Projectors offer braggy pictures than tv at a like price , and if you ’re looking to replicate the cinema experience at home , the best projectors are a great of attain that goal .
We test lots of projector each at a range of price and use - case , and what you see on this list is the good we ’ve reviewed . How have we add up to this conclusion ? We quiz the design and controls to public presentation and image quality . We also consider the exploiter interface , battery life and any additional feature , such as HDR or gaming modes .
We watch out picture show at home or in dedicated cinema rooms to see how well each projector performs and determine whether they can be used in bright way . We also look at how well each projector grip process such as upscaling and motion and examine the remark stave on projectors that can be used for gaming .
Keep reading to key all of the best projector we ’ve reviewed . Alternatively , if you ’re looking for something a little more specific , you may be interested in our guides to thebest outdoor projectorsand thebest portable projector .
If , after a moment of enquiry , you decide that the contribute maintenance required with projector just is n’t for you then you could always have a read of our template to thebest TVand thebest soundbar , for more streamlined dwelling house amusement options .
Learn more about how we test projectors
We test projectors by , well , keep an eye on lots of movies on them . But not just movies : we find out sports and boob tube programmes to get a sentiency of how they work in terms of question , raciness , item and overall image faithfulness .
depend on the projector , we ’ll test them in a bespoke home cinema room or in our own rooms and gardens to see if they live up to the manufacturer ’s title about their performance .
If it ’s an HDR projector , we ’ll watch plenty of HDR message to determine if colours are right and whether the projector can do a comme il faut approximation of HDR . If it ’s a gambling projector we ’ll test the latency to learn how responsive it is .
We ’ll also assess the projector in term of its size and whether it necessitate a consecrate installation , as well as how much noise it makes during operation and whether that can be a hindrance to watching mental object . Are they promiscuous to use ? And do they require more expert cognition to lock are considerations we also take into account .
With our reviewers cognition of previous projectors test , they ’ll be consider to what ’s come before to learn whether they bid just value , regardless of how much or how little they be .
BenQ X3100i
Pros
Cons
BenQ W2700
Samsung Premiere 9
Epson EF-22N
Samsung Freestyle 2nd Gen (2023)
Trusted Score
take care for a projector that ’s explicity for gaming ? BenQ’sX3100iis what you ’re looking for with its solid 4 K HDR painting and low input lag .
There ’s a chain of mountains of gaming features available with multiple modes with lowly remark , 1080p/120Hz support , an FPS Crosshair lineament and BenQ ’s SettingXchange , which permit you to spell custom play modes and coloring parameters that have been create by expert and professional gamers . We measured input lag at an imposingly low 16ms , and at 1080p/240Hz that figure come down to 4ms .
The picture puts in a bright , colorful and punchy performance . At its maximum output , the X3100i offers 3300 ANSI lumens of cleverness ( cinema fashion reduce it to 2000 ANSI lumens ) . Black floor are more white-haired than black , but the performance we see with the X300 G is coherent with other single fleck DLP projectors , so contrast does n’t deliver on what BenQ claims the projector does out of the box . Motion manipulation is superb , and overall , its broad color functioning and smartness makes up for its lack of deep blacks .
The sound system is pretty good for more perfunctory viewing , but the 2.1 channel arrangement ( equipment Bon Jovi ’s cousin ) does n’t have the scale or magnate to create a soundstage that complement its large concealment images . They ca n’t go too loud without starting to distort .
It ’s been quite a few long time since theW2700was released , so we were proud of as punch to see its successor arrive in theW2710i , a projector aimed at home cinema enthusiasts that sits within the mid - range of the marketplace .
Our reviewer notice that the W2710i follows the same populate elbow room - favorable innovation template BenQ has used for many years . Its passably stocky size permit it to agree comfortably onto almost any coffee berry or side table , and its three roll in the hay - down feet help angle the image aright onto a screen or paries , and we ’d commend possess or start out a screen for a projector such as this .
The W2710i supports 4 K and HDR , though it is n’t needs aboriginal 4 green as the projector uses some clever tricks to create the trick of ‘ proper ’ 4K.There are plenty of feature to talk about with the W2710i but the most significant is that BenQ claims it covers 95 % of the DCI - P3 color grasp and the full reportage of the SDR Rec 709 spectrum .
It can achieve a smartness of 2200 lm , which is an increase on the W2700 for slightly brighter images , and there ’s support forFilmmaker modeto get nigh to viewing subject as it was mastered . There ’s also a special port for a BenQ Android TV smart dongle to pelt media with support for apps such asDisney+,Netflix , ITVX , Amazon Prime Video , Now , Apple TV , andParamount+ . Disappointingly , there ’s no bread and butter for iPlayer or Channel 4 .
We find set - up to be a cinch as its optic zoom and optical vertical image shifting gives the user a decent stage of tractability in terms of placement , while an effective auto linchpin adjustment help get the edges of the persona to where it needs it to be .
The W2710i improves on the performance of its herald in a number of areas – and in our humble opinion it ’s easy one of the best projectors in its class . image depend incredibly sharp and elaborated , with safe quality aboriginal 4 thou sources looking dead pristine , packed with detail and textures no HD figure of speech could give you . We also observed that its edge does n’t take a hit when there ’s motion to carry on with , the W2710i ’s 24p True Cinema option serving up one of the most natural and relaxed look 24p experiences we ’ve seen on any projector .
HDR tone mapping is good , enjoy more vibrancy and volume than we ’ve seen on other likewise priced projector , though we did notice that skin tones can look a little suntanned with the projector ’s out - of - the - box configurations .
The sound arrangement develop by BenQ ’s internal Trevolo division is one of the good ones we ’ve amount across . It ’s well - rounded , less rough and projection audio away from its body well . If you ’re posture behind the projector , we noticed that it does finger as if it arrive from the screen .
BenQ is launching another projector in the TK860i that shares similar glasses with the W2710I but is designed for more effortless users . see out for that limited review presently .
Not everyone can open theSamsung Premiere 9 , which commands a price of £ 5999 . In which guinea pig , if you ’re looking for a TV replacement in the form of a projector , theHisense PL1is a more affordable choice at less than £ 1999 .
We regain its design less intrusive than a TV as it can sit in front of a wall , and a screenland up to 100 - inch possible would be our recommendation . It ’s much more convenient than a long - throw projector like the similarly pricedBenQ W270i , as we found you could habituate the Hisense in a comparatively small room .
We were impressed by the picture timber of the PL1 . Packing 2100 lumen of brightness , it ’s not the brightest UST and so for the best carrying into action we would recommend that you force the curtain for a proper cinema experience .
HDR reenforcement includes HDR10 , HLG , HDR10+andDolby Vision ; the latter aid the projector have a sharp epitome , with splendid colour vibrancy and motility manipulation . While projector ca n’t equalize TVs for HDR output , we found the PL1 gives it a good go . It ca n’t manage deep Joseph Black , reaching dark gray instead but for most glum content , the PL1 should look fine .
The arrangement ’s stereo sound organization is serviceable enough for news but anything more challenging and you should view summate additional speakers .
As the market surround thebest portable projectorscontinues to open up , we ’ve seen more standout devices in this class over the last few class , but at the time of writing it ’s theEpson EF-22Nthat show up just how far these miniature entertainment hubs have come .
by from its smaller height , what help the EF-22N ’s portability , in particular when needed to be used in the enceinte outdoors , is the 360 - degree swivel al-Qa’ida that makes it fantastically easy to find the right layer of framing without needing to constantly move the projector from place to place . The charging port is also conveniently place in the base of the twist , so the magnate cable length wo n’t get tangle up as the projector moves .
When it is sic up , you’re able to delight all of the smart features and apps that Google TV has to declare oneself on the Epson EF-22N. This includes access to central well out overhaul like Netflix and Disney Plus , although irritatingly we were unable to get at iPlayer or Channel 4 due to licensing issues . Still , there ’s plenty on offer here and it ’s ready to hand to live that you do n’t need to switch an extra twist like theFire TV Stick 4 K Maxinto the mix .
In spite of its portable aspiration , the Epson EF-22N is still capable to reach some impressively high levels of luminosity , up to 1000 ISO lumens to be exact . At that level , it ’s easy to make out plenty of contingent in whatever it is that you ’re watching . Even in darker scenes , the visuals never became muddied in our testing , so you ’ll never be taken out of the immersion due to lacklustre ocular quality .
While theSamsung Freestyleis still a good portable option for those tied to a budget , we ca n’t recommend the Epson EF-22N enough if you have the money to spend .
We ’re onto thesecond generationof Samsung ’s Freestyle projector and it ’s arguably even better thanthe original .
Like the Freestyle 2019 version , this new model looks not unlike Luxor Jr. of Pixar fame , dressed in a blanched finish with its cylindrical shape and adjustable stand . Like before , the rack can be line up from 90 to 180 level , allowing for an ikon to be projected on a rampart or even the ceiling .
It ’s in the features expanse where the new Freestyle set out to diverge from the sometime Freestyle . There ’s musical accompaniment 21:9 for screen ratios as well as Samsung ’s Gaming Hub for cloud play . The Smart Edge Blending combines the trope of two Freestyles into , a paradigm we found to be even bigger and brighter than using one by itself . It also increase the minimum screen size from 100 - inches to 130 - inches that take into account exploiter to get the full benefit of the 21:9 ratio .
The micro - HDMI input signal can acceptHDR signalsand supportsARCfor adding a soundbar . There ’s a USB - C port for connecting to the power transcriber or connecting the projector to an external barrage . Its wireless reinforcement includes Wi - Fi 5 , Bluetooth 5.3 andApple AirPlay 2 . Wi - Fi extend access to the Tizen - power chic platform where you could find cyclosis apps such asDisney+,Netflix , andApple TV+ .
There ’s establish - in Bixby andAlexa voice assistancealong with SmartThings financial support , which like before is an app that we bump make up set - up and installation very simple . The Smart Calibration lineament allows images to be calibrate with a smartphone , accurately compensating for colours if you ’re look out on a non - white coloured paries or control surface .
Our reviewer mensurate the amount of the noise the projector farm from two metrical foot aside , and found it matched the original with only 25dB of noise . In universal we found scene quality to be very good with images that calculate light and detailed , and though the projector is limited to 1080p resoluteness , we did not see any disquiet image artifacts when the projector downscales contented from 4K.
It is more or less brighter than the original at 550 lumen , which is not as undimmed as theYaber K2S ‘ 800 ANSI lumens , but we chance its look map to be very good , producing HDR image with mess of pop . Unfortunately , the Freestyle 2023 does suffer from limitations such as watery total darkness , demarcation and potential coloring fringing ( rainbow effect ) for some masses .
It ’s a comely option for gaming with a 40ms gaming lag ( better than the original ) , and the build - in talker system spread audio in all direction , and we base it could go loudly without distorting or lose its calmness .
The raw Freestyle takes what made the original commodity and adds a few more useful features and refines the overall execution . This is a fun , hassle - free impudent projector that ’s easy to utilize for self-aggrandising screen reckon in your home . The original Freestyle is still usable at around £ 499 , though the Samsung has lately reduced the price of the novel modeling to £ 699 .
FAQs
In some fashion a projector is good than a television , but it reckon on what you want . If you ’re after a giving showing experience then projector are deport an range of a function much large than any TV can . However , tv can go brighter , have a wider range of features and can control in both brilliant and dark living way conditions . Not all projector are shining enough to handle ambient light in bright room .
Test Data
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Full Specs
