What’s the point of even buying a projector? A projector reflects light, as opposed to TVs, which emit light. The reflected light is easier on your eyes as it causes less straining. Moreover, projectors generate images larger than a TV could ever produce. As with reflected light, bigger images are easy to view and support less eye strain. You’re also not as confined to a particular screen size, as a projector can operate on almost any surface. Depending on what you’re viewing, you can adjust the screen size if need be. Projectors can be used in a variety of settings, including a home, an office, or an educational environment. While shopping for a projector, there are a few things to consider. Fortunately, we’ve done the research and analysis for you. We’ve looked at factors such as resolution, brightness, size, lamp lifespan, and connectivity options. If you have more questions, make sure to check out our guide on what to look for before buying a video projector. The Vava’s 3,000:1 contrast ratio further enhances colors by providing deep black and bright white areas. Speaking of brightness, the projector’s lamp has a whopping 6,000 lumens. And with 25,000 hours of life, you don’t have to fear replacing the lamp for many years to come. In addition to extraordinary picture quality, the Vava projector’s audio quality is also noteworthy. The project features an integrated 60-watt sound bar with Dolby Audio technology. The sound bar produces deep bass sounds, a clear mid-range, and crisp high tones for a truly cinematic experience. Even though the Vava has an incredibly short throw distance of 16.7 inches, it generates a maximum screen size of 150 inches. The combination of the throw distance and screen size means you no longer have to worry about ruining everyone’s home theatre experience by walking in front of the projector. But you may have to worry about the operating system not being user-friendly and issues with lenses, as customers have reported these difficulties. Resolution: 3840 x 2160 | Brightness: 6,000 lumens | Contrast Ratio: 3,000:1 | Projection Size: 150 inches Unique to the HT3550 is BenQ’s proprietary CinematicColors technology. The projector produces over 8.3 million colors for a truer-to-life image quality and shows you films the way directors meant for them to be seen. To further optimize picture colors, the HT3550 has a dynamic iris that automatically adjusts for optimal contrast, creating richer dark areas and brighter whites. BenQ incorporated 10 visual preset modes to fine-tune your viewing experience. The modes allow the projector to adjust to suit any space. If the number of features intimidates you or if you run into any issues, BenQ provides technical support in the form of a three-year limited parts warranty and a factory calibration report for at-home troubleshooting. This warranty may come in handy as users have reported issues with the projector overheating. HT3550 features a 10-element lens with an all-glass construction for durability and clarity. The projector has a minimum throw distance of 7.6 feet and a maximum throw distance of 16 feet, making it fantastic for both small and large spaces. Moreover, the HT3550 is capable of producing a 150-inch screen. Resolution: 4096 x 2160 | Brightness: 2,000 lumens | Contrast Ratio: 30,000:1 | Projection Size: 150 inches The Nebula Mars II Pro offers a lot of flexibility for such a small projector. The lens features an autofocus function and vertical and horizontal keystoning for clear and stable images at almost any angle. You don’t have to sacrifice picture quality, even in non-traditional settings. The Nebula Mars II Pro has both a projector and speaker mode. Even if you don’t want to watch a movie or TV show, you can use your projector, in speaker mode, as a Bluetooth music speaker. The rechargeable battery isn’t the Nebula Mars II Pro’s best feature. If you’re using the projector, you’ll have only three hours of movie watching time. On the other hand, if you’re listening to music, you’ll have 30 hours of battery life. According to reviews, many customers have not been happy with the battery and have also complained about damaged pixels. Fortunately, Anker offers a 12-month warranty to cover manufacturing defects. Resolution: 1280 x 720 | Brightness: 500 lumens | Contrast Ratio: Not listed | Projection Size: 150 inches This projector supports an AndroidTV 9.0 operating system. With this system, you have access to over 3,600 appsm, including YouTube, Hulu, and Netflix. For access to additional TV shows and movies, you can stream videos directly from your smartphone, tablet, or laptop via Chromecast. As an added bonus, you can connect the Nebula Capsule II to your Google Assistant device for voice-activated controls. Due to the operating system, the projector is Wi-Fi dependent. The Nebula Capsule II has a 1-second autofocus, so you spend less time fiddling with the projector and more time appreciating your favorite movies and TV shows with friends and family. It’s imperative to mention the battery life is mediocre. Specifically, the rechargeable battery provides only 2.5 hours of viewing time. To have such a short battery life, it’s surprising that it takes more than two hours to reach a full charge. Resolution:1280 x 720 | Brightness: 200 lumens | Contrast Ratio: 600:1 | Projection Size: 100 inches The UHD51ALV’s HDR-10 is compatible with deep blacks, bright whites, and richer color saturation for vibrant images. This projector has unique technology that other 4K projectors don’t offer. Specifically, the UHD51ALV uses Optoma’s proprietary PureColortech programming for more true-to-life colors and image quality. Despite all of the impressive technology, the UHD51ALV lacks keystone correction. But even with potential distortion, brightness won’t be an issue. The projector’s lamp provides 3,000 lumens of brightness, meaning you can watch your favorite shows and movies without having to turn off every light in the room. Resolution: 3480 x 2160 | Brightness: 3,000 lumens | Contrast Ratio: Up to 500,000:1 | Projection Size: 300 inches Unlike competing projectors, the HT2050A includes BenQ’s proprietary CinematicColor technology. As a result, viewers will notice more true-to-life color saturation. HT2050A also employs Rec.709 color calibration to eliminate colors from shifting into the “fluorescent” scale. The projector’s shortest throw distance is 8.2 feet, which translates into a screen size of around 100 inches. On the other end of the spectrum, the maximum screen size is 300 inches. Regardless of how far away the HT2050A is against a screen or wall, the lens offers 2,200 lumens, so you can have movie nights with family and friends without having to sit in complete darkness. Sound will also never be an issue, as the HT2050A has an ultra-low latency input of 16ms, so you’re less likely to experience audio syncing issues. Resolution: 1920 x 1080 | Brightness: 2,200 lumens | Contrast Ratio: 15,000:1 | Projection Size: 300 inches To further enhance picture quality, Optoma incorporated a contrast ratio of 500,000:1 to provide deep black and bright white colors. If you’re looking for an even more immersive movie-watching experience, this projector is 3D-ready to make scenes come to life. There are 2,400 lumens of brightness within the lamp, so a few lights on in the room won’t interfere with your favorite shows and movies. The UHD51A has a few smart features that are rarely found in a single projector. It has an integrated media player so that you can plug in and play files from USB flash drives and other external storage devices. Resolution: 4096 x 2160 | Brightness: 2,400 lumens | Contrast Ratio: 500,000:1 | Projection Size: 300 inches Presenting in the office will be a breeze with the projector’s 800 x 600 SVGA resolution. The EX3260’s lamp with 3,300 lumens of brightness, rated for 10,000 hours of life, is perfect for home movie nights as well. And transitioning from your office to home is a breeze, since Epson created a quick and easy setup process. The EX3260 has HDMI and USB connections for plug-and-play functionality with both Mac and Windows computers. Do keep in mind, however, reports of bad HDMI connections. Even so, in using the HDMI connection, you’ll have digital video and audio through one cable instead of multiple cables, which cuts down occupied space. The projector’s small footprint is great for placing on a table or desk without having to worry about taking up too much real estate. The EX3260 also comes with a carrying case, so you can easily transport the projector, cables, and remotes you’ll need traveling between your office and home. Resolution: 800 x 600 | Brightness: 3,300 lumens | Contrast Ratio: 15000:1 | Projection Size: 300 inches Even in your small room, you can revel in an immersive movie experience, thanks to the projector’s native 1080p resolution and its 3D capability. To complement the picture quality, the PJD7822HDL has a built-in speaker for a more cinematic viewing environment without having to buy extra equipment. If you decide to use the projector in a bright conference room or someplace with a lot of natural light, presentations or movies will still be clear as the lamp provides 3,200 lumens of brightness. Be careful when using the projector’s Bright Mode feature as it can cause poor color contrast and saturation. Repairing, replacing, or cleaning the PJD7822HDL’s bulb is foolproof since you can remove the lamp housing from the projector. Resolution: 1920 x 1080 | Brightness: 3,200 lumens | Contrast Ratio: 15,000:1 | Projection Size: 144 inches
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What to Look For in a Projector
Brightness
Where do you plan on setting up your projector? Whether your projector will be inside or outside makes a huge difference in terms of picture brightness. Even if you decide to place your projector inside, also consider the amount of lighting available in that particular room. Typically, anything over 1,000 lumens will provide enough brightness for the indoors. However, if you plan to use your projector outside during the day, you’ll need something far brighter, with more lumens. Ideally, you’ll need at least 3,000 to 4,000 lumens for adequate brightness.
Resolution
Just like with TVs, your projector’s resolution dictates the overall fidelity of your image. Today, you’ll find several resolutions such as XGA (1024 x 768), WXGA (1280 x 800), HD (1920 x 1080) and, 4K (4096 x 2160). Although 4K is all the craze, HD is the most common resolution for a projector. Keep in mind what types of devices you plan to use with your projector. For instance, if you’re using a Blu-ray disc player, you’ll want a projector with a native 1080p format. Also, beware that not all 4K projectors depict a true 4K resolution.
Projection Type
Projectors can use various light sources that range from conventional lamps to LEDs or lasers. The source your projector uses will usually dictate its lifespan. Lifespans can range from a few thousand hours to decades of constant use. In the case of conventional lamps, replacement is required for around 3,000 hours. Compare the lifespan of a conventional lamp to LED or laser projectors, which often last upwards of 20,000 hours before needing to be serviced. The longer the lifespan, the pricier the projector.
