Buying a projector can be a real headache, especially if you are starting out in this world. It is not a consumer product; there are a dozen different types; with different purposes; the parameters to control to choose satisfactorily are varied and its price range is huge.
With this in mind we propose you a basic guide that will bring you closer to the. most important features to take into account before purchasing.to finish with a selection of current offers in all price ranges. Although there are other types of projectors for the professional and educational markets, here we will focus on the most attractive ones for a home user, which we understand to be the video projectors for home theater and general multimedia entertainment. including gaming. We will review both fixed and portable projectors, which without as many features have the advantages associated with mobility, greater versatility of use and also lower cost.
Parameters to evaluate to choose the best projector.
As in any electronic product there are a series of fundamental characteristics that we must know in order to “get there and not go overboard”, both in specifications and price. We must also take into account the location in the room where we will install it because the dimensions matter when placing fixed projectors (permanent) and if we are going to use it for home theater seek balance with other components, whether A / V amplifiers, speakers and so on.
Focusing on video projectors and as an introduction, say that it is an optical device that receives video signals from any source among those available (PC, consoles, TV tuner …) and projects them on a special screen or wall. To carry out the process, a DLP projector (the most common ones) uses a digital light processor to decode the signal, together with a set of optical elements (lamp, prism, lens, micro mirrors…) to create the resulting image, static or moving, which will finally be projected. There are other types of more advanced laser monitors, but they are very expensive for a standard home environment.
Budget
If in the purchase of any electronic product we must set the budget with which we have or at least define a specific range in which to move, in the projector segment much more since. the price differences are enormous and a high-end model can be 100, 200 or 300 times the cost of a basic portable projector. Fortunately, new technologies and improved manufacturing processes are bringing down the price of a product that has been very expensive in the past and therefore more used in business or educational environments. The price/performance ratio is better than ever and that is what we should be looking for. In the laser type there are true wonders, but they are not available to everyone.
Resolution
One of the first sections to assess when buying a projector and as in a display screen, refers the maximum number of pixels that can handle natively. The higher the resolution, the sharper the images and the better the overall image quality. Most projectors handle a Full HD native resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels) and is the minimum we should select (On laptops there are models below 1080p, which may be suitable depending on the task).
From there they go up to 4K (3840 x 2160 pixels) or 8K (7680 x 4320 pixels). Even models with 16K resolution are in development… As with monitors, raising their native resolution increases the price and also the need for more power from the source emitting the signal and from the network in the case of wireless transmissions.
Brightness
Another key characteristic that refers to the amount of light brightness of the projector and which you will see expressed in. lumens. The higher the number, the better, the brighter the images that will appear on the screen and thus the more satisfying the viewing experience. This value usually corresponds directly to the capacity of the lamp equipped in each projector and a starting point can be 1000 lumens, although it must also be assessed with other technical parameters that we will see below such as the projection factor.
Contrast
The contrast ratio of a projector is related to the. difference in brightness levels between the lightest and darkest areas. of a projected image. It is expressed as a number and is the maximum difference in brightness between the brightest (white) and darkest (black) colors. A good starting point would be 1,000:1 and in projectors it is usually managed in terms of “full on” and “full off” states. A higher contrast ratio, or in other words a greater separation between the lightest and darkest areas, will provide better detail in the projected image.
Projection factor and range.
Before the purchase of a projector, if it is to be installed permanently, it is necessary to be clear about the dependence where we are going to install it and its dimensions.because it is key to define what is known as “projection distance” to the screen and also the width of the projection that we will get with it. You will see this more clearly with an example. If the projection ratio is 3:1 and the projector is six meters away from the screen, the resulting width will be two meters. Getting this wrong can be costly, although you could compensate with lenses that offer shorter or longer distances. It should also be noted that there are special short throw and “ultra short throw” projectors capable of projecting at a distance of a few centimeters.
Aspect ratio
The native aspect ratio on a projector is the. preset width to height ratio.. Poor projection due to an incorrect aspect ratio can ruin desired images, especially with movie-type content. A projector’s native aspect ratio indicates whether it can be adjusted to various screen sizes and types and is critical to ensure optimized image quality without distortion or stretching on the screen. It also sets the boundaries of the projectable areas, which helps to reduce shadows.
Keystone correction
It is a function that allows correct distortion and tilt of the projected image.regardless of the height of the screen. Correction can be automatic or manual, where the user adjusts the angle of the projector to compensate for corner distortion and tilt. Permanently placed projectors should have no need for this adjustment, which in any case would be done only once, while portable models usually have automatic correction adjustment.
Projection screens
A dedicated screen is the best way to get the most out of your projector in image quality, sharpness and color accuracy, but a solid, clean, white wall may be adequate enough for some applications. If you opt for dedicated ones there are everything you’re looking for in price and size.. In formats, most of the ones you’ll find are roll-up.
Connectivity
Connectivity options are critical as they allow a projector to receive video and audio signals. Standard input ports are usually digital interfaces HDMI, DVI, analog VGA or USB.. Depending on the signal source you are going to use mostly, you will have to opt for one or the other, although a port like HDMI should be enough to connect everything. Some include speaker/speakers of their own, but on a projector it’s not relevant. If you are going to set up something decent for home theater you will have to use your own sound system.
They also usually have Ethernet LAN port and if you want to get rid of cabling, there are models that offer wireless capabilities via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. They tend to be more expensive and as with any wireless transmission you need a high performance, high capacity and low latency connection. As for 3D projection, it is offered by some mid-range models upwards, but if you want something of quality you will have to increase the budget quite a bit.
Buying the best projector (Deals January 2023).
We already said above that the offer is very wide. And that we leave out slide projectors, overhead projectors or overhead projectors, more used in professional or educational environments. And of course also the cinematographic ones and those that use laser engines that are out of a basic consumer guide due to their very high price.
Yes we will include some portable models that besides being the most economical have the advantages of mobility. Their performance is not usually comparable with a good fixed, but they are interesting to get started in this world. In the rest, we bet on those dedicated to home theater and gaming. If you have a good budget to invest and room at home (a dedicated room is ideal for its assembly) there are real home wonders. And as I said; do not forget to keep the balance with the rest of the components, both in the audio and in the projection sources.
AKIYO O1. Basic, portable and very, very economical. It offers a native resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels, 6500 lumens brightness and 4000:1 contrast ratio. it is equipped with HDMI, AV, USB and audio ports and can be connected to computers, consoles, mobiles or streamers. Supports screen sizes from 32 to 180 inches with an optimal projection distance of 1 to 4m. It includes ±15° keystone correction and 25% zoom function. Its price can be afforded by anyone as it costs only 69 euros.
AKATUO. A WiFi mini-projector similar to the previous one. It is equipped with HDMI, VGA, AV, USB interfaces and is compatible with TV Box, TV Stick, PCs, Laptops, Tablets, USB Flash Drive, players and you name it, including wireless streaming from a smartphone. The native resolution is 1280 x 720 pixels and it is priced at 129 euros.
YABER WiFi6. A portable projector with 450 ANSI brightness that can project to screens up to 300 inches. With FHD resolution, it has 4D/4P Trapezoidal correction and 50% Zoom and promises in a super ECO mode up to 100,000 hours of lamp life. Its strong point is the support for wireless technologies on which it works, Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5. It has an economical price, currently on offer, of 237 €.. A starting model from which to start.
Samsung The FreeStyle. It stands out for its rotating design with which you can project your favorite content on any surface and in any direction, from floor to ceiling and with sizes from 30 to 100 inches. Its resolution is FHD and the lamp life is estimated at 20,000 hours. It has USB, HDMI and Wi-Fi ports. It includes its own speakers and is priced at 599 euros.
Optoma HD146X. A DLP with FHD resolution, but high quality for live sports, TV shows, movies and also for gaming due to its low latency. They can play 3D content from almost any compatible source and project to screens up to 300 inches from up to 10 meters. It includes speaker, although as we said it is best to connect a specific audio system for home theater. It has a price on offer of 638 euros.
AAXA P7 Mini projector. One of the best on-the-go home projectors, it offers up to 90 minutes of battery life per charge, 600 LED lumens of brightness when plugged in (450 lumens on battery power) and a full 1080p resolution that can project an image up to 120 inches and in low-light environments. Says the manufacturer that its lamp can last up to 30,000 hours. You can buy it for €722.
Optoma UHD35x. A DLP projector with 3D support and native UltraHD 4K resolution, which can project to screens up to 300 inches and up to 10 meters away. With 3,600 lumens, it is capable of receiving and displaying HDR10 and Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG) content, its contrast ratio is 1,000,000:1 and it features vertical and horizontal keystone correction. It claims its lamp can last up to 15,000 and hours and features a special gaming mode, 1080p and 240 Hz refresh. It is on offer for 978 €..
Epson EH-TW6150. Dedicated to movies, sports and video games, it can project content up to 500 inches (not recommended so much xd). With resolution up to 4K and brightness of 2800 lumens, it has zoom x 1.6 and vertical and horizontal keystone correction and a lamp that according to the manufacturer can last up to 15 years. Available for €1046.
BenQ TK800M. Especially dedicated to home entertainment, this DLP can offer a screen size of over 100 inches with 4K resolution. It has 96 % Rec.709 color coverage with 3000 lumens brightness. It has HDR10 and HLG support optimized for projectors and features vertical keystone correction and 1.1X zoom. It has VGA, USB, DVI, Ethernet, HDMI and Wi-Fi inputs. It is priced at 1,049 euros.
LG CineBeam HU70LS. A projector with 4K UHD resolution (3840 X 2160 pixels) and HDR10. It can be used as a TV thanks to the webOS 4.5 system integrated with applications such as HBO, PrimeVideo or Netflix. It has a brightness of 1500 lumens with a 4-channel LED light source. LG estimates up to 20 years of lifespan (30,000 hours). Currently on offer, it is priced at €1,275.
We stay here because to go further up means having to invest a spectacular amount of money, 3, 5 or 10K. Sample of the difference that we cited from a simple laptop to the elite of lasers, is a model like the Sony VPL-XW7000ES that costs 28,000 euros. And yes, it is for home theater, but what a home… You can find a lot of models on offer much cheaper and with all kinds of features at our retailers of choice:
NoteThis selection contains some links from our affiliates, but none of the products included have been proposed or recommended by them or their manufacturers, but chosen at our own discretion.
