The Best Projectors For Home Theaters
While trips to the movie theater are a treat, many of us are just as happy snuggling up to a movie at home. Investing in a home projector could bring the wonders of cinema into your own living room, letting you relive your favorite moments again and again while surrounded by friends and family. We've compiled a range of projectors, from budget-friendly options to premium picks. There's sure to be a projector for you.
What to Look For
Projectors come in all shapes and sizes, and it can take some research to understand the jargon. Lumen rating relates to overall image brightness, so you’ll want an option with a high lumen rating if your screening room is bright. Furthermore, the resolution tells you the overall pixel depth. Also, when it’s movie time, you’ll want to make sure your devices can be easily connected, so be sure to check input options and what cabling comes included. The Fangor F-506 is an ideal first buy for home cinema newbies. This 1080p wonder will bring crisp clarity to your living room. But if portability is your priority, we recommend the Nebula Anker Capsule. It offers ultimate flexibility, with four-hour battery life and a built-in omnidirectional speaker that lets you set up a screening wherever your heart desires. Read on to get the scoop on the rest of our favorite projectors.
Fangor F-506 1080p Projector
Cast a light on your night
Sink into the wonders of the silver screen from the comfort of your own home with this compact and affordable portable movie projector from Fangor. With a native 1080p resolution and a high contrast ratio of 10000:1, this projector will beam crispy images into your living room. This one-stop home cinema solution offers broad compatibility for most personal devices, with connectivity options that include VGA, AV, HDMI, USB, SD card, and wifi.
Pros:
- Bluetooth audio compatibility lets you connect this projector to your favorite wireless audio device. It’s a great way to connect headphones or earbuds as well.
- This option comes with a padded carry case for safe storage and transportation.
- The high-quality optical lens boasts over 65,000 hours of lamp life, giving you plenty of time to reacquaint yourself with your favorite movie moments.
Cons:
- The fan noise on this projector is slightly louder than other options, which can be disruptive to your viewing experience in smaller settings.
Smonet 102T HD Projector
Cast a big image for a small cost
The Smonet 102T offers a gateway into the joy of home cinema, casting bold 720p resolution for a fraction of the cost of its competitors. While the 7500-lumen brightness and 3000:1 contrast ratio might not offer quite as much image depth as more expensive options, it’s certainly enough to bring your favorite cinematic characters to life in a darkened room. It also offers a multitude of connection options, so you can plug and play using laptops, USB drives, TV sticks, and more.
Pros:
- The 15 degrees of keystone correction mean you can place this projector at different angles without compromising the geometry of the image.
- You’ll appreciate the remote controller included with the 102T, which is especially handy for those that mount their projector on the ceiling.
- It has 1080p support, so you won’t have to dive through menus to alter the output resolution of HD devices before playback.
Cons:
- The quality of the in-built speaker is poor, so we recommend plugging in some good speakers or headphones.
AuKing M8-F Mini Projector
Intimate screening
If your viewing environment is on the snug side, you’re best off with an equally compact projector. The M8-F mini projector has compact dimensions and a wide throw, allowing placement up to a meter away from a screen or wall. Smaller projectors s can often suffer from overwhelming fan noise, but this miniature wonder is equipped with an advanced cooling system that keeps the volume low so you can stay immersed as you watch.
Pros:
- Don’t be fooled by the size of this scaled-down option. When extended to its maximum range of five meters, this projector can cast an enormous 170-inch screen size.
- The LED bulb boasts up to 55,000 hours of operational life. And when the time comes to replace it, you’re sure to save a chunk of cash when compared with expensive halogen bulbs.
- It’s ready to go in under 10 seconds, so you don’t have to wait long for the power cycle to warm up.
Cons:
- With a native resolution of just 480p, this projector won’t impress those expecting crystalline HD.
Nebula Anker Capsule
Pop up cinema
Thanks to flash memory, we’ve gotten used to carrying entire media libraries in our pockets. With this portable projector in your arsenal, you can also carry all of the hardware you need for instant playback wherever you roam. If you’re expecting your cinematic experience to match the compact scale of this capsule projector, you’ll be in for a surprise when you sink into the bold 100-inch projection. With the internal battery offering up to four hours of playback from a single charge, you’ll have plenty of time for all but the longest movie marathons.
Pros:
- With manual keystone correction for both horizontal and vertical dimensions, the possibilities for placement are endless.
- The Nebula Connect app offers remote control from any compatible smartphone, so you can relax if you leave the native handset at home.
- A powerful 5W omnidirectional speaker onboard makes this capsule an all-in-one audiovisual solution.
Cons:
- With the brightness of just 100 ANSI-lumens, this projector’s image is only visible in dark environments.
Epson Home Cinema 3200
Don't compromise clarity
If you’re looking for the finest home cinema experience that money can buy, Epson is the name of the game. The 3200 series will mesmerize your audience with the breathtaking clarity of 4K ultra HD. Advanced 3LCD technology annihilates common RGB artifacts, bringing a rich color palette that goes above and beyond the scope of most home cinema equipment.
Pros:
- An 18Gbps HDMI 2.0 port supports the heftiest 4K resolutions at a full 60Hz refresh rate. The resulting image is nothing short of impressive.
- Thanks to the 2,900-lumen brightness, you won’t have to invest in blackout blinds for your home cinema space.
- The detailed calibration settings let you achieve an optimal screening experience whatever your placement position or room conditions.
Cons:
- Due to the advanced technology, this premium projector comes at a premium price.
Frequently Asked Questions
How bright should my projector be?
With some models using different measurement systems, such as ANSI lumens, it can be confusing to know what brightness will be appropriate for your space. Not all lumens are equal. Larger screen sizes require more brightness overall to deliver the same definition distributed across a wider surface. Most home cinema screenings will take place in the dark, but if you’re planning to project in an environment with low levels of ambient light we’d recommend a brightness of at least 1,000 lumens.
What is the true resolution of my projector?
While many mid-tier home cinema projectors boast 1080p resolution, it pays to read the small print if you want to avoid disappointment. Most household projectors will support 1080p playback, but this doesn’t always mean you’ll end up with this many pixels in the resultant image. Be sure to check the native resolution dimensions, as this will be the size of the image you see.
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