Projectors

How to choose a projector

A projector gives you a 100-inch picture for money that will not buy a TV that size. But brightness, resolution and throw distance must match the room — otherwise the image is dim or does not fit the wall.

• Brightness (ANSI lumens). A darkened cinema room needs 1500–3000 lumens, a living room with daylight 3000–4000, a meeting room 4000–5000, a large hall 6000 and up. Portable LED projectors give 100–1000 lumens and only work well in the dark.
• Resolution. HD ready (1280×720) does for cartoons, Full HD (1920×1080) is the everyday standard, 4K UHD shows detail on a 100–120″ screen. Offices favour WXGA and WUXGA (1920×1200), i.e. 16:10.
• Technology. 3LCD (Epson) gives evenly bright colours with no rainbow effect; DLP (BenQ, Acer) offers sharp contrast in a compact body. A lamp lasts 4000–6000 hours, a laser 20,000 and lights instantly, LED lives in portables.
• Throw ratio. A standard projector (1.2–1.5) needs 2.7–3.3 m for a 100″ picture, a short-throw model (0.5–0.8) manages with one metre, an ultra-short-throw (under 0.4) sits against the wall.
• Connections and smarts. HDMI 2.0 is a must for 4K; gamers want HDMI 2.1 and input lag under 20 ms. Wi-Fi, Google TV and autofocus turn a portable projector into a self-contained cinema.
• Sound and noise. A built-in 5–10 W speaker does for the news; add a soundbar for films.

Projectors in our range

Home cinema projectors in Full HD and 4K: Epson EH-TW6250 and EH-TW7100 (4K PRO-UHD), BenQ TK700, TK710 and TK705i, Acer H6815; for gamers, Philips GamePix 800 and 900, BenQ X500i and X3100i. Portable and smart projectors with a battery or Google TV: Anker Nebula Capsule 3 Laser, Mars 3 and Cosmos 4K SE, Epson EF-61 to the 4K EF-73, BenQ GV50, Xiaomi Smart Projector L1 Pro, and the affordable Philips NeoPix 100–960. Office and classroom projectors of 3500–5200 lumens: Epson EB-W55, EB-FH08 and the laser EB-L270F, BenQ MW560 and the LH655C meeting-room model, Acer X1526 and Vero PL2530i. Short-throw BenQ TH671ST and LK835ST, plus Epson's ultra-short-throw EB-805F. For conference halls and fixed installations: Epson EB-L690U to EB-L895U (6000–8000 lm, WUXGA laser), EB-PU2010W (10,000 lm) and BenQ LU785.

Brands

Epson invented 3LCD and has the widest range — from home cinema and the EF series to laser installations. BenQ DLP projectors are known for colour accuracy and gaming features; the TK series is the 4K home cinema sweet spot. Philips NeoPix is the cheapest way into a big picture; GamePix is built for console gaming. Acer makes bright DLP projectors for office and home at a sensible price. Anker Nebula is the benchmark for battery smart projectors with Google TV and autofocus. Xiaomi Smart Projector L1 is a compact smart projector for the bedroom.

Related products

With the picture on the wall, sound belongs to a soundbar or Hi-Fi speakers. Several sources need HDMI splitters, a meeting room conference systems. If the room is bright and the picture under 85″, compare TVs — the full range is in TV and audio.

Frequently asked questions

How many lumens does home cinema need? In a darkened room 1500–3000 ANSI lumens; with uncovered windows by day, at least 3000–4000.

Can I do without a screen? A smooth white wall works, but a screen gives a 20–30% brighter, more even picture; a grey screen improves contrast in a bright room.

Laser or lamp? A laser lasts about 20,000 hours — ten years of daily viewing — while a lamp needs replacing after 4000–6000 hours.

Is a 4K projector real 4K? Most 4K home projectors use pixel shifting (4K PRO-UHD, XPR) on a Full HD chip — the picture is still clearly sharper.

Will a portable projector work outdoors in summer? Yes, after dark — 500–1000 lumens give an 80–100″ picture on the terrace, and the battery lasts one film (2–3 hours).