Best Projectors For Your Next Movie Night
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ViewSonic SVGA DLP Projector -
Boxlight Boston X30N LCD Projector -
BenQ 3D Short Throw DLP Home Theater Projector -
Optoma S334e SVGA Bright Lights On Viewing with 3,800 Lumens Latest DLP Technology Professional Projector -
ASUS S1 LED Projector -
Optoma PK320 Pico Pocket Projector -
Buyer's Guide
Projectors are used for a wide variety of purposes, ranging from high-end home theaters to business presentations and classroom applications. Depending on their intended use, projectors can vary in their technology, style, and price. We’ve compiled lists of some of the best projectors in 2022 currently available while considering different budgets and performance needs. Although we’ve included several high-end models, we’ve kept ultra-expensive projectors off the list in favor of one’s which are more realistic for use in the average home or business. If you’re new to projectors and need some pointers on what to look for, be sure to also check out our buyer’s guide below.
Optoma S334e SVGA Bright Lights On Viewing with 3,800 Lumens Latest DLP Technology Professional Projector
Detailing the Best Projector of 2022
ViewSonic SVGA DLP Projector - Best Projector Overall
The ViewSonic PJD5132 DLP projector delivers 800x600 native resolution with a 4:3 aspect ratio and a light output of around 3,000 lumens. Offering long lamp life of near 10,000 hours and filter-less use for low maintenance, this already-affordable projector promises low ownership costs long term.
Picture quality is well-rounded, text enjoys good clarity, and video quality has good color reproduction with bright hues. Brightness is very good for the money, and there's no major loss of detail in rooms with ambient light. However, there is some rainbow effect along the edges.
There's no HDMI input on the PJD5132, offering connectivity that includes dual VGA inputs, composite video, S-video, a mini-USB port, and audio in and out. With a single speaker that offers mediocre audio at best, most users will opt to add external speakers.
Although not as compact as a pocket projector, the ViewSonic PJD5132 is relatively small and light. It offers good overall performance for an affordable price, and is well-suited to applications both for business and in the classroom.
Boxlight Boston X30N LCD Projector - Runner Up
The Boxlight Boston X30N was designed with classroom and business use in mind, making it ill-suited to home entertainment applications. A native XGA resolution (1024x768) and a brightness rating of 3,000 lumens, yield solid video and image quality. Image imperfections are minor, with good overall colors, contrast, and brightness. Smaller text can sometimes have a slight soft focus effect, but not noticeable enough to impact the projector's performance during presentations.
The X30N has generous connectivity options, including two VGA ports, HDMI, RCA ports, S-Video. There’s a USB port to allow for plugging in a WiFi dongle or connecting a computer and moving files to the projector's 1.5 GB of internal memory.
This projector doesn’t include 3D capability and the built-in sound is only capable of volumes suited for a small space. Overall though, this projector projects reliably good images and video quality even in spaces with quite a bit of ambient light.
BenQ 3D Short Throw DLP Home Theater Projector - Honorable Mention
The BenQ W1080ST has full 1080p resolution at a rated brightness output of 2,000 lumens. This makes it a good choice for home entertainment environments where chances are that there's a lot of ambient light. Image quality is excellent on the W1080ST, and even relatively accurate right out of the box.
Connectivity options are good, with two HDMI ports than both support full 1080p 3D (although 144Hz glasses are needed for 3D). There’s also a component video, S-video port, VGA, and composite video ports. If the units short throw lens isn't enough to make it work, the 1.2x zoom can help the W1080ST can fit in any size area from a large family room to a cramped apartment.
Although the built-in speaker delivers decent audio, this projector is best used when hooked up to external speakers. The BenQ W1080ST offers very good image quality overall so for those wanting high-quality video and plenty of features at a relatively affordable price, this is an excellent choice.
Optoma S334e SVGA Bright Lights On Viewing with 3,800 Lumens Latest DLP Technology Professional Projector - Consider
Relying on an LED light source instead of a traditional lamp, the Optoma HD91 projector delivers a considerably longer lifespan on its light source. This unit provides a consistent image as it ages so you there’s no inevitable dimming you get with an aging lamp. The LED light also means there’s also no warm up/cool down periods needed with operating a typical projector.
The HD91 offers excellent image quality for the money, with very good clarity and detail, handling colors very well, resulting in a natural and well-balanced image. Although there is too much input lag for the HD91 to be ideal for gaming use, it is an excellent choice for home entertainment. It also offers 3D support.
There is plenty of connectivity options, with two HDMI slots, component video, composite video, two USB ports (one for firmware updates and the other for powering other devices), and more. While the projector is reasonably compact, be sure to keep track of the remote; there are no controls on the projector itself. Setup is simple, aided by the 1.9x zoom. Overall, this well-rounded DLP projector performs very well for the money.
ASUS S1 LED Projector - Best Pico Projector
This compact and lightweight projector offers an affordable way to pick up a projector suited for home use and occasional business use. The ASUS S1 is rated at a brightness of 200 lumens and a WXGA native resolution. It offers a relatively short throw for its class, and the LED light source (paired with a DLP Pico chip) promises a long lifetime of use.
Limitations include fairly low brightness and resolution which is especially visible when displaying smaller text or anything more than short video clips. However, the ASUS S1 includes a built-in battery and a stylish exterior at a relatively budget-friendly price. When it comes to connectivity, the only input is an MHL-enabled HDMI input; the S1 stands out for its USB output, which allows for charging of mobile devices that are attached. There is also an audio-out jack to allow for hooking up external speakers or headphones.
With only a single built-in speaker, this projector might be a good idea for use in anything other than a small space. More for home use than business use, this small projector is a good overall choice for those who value the battery and charging capabilities more than outright image quality.
Optoma PK320 Pico Pocket Projector - Best Pico Projector
This lightweight DLP projector can fit easily into your pocket, thanks to its compact size. The Optoma PK320 has a brightness output rated at 100 lumens, which is reasonable for this projector class and its LED light source promises a long lifetime, likely to last as long as the projector itself. Image quality is above average, however, with very little visible rainbow effect.
There's two GB of internal memory and a micro SD slot allowing for running presentations without a computer or laptop. The projector has very good connectivity for its size, with a proprietary port and adapters that allow for connecting a VGA cable, mini-HDMI, micro-USB for file transfers, AV-in, composite video, and and audio-out jack.
Battery life is decent, with an average length of just over an hour depending upon the brightness setting. As usual with projectors of this size, audio quality suffers, being suitable at best for a small room. Although this projector is not the best for business presentations due to relatively soft text, it is a good all-around performer.
Buyer's Guide
Why would you need a projector?
The need to use a projector has increased especially in light of the emergence of COVID-19 and its effects. Projectors perform a very helpful role in our professional, social, and educational life phases. This best projectors buying guide will teach you all you need to know about buying projectors.
What are the main features you should look out for in your projector?
If you're purchasing your projector for the first time or as a replacement, you should seek to get the very best one that your purse can afford. That is one with the best mix of features and capacities within your budget range. There are several things you should consider when purchasing a projector. However, in this best projectors buying guide, we've tried to simplify them for you as much as possible. Here are the main features you should look out for when buying your new projector or replacing an old one.
Throw ratio
This determines the distance-clarity relationship between the size of the image you're projecting and the surface on which you're projecting it. To get the best-suited projector for your need, you might need to measure the distance between where you'll have to place your projector and the area of the room to get the best results. Throw ratio (T) is calculated by Distance (D) divided by required Image size (I).
Contrast ratio
A significant factor that determines the image quality of your projector is the contrast ratio. The contrast ratio describes the relationship between the proportion of the whitest parts of the image and the darkest parts that the projector projects onscreen. A high-quality contrast ratio is needed to produce a high-quality image. It cannot be compensated for.
Resolution
These simply tell us how detailed the quality of pictures we are seeing are. The higher the resolution, the sharper the picture projected. Go for a projector with high-resolution specifications. Some of the different resolution types for projectors are WVGA, SVGA, XGA, HD Ready, and Full HD.
Brightness
The brightness of a projector is measured in lumens. Traditionally used as a unit of measuring candlelight such that one lumen equals one candlelight, they are typically used to measure brightness in lamps now. The higher the lumens of your projector lamp, the brighter its images would be.
What are the best options of projectors for you?
You should not be surprised that like kids and pets, projectors are also made in different sizes and models. For a variety of needs and subsequently, at different prices. Some of the most popular option you might be looking at to choose from the array include:
Office projector
These are projectors that are primarily designed with work in mind. They are suited to educational and professional environments. They are perfect for presentations, meetings, and teamwork. They also feature several ports that allow external devices to be attached to them such as laptops and speakers. They come fitted with a bright lamp for projecting and are capable of projecting high definition images in various visibility conditions.
Home cinema projector
A home cinema projector just like the name depicts is designed to project large, crisp, and high-resolution images on a screen or some other flat surface designed for projection. They can display full high-definition pictures and images similar to a home TV. They are also capable of being fitted to speakers or other audio devices.
Portable projector
A portable projector, just like the name depicts is designed to be of a small, hand-held size. They are lightweight enough to be carried on a hand and have in-built batteries to keep them running so that you can always use them on the go. They completely eradicate the stress of worrying about the logistics of moving large-sized projectors such as a home cinema projector or an All-in-One projector. They offer highly crisp regardless of the screen surface.
Compact projectors
You ever think of a hybrid piece of technology that combines two good parts of different pieces of tech to form an even better tech. best of both worlds. A compact projector simply does that. It combines the best feature of the Home Cinema projector and the lightweight feature of the portable projector and forms something more magnificent. You really should try this one out before you earn the right to make comments.
All in One projector
this is an integration mechanic at its best. This projector is fully fitted with speakers and comes with the capability of shooting 3d images giving you the feeling of augmented reality. It integrates the features of the Home Cinema projector and the Office projector which makes it project at greater light efficiency and automatically regulates contrast to suit the lighting conditions of the environment. It is most suited for indoor use but will perform wonderfully outdoors as a result of its short-throw projection capacity.
How expensive can the projectors be?
The price of a projector is largely determined by the highest resolution and contrast ratio of the projector. Some laser light projectors can range from $530 to $3000 but that's because they are literally laser-edge tech. You can get a decent one between $200 and $500 and if you want higher specifications, you might be looking at the $2000 range.
Best Projector FAQs
Would my projector come with a warranty?
More often than not, if you’re buying your new projector from a registered store, it would come with a warranty. The more expensive your warranty is, the longer the warranty period. So, costlier projectors can have up to a 5-year warranty and cheaper ones lower than that. The services covered by the warranties also differ. Some might include an on-site maintenance checkup or that it could be sent back to the store for another.
What connection types work best?
Usually, you would want to connect your projector to a laptop or CPU made in the last 5 years. 9 out of 10 times, they would only come with an HDMI slot. They are the standard connection slots for projection in modern times. If the projector you want does not have an HDMI slot, do not buy it and go for one with an HDMI slot instead. You will be saving yourself a lot of time, stress, and money.
How expensive are the replacement lamps?
Projector lamps used to sell for over $320 and had a lifespan of around 1500 hours. Nowadays, after lots of breakthroughs, it is common to have lamps with a high as 10,000 hours of lamp life and cost less than $180 on average. More so, newly developed LED lamps offer over 30,000 hours of lamp life and cost about $200. You won't need to break any bank to get yourself long-lasting replacement lamps for your projector.
