Why would you go to the movies, when you could have that same big-screen experience at home? If you have a home theater, you get to watch any movie you want, and you don’t have to worry about sneaking in any snacks. Here are the best home theater projectors on the market, no matter if you want a cheap projector, a portable projector, a 4K projector, or a gaming projector.
The Best Cheap Projectors
Home theater projectors can cost more than a thousand dollars. There are, however, a lot of affordable choices available on the market today. You don’t have to dip into your savings to have a cinema experience at home. Here are some of the best cheap projectors.
Vankyo Leisure 3 – Best Projector Under $100
Priced at around $80, the Vankyo Leisure 3 is the best cheap home theater projectors on this list. It’s also one of Amazon’s bestsellers, but its price isn’t the only thing about it that drives sales. This projector has some cool features that make it a top choice for all types of home theaters as well.
The Vankyo Leisure 3 comes with LED lighting, which makes it 60% brighter than most projectors. It has support for high-definition resolution (although the native resolution is lower). It also has keystone correction, which lets you adjust the angle of the output image. This gives your image a perfectly rectangular shape, even if your projector is at an angle.
You can use the HDMI or USB ports to connect this projector to a streaming device or an AV receiver. You can also project movies from your computer, TV box, game console, DVD player, smartphone, tablet, or a Micro SD card.
The Vankyo Leisure 3 also has dual stereo speakers, fan noise suppression, and it can project an image of up to 170 inches. You even get a carrying case, so you can take it with you anywhere you go.
Artlii 4000 Lux HD Projector – Best Project Under $200
The Artlii 4000 Lux HD is another top choice for cheap home theater projectors. Priced at less than $200, this projector has great contrast and a brightness of 4,000 lumens. This means you can use your projector with the lights on, and your image won’t be blurry or dark.
The Artlii 4000 Lux gives you high-quality video and great sound with two powerful speakers, so you won’t even have to hook it up to an external speaker. This projector has 1080p support (with a lower native resolution), and you can project an image up to 200 inches large.
This cheap projector has two HDMI ports, two USB ports, and a Micro SD slot, so you can connect your streaming device, laptop, smartphone, or tablet. This projector also has an advanced cooling system, so you won’t have to worry about the unit overheating.
Shop: Amazon
Optoma ML750ST Ultra-Compact – Best Projector Under $500
Optoma is a trusted brand in projection technology. And, if your budget is less than $500, you’ll love the Optoma ML750ST Ultra Compact projector. Weighing in at less than one pound, this projector can be carried from your home theater to the conference room with ease. And, because it’s a short-throw projector, you can set this projector up less than six feet away from your screen.
This Optoma projector also has a long-lasting LED lamp, a brightness of 700 lumens, and support for 1080p resolution (with a lower native resolution). It has great connectivity, too. It can project files from your Micro SD, or you can connect to your phone, laptop, or any device with the USB or HDMI ports.
Shop: Amazon
The Best Portable Projectors
The only thing better than watching movies in your living room is watching them in the great outdoors. These portable projectors allow you to watch a movie while camping or give a presentation at the office. Here are the best portable projectors on the market today.
Nebula Capsule Smart Mini Projector
(Image Source: Nebula)We are so accustomed to seeing projectors with a rectangular design, that the Nebula Capsule’s soda-can design immediately sets it apart from the pack. But its design and size make it one of the best portable projectors on the market.
The Nebula Capsule has support for 1280×720 high definition resolution (although the native resolution is lower). It is also capable of projecting an image up to 100 inches large for four hours of video playtime on a single charge.
This It has an HDMI port, a USB port, Bluetooth, WiFi, and even screen mirroring connectivity. So, you can hook up almost any device, and even stream videos straight from your smartphone. And because of its unique design, it produces 360-degree sound, which feels like it’s coming from all around you.
This smart projector comes fully-loaded with Android 7.1, so it functions like a smart TV on its own. You can download and run media apps like Netflix and YouTube.
Apeman Lightweight M4 Projector
Another top choice for the best portable projector is the Lightweight M4 by Apeman. Measuring only 3.86 x 3.86 x 0.85 inches, this projector is the very definition of pocket size. It’s light, too, weighing less than half a pound.
But don’t let its small stature fool you. This home theater projector comes with a lot of cool features. This unit has full HD 1080p support (but a lower native resolution), and it projects an image up to 100 inches large.
With the HDMI port, you can connect your laptop, mobile phone, tablet, or gaming console with the included HDMI converter. It also has a 3.5mm audio port, so you can plug in an external speaker. And its long battery life allows you to watch a two-hour movie on a single charge.
Out of the box, this unit also comes with compact a tripod that you can carry with you wherever you want as well.
Shop: Amazon
Vamvo Mini Projector
The Vamvo Mini projector is another pocket size model, measuring only 5.7 x 3.2 x 0.9 inches. It weighs 0.6 pounds, so it’s the perfect companion for backyard movies or office presentations.
This projector has 1080p support (but a lower native resolution), and it’s capable of projecting an image 130 inches large. Don’t worry if you’re in a small room, this portable projector is perfectly functional even when it’s only five feet away from a screen. With an HDMI port and a USB port, this projector can be connected to a smartphone, a laptop, an Xbox, a Play Station, and much more.
The Vamvo Mini Projector has a stereo speaker and an app that support devices with iOS 9 or Android 5.0 and above.
Shop: Amazon
Best 1080p Projector
Epson Home Cinema 2150
If you want your home theater to feel like a real cinema, you’re going to need a projector with a native resolution of at least 1080p. The Epson Home Cinema is one of the best 1080p projectors on the market. Complete with a brightness of 2,500 lumens, topnotch connectivity, and a built-in 10W speaker, this projector makes watching movies at home a delight.
While this projector is more expensive than the previous units in this list, it is capable of projecting an image up to 132 inches large. That’s four times the size of a standard 60-inch TV.
It has two HDMI ports and allows for mirroring using internal software called Miracast. This way, you can stream movies, TV shows, and games easily. You can also make sure you have a perfect image, no matter where you put the projector, with the easy-to-access Lens Shift and keystone features.
Best 4k Projector
Optoma UHD60 True 4K
If full HD isn’t enough for you, you can step things up with the Optoma UHD60 True 4K projector. This model is on the pricey side, but it will certainly surprise you with what it can do. Its DLP chipset makes it a cut above other standard LCD projectors. In other words, it won’t have the rainbow effect that some older projector models might display.
The Optoma UHD60 will let you enjoy more details with its high contrast ratio and brightness of 3,000 lumens. It has HDR10 image technology for a wide color range and even sharper blacks. Its screen projection is up to 140 inches, and it can be set up from the ceiling or on top of a table.
Best Projector for Gaming
Optoma GT1080Darbee
Love to play games on a large screen? There’s no need to buy a large screen TV if you have a blank wall and the Optoma GT1080Darbee. With its short-throw lens, you can project an image up to 120 inches from four feet away.
It has a native resolution of 1080p, 3D support, and brightness of 3,000 lumens. With its DarbeeVision tech, you will enjoy games with fantastic details and textures. And, if you enable the Advanced Gaming Mode, you add rapid response time to your experience.
Aside from gaming consoles, you can connect a streaming stick, a smartphone, a tablet, a laptop, or any HDMI devices to the Optoma GT1080Darbee.
For an even immersive multi-media home theater experience, pair your projector with one of the best soundbars available today.