The Best Home Theater Projectors for Movie Night

Hello, my friend, hello again; today we come together to talk about The Best Home Theater Projectors for Movie Night and hope the blog can help you.

Pop some popcorn, turn down the lights, and settle in: You can get the cinema experience in your own living room with a home theater projector setup.

Home theater projectors are a great alternative to traditional TVs, especially for those who want to enjoy media on a big screen. One of the main draws of a projector is to get the movie-theater experience in your own home. The large and immersive image, displayed on a home theater projector screen mounted to the wall, feels more like sitting in a cinema than when watching a backlit TV.

To better get to know their perks, we spoke to Vincent Wang, the CEO of XGIMI North America, a home projector retailer. “Projectors may be a better option than TVs for several reasons,” he says. According to Wang, projectors offer expansive visuals, excel in spatial efficiency, and even save room “without compromising on the big-screen experience.” He adds, “With a projector, you will have a more comfortable visual experience than with a TV because the device uses softer light. It offers a blend of innovation and brings a true cinematic experience to the comfort of your living room.”

The top options, some of which were tested by our reviewers, offer excellent picture quality, sufficient brightness, the right input, and additional features for your needs. Read on to see—by helpful category—the best home theater projectors for at-home viewing.

1. BEST OVERALL: Epson Home Cinema 3800 4K PRO-UHD Projector
2. BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Optoma HD146X Home Theater Projector
3. UPGRADE PICK: Sony 4K HDR Laser Home Theater Projector
4. BEST FOR SMALL ROOMS: Optoma GT2000HDR Compact Short Throw Projector
5. BEST LED: BenQ HT2060 1080p HDR LED Home Theater Projector
6. BEST FOR OUTDOORS: BenQ GS50 Portable Projector
7. BEST MINI: Xgimi MoGo 2 Pro Mini Projector
8. BEST FOR TRAVEL: Anker Nebula Mars II Pro Projector
9. BEST FOR GAMING: BenQ TH685P 1080p 3500lm Home Theater Projector
10. ALSO CONSIDER: Epson Home Cinema LS11000 4K PRO-UHD Laser Projector

How We Chose the Best Home Theater Projectors

It can be difficult to choose the best home theater projector for your needs. Brands display lots of specifications and features that might sound impressive but may not directly translate to great performance. We considered more than 20 top-rated brand-name projectors for this guide. We then conducted extensive research into our top picks, going beyond the brand specs to research trusted third-party reviews and shopper’s comments. We also included comments from our own testing on a few of the top picks.

We chose home movie theater projectors that have good image quality at their price point; projectors can range from a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars, and much like a TV, the price has some ties to quality. Since people use projectors for a variety of needs, from a TV replacement to a portable outdoor movie or sports-viewing device, we chose the best home theater projector systems in a range of categories so there should be an option to suit every shopper’s needs.

Our Top Picks

Outfit your living or theater room and take advantage of an excellent viewing experience with one of the best home theater projectors.

Best Overall

Epson Home Cinema 3800 4K PRO-UHD Projector

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Product Specs 

• Light source: Lamp
• Resolution: 4K PRO-UHD
• Brightness: 3000 lumens

Pros

• Offers a 4K resolution image for a reasonable midrange cost
• Imaging technology provides excellent contrast and prevents the “rainbow effect” that can occur in similar projectors
• Has a built-in speaker, but users can also connect to speakers with aptX Bluetooth technology

Cons

• A bit large and bulky; projector looks chunky and might not fit some existing mounted setups

The Epson Home Cinema 3800 projector offers excellent performance packaged into a reasonably priced projector. This projector boasts Epson’s 4K PRO-UHD (ultra high-definition) technology, which uses processing technologies to enhance the image from the projector’s native 1080 pixels (p) to 4K quality. This technology also helps with color and image processing. Combined with the 3000 lumen brightness, this creates a vivid and bright image on the screen.

The imaging technology in this projector (3LCD) improves color accuracy, preventing the “rainbow effect” that can happen with some projectors (which looks like a blurry rainbow distortion around some images). Apart from its great picture quality, this projector also has a built-in speaker system, though buyers will probably want to connect it to their own using the product’s aptX Bluetooth technology.

What our testers say: Jared Wilder and Markkus Rovito, Bob Vila writers, note in The Best Outdoor Projectors that this projector displayed rich colors and great picture quality: “Epson counsels a maximum of 300 inches for the projection size; we tested it at around that size with no appreciable loss in detail quality. Internal processing can also ‘upscale’ a 1080p full-HD video source to 4K resolution.”

Get the Epson Home Cinema 3800 home theater projector at Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, or Epson.

Best Bang For The Buck

Optoma HD146X Home Theater Projector

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Product Specs 

• Light source: Lamp
• Resolution: 1080p
• Brightness: 3600 lumens

Pros

• Great performance for its under $1000 price
• Relatively long lamp life (when used in Eco or Dynamic mode), offering up to 15,000 hours of viewing time
• High brightness; can be used in rooms with some ambient light

Cons

• Some reviewers note the fan sound is quite loud and can be disruptive

For a sub-$1,000 price tag, the Optoma HD146X home theater projector is for shoppers on a budget who want a decent projector. This full HD 1080p projector is bright; at 3600 lumens, it can be used during the day. The projector has great contrast and color accuracy, so it will display TV shows and movies nicely. In darkened rooms, take advantage of the Eco or Dynamic settings, which dim the projection but improve lamp life (up to a maximum of 15,000 hours, which is great for a lamp light source).

Of course, like any budget-friendly electronic product, this projector will lack some features to accommodate for its lower price point. This projector has fewer connectivity options, with just an HDMI input and an audio 3.5mm and USB-A output. Some reviewers also note that this projector runs a bit loud.

Get the Optoma HD146X home theater projector at Amazon, Best Buy, Adorama, B&H, or Optoma.

Upgrade Pick

Sony 4K HDR Laser Home Theater Projector

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Product Specs 

• Light source: Laser
• Resolution: 4K
• Brightness: 2000 lumens

Pros

• Native 4K resolution for sharp and realistic images; excellent picture quality
• Long-lasting laser light source won’t dim or need replacement like a bulb would
• Modern-looking housing looks nice in a movie room

Cons

• High price tag and impressive specs aren’t for everyone; may not be worth the cost for some
• This projector is heavy, weighing around 28 pounds

Those willing to shell out more cash for a projector will want to consider the Sony 4K HDR Laser home theater projector. This unit is a native 4K projector, which means it provides full 4K resolution without the help of image-boosting technology (which is the case for our top pick, the Epson Home Cinema 3800 projector). Keep in mind that many people can’t see much difference between these different “types” of 4K, so it will be up to individual shoppers if it’s worth the cost.

This projector also uses a laser light source instead of a lamp. The laser light source provides up to 2000 lumens of brightness, and it won’t dim over time like lamp light sources do; there’s no need to change a bulb. Stunning color and immersive contrast also give this projector an edge. In addition, this projector looks modern, so it won’t be an eyesore in a theater room.

Get the Sony home theater projector at Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, or B&H.

Best For Small Rooms

Optoma GT2000HDR Compact Short Throw Projector

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Product Specs 

• Light source: Laser
• Resolution: 1080p
• Brightness: 3500 lumens

Pros

• With a short throw lens, the projector can sit only 3 feet from a wall or screen
• Laser light source is bright; lasts for up to 30,000 hours of viewing time
• Fairly small and compact, so home theater projector installation is easy in tight spaces

Cons

• Some reviewers noticed a rainbow effect (slight color distortion around some images)

A short throw home theater projector is the best choice for small rooms; it allows viewers to place the projector closer to the screen than they can with a regular projector. The Optoma GT2000HDR compact short throw projector can project a 100-inch image from about 3 feet away, so those who don’t have space for a proper mounted setup can still enjoy home theater projection.

Impressively, this unit is a laser projector and provides up to 3500 lumens of brightness for daytime viewing. It’s not too expensive either and provides great image quality and contrast without the need to change out a lamp bulb over time (the laser should last up to 30,000 hours). This model is compact, up to 34 percent smaller than the brand’s other models, so it won’t look too clunky in a small room either.

Get the Optoma short throw home theater projector at Amazon, Best Buy, Abt, or Adorama. 

Best LED

BenQ HT2060 1080p HDR LED Home Theater Projector

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Product Specs 

• Light source: LED
• Resolution: 1080p
• Brightness: 2300 American National Standards Institute (ANSI) lumens

Pros

• Reasonably priced projector’s LED light source won’t require replacement during the product’s lifetime
• Filmmaker Mode is excellent for movie viewing, displaying the film as intended for a cinema experience
• 1.3 times zoom range, 2D keystone feature, and vertical lens shift help with flexible installation locations

Cons

• Some reviewers note poor sound quality and low volume from onboard speakers

Projectors with an LED light source last longer than projectors with a lamp but often come at a lower price tag than their laser counterparts. This LED home theater projector from BenQ is on the more budget-friendly side, and with its LED light, it should last 20,000 to 30,000 hours. This unit delivers good contrast, great color, and 1080p resolution.

This projector is another compact option, plus it has built-in speakers (though it can connect to external speakers). For easier setup, it has a decent 1.3 times zoom ratio; 2D keystone (which eliminates the trapezoid shape that projections can sometimes take on from certain installation locations); and vertical lens shift, which isn’t common at this price point. One handy feature is the Filmmaker Mode, which disables image enhancements to display movies as they were intended by the director.

Get the BenQ HT2060 home theater projector at Amazon, Best Buy, or BenQ.

Best For Outdoors

BenQ GS50 Portable Projector

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Product Specs 

• Light source: LED
• Resolution: 1080p
• Brightness: 500 lumens

Pros

• Great picture quality for a portable projector, with decent brightness, sharp images, and vivid colors
• Features impressive sound for built-in speakers on a projector of this size
• More rugged than some; splash-resistant and drop-resistant to better tolerate outdoor use

Cons

• Netflix does not support this projector, so it takes a few extra steps to access this streaming service

The best outdoor theater projector is the perfect setup for outdoor movie nights. The BenQ GS50 portable projector’s image and audio quality are excellent, so it makes for a great outdoor projector setup—no extra speaker required (though users can add their own for even better audio quality). Once put in place and switched on, it has an adjustable stand that lets it angle as much as 15 degrees, so the projector autofocuses quickly.

This 1080p-resolution projector is compact and lightweight, so it’s easy to move about outside. It’s also water-resistant against splashes (IPX2 splash proof), so a little inclement weather won’t ruin the device. With drop protection from 2.3 feet high, it won’t be destroyed after taking a small tumble. The projector comes with an enclosed Android TV stick that gives users streaming access. Unfortunately, this projector is not supported by Netflix, but users can connect another device through the HDMI input to access this streaming service.

What our testers say: Jared Wilder and Markkus Rovito, Bob Vila writers, note in