Guide to buy the best projectors: Welcome to the LaComparacion guide of the best home theater projectors, with 4K and HD models.
Projectors are important in any home theater setup. While the best TVs are unbeatable for delivering authentic 4K HDR content, the picture size is unlikely to exceed 75 inches, unless you want to refinance your home or move into a mansion.
But 75 inches is only the beginning if you have a good projector.
Whether you want to project Blu-ray movies on a large white wall, expand your gaming experience, or drop photos and slides from a mobile device onto a 100-inch screen, a home theater projector should be your first choice.
Unfortunately, while most AV enthusiasts dream of the day they bring their living room home, few of them tend to follow it. They have the misconception that projectors are difficult to install (they are not), difficult to maintain (they are not), and cost much more than a TV (this is not the case).
To this end, we want to dispel the myths perpetuated by non-moviegoers and help you choose a fantastic projector without breaking your piggy bank. To this end, we've rounded up the best projectors we've tested over the past two years and ranked them below.
Looking for something cheaper? Don't miss our guide to the best projector deals to update every month!
What you need to know about Black Friday 2019
November 29, 2019, is Black Friday, which means it's the perfect time to check out our guides on the best Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals we know of (and the ones we can look forward to) to help you save money on your new projector next month. As BenQ recently launched the HT3550, we could benefit from discounts on the BenQ HT2550, as well as other older models of the brand. Be sure to bookmark our Black Friday Deals page for the latest updates on this event.
The best projectors seen since 2019:
The best projectors 2019:
(Image credit: LG)
1. LG CineBeam HU80KSW 4K Projector (2019)
A 4K HDR projector with a full home theater system
A true one-box system
4K HDR image is more than capable
You still need speakers for optimal sound
After a five-star projector? The LG CineBeam HU80KSW provides a crisp 4K HDR picture, with the benefit of a truly all-in-one system, you will find it much more compact than your average smart TV. The palette may be more neutral than some brighter projectors, but for the complete package and its quality, you can't do better.
Everything from the speakers to the power outlet is built into the projector, making it a neat and well-designed product, extremely easy to move around the room or home. Although there are physical ports for external media players, LG's built-in smart platform can allow you to easily stream from any of your upgrade applications.
This CineBeam model packs an impressive 2.500 lumens and should last for 20.000 hours before the image starts to degrade. Harman Kardon speakers guarantee basic audio quality (even if it fades compared to a dedicated soundbar). .
Prices are around € 2,000 / € 2,400 / € 3,600 Australians, depending on the LG home theater dealer you bought it from, but this is a projector that's really worth it.
Read the full review: LG CineBeam Projector HU80KSW 4K
(Image credit: LG)
2. LG HU85LA (2019) CineBeam Projector
An ultra-short throw projector that knows its value.
Excellent image quality.
Elegant design
Caro
Intermediate speakers
Do you really need a projector that can sit on the wall? This ultra-short LG CineBeam projector is capable of projecting a massive screen from a few inches away.
You pay much more than the previous model, priced at € 6,000 (about € 4,860, AU € 8,750) for the added convenience and advanced technology needed to project at such a short distance.
The projector itself is brilliantly clean in its construction, with its elegant rectangular profile that can clutter up your living room carpet or table without obstructing the image projected on the wall, and you can also install it on the ceiling if you prefer.
At a distance of 2.2 inches, the projector will provide a 90-inch screen size, while at 7.2 inches, you will get a 120-inch projection. Sound quality may not be as impressive as projection, with a lack of detail in the high frequencies and low power in the low frequencies.
Read our full review: LG HU85LA CineBeam Projector
(Image credit: LaComparacion)
3. BenQ HT3550 (2019)
The BenQ HT3550 (W2700 in the UK and Europe) performs like a dream.
Projection system: DLP | Resolutions: 3840 x 2160 | Brightness: 2,000 lumens | Video inputs: HDMI x 2 | Dimensions: 380 x 127 x 263 mm
Supports 4K and HDR
Bright and contrasting image
Could be brighter
Basic and outdated software
We looked at the HT3550's predecessor, the BenQ HT2550, late last year, and got great results, but its suite offers some new features - it features an impressive new design, but it's also optimized for the BenQ HDR-PRO. , which supports HDR10 and HLG, zooms up to 1.3 times, and supports screen sizes up to 120 inches with brightness up to 2,000 lumens.
However, the real improvement here is the projector's contrast ratio. While the HT2250 offers a 10,000: 1 contrast ratio, the HT3550 takes an impressive step of up to 30,000: 1, and delivers a super dynamic image.
It could have been nice if the projector was a little brighter, but with enough ambient light the image quality can be seriously diminished, but we think the BenQ HT3550 is probably the best solution look for a great projector in the price range. from € 1,500 / € 1,500.
Read the full review: BenQ HT3550 (W2700)
(Image credit: LaComparacion)
4. BenQ HT2550 (2018)
If you're looking for color accuracy, it's the best faux 4K projector for darker home cinemas
Projection system: DLP | Resolutions: 1920x1080 (x4) | Brightness: 2.200 lumens | Video inputs: 2x HDMI (1x MHL), 1x RCA, 1x Component, 1x VGA | Dimensions: 312 x 104 x 244mm
Clean and detailed images
Bright enough for daylight
vibration
Lack of lens shift
The BenQ HT2550 may seem a bit pricey to someone used to watching 4K TVs at a cut price, for the price you can't beat. The projector offers bright, clear colors, lots of detail, and 4K resolution, all for under $ 2,000. This is no small feat.
The projector isn't perfect: the proposed blacks aren't as deep as we would have liked, the projector still makes fan noise, and there's no lag either. 39 - target - but these minor drawbacks aside, we think the BenQ HT2550 is a great option for those who want a solid, no-frills projector, with support for 4K resolution and HDR content.
Are there better options? Well, there's the Optoma UHD50, which costs € 100 cheaper and offers many of the same benefits (although the color accuracy isn't that great and the BenQ projector is a bit better built), but we think it's better to spend € 100 more. for the BenQ HT2550.
Read the full review: BenQ HT2550
(Image credit: future)
5. Anker Nebula Capsule II Mini Projector (2019)
A small home theater projector
Integrated Android TV
Full HDMI port
Could be brighter
Netflix must be side loaded
Some projectors were designed to be portable, and few performed better than the Anker Nebula Capsule II mini projector.
About the size and shape of a Coke can, this little projector looks more like a battery of audiovisual equipment than an all-purpose projector, but these appearances are deceptive. The Capsule II is very capable of size, offering 720p (HD) resolution and powerful audio output, and a notable improvement over 2018's Anker Nebula March II, although it can't compete with most of the premium 4K HDR models listed. in this book. guide.
Given its size, we were pleasantly surprised to find a standard-size HMDI port as well, rather than the mini-HDMI alternative, as well as a USB port and USB-C charging port, allowing you to power the projector while connecting it to a computer. Streaming Stick like the Roku Express or Amazon Fire TV Stick.
There are also 3.600 apps to use, all predefined on the Android TV smart platform. However, given some thorny Netflix certification issues, you won't get the best streaming service on your TV unless you connect to an external device.
Read the full review: Anker Nebula Capsule II Mini Projector
(Image credit: BenQ)
6. BenQ TK800 (2018)
This is BenQ's brightest option, but it doesn't have the same color accuracy.
Projection system: DLP-XPR | Resolutions: 1920x1080 (x4) | Brightness: 3.000 lumens | Video inputs: 2x HDMI 2.0 (1x HDCP 2.2), 1x S-Video, 1x VGA | Dimensions: 496 x 195 x 464mm
Sharp 4K and HDR images
Large, bright and colorful image.
Excellent move discount
Good input lag for games
Bad detail of black and shadow
Noisy even in Eco mode
Like the HT2550, the main selling point of the BenQ TK800 is that it supports fake 4K using XPR technology which essentially takes a 1920x1080 pixel DLP chip and displays the image four times incredibly fast to create an image with perceived resolution. of more than eight million pixels.
Surprisingly, it actually works, and even with test patterns the images appear to be 4K in terms of resolution.
What is different is that it is also very bright, which means that even with SDR content, it can produce images that have real impact, even under less than optimal conditions. As such, you can use the TK800 in a room with white walls or large windows, while enjoying a large projected image.
Expect excellent movement management as well, which is great for gaming. His compensation is low, which is also good news for players. (The BenQ even supports 3D, although you have to buy the glasses separately.)
On the bitrate side, the black level and shadow detail are poor, and the TK800 also uses a color wheel, limiting its color gamut, especially with respect to HDR. It also means that some people will see "rainbows", but this is only a limitation of single chip DLP projectors. In addition to all this, it is quite noisy with both the color wheel and the fan, although the latter is necessary given the amount of heat generated by the bulb.
Read the full review: BenQ TK800
(Image credit: future)
7. Anker Prizm II (2019)
A cheap and easy-to-use projector, albeit a bit bulky
Very affordable
Easy angle projection.
Bulky design
Could be brighter
Perhaps the cheapest projector on the list, the Anker Prizm II weapon offers an affordable experience that maintains a level of quality that matches the price, even if it lags behind when it comes to aesthetics.
Yes, the Anker Prizm II is a bit bulky and does not feature the sleek design of the LG CineBeam range, not even that of the Anker Nebula Capsule II. But this makes up for this disadvantage by a lower price, an easy projection angle, and superior sound quality than your face suggests.
This is not all the benefits, of course. As a low-budget projector, it only has one HDMI port and typically struggles to produce an output bright enough to compete with other light sources in the room. If you only look in a dark environment and buy a new projector on a tight budget, this could be the projector for you.
Read the full review: Anker Prizm II
8. JVC DLA-X5900 (UK only, 2018)
A unique UK home projector.
Projection system: D-ILA | Resolutions: 3840 x 2160 | Brightness: 1.800 lumens | Video inputs: 2x HDMI 2.0 | Dimensions: 455 x 179 x 472 mm
Class contrast
Stunning HDR for a projector
Ready to play
Not true 4K
For the past 10 years, JVC has been the projector brand to watch for black levels that will exceed your local movie screen. All thanks to JVC's D-ILA technology, which competing DLP and SXRD models just can't touch.
The native 40,000:1 contrast gives blacks a truly black appearance... that is, if you treat your theater to a good dark paint job.
This year, one of the biggest improvements is in HDR performance. The shocking nature of HDR technology won't compromise an ultra-bright LCD TV, but you will get a picture that is much larger.
Similar to the BenQ HT2550 and TK800 mentioned above, this projector uses JVC's eShift technology, which allows two different 1080p images to be projected sequentially at a frequency of 120 Hz, which constitutes the detail of a native 4K display. Don't worry, in person, it would be hard to tell the difference between this and 4K.
9. Optoma UHD51A (2018)
An Alexa-compatible video projector that does decent 4K
Projection system: DLP | Resolutions: 1920x1080 (x4) | Brightness: 3.500 lumens | Video inputs: 2x HDMI (1x MHL) | Dimensions: 498 (W) x 141 (H) x 331 (D)mm
Rich and clear image
A rare 3D option
No digital keystone
Alexa setup issues
Voice-activated smart controls for a home theater projector may seem at first glance like a kitchen sink approach, jumping on the buzzword (or should it be a "wake-up word" like Amazon's Alexa, Apple's Siri o Google Assistant But think about the environment and setting in which your normal projection session takes place, and it starts to make a lot of sense: you're in a dark room where it's not always easy to see the buttons possibly with your hands loaded. popcorn and other delicacies.
Being able to yell "watch the movie!" On a voice-activated projector, potentially mounted very high above your head, it appears to be sound movement.
In the end, while the Alexa features are fun (even if they're a bit sketchy), the Optoma UHD51A delivers exceptional performance. At this price, you will have a hard time finding a projector that can deliver this level of image quality and this more reliable feature.
The Optoma UHD51A represents a huge change in 4K projection quality if you end up on a tight budget. What is proposed here even allows those with smaller living spaces and smaller bank balances to enjoy the high life of the home theater.
Read the full review: Optoma UHD51A
10.Epson Home Cinema 4010 (2018)
Want something with the HDR10 mobile mount and lens? Discover the Epson 4010 projector
Projection system: Epson 3LCD, 3-chip technology | Resolutions: 4K enhancement (1920 x 1080 x 2) | Brightness: 2.400 lumens | Video inputs: 1x HDMI 1.4a, 1x HDMI 2.0 | Dimensions: 20.5 "x 17.7" x 6.7 "(W x D x H)
4K detail and color
Versatile lens shift
Massive size
Now selling for € 1,799.99 (€ 1,799.99), this very large projector is based on Epson's own 3LCD engine and renders in 4K, HDR 10, 3D, has an electronic lens, an autofocus system and can achieve a brightness of 2400 lumens. .
What keeps us from being higher on our list is that we don't offer as many features, Epson even offers models with more whistles (including their advanced model EH-TW9400, which adds Hybrid Log Gamma, 4K / 60p HDR at 18Gbps and Epson 4K Wireless Wireless Transmitter), and it's not as detailed as native 4K projectors, but it's impossible to dispute the massive combination of must-have features and seamless cinematic imaging.
Read the full review: Epson Home Cinema 4010 (EH-TW7400 in UK)