It can be hard to sustain a love for film at the height of summer.
As the balmy prospects of barbecues, pub gardens and beach trips beckon, many home cinema set-ups lie forgotten, gathering dust in darkened rooms while their owners go off galavanting until the weather cools off again.
But we don’t believe that a love for the great outdoors has to come at odds with a passion for watching movies – least of all after compiling this list of products for Home Cinema Week that we think will give you the closest thing to a true home cinema experience, no matter where you’ve set up camp.
Of course, we aren’t suggesting any of these solutions as a total replacement for your dedicated system; but if the house is getting too hot to handle, these al fresco-friendly pairings might sate your cinephile desires without costing your daily dose of sunshine.
Best mobile set-up
Apple iPhone 17 + AirPods Max 2
We are well aware that the iPhone 17’s 6.3-inch screen can hardly be considered a premium viewing experience, but try fitting a flat screen TV into the passenger seat of a Toyota Aygo and you’ll get a taste for our thinking here.
The iPhone 17 features ProMotion, Apple’s variable refresh-rate panel technology, which automatically adjusts the refresh rate from 1 to 120Hz, depending on what you are viewing. This means that you can save battery life while rendering slower content but still keep up with the very speediest of action movies.
What's more, with a peak brightness of 3000 nits, you can be confident that you won’t have to worry about visibility, even in broad daylight.
This iPhone 17’s display also features HDR support in Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10 and HLG formats, which should mean that all streaming services are able to look their best.
Fantastic though these visual features are, no home cinema set-up is complete without great sound. And for that we recommend the AirPods Max 2, which will be able to make the most of both Dolby Atmos and Apple Spatial Audio – both supported by the iPhone 17.
We awarded the AirPods Max 2 a five-star review, saying that these headphones “crossed the line from wireless audio into wireless hi-fi”.
So what’s behind our glowing praise? Well, for starters, they sound “detailed, dynamic and spacious” with an “appealing balance and cohesive organisation”, all necessary features for keeping up with busy action-packed moments and dense soundtracks.
Additionally, you’ll be able to block out intrusive sounds with Apple’s effective noise-cancelling, while their dynamic head tracking does a great job of keeping sounds positioned relative to the screen, for a stable and convincing soundstage.
We acknowledge in our review that movies wouldn’t be the top priority for many users, but, in this case, we feel confident that the AirPods Max 2’s “terrifically cinematic” spatial qualities will be just the ticket.
Best tablet set-up
Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra + Buds 4 Pro
Still car-friendly, but with whopping proportions for a tablet, the Samsung Galaxy S11 Ultra is our top pick for home-away-from-home cinema. That is in no small part due to its 14.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display, which makes movies look “considerably bigger” than on the iPad Pro.
The S11 Ultra’s peak brightness of 1600 nits matches the iPad Pro, and should allow HDR scenes to come through with popping colours and satisfyingly deep blacks. The tablet’s anti-reflective screen also lends a helping hand in terms of clarity when viewing dimmer scenes outdoors.
Worried that your suitcase is starting to get too full? Well, don’t fret, because the S11 Ultra is only 5.1mm thick and is very unlikely to take your luggage over any weight limits, at a measly 692g.
In our upcoming review (spoiler alert!), we say that the tablet’s battery life should get you “well into a second day” of viewing, provided an eye is kept on screen brightness. So, unless you are planning on watching the entirety of the James Bond canon, this tablet has your back.
In this case, we think your best bet for audio is the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro 4. These earbuds thrive in pairing with up-to-date Samsung devices that support the brand’s hi-res SSC UHQ codec.
With their grippy, responsive bass, and a detailed midrange, we enjoyed the sound of these earbuds when listening to compatible Samsung devices.
Controls for the earbuds are also integrated within your Samsung device’s native operating system, meaning that many of their features, from noise-cancelling adjustment to immediate pairing, can be accessed without having to fire up an app.
As well as ANC, the Buds 4 Pro feature head tracking, which works only when paired with a Samsung device. So, using them alongside the S11 Ultra will keep your movies’ soundstages stable.
These are a strong contender with battery life too, with 30 hours of charge (including a fully charged case) when ANC is turned off, and 26 hours with it switched on.
Finally, the Buds 4 Pro’s IP57 rating means that dust ingress and immersion in water up to a metre for around 30 minutes won’t cause any permanent damage. So if flash floods strike, you’ll be sacrificing your tent before your audio quality.
Best portable projector set-up
Anker Nebula Mars 3 + JBL charge 6
For those unwilling to sacrifice a big-picture experience, we have to recommend the Anker Nebula Mars 3 portable projector. You’ll need something to project your movies on to, however, unless you’ve parked your boat beside the white cliffs of Dover.
The Nebula Mars 3 packs a 1080p-resolution, LED-lit DLP projection system with a peak brightness of 400 ANSI Lumens into its portable body. Thanks to that brightness, the maximum image size for Mars 3 is claimed to be 150 inches – although pushing the size that far will inevitably sacrifice brightness.
We recommend striking a balance with an image size between 70 and 90 inches.
In our review, we were “really struck by how sharp and detailed everything look[ed]”, with little evidence of visible pixel structure even as we pushed the image beyond 100 inches. We were also impressed by the projector’s saturation and darkness while streaming HDR sources.
The Mars Air 3 has a battery life of 2.5 hours, which should be enough for most movies, but it can also be powered by mains if you are on a campsite with hook-up. If you are using the projector’s built-in speakers without mains, the run time will decrease.
Helpfully, this portable projector contains a Google TV operating system with an official Netflix app, which recognises the projector as HDR capable.
External sources include a single HDMI port, a USB port and integrated Bluetooth, wi-fi and Chromecast.
We are relieved about the Bluetooth functionality, because while the in-built speakers are actually fairly impressive, for a more cinematic experience, we suggest pairing this projector with the JBL Charge 6.
The Charge 6 is even more outdoors friendly than its four-years-running What Hi-Fi? Award winning predecessor, the Charge 5. In our review, we say the speaker has a “durable design that you feel confident will survive all sorts of adventures and inclement weather”. Perfect for rainy camping holidays.
And this isn’t just an impression: the Charge 6 boasts an IP68 waterproof and dustproof rating.
For connecting to other speakers, the Charge 6 supports Auracast, and wired connections are also made possible via USB-C, allowing lossless streaming for outdoorsy audiophiles.
Sonically, the JBL Charge 6 packs a punch in the low end, while maintaining a clear and solid midrange – ideal for picking out dialogue above bassy ominous soundtracks.
When it comes to battery life, this portable speaker has you covered, with 24 hours of charge, which can be extended to 28 hours by enabling the Playtime Boost setting. Notably, the Charge 6 can also be used as a portable charger for smartphones.
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