The Best Projectors We’ve Tested for 2025

Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks

Best Gaming Projector

BenQ X3100i

Pros & Cons

• 4K native resolution
• Short input lag (supports up to 120Hz refresh rate)
• Video modes for four categories of gaming
• Android TV 11 HDMI dongle included
• LED light source rated at 3,300 ANSI lumens

• Wi-Fi is the only network connection option
• Shows rainbow artifacts
• Hardware setup requires some tricky assembly

Why We Picked It

The BenQ X3100i is BenQ’s current flagship in its Immersive Gaming Series, and a substantial update from the previous model, which was already our top pick both for a 4K gaming projector and for gaming overall. It starts with everything we liked in its predecessor, including a long-lived LED light source; HDR10 and HLG support; state-of-the-art short input lag; and robust audio that can fill a large family room. New features making this model even better are support for 1440p (2,560-by-1,440-pixel) resolution at 120Hz, which is a popular choice for gaming; a vertical lens shift to adjust image height without introducing keystone distortion; and a 10% boost in brightness, to 3,300 ANSI lumens, to make it even more of a light cannon. It also increases the number of predefined gaming modes to four to let you tweak both the image and audio for multiple types of games simply by picking the appropriate mode. The measured lag ranged from 16.9ms at 1080p/60Hz to 4.2ms at 1080p/240Hz.

Who It’s For

The X3100i is designed for serious gamers. You can use it for watching movies and video, and it comes with an Android TV 11 streaming stick to make that easy. But there’s little point in choosing it if that’s all you’re going to use it for. If the 1440p support, short input lag, and predefined game modes are extras you don’t care about, you probably don’t need the X3100i. If they sound like things you can’t do without, this could be the gaming projector you’ve been waiting for. 

Specs & Configurations

Engine Type

DLP

Rated Brightness

3300 ANSI lumens

Native Resolution

3840 by 2160 using 1920 by 1080 DLP chip with XPR fast-switch pixel shifting

Maximum Resolution

3840 by 2160 HDR; Full HD 3D

Inputs and Interfaces

HDMI 2.0b, USB 2.0, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct

Dimensions (HWD)

8.4 by 10.7 by 10.2 inches

Weight

15 lbs

Warranty

3 years

Learn More

BenQ X3100i Review

Best Premium Room-to-Room Projector

Hisense C2 Ultra

Pros & Cons

• 4K resolution
• Higher-than-typical brightness
• Good color accuracy, contrast, and shadow detail
• Supports HDR10, HLG, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, Filmmaker mode, and IMAX Enhanced
• Integrated smart TV OS includes Netflix app
• Designed for Xbox certification

• Single-chip DLP design can be prone to rainbow artifacts

Why We Picked It

The Hisense C2 Ultra weighs a hefty 13.9 pounds, but a good portion of this 4K projector’s weight stems from precisely those features that help make it an exceptional choice: a gimbal mount, an optical zoom, and a robust audio system. The first two together help make setup after moving it quick and easy without resorting to a digital zoom, which can degrade image quality and lower brightness. And the two 10-watt speakers and 20-watt subwoofer in the JBL audio system let it deliver high enough volume at high enough quality that you should never need an external sound system for it. 

Just as impressive is its top-tier brightness and image quality for the category, combined with leading-edge features. The brightness is rated at 3,000 ANSI lumens, while the color gamut is rated at 110% of the spec for 4K UHD projectors and TVs (BT.2020, also known as Rec.2020). It also offers every current variation of HDR support—including Dolby Vision—plus Filmmaker and IMAX Enhanced modes, a Designed for Xbox certification for gamers, and streaming via Vidaa OS, which we find easier to use than the more common Google TV. All these features work as advertised, making the C2 Ultra our top pick for a high-end room-to-room portable. 

Who It’s For

The C2 Ultra’s weight suits it best for applications that don’t require moving it all that far. It’s an excellent choice for installing semi-permanently in a family room, with occasional treks to another room or to the backyard for a movie night. (It can also work well installed permanently in a family room as a home entertainment projector.) That said, for some, it can also be a solid choice for applications that require longer trips. Quite simply, if you refuse to sacrifice image quality for the sake of easy portability, it may well be the most portable choice available.

Specs & Configurations

Engine Type

DLP

Rated Brightness

3000 ANSI lumens

Native Resolution

3840 by 2160 using 1920 by 1080 DLP chip with XPR fast-switch pixel shifting

Maximum Resolution

3840 by 2160 60Hz, HDR; Full HD 3D

Inputs and Interfaces

HDMI 2.1, USB 3.0, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, HDMI (eARC)

Dimensions (HWD)

11.3 by 9.7 by 9.7

Weight

13.9 lbs

Warranty

1 year

Learn More

Hisense C2 Ultra Review

Best Mainstream Room-to-Room Projector

Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE

Pros & Cons

• 4K resolution
• Hybrid laser/LED light source
• Supports HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision
• Automated image adjustment for fast setup after moving
• Built-in handle for easy carrying

• Black level is high enough to hurt contrast in a dark room

Why We Picked It

The Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE isn’t cheap, but it’s not much more expensive than its 1080p competition. It’s also our Editors’ Choice pick for a low-cost 4K room-to room portable. Key features include its laser-LED hybrid light source (rated at 1,800 ANSI lumens), its color gamut (rated at 123.3% of BT.709, the standard for HDTVs), and its support for Dolby Vision in addition to HDR10 and HLG HDR. Other strong points include streaming using fully integrated Google TV, easy automated setup after moving, and robust audio, thanks to two 15-watt speakers that deliver both high volume and good quality. Most important, it delivered good color accuracy, shadow detail, and sense of three-dimensionality in our tests.

Who It’s For

The 4K SE’s aesthetics can make it a poor fit if you want a sleek, consumer-electronics look. It looks more like a tall car battery with a handle on top, and could easily be mistaken for a piece of test equipment that belongs on a workbench. However, the handle makes it easy to carry from room to room, out to the backyard, or beyond. And if you care less about looks than how well it works, it’s a solid choice, scoring better on both image quality and audio than some competition that costs more. If you’re looking for a 4K projector with a good quality image and a budget price, put the Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE on your shortlist.

Specs & Configurations

Engine Type

DLP

Rated Brightness

1800 ANSI lumens

Native Resolution

3840 by 2160 using 1920 by 1080 DLP chip with XPR fast-switch pixel shifting

Maximum Resolution

3840 by 2160 60Hz

Inputs and Interfaces

HDMI 2.1, HDMI (eARC), USB-A, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi Direct, USB Thumb Drive

Dimensions (HWD)

8.7 by 6.5 by 10.4 inches

Weight

9.9 lbs

Warranty

1 year

Learn More

Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE Review

Best Budget Room-to-Room Projector

Epson EpiqVision Mini EF22

Pros & Cons

• 1080p native resolution; supports 4K input
• Handles HDR input well
• Includes gimbal mount and automated image adjustment features for fast setup after moving
• Laser-phosphor light source
• Does not show rainbow artifacts

• Loss of shadow detail, low contrast, and low brightness in some situations

Why We Picked It

The Epson EpiqVision Mini EF22 has the advantage over most room-to-room portable projectors of being completely free of rainbow artifacts—the red/green/blue flashes that single-chip DLP projectors can show. It’s also a 1080p model, which means that although it won’t show as much detail as 4K models, it’s enough lighter, at 6.6 pounds, to give it better portability. It also offers a bright laser-phosphor light source rated at 1,000 ISO lumens, fully integrated Google TV for streaming, and a gimbal mount plus automated setup features that work together to let you go from power on to watching in seconds. Another plus is its two 5-watt speakers and passive radiator (basically a resonator to enhance low frequencies), which delivered good sound quality and volume in our tests.

Who It’s For

For those who see rainbow artifacts easily, the EF22’s guaranteed rainbow-free image can make it their preferred choice. But the combination of high brightness, good image quality for HDR, light weight, Google TV, and the gimbal mount makes it well worth considering even if you never see the flashes. It even has a short enough input lag for casual gamers and is available in various colors. If 1080p is the resolution you want in a room-to-room portable, count the EF22 as a top contender.

Specs & Configurations

Engine Type

LCD

Rated Brightness

1000 ISO Lumens (Equivalent to ANSI)

Native Resolution

1920 by 1080

Maximum Resolution

3840 by 2160 60Hz, HDR

Inputs and Interfaces

USB-A, HDMI 2.1 (HDCP 2.3)

Dimensions (HWD)

7.5 by 9.3 by 7.5 inches

Weight

6.6 lbs

Warranty

2 years

Learn More

Epson EpiqVision Mini EF22 Review

Best Ultra Short Throw Projector

Hisense PX3-PRO TriChroma Laser Projector

Pros & Cons

• 4K resolution using TI’s XPR fast-switch pixel shifting
• Triple-laser technology delivers a wide color gamut
• HDR support includes Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, and HLG
• Rated at 3,000 ANSI lumens
• Uses Google TV for streaming
• First UST projector with a Designed for Xbox certification

• Limited 3D support excludes 3D Blu-ray discs
• Out-of-box settings need minor tweaking to get good shadow detail

Why We Picked it

The PX3-PRO starts with all the strengths that made its predecessor (the PX2-PRO) a top pick and then adds to them. Its strongest feature, and one key reason to put it on your shortlist, is its top-tier image quality for both SDR and HDR content, with HDR support for all four current HDR variations: HDR10, HLG, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision. A close second for gamers is that it’s the first UST projector to earn a Designed for Xbox certification, thanks to features that include state-of-the-art short input lag and support for 1440p resolution, which is increasingly popular for gaming. It also delivers many additional features, including Google TV for streaming, a powered focus, and myriad useful settings options. All this makes it a triple winner: for image quality, feature set, and gaming.

Who It’s For

Suitable for both casual TV viewing and traditional home theater use in dark rooms, the PX3-PRO is for discerning videophiles who want the best image quality and don’t see (or don’t mind seeing) the occasional rainbow artifact that DLP projectors tend to show. It’s also an obvious choice for gamers who want the benefits of an ultra short throw in a projector designed with gaming in mind.

Specs & Configurations

Engine Type

DLP

Rated Brightness

3000 ANSI lumens

Native Resolution

3840 by 2160 using 1920 by 1080 DLP chip with XPR fast-switch pixel shifting

Maximum Resolution

3840 by 2160 120Hz; 1920 by 1080, 240Hz

Inputs and Interfaces

HDMI 2.1, HDMI 2.0, eARC, Bluetooth, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, USB 2.0, USB 3.0

Dimensions (HWD)

4.8 by 21.7 by 11.7 inches

Weight

19.8 lbs

Warranty

2 years

Learn More

Hisense PX3-PRO TriChroma Laser Projector Review

Best Rugged Indoor/Outdoor Projector

Anker Nebula Mars 3

Pros & Cons

• 1080p native resolution, with support for 4K input and HDR
• Integrated Android TV 11
• Long-lasting, solid-state LED light source
• Resists water, dust, and drops
• Long battery life

• No optical zoom
• Battery status light can be distracting when watching from behind the projector

Why We Picked It

It may look like a car battery with a handle on top, but the Nebula Mars 3 is equally at home in a rough-and-tumble den full of kids, or out in the yard with gloomy weather threatening. Designed to survive, it features water, drop, and dust resistance. It doesn’t hurt that it also delivers 1080p native resolution, and that the quality of the built-in audio system is pretty good for this projector’s size. Also, the Mars 3 comes equipped with an internal battery, rated for 2 to 5 hours depending on the picture mode (full-power or Eco). It can also work as a big Bluetooth speaker, or as a power bank to charge other gear.

Who It’s For

The more often you plan to watch outside, whether on special occasions like backyard movie nights or regular TV watching by the pool on warm nights, the more appealing the water and drop resistance will be. (Double that if you have big dogs or young children who may be running around where they can jar, splash, or otherwise upset the Mars 3.)

Specs & Configurations

Engine Type

DLP

Rated Brightness

1000 ANSI lumens

Native Resolution

1920 by 1080

Maximum Resolution

3840 by 2160 60Hz

Inputs and Interfaces

HDMI 2.1, USB-C, USB-A

Dimensions (HWD)

9.8 by 6.3 by 10.2 inches

Weight

9.9 lbs

Warranty

1 year

Learn More

Anker Nebula Mars 3 Review

Best Mini Projector

Anker Nebula Capsule 3 Laser

Pros & Cons

• Impressive image quality
• 1080p native resolution; supports 4K input
• Handles HDR far better than most native 1080p models
• Built-in Android TV 11
• Bright 300 ANSI lumens rating using AC power
• Lightweight

• Needs some minor tweaking to get good image quality
• No Netflix support in Android TV 11
• No 3D support

Why We Picked It

Shaped like a soda can, the Anker Nebula Capsule Laser 3 is a much more impressive projector than you’d expect from its size. Shoehorned inside is a remarkably small laser-phosphor light source, a 1080p DLP chip, and Android TV 11 for streaming via Wi-Fi. Plus, an 8-watt speaker delivers robust audio for the weight class—just over 2 pounds—with high-enough volume to fill a medium or large family room. Best of all, it can accept up to 4K (3,840-by-2,160-pixel) HDR input, and unlike much of the competition, it makes HDR movies look at least as good as their SDR versions. It even has a battery rated at 2.5 hours in the default battery mode or 8 hours in Bluetooth speaker mode—long enough to watch a full-length movie or listen to music at length in the backyard. 

Who It’s For

The Capsule 3 Laser’s brightness, rated at 300 ANSI lumens, is low enough to make it the wrong choice if you’re looking for a projector that can give you a big picture that can stand up to ambient light. But it delivers the best combination of color accuracy, contrast, and shadow detail we’ve yet seen in a mini projector, combined with minimum weight for easy portability. That’s enough to make it the right choice, and our top pick, for anyone who plans to use it primarily in dim or dark lighting, or who simply wants a highly portable projector and cares more about image quality than image size.

Specs & Configurations

Engine Type

DLP

Rated Brightness

300 ANSI lumens

Native Resolution

1920 by 1080

Maximum Resolution

3840 by 2160 60Hz, HDR

Inputs and Interfaces

HDMI, USB-C (power only)

Dimensions (HWD)

6.7 by 3.3 inches (diameter)

Weight

2.1 lbs

Warranty

1 year

Learn More

Anker Nebula Capsule 3 Laser Review

Best 1080p Business/Education Projector

BenQ LH730

Pros & Cons

• High brightness, rated at 4,000 ANSI lumens
• Native 1080p resolution, accepts up to 4K/60Hz input
• Vibrant color for graphics
• Supports HDR10 and HLG HDR
• Maintenance-free, 24/7/365 operation

• Frequent red/green/blue flashes while viewing movies and video
• Brightest mode adds an obvious green bias

Why We Picked it

Rated at 4,000 lumens, the BenQ LH730 can deliver a 1080p (1,920-by-1,080-pixel) image at a suitable size and brightness for a well-lit conference room or classroom. Even better, although you might want to dust it off occasionally, it’s basically maintenance free, thanks to a four-LED light source (red, green, and two blues) that’s both sealed—meaning dust-proof—and designed to last the life of the projector. It’s also designed to run 24/7/365 if you need it to, and it scores well on image quality.

For presentations, the LH730 offers vibrant color in graphics and crisp, highly readable text. For movie and video clips, it easily matches entry-level home theater projectors for color accuracy, contrast, and shadow detail, and it even supports HDR10 and HLG HDR. We saw too many rainbow artifacts in movies and video from the DLP imaging chip to recommend it for long sessions, but for short clips as part of a presentation, it delivered high quality and few enough rainbows to easily ignore them.

Who It’s For

The LH730 is a strong contender for applications like displays in a reception area that need a virtually maintenance-free unit to run all day every day without a break. However, not having to change filters or lamps can be a welcome convenience in any situation, and being designed for uninterrupted long-term use implies less likelihood of problems even with more moderate use. The frequent rainbows make it a bad choice if you need to show movies in a classroom, but for presentations in brightly lit rooms—even when including short movie or video clips—the LH730 is a top-tier pick.

Specs & Configurations

Engine Type

DLP

Rated Brightness

4000 ANSI lumens

Native Resolution

1920 by 1080

Maximum Resolution

3840 by 2160 HDR; Full HD 3D

Inputs and Interfaces

HDMI 2.0b, USB-A, Ethernet, Wi-Fi (optional)

Dimensions (HWD)

5.2 by 16.5 by 11.3 inches

Weight

11.7 lbs

Warranty

3 years

Learn More

BenQ LH730 Review

Best Pocket/Pico Projector

Aurzen ZIP Tri-Fold Portable Pocket Projector

Pros & Cons

• Roughly the size of a stack of Post-it Notes (and not much heavier)
• Built-in battery, rated at 90 minutes of use
• Autofocus and auto vertical keystone correction
• Wireless connections to video sources

• No settings to adjust image quality
• Pricey for a pocket projector
• Connection to HDMI devices requires optional dongle

Why We Picked It

The Aurzen ZIP Tri-Fold is pricey, but it’s small enough to fit in a pocket, bright enough to be genuinely useful, and packed with more features than any other pocket projector we’ve seen. It’s roughly the size of a stack of Post-it Notes (and not much heavier), plus it comes with a built-in battery rated at 90 minutes of use. When unfolded, but pointing straight ahead to project on a vertical surface, it’s shaped like a Z when viewed from its left side. The bottom piece serves as a base, the middle piece becomes a stand, and you can pivot the top piece up or down to point at whatever you’re using for a screen. Nobody expects top-tier image quality or high brightness from a projector that fits in your pocket, but in that context, the Aurzen ZIP does well enough on both scores.

Who It’s For

If being small enough to fit in a pocket is a key requirement, the Aurzen ZIP Tri-Fold is the obvious pick. It easily outshines its competition and earns our top recommendation for a premium-priced pocket projector.

Specs & Configurations

Engine Type

DLP

Rated Brightness

100 ANSI lumens

Native Resolution

1280 by 720 using 640-by-360 DLP chip with XPR fast-switch pixel shifting

Inputs and Interfaces

Wi-Fi Direct

Dimensions (HWD)

1 by 3.3 by 3.1 inches

Weight

9.9 oz

Warranty

2 years

Learn More

Aurzen ZIP Tri-Fold Portable Pocket Projector Review

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Buying Guide: The Best Projectors for 2025

If you’ve read through our reasons above for why we picked each recommended projector model, you’ve probably noticed that they change depending on all sorts of factors: what you’re planning to use the projector for, your budget, even purely subjective questions like whether you find rainbow artifacts annoying. You need to take all of these issues into account, but a good place to start is with what kinds of images you plan to view.

There are two basic kinds of projected images to consider: data (meaning text and graphics) and photorealistic (photos, video, and film). Games generally have some aspects of both. Any projector can show any kind of image, of course, but a projector may handle one kind of image well without doing a good job with the other kind. You’ll want a projector that’s optimized at least for the kind of images you plan to view most often, and ideally for every kind you expect to view.

Data projectors, also called business or education projectors depending on their target market, are designed to show business graphics, line drawings, presentations, spreadsheets, and PDF files. They’re optimized for conference rooms and classrooms, throwing a bright-enough image to stand up to ambient light on a large screen. Many can handle photorealistic images well enough to project short video clips in a presentation or even an acceptable image for, say, watching a movie in a classroom. But they are rarely good choices for full-length movies if you want anything approaching the quality you expect in a movie theater or when watching TV. They tend to favor brightness, which is important for standing up to ambient light, over contrast and color accuracy, which matter more for photorealistic images. They also tend to offer few or no options for adjusting color.

Home theater, home entertainment, and gaming projectors are all so similar to each other that one model is often marketed in two or three categories. These home-use projectors focus on color accuracy and contrast, usually adding controls to fine-tune color, reduce noise, sharpen images, and otherwise digitally enhance video and film. 

(Credit: M. David Stone)

Models listed as home theater projectors are typically optimized for traditional home theater viewing in a dark room. They tend to offer more accurate color, better contrast, and lower brightness than home entertainment projectors. Most don’t include speakers. The assumption is that you’ll set up a better external audio system in your home theater than any projector can fit into its case. 

Home entertainment models are usually optimized for viewing in a family room or other space with ambient light. Many are also compact enough so you can easily move them outdoors to create the perfect backyard movie night. Compared with home theater models, they tend to sacrifice some color accuracy and contrast in favor of higher brightness. They also typically include built-in speakers.

Until recently, it was a given for almost all projectors that even if they included speakers, you should plan on using an external sound system to get decent audio quality. However, that’s not always true today, largely thanks to two subcategories of home entertainment models. One is what we’ve dubbed “room-to-room portables.” These are defined in part by offering robust audio, so you can move the projector to another room for ad hoc setup without having to lug a sound system with you. Most are cubical in shape, about twice as high as traditional projectors. They use the extra height for good-quality speakers, which are often chamber speakers. In most cases, these speakers will pump out high enough volume to fill a large family room with more-than-acceptable sound quality.

The second category with good audio is sometimes billed as “laser TVs.” These are built around a laser light source; a smart TV streaming feature, which can either be integrated or supplied as a dongle; and an ultra short throw (UST), which means they can throw a 100-inch or larger image with the projector just inches from a screen. Mount a screen on a wall, and the projector can sit on a table or media console just below it. These laser-based UST models are wider than most other projectors. Virtually all offer audio that’s at least comparable to what you would expect from a large-screen TV. Some take advantage of the width to add what amounts to a soundbar on the side facing away from the screen.

Gaming projectors, meanwhile, are basically home entertainment models with greatly reduced input lag for speedier reaction time in gaming. Most are small enough to carry easily, and they usually include better-than-typical onboard audio for a projector. A few include separate gaming modes for first-person shooter, role-playing, and sports games, with each mode auto-adjusting the audio and video settings to optimize them for each type of game.

Do You Need a Portable Projector?

Consider how portable the projector needs to be. You can find projectors with sizes and weights ranging from small and light enough to fit in a shirt pocket to large enough to be suitable only for a permanent (usually mounted) installation.

If you want a data projector to carry to business meetings for presentations, or a home entertainment or gaming projector to take to a friend’s house or set up in your backyard for a movie night, be sure to pick an appropriate size and weight—which is to say, a portable projector. If you’ll be away from power outlets, check that the projector has a built-in battery or battery option, and that the rated battery life is long enough for your needs.

What Resolution Is Enough in a Projector?

Projectors can scale images up or down, but that’s usually best avoided, since it can distort the image. For any projector resolution up to and including WUXGA (1,920 by 1,200 pixels), you will generally get the best image quality by matching the projector’s native resolution (the number of physical pixels in the projector’s display) to the source you plan to attach it to most often, whether that’s a computer, video equipment, or a game console.

For projectors with 4K ultra-high definition (3,840 by 2,160 pixels), the rule is a little different. Current projectors built around 3,840-by-2,160-pixel imaging chips are still too expensive for most applications. The affordable alternative takes advantage of a technique called pixel shifting. It uses a native 1,920-by-1,080-pixel chip, generates more than one set of pixels for each frame in the video stream, and shifts the position for each set. The result is more pixels per frame on screen than are on the chip. Two sets double the number of pixels; four sets quadruple the number to a full 3,840 by 2,160. When done well, just doubling the number of pixels can deliver images that are indistinguishable from quadrupling them, at least at normal viewing distances from the screen.

(Credit: Xgimi)

Full HD (1080p) projectors that can accept 4K UHD input handle the 3,840-by-2160-pixel resolution reasonably well, because the higher resolution has exactly four times as many pixels as 1080p. The only loss in quality from scaling the image down will be the equivalent of a slightly soft focus. If the projector also supports HDR, it can give you the advantage of HDR for improving image quality, even with 1080p resolution. However, note that there are different versions of HDR, and the projector has to support the same version as the image source. Your favorite streaming services may offer HDR10, HDR10+, HLG HDR, or Dolby Vision, while either of the first two is standard for 4K movies on disc.

If you plan to show data images, you should consider the level of detail in the images. For a typical PowerPoint presentation, SVGA (800 by 600 pixels) may be good enough, and an SVGA projector will be much less expensive than one with a higher native resolution. For very detailed images, however, you’ll want to go up to 4K UHD. 

For video, 4K UHD is generally the best choice, assuming you have a 4K UHD Blu-ray player, a 4K-capable streaming device, or another 4K UHD media source. But odds are you’ll be watching a lot of 1080p material for the foreseeable future—particularly if you own a library of 1080p discs—and may occasionally be watching at even lower resolutions. So, check how well the projector handles scaling up 1080p input.

Which Widescreen Format Is Most Important in Your Projector?

Most projectors today offer native resolutions that qualify as widescreen formats. You’ll generally want to match the aspect ratio (ratio of image width to image height) of the projector’s resolution to the images you’ll be watching most often. However, you can also view material in narrower or wider formats. As long as the input resolution is one that the projector can accept—a detail you can check in the projector specs—it will either scale the image to the projector’s native aspect ratio, which means stretching or shrinking it as needed, or keep the image’s aspect ratio to avoid distortion and add letterbox bars (black bars above and below for wider formats or to each side for narrower formats). Almost all projectors today include aspect-ratio settings to let you choose which approach to use. (Fun fact: Adding black bars to the sides of an image is often called “reverse letterboxing” or “pillarboxing.”)

Note that the ability to show images with different aspect ratios than the projector’s native resolution gives you some flexibility in matching the projector to the images you plan to watch. For example, you can use a native WUXGA projector, with its 16:10 aspect ratio, to watch movies or TV with a 16:9 aspect ratio. Keep in mind that if you set up a 16:10 projector to fill your 16:9 screen with the picture, you’ll need a sufficiently wide black border at the edges to keep the letterbox bars from showing as brighter areas surrounding the screen.

How Bright Should the Projector Be?

There is no single best level for projector brightness, and brighter isn’t always better. For a home theater projector you plan to use in a dark room, for example, 1,000 lumens or even less can easily give you a large, bright image, while 2,000 lumens may be so bright that it’s hard on the eyes. On the other hand, for a portable data projector you expect to use in brightly lit locations, or for a home entertainment projector used in your family room, 2,000 to 3,000 lumens is the right range in most cases. For large rooms, you’ll want something even brighter.

For any situation, the ideal projector brightness depends on the ambient light level, the size of the image, and the material in the screen you’re using. If you’re setting up a projector for permanent installation, whether at home or in your office, your best bet is to buy from a knowledgeable seller who can help you pick a projector and screen material that will give you the right image brightness for the lighting conditions in the room at the screen size you want.

(Credit: M. David Stone)

If you’re trying to choose between two models, keep in mind that a small percentage difference in lumens—2,000 versus 2,200, for example—isn’t significant. The perception of brightness is nonlinear, which means a 10% difference is hardly noticeable, and you need far more than twice as many lumens for a projector’s image to appear twice as bright. Also, keep in mind that a projector’s true brightness is often a little less than its rated brightness, and image quality is generally best in modes that are often as little as 40% of the projector’s highest brightness.

Does Contrast Ratio Matter for Projectors?

Contrast ratio—the ratio between the brightness of the brightest white a projector can produce and the brightness of the darkest black—always matters, but the rating for the projector usually won’t. All other things being equal, a higher contrast ratio produces more vibrant, eye-catching color, more shadow detail in dark areas on the screen (most important for video and film), and a more dramatic sense of three-dimensionality in two-dimensional photorealistic images. 

However, contrast ratings are based on measurements in a dark room, so they don’t tell you much about viewing in ambient light, where the darkest black you can get depends on how much light there is in the room. A projector that delivers a high contrast ratio in a dark room because of unusually dark blacks will deliver much lower contrast in ambient light, and a brighter projector that also has a higher black level in the dark will do poorly in a home theater but do well in a living room or office. There, the high black level won’t be noticeable, while the higher brightness will let it stand up better to the ambient light.

Comparing contrast-ratio specs is somewhere between challenging and pointless. Different manufacturers use different approaches to measuring contrast, and some even measure it differently for different models. Complicating comparisons even further is that other factors can increase your subjective sense of how good the contrast is, but not affect objective measurements. These include video processing and auto-irises, for example, which change image brightness based on the content of the image. The best way to find out how good the contrast is for any given projector—short of seeing it yourself—is to look for reviews that discuss contrast under different lighting conditions.

How Do You Plan to Connect Your Projector?

To connect a projector to a video source, you obviously need to match the projector’s inputs with the source’s outputs. But given a choice, a digital connection is preferable to an analog connection. 

Almost all current projectors include at least one HDMI port, which is the preferred choice for video sources and many computers, unless you plan to connect over a wired or wireless network. Many projectors still offer a VGA (analog) connector for computers and component video, but few new computers have VGA output ports, and few new video sources offer component video.

Keep in mind that the HDMI version matters. Later versions support higher resolutions and more features than earlier versions. Make sure the HDMI version on the projector will let you take full advantage of the image sources you want to use, either by confirming it has the same HDMI version number as the image sources or that the manufacturer says it supports those specific features. You should also check the High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) level. Virtually all 4K UHD HDR movies, for example, require HDCP 2.2 on both the player and the projector. 

(Credit: M. David Stone)

Note that some projectors’ HDMI ports support Mobile High-Definition Link (MHL), which lets you project from older Android devices. This is becoming less common, however, since most newer Android devices can connect directly to an HDMI port via a USB-C-to-HDMI cable. A more useful extra today is that many current projectors support eARC on one of their HDMI ports, for connecting to an external audio system.

Many models also have Wi-Fi connectivity built-in or can provide it through an included or separately purchased wireless dongle that plugs into a USB or HDMI port. Many support projecting directly from USB memory or memory cards. 

A growing number of projectors include internet streaming features, either built in or through an included streaming HDMI dongle. You can also buy third-party dongles to add streaming to virtually any projector with an HDMI port. Some models, most often portables, offer USB-C ports, which can (but don’t always) support DisplayPort and HDMI protocols. Here also, check before buying to make sure you know what video support, if any, the USB-C connector offers.

Which Imaging Technology Is Best in a Projector?

Today’s projectors are based on one of four imaging technologies: digital light processing (DLP), liquid-crystal display (LCD), liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS), and laser raster. (Don’t confuse laser raster projectors, which actually draw the images using lasers, with the much more common models that simply use lasers as a light source for another imaging technology, like DLP or LCD chips.)

Most DLP projectors and some LCOS-based pico (aka pocket-size) projectors—including both data and video models—use only one display chip, and project their primary colors sequentially rather than all at once. This can lead to rainbow artifacts, in which bright areas on the screen break up into little red/green/blue flashes for some people when they shift their gaze or when something moves on the screen. Those who are sensitive to this effect can find it annoying, particularly for long viewing sessions.

Three-chip LCD projectors are free from rainbow artifacts, because the three chips allow projection of all three primary colors at once. However, they tend to be bigger and heavier than comparable DLP models. Standard-size LCOS projectors, also rainbow-free, offer the best-quality images, but they tend to be bigger and heavier than either DLP or LCD projectors, as well as far more expensive. There aren’t many laser raster projectors, so it’s hard to make general statements about them. But the one clear advantage of using a laser is that the image doesn’t require focusing.

What Kind of Light Source Is Best in a Projector?

There’s a growing trend in projectors of moving from using lamps as light sources to using LEDs or lasers. For the moment, at least, there are advantages to each choice. 

LEDs and lasers maintain a higher percentage of their initial brightness for longer. All light sources lose brightness over time, but lamps generally lose a large percentage in the first 500 hours of use, and decline slowly after that. LEDs and lasers tend to lose brightness more evenly over their entire lifetimes.

The initial price for a lamp-based projector will be lower, but the total cost can be higher if you keep it long enough to need a replacement for the lamp. If you plan to replace your projector with every new jump in resolution or other image technology, buying a series of lamp-based projectors can be more cost-effective. But if you plan to keep your projector as long as it works, the better buy will be an LED, laser, or hybrid model that won’t need an expensive lamp replacement. 

What Is a Short-Throw Projector? Do You Need One?

If you want to cast a large image at a short distance from the screen, either because the room itself is a little small or to minimize the chances of people getting in front of the projector and casting shadows, you’ll need a short-throw or ultra-short throw projector. There are no universally accepted definitions for what counts as “short” or “ultra-short,” but most short-throw projectors can cast an image about 78 inches wide from 3 to 6 feet away, while ultra-short-throw projectors generally need less than a foot. By comparison, most projectors with standard throws need to be roughly 9 to 13 feet away from the screen for the same image size, and long-throw projectors have to be even farther away.

(Credit: M. David Stone)

The downsides of short-throw (and especially ultra-short-throw) projectors are that they are more expensive than traditional models with standard-throw lenses, and they are more likely to have noticeable variations in brightness or focus across the image. Ultra-short-throw models also require a particularly flat and stable screen. Even slight variations in the surface can distort the image and affect focus.

Does Your Projector Need Built-In Audio or 3D Support?

Not all projectors have onboard audio, and for those that do, the audio is sometimes all but useless—particularly with highly portable models. If you need sound for your presentations or for watching video, make sure that the projector has built-in audio that’s clear enough and loud enough to meet your needs. If not, consider using a separate sound system—often a good idea for home theater or home entertainment in any case—or powered external speakers. If you already have Bluetooth speakers, check whether the projector supports Bluetooth.

Then there’s 3D. Showing images in 3D for educational, business, and home applications seems well past the boomlet it enjoyed a few years ago. But if you’re a fan of 3D movies or have an application that requires 3D, it’s still easy to find projectors that support it. 

Several 3D technologies are available, so make sure any 3D projector you consider will work with the 3D source you want to use. A “3D-ready” designation usually means it will work only with 3D generated by a computer. If you have a collection of 3D Blu-ray discs, the designation to look for is usually “full HD 3D.” And before you go shopping for 3D glasses, be sure to check which kind the projector supports. There are several types, including some proprietary versions.

Ready to Buy the Right Projector for You?

The product-pick summary up top, along with our detailed spec breakout of the models, outline our choices for some of the best projectors on the market for the most common situations and use cases. For full projector reviews and our latest coverage of the category, also check out our top projectors for home use, our picks for 4K projectors, and our favorite portable projectors.