For many, home cinema is a dream that goes back to childhood; who hasn’t dreamed of watching their favorite
Top projectors:
- ViewSonic PA503X
- AOpen QH11
- Xiaomi Mi Smart Compact Projector
- Epson EH-TW5820
- XGiMi H2
- Epson EH-TW750
- Acer B250i
- BenQ TK850
- Xiaomi Mi Laser Projector 150
- Xiaomi Mi Laser Projector 4K 150
- How to choose a home theater projector
ViewSonic PA503X
Inexpensive home projector
ViewSonic PA503X is a projector that canboast high levels of brightness and contrast, which will allow you to get a good picture in rooms with different illumination. The device has 3D support and a built-in speaker. Together with the low price, it turns out to be a good projector for light rooms.
Buy
optimal minimum
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AOpen QH11
The most accessible, but not shameful
A basic projector model in every sense.At a very low price, we have, albeit modest in characteristics, but still a full-fledged device for watching your favorite films on the big screen in HD quality. The gadget is compact but has built-in sound. The low price greatly lowers the threshold for entry into the world of projectors.
Buy
on a modest budget
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Xiaomi Mi Smart Compact Projector
Best compact projector
Xiaomi Mi Smart Compact Projector - Impersonationall that we love Xiaomi for: stylish design, build quality, optimal performance and, most importantly, an attractive price. The projector runs Android TV and can build images up to 120 ”.
Buy
takes up little space
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Epson EH-TW5820
Not only for movies, but also for games
Epson EH-TW5820 has a fairly highlevel of contrast and brightness, we can say that it has everything you need for a home theater, including Android TV. Thanks to the low latency mode, you can safely say that this is a gaming projector.
Buy
smooth gameplay
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XGiMi H2
Android and quality sound
A universal solution, with a widefunctionality and stylish design will become not only the heart of the entertainment system but also the decoration of the living room. The LED lamp promises a long service life and a good level of brightness. The sound in the device is provided by an acoustic system from harman/kardon, which can be used as a wireless speaker.
Buy
harman/kardon sound
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Epson EH-TW750
Great images even in daylight
Epson EH-TW750 is a strong mid-ranger, albeit withoutsmart functions and 3D, but with high image quality, with support for 1080P resolution and a large reserve of brightness, which is necessary not only when using the projector in a bright room, but also for building a large screen, the diagonal of which can reach 300 inches.
Buy
3400 lumens
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Acer B250i
The LED Projector You Are Looking For
An excellent alternative to portable projectors fromXiaomi and from XGiMi. In comparison with the first one, the solution from Acer wins in performance, in comparison with the XGiMi H2 - in price. The versatility of connectivity and portability makes the Acer B250i an excellent smartphone projector.
Buy
price quality
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BenQ TK850
4K UHD capable
BenQ TK850 is a top-end 4K home projector powered by DLP technology that can project a screen up to 300”. With a high reserve of brightness, contrast, support for HDR and 3D.
Buy in DNS
for 4K content
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Xiaomi Mi Laser Projector TV 150
Large screen inches from the wall
Xiaomi Mi Laser Projector TV 150 - perhaps the mostpopular laser projector on the market, has a very high brightness and ultra-short focus, which allows you to look at the installation of the projector in the room in a completely different way. The device can simply be placed on a pedestal in front of the wall, at the same time hiding extra wires.
Buy
easy to install
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Xiaomi Mi Laser Projector 4K 150
Best 4K Ultra Short Throw Projector
Xiaomi Mi Laser Projector 4K 150 is a 4K variation of the Xiaomi laser projector. Apart from the physical resolution of the matrix, there are generally no changes other than cosmetic ones.
Buy
UST+4K
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ViewSonic PA503X - Affordable Home Projector
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- DLP, physical resolution 1024 × 768
- Incandescent lamp, 3800 lumens brightness, 22000: 1 contrast ratio
- Throw ratio 1.2: 1, distance 1-7m
Bright, in the literal sense of the word, representativethe budget segment of projectors, which is equipped with a lamp with a maximum light output of 3600 lumens. The lamp life is up to 15 thousand hours when using the energy-saving SuperEco mode, in the same mode the manufacturer promises a maximum contrast level of 22000: 1. The device is equipped with a DLP matrix with a resolution of XGA format, 1024 × 768 pixels and support for 3D content. The projection distance ranges between 1.19-13.11 meters, with a projected image diagonal of 100 inches achieved at a distance of 4 meters. Signal sources can be connected using HDMI or one of the two DVI interfaces.
Device dimensions: 294 × 218 × 110 mm, weight 2.12 kg.
</ p>AOpen QH11 – entry-level projector
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- LCD matrix, physical resolution 1280 × 720
- LED lamp, brightness 200 lumens, contrast ratio 1000: 1
- Throw ratio 1.2: 1, distance 1-7m
The model may have rather modestcharacteristics, but at the same time differs from its competitors at an extremely tempting price. In addition, the projector boasts an LED light source and, of course, as a result of this, small dimensions and low power consumption. The manufacturer promises up to 50,000 hours of lamp operation. The image can be adjusted within ±30° vertically and ±15° horizontally to correct keystone distortion. For TikTok fans, the projector has a vertical mode.
The downside of the attractive price ismodest brightness of 200 Lumens, which will allow you to use the projector only in completely darkened rooms. The screen diagonal can be set from 32 to 80 inches with a distance from the screen to the projector of 71 − 176 cm. To connect to the gadget, you can use HDMI or a wireless connection via WiFi, you can also use USB drives or microSD memory cards.
Device dimensions: 232 × 168 × 92 mm, weight 1.3 kg.
</ p>Xiaomi Mi Smart Compact Projector - Best Compact Projector
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- DLP, physical resolution 1920 × 1080
- LED lamp, brightness 500 lumens, contrast ratio 1300: 1
- Throw ratio 1.2: 1, distance 1-4 meters
- Android TV
This projector, like many LED modelscan safely be called compact: the dimensions of the device are only 115×150×150 mm, and the weight is 1.3 kg. The body is made of white plastic, the front edge is covered with dark fabric. On the back side there are power and headphone connectors, USB 2.0, HDMI.
The hardware part of the device consists of a processorAmlogic T968, Mali T830MP2 graphics accelerator, 2GB of RAM and 8GB of storage. Firmware is the official Android TV well known to many from Xiaomi TV boxes.
The projector is equipped with a LED from a German companyOsram with a lifespan of 30,000 hours, its brightness is 500 lumens, the image contrast is up to 1300: 1. Focusing and vertical keystone correction is automatic. Two speakers with a power of 5 watts are responsible for the sound; Bluetooth acoustics can also be connected to the Mi Smart Compact Projector.
</ p>Epson EH-TW5820 - for movies and games
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- 3LCD, physical resolution 1920 × 1080
- UHE lamp, brightness 2700 lumens, contrast ratio 70,000: 1
- Throw ratio 1.33-2.16: 1, screen up to 300 ”
- Android TV, 3D
The Epson EH-TW5820 projector contains everything at once:FullHD resolution, brightness up to 2700 lumens, UHE lamp that can last up to 7500 hours in eco mode. Dynamic Contrast Ratio 70,000: 1.
Smart functionality is implemented usinga small stick connected to one of the two HDMI connectors (located on the back of the device under the cover). The smart adapter has Android TV 9 installed.
The game component of the projector is implemented withUsing the fast image processing mode, the delay in which is only 26 ms, high brightness will also not be superfluous and will make all the details of the games visible.
In addition, the model is quite modest for its capabilities, dimensions: 315 × 309 × 122 mm, weight 3.8 kg.
</ p>XGiMi H2 - good sounding
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- DLP, physical resolution 1920 × 1080
- LED lamp, brightness 1350 lumens, contrast ratio 10000: 1
- Throw ratio 1.2: 1, distance 1-7m
XGiMi H2 is a device running Android 6.0 with its own GUMI shell, which gives the user a full smart TV experience.
The projector uses DLP technology and hasphysical resolution 1080P. The LED lamp has a brightness of up to 1350 lumens, which will make it possible to comfortably use the projector in the dark or with minimal background lighting; a good contrast level of 10,000:1 will also have a positive effect on the final result. Thanks to the camera located on the front edge of the device, focusing and trapezoid compensation occurs automatically. The gadget has 3D support, for this you will need DLP-Link glasses.
XGiMi H2 is equipped with a wide range of interfaceconnectors: two HDMI 2.0, one USB version 2.0 and two versions 3.0, S/PDIF, LAN and a 3.5 mm headphone jack. For wireless connections, the projector is equipped with a dual-band WiFi adapter and Bluetooth 4.0.
</ p>Epson EH-TW750 - bright Full HD projector
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- 3LCD, physical resolution 1920 × 1080
- UHE lamp, 3400 lumens brightness, 16000: 1 contrast ratio
- Throw Ratio 1.02-1.23: 1, Distance 1-7m
A mid-range model in whichthe main focus is on image characteristics. What is actually more important for the projector, in the end, when we connect the box to the Smart-TV device, we will get a full-fledged smart device. But it should be mentioned that the projector is equipped with a WiFi module with support for Miracast video transmission technology for transferring images from the screen of a laptop or smartphone.
A wired connection can be made using two HDMI, VGA or composite inputs. The audio output is made in the form of a 3.5 mm jack.
The projector is equipped with a UHE lamp with a fairly highbrightness level - 3400 lumens and a service life of 6000 hours in normal mode or 12000 in Eco mode. The maximum image contrast reaches 16000:1. The device has a function for automatic correction of trapezoidal distortion horizontally and vertically ±30°, while the image is focused manually.
Dimensions of the device: 302 × 252 × 92, weight 2.8 kg.
</ p>Acer B250i - compact LED projector
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- DLP, physical resolution 1920 × 1080
- LED lamp, brightness 1200 lumens, contrast ratio 5000: 1
- Throw Ratio 1.23: 1, Distance 0.5-2.7m
Compact size and weight make the Acer projectorThe B250i is not only a good choice for home, but also for trips out of town or even on vacation (unless you are, of course, a fan of travel "light"). More precisely, the dimensions of the device are 205 × 205 × 84 mm, and the weight is only 1450 grams.
But this device is attractive not onlyportability, the characteristics are also not bad: brightness - 1000 lumens in standard and 1200 in maximum modes, contrast up to 5000: 1, FullHD 1080p resolution, maximum diagonal of 100 ″. The lamp has a service life of up to 30,000 hours in economy mode or 20,000 hours in normal mode.
To connect a video source on the rearthe panels of the device are located not only HDMI, but also USB Type C, which supports video signal transmission. Using USB Type A, you can connect a removable storage device and play the content stored on it. Thanks to the built-in WIFI adapter and support for Miracast technology, you can broadcast an image to your device "over the air".
</ p>BenQ TK850 - top 4K projector
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- DLP, physical resolution 3840×2160
- Lamp, 3000 lumens brightness, 30,000: 1 contrast ratio
- Throw Ratio 1.13-1.47: 1, screen up to 300 ”
- HDR10, HLG, 3D
If you need a projector that supportsWith 4K resolutions and HDR 10, the BenQ TK850 is your choice. It is equipped with a 0.47 ”DMD-matrix, the resolution of which is 3840 × 2160. The lamp of the device has a brightness of 3000 lumens, which gives the device a good "margin of safety" for working in a lit room and for watching 3D films. Contrast can be as high as 30,000: 1.
The lamp life in normal mode is 4000 hours, in SmartEco mode - up to 15000 hours.
For connecting devices on the rear panelThe projector has two HDMI 2.0 connectors and one audio output, using USB 3.0, you can play files from removable drives, in addition, USB is available for powering smart devices or charging smartphones with a current of up to 2.5 amperes. There is also a 12 volt trigger output for opening the projection screen and RS232.
Device dimensions: 380 × 263 × 127 mm, weight 4.2 kg.
Buy in DNS
</ p>Xiaomi Mi Laser Projector 150 - Best Ultra Short Throw Projector
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- ALDP, physical resolution 1920 × 1080
- Laser, 1600 lumens brightness, 3000: 1 contrast ratio
- Throw ratio 0.233: 1, distance 0.05-0.5 meters
- Android TV, 3D, HDR
This projector was a hit for a reason.The 150 ”projection at a distance of half a meter from the screen creates a real wow effect. The choice of installation location and installation is very simple - just put the device on the bedside table under the screen. The built-in speaker system is located on the front of the projector and consists of four speakers: two woofers and two tweeters. provides a fairly good sound quality.
The light source in this device is a laser, a 0.47 ”DMD matrix is installed, the brightness is 1600 ANSI lumens, and the maximum contrast ratio is 3000: 1.
Android TV 9.0 is powered by a quad-core Amlogic T968 processor, Mali T830 graphics, 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB of permanent memory.
The device is equipped with a good set of interfaces,connectors are located on the rear panel of the case: three HDMI 2.0, one of which supports the ARC protocol (necessary for connecting the projector to an audio receiver), USB 2.0 and 3.0, S/PDIF, 3.5 mm audio output and 3.5 mm combined composite audio-video entrance.
Device dimensions: 410×291×880 mm, weight 6.9 kg.
</ p>Xiaomi Mi Laser Projector 4K 150 - even more details
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- ALDP, physical resolution 3840×2160
- Laser, 1688 lumens brightness, 3000: 1 contrast ratio
- Throw ratio 0.233: 1, distance 0.05-0.5 meters
- Android TV, 3D, HDR
Xiaomi Mi Laser Projector 4K 150 hasan updated DMD matrix with a resolution of 3840×215;2160, the maximum brightness has also increased slightly compared to the previous version and is now 1688 Lumens, the contrast remains at the same level - 3000:1.
The body of the updated model has become completelyblack, but its layout and dimensions have not changed: there is a 30-watt audio system on the front panel, and there is a projector lens on the top edge. The connectors for connecting peripherals are located at the back, along with the power socket.
As in its predecessor, it is used hereALPD 3.0 technology. This is the development of the Chinese company Appotrinics, a large manufacturer of laser projectors for cinemas. In a projector, light from a laser passes through a rotating ring with a phosphor to produce primary colors, then it disappears onto a DMD matrix and is projected onto the screen using optics. According to the manufacturer, ALPD 3.0 made it possible to achieve more accurate color rendition and at the same time increase the service life of the light source.
The device is equipped with a dual-band WiFi 2.4/5 GHz adapter, Bluetooth 4.0. For wired connections, HDMI 2.0, two standard and one ARC are available. Two USB sockets, one version 2.0, the other 3.0.
The dimensions of the device are the same as in the younger version 410 × 291 × 880 mm, and the weight has slightly increased and is 7.2 kg.
</ p>How to choose a home theater projector
We have already described the main parameters of popular models of projectors for the home, now it would be worth taking a closer look at what these or those parameters mean and which ones you should pay attention to.
Sources of light
UHP lamp - high-pressure gas discharge lampperformance is the most common option today. These lamps have good brightness, high color rendering and, in modern versions, a good service life, up to 10,000 hours. The other side of the coin is the level of power consumption, about 200-300 watts.
LED lamp is a modern solution that comesto replace gas-discharge lamps and, sooner or later, will completely replace them. LED projectors are smaller and more energy efficient. The resource of work can be 20 and 30 thousand hours. The main disadvantage of this type of lamps is considered to be their low brightness, but now home LED projectors are very close to the brightness of 1500 lumens, and in the near future this value will only grow.
Laser is another semiconductor sourcelight, in its consumer qualities is similar to the LED: a long service life, low power consumption. But unlike LEDs, a laser can offer a much higher brightness. The disadvantages of this technology can be written down to the price.
Work principles
3LCD - is a system of threeliquid crystal matrices, each of which receives light from a lamp, previously divided by means of dichroic mirrors and filters into three spectra: red, green and blue. After passing through the matrices, the three light fluxes, with the help of a prism, are again combined into one, with an already formed image.
The advantages of this system include high brightness and rich colors and the absence of the rainbow effect inherent in DLP projectors.
Disadvantages: Requires replacement of air filters, more visible pixels, black tones may have less contrast.
DLP - this technology is based on a DMD matrix,which is an electromechanical device with thousands of microscopic mirrors located on it, each of which is controlled separately and is responsible for one pixel of the image. The mirror can be positioned very quickly and accurately, thereby producing the light of the required brightness.
The light emitted by the lamp passes through the lens anda rotating color filter wheel, mirrors on the matrix rotate and take the required position depending on the color that falls on them at the moment. Thus, the sequence of changing colors and rotating mirrors leads to the display of the desired image on the screen.
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Source: Epson
Pros: Smoother image with less visible pixels, fast response time, small size and weight.
Disadvantages: flickering, in some cases a rainbow effect is noticeable in contrasting scenes. The rotating wheel is an additional moving element that creates noise.
Optics parameters
Projection distance - a parameter of the projector that indicates at what distance from the screen the device can display a high-quality picture.
The projection ratio is the value thatshows the ratio of the width of the projected screen to the projection distance from the projector to the screen. For example, if the projection ratio is 1.5: 1, then for every meter of screen width, you need 1.5 meters from the screen to the projector.
Optical zoom (zoom) is a function that allows you to change the size of the screen without changing the position of the projector relative to the screen.
Lens shift allows you to shift the image relative to the lens axis, depending on the projector model, the shift can be vertical or horizontal.
Projection screens
Projection screens may not work in some situationsa mandatory, but still very important part of the projection system. Especially when it comes to home theater. Although, on the other hand, a smooth wall painted matte white is already a good screen, especially when it comes to a budget projector.
The screens are divided into two groups:stationary and mobile. Stationary, in turn, are of several types: fixed on a rigid frame, roll-up and even motorized. To fold and unfold the latter, an electric drive and remote control are used.
Mobile screens are likely to be more interestinga solution for educational institutions or offices where there is a need to move the screen to different audiences or take it to off-site presentations. Mobile screens can be on a tripod, on two stands, or small desktop models.
Screen options
Matte finish is the most common andbudget view of screens. Light from such screens is scattered evenly, which gives excellent viewing angles, does not glare. A matte screen can be not only white, but also gray, with a gain of less than 1.0, which gives more contrast, but at the expense of reducing the brightness of the image.
Glossy finish - reflects light, due to whichthe image is brighter and clearer, less demanding on the brightness of the projector. However, as a result, the screen has narrower viewing angles and may glare from outside light sources.
CLR screen for ultra short throw projectorsis a canvas of a special structure, on the surface of the canvas, triangular "prisms" are formed, which reflect light from the projector located under the screen towards the viewer who is in front of the screen. In this case, third-party light, especially falling on the screen from above, is absorbed by a special coating located on the upper part of the triangular prism.
Gain is a parameter describinghow much brighter the screen reflects the light directed at it, compared to the reference matte white screen, which has a factor of 1.0. For example, a screen with a gain of 1.5 returns one and a half times more light due to the "concentration" of the luminous flux, but at the same time the viewing angles are reduced.
Answers to popular questions
How to connect a projector to a phone?
To connect your smartphone to the projector, there are twoa fairly simple way: connecting using Miracast wireless technology, for this you just need to connect both devices to the same WiFi network, the second way is connecting using USB type C. Acer B250i supports both connection options.
How to choose a projector for games?
When choosing a projector for games, it is very importantthe parameter is the delay time, in the Epson EH-TW5820 projector in the high-speed processing mode it is only 26 ms, which is two frames at 60 frames per second. You should also pay attention to the brightness so that it is enough to preserve all the details on the big screen.
How to choose a projector for a conference room?
For presentations in a lighted roomthe most important parameter is the brightness of the device. It's also nice to have several options for connecting a signal source. You can save money on FullHD in this situation. ViewSonic PA503X has 3800 lumens brightness, HDMI, two VGA inputs and one output, composite video input.
How long does a projector lamp last?
Lamp life is up to 5000 hours permaximum mode; in economical modes, some manufacturers promise up to 12,000 hours of operation. For LED models, the declared resource can be up to 20,000-30,000 hours, depending on the operating mode. Our rating of projectors includes options for every taste and budget.
Which is better, a TV or a projector?
There is no direct answer to this question.The TV set is easier to select, install, produces the same image regardless of the ambient light in the room. But projectors have one distinct advantage - screen size. After all, a TV with a diagonal of 85 inches will cost several times more than a projector with a screen of 120 or even 150 inches.
To the list of the best projectors ⤴