Each manufacturer was invited to Brian’s facility in New Jersey to make minor adjustments to their projectors before the event. The picture adjustments were limited to tasks an average consumer could quickly perform, using readily available test patterns. Manufacturers could also provide recommended settings. If they did, the team at ProjectorScreen.com applied them. If a projector company did not provide a list of settings, Philip Jones made the necessary adjustments.

For the first time, we used a dedicated point of visual reference: a 55-inch Samsung S90 QD OLED. It helped us compare color, black levels, HDR highlights, shadow detail, and skin tones. With the reference display established and the room fully controlled, the next step was defining how each projector would be evaluated. These are the judging categories used across all eight units.

Dolby Vision uses dynamic metadata, which means the source and the display exchange information scene by scene or even frame by frame to decide how the image should be tone‑mapped. HDR10 uses static metadata and is royalty-free, so it applies a single set of tone-mapping rules across the entire movie. Epson designed the QS1100 with HDR10 and HLG performance in mind.

For this showdown, we briefly considered using Dolby Vision. The issue was that Dolby Vision reacts to both the source and the display. With eight projectors connected to a single distribution setup, there was no reliable way to know how each projector would respond or whether the metadata would behave consistently across all units. We did not want to introduce a variable that could influence one projector differently than another. To keep the testing fair and consistent, we decided against using Dolby Vision for the event.

After the initial pass using manufacturer-recommended settings, every projector was factory reset. The judges agreed on which preset picture mode looked best out of the box.  We then re-evaluated each projector's SDR and HDR image quality. This round is important because many buyers plug in a UST, pick a picture mode, and start watching. These scores reflect how well manufacturers tuned their baseline modes and how friendly their setup process is for everyday users.

A Message to Manufacturers

One theme that became clear during the 2025 UST Projector Showdown is that many projectors still ship with some of their best image quality features turned off. Dynamic contrast systems, adaptive laser controls, tone mapping enhancements and optimization engines often remain buried in menus and disabled.

Because we judge projectors exactly as they are shipped unless the manufacturer provides recommended settings, the first impression an end user gets is the same first impression we get. If key features are disabled by default, the projector is not showing its true capability. Think of it like buying a new smartphone with the camera locked to a basic low resolution mode until you dig through menus to enable the real features. Most users would never know the camera was capable of more unless they already knew where to look.

That is what happens with many projectors today, not just UST models. We strongly encourage manufacturers to enable their best picture quality features out of the box so users can see the strongest, most accurate image their projector can produce right away. Anyone who prefers a simpler presentation can turn features off later. Shipping with your best settings enabled benefits everyone. It ensures users, reviewers and even the manufacturer’s reputation reflect what the product can actually deliver.

Every judge brings a slightly different perspective to the UST Projector Showdown. My approach comes from years of testing projectors and my ISF Level III background. When I score a UST, I look for the traits that matter in real world viewing.

Accuracy Comes First

If a projector cannot render believable skin tones, natural color and stable whites, everything else starts to fall apart. I put a lot of weight on how a projector handles human faces and subtle gradients because that is where good engineering shows through.

HDR Tone Mapping Is the Big Separator

Modern content is almost entirely HDR, so a projector’s ability to manage highlights, shadow detail and scene by scene changes is critical. Units with balanced tone mapping rise to the top. Projectors that clip highlights or crush shadows fall quickly.

Black Levels and Contrast Depend on the Room

In a fully controlled theater, deep blacks win. In a mixed or bright room, visibility and color stability matter more. I judge based on the environment a projector is designed for, not a single universal standard.

Installation Flexibility Matters

A UST that is difficult to align or needs constant micro adjustments will not perform at its best in a typical home. A solid chassis with consistent focus and predictable placement earns points.

Price Always Plays a Role

Performance matters most, but price determines value. A projector does not need to be the best overall to be the best value. Price never overrides picture quality in my rankings, but it shapes who a model makes sense for.

Consistency Across Content Is the Final Filter

A projector should not only look good on one scene or one movie. I look for stability across multiple sources, genres and brightness ranges. When you see my picks throughout this article, they reflect a balance of accuracy, tone mapping, usability, consistency and value.

Because we had multiple categories this year, I was able to adjust my approach slightly within each one. Some categories rewarded technical precision, others emphasized real‑world usability or value. That flexibility helped me judge each projector based on what mattered most for that specific category.

These rankings represent my personal judging results only, based on what I saw from my viewing position, my evaluation priorities and my experience as a reviewer. They are not the official winners of the 2025 UST Projector Showdown.

The showdown includes multiple judges, each scoring independently. Philip Jones and ProjectorReviews.com, along with Brian Gluck and ProjectorScreen.com, compile the full set of all judges’ scores to determine the actual event winners.

If you want the full official results, the complete scorecards, and Philip’s write-up of the final standings, please visit ProjectorScreen.com  for the full event breakdown and complete ranking results. ProjectorReviews.com – for Philip Jones’ analysis and the official winners. My section of this article reflects only my experience, my scores, and my perspective as one judge in the panel.

At 3:05 in the morning, the entire judging team woke to one of the loudest hotel alarms I have ever heard. At first I slapped the alarm clock, thinking it was a terrible wake up tone. A moment later it was clear this was no alarm clock. The lights were flashing and the building alarm system was in full evacuation mode.

We all headed outside into the cold rain, standing in the parking lot trying to figure out who angered the home theater gods. The Pompton Falls Fire Department and Wayne Fire Department responded quickly, along with the Wayne Police Department. They moved through the building to make sure everything was safe.

There was no fire, just an unforgettable moment that became an instant inside joke for the weekend. If there were an award for Best Surprise Demo, that alarm would have won.