Which portable projector should I get for an apartment?

A portable projector is a useful thing, but it really depends on where you're going to use it. If your apartment is small and you'll mainly be watching in the bedroom or living room, you can get away with a compact model at around 1000 lumens brightness - that's fine for a darkened room. But if you want versatility and plan to use it sometimes in daylight, go for something brighter, though that'll hit your wallet and take up more space.

A few other things to watch out for: the matrix (three chips give better color reproduction than one), resolution (Full HD is the bare minimum, 4K if you've got the budget), noise level (matters a lot for a bedroom), and decent built-in speakers. Check for HDMI and wireless connections like AirPlay or Miracast so you can stream straight from your phone.

One more thing - projectors get hot, so make sure wherever you set it up has proper ventilation. And if you're renting, keep in mind you won't be able to mount it to the ceiling, so you'll have to put it on a nightstand or stand. Read reviews from actual users on sites like Yandex.Market or others - you'll get a sense of whether people complain about reliability and quality after a month or two of use.

The main thing to understand before buying is that a portable projector's image quality heavily depends on your room's lighting. Even a good one will look washed out in a brightly lit apartment, so if you want to use it during the day, you'll have to close the curtains or go for models with high brightness (though they're more expensive and heavier).

For an apartment, it's worth paying attention to the throw distance. People often buy a projector and then realize they're sitting too close to the wall - the image ends up huge and blurry. Before you buy, check what the minimum distance from the wall is for the model you're interested in. Some work fine from 1.5 meters away, while others need at least 2-3 meters.

Life hack: if you want to watch a projector during the day without closing the curtains, don't get a portable one - get an ultra-short-throw instead. They're expensive, but you mount them on a shelf or even on the wall next to the screen, and they project a decent image even with side lighting. It's not exactly portability, but it's real convenience in a small apartment where rooms are narrow.