If you love watching movies at home, but don’t want to settle for a tiny TV screen, you might want to consider getting a home projector. A home projector can create a huge, immersive and cinematic image that can rival or even surpass the best TVs. But not all home projectors are created equal. Depending on your budget, room size, lighting conditions and preferences, you might need a different type of projector to suit your needs.
In this article, we will review some of the best home projectors for movie nights in 2023, based on our own testing and research. We will compare their features, performance, pros and cons, and give you our recommendations. Whether you are looking for a 4K projector, a gaming projector, a portable projector or a budget projector, we have you covered.
Epson Pro Cinema LS12000
Price: $4,999
Resolution: 4K UHD (3840 x 2160)
Brightness: 2,600 lumens
Contrast ratio: 2,500,000:1
Lamp life: 20,000 hours (laser)
Pros:
- Excellent image quality with high brightness, contrast and color accuracy
- Supports HDR10 and HLG formats
- Supports 3D content
- Features lens memory and motorized lens shift for easy setup
- Has built-in speakers and Bluetooth audio out
- Quiet operation
Cons:
- Expensive
- Large and heavy
- No support for Dolby Vision or dynamic tone mapping
Summary: The Epson Pro Cinema LS12000 is our top choice for the best 4K projector for top-quality, cost-no-object home theater. This projector uses a laser light source and Epson’s 4K Pro-UHD technology to deliver stunning images with high brightness, contrast and color accuracy. It supports HDR10 and HLG formats, as well as 3D content. It also features lens memory and motorized lens shift for easy setup and adjustment. The projector has built-in speakers and Bluetooth audio out for sound options. It operates quietly and has a long lamp life of 20,000 hours. The only drawbacks are its high price tag, large size and weight, and lack of support for Dolby Vision or dynamic tone mapping.
BenQ TK700STi
Price: $1,699
Resolution: 4K UHD (3840 x 2160)
Brightness: 3,000 lumens
Contrast ratio: 10,000:1
Lamp life: 4,000 hours (normal), 10,000 hours (eco), 15,000 hours (smart eco)
Pros:
- Sharp and detailed 4K images
- Low input lag of 16ms for gaming
- Short throw ratio of 0.9:1 for small spaces
- Supports HDR10 and HLG formats
- Has built-in speakers and Android TV dongle
- Easy to set up and use
Cons:
- Mediocre black levels and contrast
- Noisy fan
- Limited zoom and lens shift
Summary: The BenQ TK700STi is our pick for the best gaming projector. This projector delivers sharp and detailed 4K images with a low input lag of 16ms, making it ideal for fast-paced games. It also has a short throw ratio of 0.9:1, which means it can project a 100-inch image from just 6.5 feet away. This is great for small spaces or outdoor use. The projector supports HDR10 and HLG formats for enhanced colors and contrast. It also has built-in speakers and an Android TV dongle for streaming content. The projector is easy to set up and use with its intuitive remote control and user interface. The main drawbacks are its mediocre black levels and contrast, noisy fan, and limited zoom and lens shift options.
