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If you’re wondering which home theater projectors are worth your money, stick around! After we run through each product, I’ll give you my personal take—Would I buy it, or would I skip it? No fluff, just my honest opinion. Let’s get into it!
Watch the video version: This Is The BEST Home Theater Projector of 2024 - Here's Why It's Unbeatable!
Epson EpiqVision Ultra LS800B
This ultra-short throw beast pumps out an incredible 4,000 lumens, making it perfect for watching in broad daylight without needing blackout curtains. The built-in sound system is surprisingly good, and I love how quietly it runs even at full brightness. While it lacks Dolby Vision support and only handles HDR10 and HLG, the contrast levels and picture quality more than make up for it. The Android TV interface is smooth, though I wish it had better connectivity options like eARC and Wi-Fi 6.
Would I buy it?
Yes – At $3,499, it’s a fantastic value for a UST projector that can handle bright rooms, and the picture quality is exactly what most people need for a home theater setup.
Epson Pro Cinema LS12000
The laser light engine delivers a jaw-dropping 2,700 lumens with a 20,000-hour service life, and the color accuracy is absolutely spot-on. I’m blown away by the 15-element all-glass lens that produces razor-sharp 4K images, and the motorized lens controls make setup a breeze. The HDMI 2.1 inputs support 4K at 120Hz, which is perfect for next-gen gaming, and the contrast ratio is simply stunning. The only minor annoyance is that the fan gets a bit noisy above 75% brightness, but below that, it’s whisper-quiet.
Would I buy it?
Yes – For $4,999, you’re getting premium features like HDR10+ support and incredible contrast that rivals much more expensive projectors.
Hisense PX3-Pro
The RGB triple laser engine produces stunning colors, covering 99.82% of DCI-P3 color space, and the 2,669 measured lumens create a bright, vivid picture. The 50W Harman Kardon speakers deliver impressive sound quality, and the Google TV integration works flawlessly with all major streaming services. Gaming performance is excellent, and I love that it supports 3D content, though the 3D image is a bit dark. The color accuracy out of the box is exceptional, which is rare for projectors in this price range.
Would I buy it?
Yes – This projector offers incredible value with its feature set and performance, making it a top choice for anyone serious about home theater.
Epson Home Cinema LS11000
With 2,500 lumens and a 1,200,000:1 contrast ratio, this projector delivers impressive brightness and black levels. The upscaling quality from 1080p to 4K is excellent thanks to the new ZX Processor, and the pixel-shifting technology makes the image nearly indistinguishable from native 4K. While it’s basically a stripped-down version of the LS12000, you still get HDMI 2.1 support and HDR10+ compatibility. The dynamic contrast is half that of the LS12000, but honestly, in rooms with any ambient light, you probably won’t notice the difference.
Would I buy it?
Maybe – While it offers great value at $3,999 and shares many features with the LS12000, you might want to spend the extra grand for the LS12000’s superior contrast and brightness.
Optoma UHZ65LV
The staggering 5,000 lumens brightness makes this projector an absolute beast for watching content even in well-lit rooms, and I was blown away by how clear everything looked. The laser light source has an impressive lifespan of up to 30,000 hours, meaning you won’t need to worry about replacements for many years to come. The 4K resolution combined with HDR10 support delivers incredible detail and contrast, while the PureMotion technology makes sports and fast-paced content look buttery smooth. The built-in sound system provides decent audio quality for casual viewing, though you’ll want to pair it with proper speakers for the full home theater experience.
Would I buy it?
Yes – The combination of exceptional brightness, long-lasting laser technology, and outstanding picture quality makes this projector a top choice for serious home theater enthusiasts.
JVC LX-NZ3B
While this projector boasts a decent 3,000 lumens brightness, I found serious design flaws that make it frustrating to use. The unit shoots an annoying bright light onto the ceiling, which becomes incredibly distracting during viewing. When trying to use the keystone correction, it creates light bleed around the edges of the projected image. The fan noise is also quite loud, making it difficult to enjoy quiet movie scenes.
Would I buy it?
No – The design flaws and operational issues make this projector hard to recommend, especially considering there are better options available at this price point.
Samsung Premiere LSP7T
As an ultra-short-throw projector, I love how it can create a massive 120-inch image from just 16.3 inches away from the wall. The built-in 30-watt 2.2 channel audio system delivers surprisingly good sound quality, though it’s not quite home theater level. The 2,200 lumens brightness is decent but noticeably lower than some competitors, making it less suitable for bright rooms. The color accuracy before calibration is sub-par, requiring significant adjustments to get the best picture quality.
Would I buy it?
Maybe – While the ultra-short-throw design and smart features are impressive, the lower brightness and need for calibration might be deal-breakers for some users.
BenQ TK710STi
This projector absolutely crushes it with 3,200 lumens of brightness and an impressive 600,000:1 contrast ratio, making it perfect for both dark and bright viewing environments. The laser light source is rated for 20,000 hours and delivers stunning 4K resolution with 95% Rec.709 color coverage. Gaming performance is incredible with just 4ms input lag at 1080p/240Hz, making it one of the most responsive projectors I’ve tested. The built-in Android TV system adds smart functionality, while ARC/eARC HDMI support ensures seamless integration with modern audio systems.
Would I buy it?
Yes – The combination of high brightness, excellent gaming performance, and smart features makes this projector an outstanding value for both movie watching and gaming.
Epson Home Cinema 3800
This projector absolutely blows me away with its incredible brightness of 3,000 lumens, making it perfect for both dark rooms and spaces with ambient light. The image quality is outstanding thanks to its 4K PRO-UHD pixel-shifting technology, delivering sharp, detailed visuals with excellent contrast ratio of 100,000:1. I’m particularly impressed by its versatile setup features, including generous lens shift range (±60% vertical and ±24% horizontal) and 1.6x zoom, which made installation a breeze in my testing room. The built-in 10-watt stereo speakers are surprisingly decent for casual viewing, though you’ll want a proper sound system for the full home theater experience.
Would I buy it?
Yes – The combination of exceptional brightness, contrast, and flexible setup options at $1,699 makes this an outstanding value for a home theater projector. The only real drawback is its limited DCI-P3 color space coverage, but the overall performance more than makes up for it.
Optoma GT3500HDR
The input lag is disappointingly high, making it unsuitable for any kind of gaming. Colors appear washed out even in dark environments, and the contrast ratio falls short of competitors in this price range. The fan noise is unbearably loud, making it difficult to enjoy quiet movie scenes. The setup process is frustratingly complicated with limited adjustment options.
Would I buy it?
No – Poor performance across key metrics and excessive noise levels make this projector hard to recommend. There are much better options available in this price range.
Hisense C1
The ultra-short throw design is fantastic for small spaces, allowing you to place it just inches from the wall. While the brightness is impressive in dark rooms, it struggles significantly with ambient light. The smart features and built-in streaming apps are convenient, though they can be laggy at times. The price point is attractive, but the image quality doesn’t quite match dedicated home theater projectors.
Would I buy it?
Maybe – It’s a decent option if you’re specifically looking for an ultra-short throw projector and have a light-controlled room. The convenience features are nice, but serious home theater enthusiasts might want to look elsewhere.
Epson Home Cinema 5050UB
The contrast ratio is absolutely phenomenal, delivering deep blacks and bright whites that make movies look incredibly cinematic. The motorized lens with extensive zoom and shift capabilities makes setup and lens memory features a joy to use. Color accuracy is outstanding right out of the box, and it gets even better after calibration. The brightness levels are impressive enough to handle both dark room movie viewing and casual daytime sports watching.
Would I buy it?
Yes – While it’s more expensive than the 3800, the superior contrast ratio and better overall image quality justify the price premium. It’s the perfect choice for dedicated home theater enthusiasts who want the best possible image quality.
BenQ TK700
While it claims to be a gaming projector, I found the image quality for movies to be quite underwhelming despite its 3,200 ANSI lumens brightness. The lamp life is disappointingly short at just 4,000 hours in Normal mode, which means you’ll be replacing it frequently if you’re a heavy user. The lack of lens shift makes positioning quite tricky, and you’ll need at least 12 feet of throw distance for a 150-inch image, which isn’t practical for many home theaters. The built-in 5W speaker is barely adequate for basic use and you’ll definitely need an external audio solution.
Would I buy it?
No – The short lamp life and positioning limitations make it hard to recommend for dedicated home theater use.
Optoma UHD38X
I was blown away by this projector’s incredible 4K image quality with 8.3 million distinct pixels and a massive 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio. The 4,000 ANSI lumens brightness means you can watch movies even with some ambient light, and the HDR10 support delivers stunning colors and deep blacks. The dual HDMI 2.0 ports with HDCP 2.2 give you plenty of connectivity options for all your devices. The lamp runs quietly at just 28dB in eco mode, which is impressive for such a powerful unit.
Would I buy it?
Yes – The combination of true 4K resolution, high brightness, and excellent contrast ratio makes this an outstanding choice for home theater enthusiasts.
Optoma GT2000HDR
Despite having 3,500 lumens brightness, I found the 1080p resolution limiting for a modern home theater projector. The short throw ratio means you can get a 120-inch image from just 4’4″ away, but this comes at the cost of reduced image quality compared to standard throw projectors. While it does accept 4K HDR input, it’s still downscaling everything to 1080p which results in noticeable loss of detail. The laser light source with 30,000 hours lifespan is nice, but doesn’t make up for the resolution limitations.
Would I buy it?
No – The 1080p resolution is simply too low for a modern home theater projector at this price point.
BenQ TH575
The audio quality is terrible, with weak output that saturates quickly and lacks any real depth. Power consumption is extremely high at 240W, and it generates significant heat that can raise your room temperature noticeably. While the contrast ratio is decent, the projector requires significant distance from the screen which limits placement options. The fan noise is quite loud and requires keeping the projector far from viewing positions to avoid distraction.
Would I buy it?
No – The combination of poor audio, high power consumption, and loud fan noise make this a subpar choice for home theater use.
Epson Home Cinema 1080
The brightness on this projector is seriously impressive, pumping out 3,400 ISO lumens which means you can actually watch stuff with some lights on – I’ve tested it in my living room and it holds up really well. While the color accuracy is great right out of the box, I noticed the blacks aren’t as deep as I’d like, especially during darker movie scenes. The 1080p resolution delivers crisp images up to a massive 320 inches, and I love that it has two HDMI ports so I can keep both my gaming console and streaming stick plugged in. The 50ms input lag might be a deal-breaker for serious gamers, but for casual gaming and movie watching, you probably won’t notice it.
Would I buy it?
Maybe – while the brightness and picture quality are solid for the $700 price point, the mediocre black levels hold it back from being a must-buy.
BenQ HT2060
The brightness is pretty disappointing at just 1,014 lumens in normal mode, making it basically unusable unless you’re in a completely dark room. While it claims to hit 1,645 lumens in its brightest mode, that setting makes the picture look absolutely terrible and creates an annoying coil whine. The contrast ratio is decent at 2,913:1 in normal mode, but that doesn’t make up for how dim this thing is. For $999, you’re paying too much for what you get, especially when compared to brighter options like the Epson Home Cinema 1080.
Would I buy it?
No – the poor brightness and high price point make this a hard pass when there are better options available.
Epson EpiqVision Mini EF12
This tiny cube projector is a game-changer – it’s super compact but still delivers great color accuracy and impressive built-in Yamaha speakers that actually sound amazing. The Android TV integration is smooth and responsive, and having Chromecast built-in means I can easily stream content from my phone. The laser light source means you’ll never have to replace a bulb, and it’s rated for 20,000 hours of use. Setup is a breeze with auto keystone correction and autofocus, plus it’s small enough to move around the house easily.
Would I buy it?
Yes – despite being a bit pricey, the combination of portability, great sound, and solid picture quality makes this an excellent choice for a versatile home theater setup.
Thanks for watching, I hope this video helped you pick the home theater projectors for you. If you have any questions, drop a comment below. Links to all of these products mentioned in this video will be in the description.
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