The 7 best home projectors for 2024

Posted by Admin May 1, 2024 Shopping

The best home projectors provide a cinema-like experience, whether you’re watching a favorite TV show, movie or live sports event. The latest projectors can throw an image on screen up to 200 inches (measured diagonally) and showcase video in sharp, 4K resolution with bright and accurate colors, combined with crisp detail and excellent contrast.

Which type of projector is right for you will depend on where you plan to use it; the size of your viewing space; how bright of a picture you like (measured in ANSI lumens) and the size of the picture you want.

What is the best projector in 2024?

Our in-house team of tech experts has gone to great lengths to test plenty of home projectors and research the latest projection technologies to curate this list of our top seven best projectors for 2024.

Some of these models are designed to be permanently installed and will become the centerpiece for your home theater setup. Others are portable and can be moved from room to room, or even taken outside and be set up in minutes, so you can host a movie night in your backyard or during an outdoor camping trip.

Just like when shopping for a 55-inch, 65-inch, 75-inch and 8K TV, things like resolution, brightness, and display refresh rate should all be considered. If you’ll be using the projector as part of a home theater system, we recommend using it with either a soundbar or complete surround sound system to get the most out of your viewing experience.

Meanwhile, if you’re seeking a projector that can be used outdoors, we’ve got you covered with our roundup of the five best outdoor projectors of 2024. But, if you’re looking for a traditional, big-screen TV (as opposed to a projector), be sure to check out our picks for the five best TVs for 2024.

Best projector overall: Hisense 100″ L9H Series TriChroma Laser TV

Hisense 100L9G Laser TV Triple-Laser Ultra Short Throw Projector — Amazon

Category: Ultra-short throw | Display Technology: Triple color laser | Native Resolution: 4K | Image Brightness: 3,000 ANSI lumens | Max. Projection Size: 100-inches | Refresh Rate: 60Hz | Contrast Ratio: 2,000,000:1 (dynamic) | Throw Ratio: 0.25:1 | HDR: HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision | Laser Lifespan: Up to 25,000 hours | Speakers: 2x 40-watt (Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital) | Smart TV OS: GoogleTV | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet, 1x HDMI eARC, 2x HDMI, USB, RF antenna | Dimensions: 24 x 13.6 x 6.1 inches | Special Features: Generates up to 1.07 billion shades of color, reaching 107% of the BT.2020 color space.

As a higher-end, ultra-short-throw projector, the Hisense 100″ L9H Series TriChroma Laser TV is designed to be installed in a fixed location and used with an ambient-light-rejecting screen. This projector uses a cutting-edge, three color (RGB) laser system to deliver a sharp picture that showcases bright and accurate colors. In fact, the lasers generate more than a billion colors. The projector also offers support for Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG, which further enhances the picture you’re seeing.

To complement that detail, the projector offers a maximum brightness of 3,000 ANSI lumens, so even in daylight, you’ll see a sharp and clear picture. Another key feature of the L9H is its maximum projection size of 100 inches, so you’ll enjoy an authentic and immersive movie theater-like experience.

The projector is designed for use with a Hisense ambient light rejection screen to eliminate up to 85% of glare. And while you probably won’t rely exclusively on the stereo speakers built into the projector, they do generate 40 watts of audio power that supports Dolby Atmos sound.

Hisense’s filmmaker mode ensures that movies (and TV shows) look exactly the way the director intended. When gaming, you’ll enjoy Auto-low-latency mode that tweaks the projector’s settings to showcase game graphics. While not cheap, the Hisense L9H offers just about all of the key features you’d want when choosing a centerpiece for your home theater setup, which is why it’s currently our top pick.

Best in-home 4K projector: LG CineBeam HU915QB

LG CineBeam HU915QB Premium 4K UHD Laser UST Projector — LG

This tri-laser, ultra-short throw projector is ideal for a living room or as the centerpiece for your in-home theater set up. One of its standout features is its 3,000 ANSI lumens maximum brightness, which means the projector does a really nice job displaying a sharp picture in rooms that aren’t fully dark. In fact, the picture quality remains sharp even in daylight.

The projector can display an image between 90 and 120 inches with a 16:9 or 4:3 aspect ratio. Thanks to the adaptive contrast and 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio, HDR10 and HLG support, whatever you’re watching gets displayed with sharp, accurate and vibrant colors and life-like detail. And thanks to the WebOS operating system, all of the streaming video services you subscribe to are readily available and controllable using the projector’s remote or voice commands.

In addition to offering a nice selection of ports (including multiple HDMI ports), this CineBeam projector supports Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, AirPlay 2, and offers a screen share and screen mirroring feature. While we certainly recommend adding a soundbar or surround sound system to this projector for an enhanced home theater experience, the unit itself has a pair of 40-watt stereo speakers built in.

This is a high-end, ultra-short throw projector designed to provide an immersive, movie theater-like experience within your home.

Best ultra-short-throw 4K projector: Samsung Premiere LSP7T

Samsung The Premiere LSP7T 4K Smart Laser Projector — Samsung

Samsung’s Premiere is a mid-priced, ultra-short-throw projector designed to be installed within your living room or home theater space. It can present a picture up to 120 inches. What’s nice about this projector is that it relies on the Tizen OS, just like Samsung’s most powerful TVs, so you get the same collection of features and easy access to the streaming services you subscribe to. When it comes to watching movies, the projector’s filmmaker mode can be used to create a more authentic viewing experience.

The Premier is less expensive than the LG CineBeam HU915QB, but it does not offer as bright of a picture. It also relies on a single laser (not a tri-laser projection system) and has a 60Hz refresh rate (not 120Hz), so the technology used is not as robust. At its $3,000 price, The Premier represents a good overall value for a projector you can expect impressive performance from.

Also built into the projector is a 2.2-channel stereo speaker system that generates 30 watts of audio with Dolby Audio support. You also get a built in subwoofer. Again, we suggest adding a soundbar or surround sound sound system to enjoy the most immersive experience possible. As an ultra-short-throw projector, the unit only needs to be 16.34 inches away from its screen to achieve a 120-inch picture. This decreases down to just 9.72 inches for a 90-inch picture.

Best portable projector: LG CineBeam Q

The recently released LG CineBeam Q is one of the few projectors that can be used indoors or outdoors. It sets up in minutes and offers 4K resolution using a tri-laser projection system. While not waterproof, the CineBeam Q can be set up anywhere there’s electricity. It then connects either directly to Wi-Fi or can be paired with a computer or mobile device to provide an endless supply of movies, TV shows and live sporting events.

What we love about this projector is that it displays a sharp and bright picture (especially at night) and features both auto-focus and digital keystone correction, so there’s no need to tinker with buttons or dials to achieve a sharp and vibrant picture. No matter at what angle you set up the projector, it displays a rectangular image that’s perfectly proportioned and that showcases a 154% DCI-P3 color gamut.

The single mono speaker built into the projector is adequate, but you’ll probably want to connect Bluetooth speakers or even a soundbar to enhance the audio volume and quality. There’s no built-in rechargeable battery, but the projector can be used with a portable power bank or plugged into any AC outlet. We’re huge fans of the CineBeam Q’s overall design, performance and picture quality. To achieve the sharpest picture, we suggest using it outdoors at night or inside in a darkened viewing space.

For more information about this powerful projector, check out our in-depth review.

Best projector for versatility: Nebula by Anker Cosmos Laser 4K

Nebula by Anker Cosmos Laser 4K Projector — Amazon

We’re huge fans of the Nebula Cosmos Laser 4K projector because, while it’s portable, it also offers laser technology that produces a stunning 4K resolution (60Hz refresh rate) picture with a maximum brightness up to an impressive 2,200 ANSI lumens (with support for HDR10). So whether you’re using the projector indoors or outdoors, you’ll enjoy a sharp and colorful picture, even if the viewing area is not pitch black.

Plus, the projector generates an image up to 150 inches and accompanies it with quality audio via two 10-watt speakers and two five-watt speakers that support Dolby Audio. From a design standpoint, the projector is a tad on the heavier side at just under 11 pounds, but it has a built-in handle for easier transport.

We also like that the projector runs using the AndroidTV OS, so if the projector has direct Wi-Fi access, it streams content from popular streaming services. Plus, you can stream content directly from your mobile device or computer, either wirelessly or using a cable connection. This gives you plenty of versatility in terms of what you can watch and when.

Out of all the portable projectors we’ve seen, this one offers the best collection of higher-end technology. You can easily move it between rooms, host a movie night in your backyard, or take it on a camping or RV trip. While you’ll pay a bit extra for the 4K resolution, laser technology and maximum brightness, the projector is well worth the expense.

Best short-throw projector for gaming: BenQ X500i 4K

BenQ X500i True 4K UHD HDR 4LED 2200 Lumens Short Throw Console Gaming Projector — Amazon

Category: Short Throw Projector | Display Technology: LED DLP | Native Resolution: 4K (3,840 x 2,160 pixels) | Image Brightness: 2,200 ANSI lumens | Max. Projection Size: 150-inches | Refresh Rate: Up to 120Hz | Contrast Ratio: 600,000:1 | Throw Ratio: 0.69 – 0.83 | HDR: HDR-PRO | Light Source Lifespan: Up to 30,000 hours | Speakers: 2x 5-watts | Smart TV OS: Android 11, GoogleTV (with dongle connected) | Connectivity: HDMI, USB Type-A, USB Type-C, RS232 In, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, AirPlay, Chromecast | Dimensions: 14.41 x 9.61 x 4.65 inches | Special Features: Multiple integrated gaming features, including RPG Mode, SPG Mode, FPS Mode, 4.16ms low input lag

Designed for in-home use, the BenQ X500i offers not only offers 4K resolution and an impressive 2,200 ANSI lumens maximum brightness, but also features designed for gamers playing on a screen up to 150 inches. In fact, whether you’re watching action movies or playing games, the projector’s up-to-120Hz refresh rate will display it all smoothly, using vivid and accurate colors and excellent contrast.

Gamers will appreciate the 4-millisecond response time and the projector’s ability to automatically adjust settings as soon as it detects a connected console. This includes specialized settings for Xbox, PlayStation and the Switch. This is a short-throw projector, so it can be set up close to a screen, while the brightness of the projector showcases content clearly in most lighting situations. Whatever you’re watching will be accompanied by audio generated from two 5-watt stereo speakers or whatever audio system you connect.

Positioning the projector just 4.9 feet from the screen will generate a 100-inch picture, while a distance of 7.5 feet lets the projector achieve its maximum projection size of 150 inches. Using the AndroidTV OS, you get easy access to streaming networks, but you can also take advantage of Chromecast, Bluetooth or a wired connection to display content from your mobile device or computer.

Best premium projector: Awol Vision LTV-3000 Pro 4K 3D Ultra Short Throw Triple Laser Projector

AWOL VISION LTV-3500 Pro UST Triple Laser TV Projector — Awol

Category: Ultra-Short Throw | Display Technology: RGB Triple Laser | Native Resolution: 4K (with Active3D) | Image Brightness: 3,000 ANSI lumens | Max. Projection Size: 150-inches | Refresh Rate: 60Hz | Contrast Ratio: 2,500:1 | Throw Ratio: 25.1 | HDR: HDR10+, HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision | Laser Lifespan: Up to 25,000 hours | Speakers: 2x 36-watt (stereo) with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support | Smart TV OS: Android | Connectivity: 3x HDMI (with 1x HDMI eARC), 2x USB, Ethernet, digital audio output, AV in, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | Dimensions: 23.6 x 13.9 x 5.7 inches | Special Features: Alexa and Google Assistant voice assistant integration; Able to display 1+ billion colors (107% Rec.2020); Offers Turbo Game mode (8ms)

The Awol Vision LTV-3000 is designed as a centerpiece of a home theater system, to be used with an ALR screen up to 150 inches. This is a premium projector in every sense, in that you get ultra-short-throw technology combined with a triple RGB laser projection system that generates a sharp, 4K-resolution picture at a 60Hz refresh rate.

Its maximum brightness of 3,000 ANSI lumens means you can use the projector in almost any lighting situation. The projector offers an impressive contrast ratio and HDR support for detail and color enhancement. And for sound, you get support for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. The internal stereo speakers offer 36-watts of audio power, but you’ll probably want to connect a soundbar or surround sound system for an immersive viewing experience.

As you’d expect, the LTV-3000 offers plenty of ports for connecting a mobile device or computer to stream content from. We love that Awol takes advantage of a Ricoh F2.0 glass lens for enhanced picture clarity, and that it generates more than a billion colors. The projector also supports Active3D, Control4 and an impressive game mode. In the sub-$4K price range, you won’t find a better projector.

15 features to look for in a home projector

Our tech experts have compiled this list of 15 key things to look for when choosing the perfect projector.

Viewing space: When you’re going to be projecting video sizes anywhere from 80 to 200 inches (diagonally), you want to make sure the viewing space can accommodate this, and that viewers can sit a decent distance away to enjoy an immersive picture. Take the projection size and divide it by .84. So if you’re viewing a 100-inch projection, you want to be 9.91 feet from the screen.
Projection size: A projector will typically offer a range of image sizes. Consider the size of your viewing area and then determine the largest projection size that space can accommodate. Projectors typically max out at 150 inches or 200 inches.
Resolution: Ideally you want native 4K resolution, and a model that can upscale lower-resolution video to as close to 4K as possible. Some 1080p projector makers use confusing language to make you think that a projector’s native resolution is 4K, when it’s really just a 1080p resolution projector that’s upscaling content. This is not the same.
Refresh rate: The refresh rate of the projector is measured in hertz (Hz). It represents the number of times, per second, a picture will be redrawn on the screen. Most of the latest projectors offer a 60Hz or 120Hz refresh rate, or an adaptive refresh rate up to 120Hz. The higher the refresh rate, the better, especially for high-action content, live sports, or playing games.
Light source: All of our top picks use the sharpest RGB triple laser, LED or LCD lighting technology. If you can afford it, we recommend the RGB triple laser technology to experience a wider color gamut and more vibrant colors.
Brightness: This is measured in ANSI lumens. A lumen is a measure of brightness that a projector can generate. ANSI is an industry-standard term; it means the measurement meets the standards of the American National Standards Institute. If a projector’s brightness is not promoted in “ANSI lumens,” you may not be getting reliable information. The higher the maximum brightness rating, the more vibrant the picture will be. For a home projector that will be permanently installed, we recommend a brightness of at least 2,000 ANSI lumens. If you want to see a clearly in broad daylight, at least 3,000 ANSI lumens is recommended.
Color reproduction: This measures of how accurately colors are reproduced.
Focusing: These days, almost all projectors, including our top five picks, offer auto-focusing. Make sure this is the case if you choose a projector that’s different from one of our top picks.
Throw ratio: This is the relationship between the distance from the projector’s lens and the screen. A short throw or ultra-short throw projector can be positioned much closer to a screen than a regular projector, yet still offer a large projection size (potentially up to 200 inches). The throw ratio is measured by dividing the project’s distance from the screen by the width of the projected image. Throw ratio is also sometimes referred to as throw distance.
Aspect ratio: This is the relationship between the width and height of a projected image. It is typically expressed by two numbers, separated by a colon. For a projector that showcases a traditional widescreen image, the typical aspect ratio is 16:9 (or 16 to 9).
Contrast ratio: This is the difference between the lightest and darkest portion of a picture. The higher the contrast, the better the overall color representation, and the less washed out an image will be. Ideally, you want a projector with at least a 5,000:1 contrast ratio, but a 3,000:1 contrast ratio should be OK in darker viewing areas.
Operating system: Many of the most popular projectors rely on AndroidTV or GoogleTV (which are very similar).
Portability: When shopping for a portable projector, pay attention to additional things like its size and weight, waterproof rating, overall durability and speaker quality, because you likely won’t be pairing the projector with an external sound system. Some portable projectors have a built-in rechargeable battery. If that case, pay attention to the maximum playtime the battery can support and how long recharging takes.
Integrated speakers: While most projectors have built-in stereo speakers, they’re typically not the highest quality. They also lack the bass you’d get from a soundbar or system with a subwoofer. We recommend an optional soundbar or surround sound system if it’s a model that will be permanently set up in your home.
Brand name and reputation: During your shopping, you’ll come across projectors from no-name brands. These might be less expensive, but proceed with caution and make sure you read the fine print. Also, pay attention to the projector’s warranty and how easy it will be to get it repaired. You also want to make sure that when the projector’s light source dies (which is typically after between 20,000 and 30,000 hours) that you can easily buy a replacement.

What is a good amount of ANSI lumens?

For a pitch-black viewing area, a projector with a maximum brightness between 300 and 500 ANSI lumens should be fine. If there’s just a little bit of ambient light, you want a projector that offers between 1,000 and 2,000 ANSI lumens. But if you plan to use the projector in daylight, you definitely want a projector that offers 3,000 or more ANSI lumens, so the picture quality will not appear too dim or washed out.

Jason R. Rich

Jason R. Rich (www.JasonRich.com) is an internationally recognized consumer technology expert with more than 30 years’ writing experience. He’s also an accomplished author and photographer. One of his most recently published books, The Remote Worker’s Handbook: How to Effectively Work From Anywhere ($24.99, Entrepreneur Books) is now available from Amazon and wherever books are sold.