Are you in search of an innovative way to enjoy your favorite shows, movies, or games? If you answered yes, a projector might be the ideal solution for you. Whether you’re planning to transform your living room into a home theater or bring your entertainment outdoors for movie nights, finding the best projector to replace your TV can revolutionize your viewing experience. With their capacity to project massive screen sizes, projectors are fantastic for creating an immersive, cinema-like atmosphere at home or in the yard.
Modern projectors are now loaded with features like auto focus, simplifying the setup process and guaranteeing a sharp, clear picture without any hassles. More portable than ever, these devices can easily be moved from room to room or taken along for presentations, gaming sessions, or backyard movie nights. If you’re considering elevating your viewing experience, we’ve tested some of the best projectors on the market to help you find the one that fits your needs perfectly.
Engadget’s top picks
As with previous updates, I’m categorizing projectors into ultra-short-throw and long-throw models. Ultra-short-throw models have swiftly gained popularity for their performance and convenience, with all manufacturers offering at least a couple of models. Within the ultra-short-throw category, we’ll compare two price tiers: under $7,000 and $3,500, listing three projectors each. In the long-throw category, we’ll go over projectors priced under $1,000, $2,000, and $6,000, also featuring three products in each range. Lastly, we’ll review the top portable projectors.
Best UST projector under $7,000
SAMSUNG
Native resolution: 4K | Brightness: Up to 2,800 lumens | Connectivity: HDMI, USB, AirPlay 2, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | Display type: DLP
Ultra-short-throw projectors are a booming entertainment category, prompting Samsung to re-enter the market with two high-end models in its Lifestyle TV series. The LSP9T is the premium model, bringing some premium specs with it. Featuring separate red, green, and blue lasers, it covers 106 percent of the full Rec.2020 color range (147 percent of DCI-P3) — a feature rarely seen on any TV or even pro monitor.
It offers a very bright 2,800 lumens and a 1,500:1 ANSI contrast ratio. Utilizing TI’s higher-resolution 0.66-inch DLP chip (with pixel shifting), you get as close as possible to true 4K without investing in a native 4K projector. The LSP9T is also the first market projector rated for HDR10+ — Samsung’s answer to Dolby Vision. Additionally, the LSP9T delivers 40 watts of audio using Samsung’s Acoustic Beam technology and offers the well-regarded Tizen-powered Smart TV platform.
Pros
- Excellent color range
- Bright
- Good audio quality
More ultra-short-throw projectors under $7,000
Epson EpiqVision Ultra LS500
If the brightest image possible is your goal, Epson’s LCD-powered EpiqVision Ultra LS500 ($3,899) is the answer. It boasts up to 4,000 lumens, making it one of the brightest ultra-short-throw projectors available. It also supports HDR in HDR10 and HLG and comes with 100-inch and 120-inch ALR screens, effectively lowering the price. Its main downside is that it offers double the pixels of 1080p, rather than four times like competing DLP tech, and it only has a relatively weak 10-watt built-in speaker system.
