The seating, lights, sound, and design are all major aspects of your home theater. But, the screen is just as important and a major focal point when walking into your home theater room. Framed by red home theater curtains with all luxury seating facing in its direction, the projector and screen are the main attraction. Sure, you could buy a big screen TV, but the best way to watch the game or dive into the movie is to have a large screen and projector. Projectors give you control over the size of the screen– whether that is the size of the entire wall or something on the smaller side. We’ve rounded up our top 5 favorite home theater projectors.
Best for Smaller Rooms:
Viewsonic PJD7828HDL
Image courtesy of Viewsonic
The short-throw lens on this projector achieves a huge projected image in a small space.
The upside: The unique cable management system offers a way to hide cables. At 3200 lumens, the brightness of this projector makes it a great choice for a room with some ambient light.
The downside: Has lighter black levels and less-accurate colors than other less expensive projectors. Some reviewers also reported trouble with the remote.
Highlights:
– Full HD 1080p
– 3200 Lumens
– Built-in 10W speaker
– 1.5:1 throw ratio; 4.2-46.9 ft throw distance
Best 4K Projector:
Sony VPL-VW365ES
Image courtesy of Sony
Often costing upwards of $8,000, 4K projectors are quite an investment. This projector from Sony offers great picture and other features.
The upside: This projector upscales 1080p content to 4K with ease. The 300,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio makes colors display vividly.
The downside: Like most 4K projectors, this does not have a short-throw lens, so make sure you have the space. Images are hard to see in daylight at 1,500 lumens.
Highlights:
– Full 4K resolution
– Screen size range: 42-85 inches from 8 feet, 83-167 inches from 16 feet
– 6,000 hour lamp life
– Color brightness: 1500 Lumens, white brightness: 1500 Lumens
Best Connectivity and Features:
Viewsonic PRO7827HD
Image courtesy of Amazon
This projector offers a number of HDMI inputs as well as best in class connectivity.
The upside: There are 3 HDMI inputs, a plus for a user with a higher number of connected devices. One of these inputs is in a hidden nook, designed to be the perfect size for streaming sticks. The audio goes through the Viewsonic’s audio input as well.
The downside: There are other projectors that offer better video processing speed and picture quality at this $800 price point.
Highlights:
– Full HD 1080p
– Compatible with Mac, Windows, DVD players, Blu-ray players, Amazon FireTV, AppleTV and Chromecast
– 1.5 throw ratio, 4.2-46.9 ft throw distance
– Screen size range: 130 inches at 12 feet, 220 inches at 20 feet
Best Budget-Friendly Projector:
Optoma HD142X
Image courtesy of Optoma
Coming in at under $550, the Optoma HD142X is the ideal purchase for the budget-conscious buyer.
The upside: This full HD projector has good image quality, with generally accurate color and contrast. You can get 5,000 hours out of its bulb at its brightest mode, or up to 8,000 on a less-brighter setting. This projector is long-throw, meaning it can cast a big picture in a small room.
The downside: Its colors are less sharp and accurate than some more expensive competitors. It also does not have an AV input (just 2 HDMI inputs), so you can’t connect older devices.
Highlights:
– Screen size range: 66 inches from 8 feet, 107 inches from 12 feet
– Brightness: 3000 Lumens
– Contrast ratio: 23,000:1
Best for Gamers:
Viewsonic PJD7720HD
Image courtesy of Viewsonic
With little lag time and an intuitive, user-friendly design, this projector is a gamer’s dream. With Viewsonic’s most advanced color technology, plan to enjoy a fully immersive movie experience.
The upside: This projector has very little lag time, making it perfect for the avid gamer. It also experiences little to no performance deterioration over time. Complete with a short throw lens, this projector works great in modest-sized rooms as well.
The downside: It only has one HDMI input. This can be problematic considering the number of devices an owner may want to connect.
Highlights:
– Full HD 1080p, 3200 Lumens
– Screen size ratio: 101 inches at 12 feet, 277 inches at 30 feet
– 22,000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio
– 1.49~1.64:1 throw ratio, 3.25-35.73 ft throw distance
A good projector is a must for a large and high quality picture. Choose one that best suits your needs– be that for gaming, ultra-high definition, or much flexibility. There is a projector for every need and every budget. Whether you’re just building your home theater or looking to upgrade, investing in a projector is a great choice.
To add the cherry on top, ensure your home theater seating is comfortable and relaxing with luxury seats from Seatcraft. Accompany the seats with entertaining accessories such as the wine glass caddy, SoundShaker seat vibration kit, or the adjustable tablet holder.
