Moreover, it lacks compatibility with Variable Refresh Rate and Auto Low Latency Mode, which are generally cornerstones for smooth console gaming. Additionally, the USB version on the Arc 5 is USB 2.0. Therefore, users may experience slower file transfers and won’t be able to take full advantage of high-speed USB streaming for videos, a feature supported by USB 3.0.
Display and Audio Quality
In a dimly lit room, the Arc 5 immediately makes a strong impression. The projected image on the wall comes surprisingly close to the quality of an LCD TV, which is no small feat for a projector in this price range. While watching episodes of anime series like Dandadan, One Piece, and Kaiju No. 8, I was struck by the richness of the colours and the way they brought life to an otherwise plain wall.
The same held when I switched over to live-action content during my binge of Ba**ds of Bollywood*, where the mix of tones and details retained their punch throughout.
| Display | Specs |
| Size | 40 to 100-inch (1.016 to 2.54m) |
| Type | LED |
| LCD Config | 1 LCD, 3 inches |
| Picture engine | ArcLight Fully Sealed System |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 |
| Refresh Rate | 60Hz |
| Brightness levels | 200 ANSI Lumens |
| Colour Coverage | DCI-P3 – 41.6%, NTSC – 40% |
| Other features | HLG, HDR10 |
I would also like to say the same for the detailed clarity. Generally, movie scenes and YouTube videos appear detailed and sharp, as I observed in a particular frame involving a hand holding a smartphone. However, during certain moments, I noticed that I had to squint my eyes a lot more to make out intricate details more clearly. For instance, when I cast the screen of my MacBook using this projector, I had to focus slightly harder to see what was written on the menu bar.
Given its brightness of 200 ANSI lumens, the projector renders movies and series strikingly bright on the wall, particularly luminous scenes. On a few occasions, I even reduced the brightness, since very bright scenes could feel slightly harsh on the eyes.
That said, the Arc 5 shows its limitations when it comes to darker content. While playing Marvel’s Spider-Man on the PS5, I often wished for more brightness in shadow-heavy scenes, as spotting enemies became noticeably difficult. The same issue carried over to certain movies and TV shows with low-light sequences, where details were harder to make out. This becomes even more pronounced if there is any ambient lighting in the room, as the projected screen does not appear bright enough to cut through.
Shifting focus to practicality, the Arc 5’s throw ratio of 1.2:1 is quite handy. It allows you to project a 100-inch image from about 9 feet away, making it feasible to set up even in an average-sized bedroom. This is in line with, and in some cases better than, what other budget projectors in the market offer, giving the Arc 5 a slight edge in everyday usability.
The built-in 5W speaker on the projector delivered satisfactory audio quality. It gets loud when a scene demands an immersive experience. If you want a fuller audio experience, it is better to pair the Arc 5 with an external speaker, as the built-in sound lacks strong bass.
Performance and Software
The Arc 5 runs on the MediaTek 9630 SoC, and it handles most tasks well. The only hiccup is that navigating the menu right after powering on feels sluggish for a few moments. That said, it quickly picks up speed and becomes smooth to operate.
| Processor | MediaTek 9630 |
| RAM | 2GB |
| Storage | 16GB |
| Software Version | Android 11 |
I am not sure whether it correlates with the processor, but the Arc 5 takes time to get the positioning and focus right. On several occasions after powering it on, I noticed it had trouble automatically adjusting the screen to match its placement. I often had to trigger the “Auto Image Correction” feature again manually, and even then, focus was not always perfect.
The Arc 5 runs on the Google TV OS, which is based on Android 11. It usually functioned seamlessly in my use.
However, I did run into occasional hiccups with apps like YouTube and Netflix, which would stutter or freeze for a few seconds before resuming. It was not a constant problem, but it occurred often enough to be noticeable
Lumio’s Minion Remote Noir is comfortable to hold. It has almost all the essential buttons, including a TLDR button, but lacks a mute key.
The absence of this feature is odd, especially since it would be useful in situations that require instant silence. By the way, the brand has incorporated an additional button for re-adjusting the screen’s sharpness. I would have appreciated it even more if it had included a button for repositioning the screen.
Verdict
Despite all its flaws, the Lumio Arc 5 is one of the best products I’ve used in 2025. Although the picture clarity needs refinement, it is still fun to watch movies on its vivid, colourful screen. What makes it more compelling is that it requires only a small space, exactly 9 feet, to project an image up to 100 inches. The speaker may not produce thumping bass, but it gets plenty loud for an impressive sound. Add to that its easy portability, and intuitive Google TV interface, the Arc 5 is a versatile, value-for-money projector that can enhance any home entertainment setup.”
