I have mixed feelings about console gaming on a projector

A gaming setup can be highly personal. You might want to sit far away from a big screen or up close to a curved, immersive monitor. You may want booming, surround sound or intimate headphones that offer spatial audio. Then, of course, there’s the decision to employ a console or go the PC route. These decisions are all interesting, but there was a new gaming setup I was recently curious about: playing on a projector.

While I prefer console gaming on a sizable smart TV, I wanted to find out how the experience would be different by trying it on a high-end projector. Here’s what happened.

Embracing the biggest picture

Large image makes for immersive gaming

If it’s not out of necessity, one of the biggest draws of using a projector in lieu of a smart TV is the size of the screen. A 65-inch TV screen is a great way to game, but you know what is more fun? A 100-inch screen. I was pretty excited to witness some PS5 games on a huge screen and feel the immersive quality of so many rich and detailed worlds.

It did not disappoint, but it was overwhelming at times. Sitting farther back and taking in a large window into games, there was definitely an adjustment period. The results were mostly positive, although some more tactical and difficult games, particularly ones fighting back deadly enemies, were made a bit harder. The bigger screen meant more physical space for things to happen in, so you definitely need to be alert to everything going on. Less intense games were definitely more enjoyable, especially simulation titles where I want to take in a lot of information on screen at the same time. There is plenty of fun to be had with cinematic games too, like Final Fantasy or Spider-Man 2, with cutscenes that are incredibly captivating.

Picture settings need adjustment

Some image quality may be sacrificed

To get an enjoyable experience, you’ll have to be mindful of picture settings and projector capabilities, because you can lose a lot in the change from a smart TV to a projector. The Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 I used offers 4K resolution, HDR10+, and a high refresh rate that serves the latest gaming consoles, but a mid-range model may be lacking some notable features. Portable, budget-friendly projectors will likely see a lot of quality lost.

So, with any projector, there is likely going to be something sacrificed when compared to a smart TV. Brightness in particular is almost certainly going to be limited, and I definitely felt that at times, especially when playing dark titles like The Last of Us or A Plague Tale. And with some other more fantastical titles, I didn’t quite feel the pop of color or vivid nature of certain settings.

While most of those downsides have to do with the sensory experience and visual enjoyment, there can be some consequences of gameplay as well. Coming from an OLED TV that offers true blacks and a perfect contrast ratio, I struggled at times discerning details in the shadows, and that didn’t bode well for action or strategy games where you need to see what’s going on everywhere. As such, you’ll want to be mindful of what games you’re playing.

Gaming features will depend on projector quality

Settings influence title selection and gameplay

The appeal of the latest smart TVs, and why companies like LG and Samsung are heavily promoting cloud gaming, is that they offer top features, including a low input lag and high refresh rate that serve both solo offline play and multiplayer online adventures. Your projector may not have all these features; only premium models are going to be able to compete with the latest smart TVs, most of which come ready with a gaming suite that includes VRR, ALLM, and other benefits.

For example, with the Valerion projector, the lag at 4K is fairly high, so I opted for HD resolution and a much lower lag, down to 4ms. With any projector, you’ll likely have to tinker with such settings, sacrificing some features in order to support the game you’re playing, especially if you’re trying to play online. With a projector, you’ll want to take note of the HDMI port, which will indicate how suitable it is for console gaming. A HDMI 2.1 is ideal; anything less, and you’ll lose quality and features.

Consider audio opportunities

Opt for a soundbar or Bluetooth headphones

Lastly, there will likely be a few different ways to enjoy audio when gaming on a projector. You could simply use the speakers built into the projector, but that should be your last resort. These are going to be simple, functional speakers that aren’t going to provide any kind of high-quality or immersive audio support. Depending on your projector, you’ll likely be able to connect via HDMI cable or Bluetooth. The former is preferred, as it will provide a more stable and faithful sound. With an HDMI port, you can connect to a soundbar or other speaker setup.

Bluetooth should be suitable as well. However, you’ll want to connect directly to the console, if possible, instead of the projector. If you use the projector’s Bluetooth, there’s a chance you could experience a delay in the audio just slightly, which could disrupt the gaming experience. This may also happen if you’re using Bluetooth to keep your controller connected wirelessly to your console.

Console gaming on a projector offers a lot of fun, especially if you’re setting up a large size. Just keep in mind there may be some limitations when it comes to picture quality and smooth gameplay. You’ll likely have to be more selective about which games you’re playing, and temper expectations.