Bring theater-level quality into your home with one of the best home theater projectors on the market. As more movies than ever release directly to streaming platforms, now is the best time to purchase a projector for your home theater.
Having a projector as your primary viewing experience creates large pictures that offer immersion that can't be found with a standard-sized TV. With all of the projectors on this list being 4k, you will get a great watching and gaming experience. Not to mention that projector-level quality comes at a fraction of the cost of an ultra-sized TV.
The ultimate home theatre experience is all in the projector. Whether your plans are for a dedicated media room, or a multi-purpose living area, there's a projector that will fit your need and determining which one to get depends on room size, ambient light, seating, and so on. Our projector reports and projector buyers guides detail the most thorough information and suggestions to help you make these choices with confidence.
Besides performance and image quality, also look at features that will spice up the experience in viewing. Modern projectors come with all kinds of functionalities, from 4K resolution to compatibility with HDR and advanced connectivity. Get yourself the right projector for those stunning visuals and immersive sound, bringing cinema to your home. Get exploring with our top picks and find the perfect projector to take your entertainment to the next level.
If you are looking for the ultimate home theater experience, you should look closely at Sony’s flagship projector, the VPL-GTZ380, a 10,000-lumen, native 4K SXRD projector that retails for $80,000 (minus lens).
Enter the VPL-GTZ380. Compared to its predecessors, the GTZ380 delivers much higher brightness and wider color gamut resulting in a massive increase in color volume. The unit’s X1 Ultimate chip also boosts video processing power, further improving both SDR and HDR picture quality.
Sony VPL-GTZ380 Specs | |
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Price | $80,000 (minus lens) |
Technology | SXRD-3 |
Native Resolution | 4K (4096x2160) |
Brightness (Manufacturer Claim) | 10000 |
Contrast | ∞:1 |
Zoom Lens Ratio | 1.95:1 (VPLL-Z8014 Lens) |
Lens Shift | Yes |
Lamp Life | 20,000 hours |
Weight | 112 |
Warranty | 3 year |
The GTZ380 is intended for applications where the highest image quality is critical. While the unit will be most attractive to video enthusiasts looking for the ultimate home theater projector, you will also see it utilized for other applications, including film festivals, private screening rooms, and training simulators.
The XW7000ES is a 3200-lumen native 4K home theater projector that retails for $27,999. It is part of a complete line refresh of Sony’s SXRD projector lineup. Sony has reduced the number of models they offer but now every unit utilizes a laser light source. Since the laser light source has a rated life of 20,000 hours the result is years of nearly maintenance-free operation.
Sony VPL-XW7000ES Specs | |
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Price | $27,999 |
Technology | SXRD |
Native Resolution | 3840x2160 |
Brightness (Manufacturer Claim) | 3200 |
Contrast | ∞:1 |
Zoom Lens Ratio | 2.14:1 |
Lens Shift | Yes |
Lamp Life | 20,000 hours |
Weight | 31 lbs |
Warranty | 3 year |
In addition to their laser sources, these models also utilize a new 0.61-inch SXRD panel which is more compact while still offering high native contrast and native 4K UHD resolution. The XW7000ES is 20% smaller and 30% lighter than the VW915ES.
JVC has announced three new D-ILA home theater, projector models. The JVC DLA-NZ9 is an HDR home theater projector that delivers true 4K resolution (4096 x 2160). It is the replacement for the award-winning DLA-NX9/RS3000, which we reviewed a while back. These JVC models utilize their BLU-Escent laser light source, include 8K e-shift technology, and are the world’s first projectors to offer 48Gbps 8K/60p inputs.
JVC DLA-NZ9 Specs | |
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Price | $25,999 |
Technology | DILA, 3Chip |
Native Resolution | 4,096 x 2,160 |
Brightness (Manufacturer Claim) | 3000 |
Contrast | 100,000:1 |
Zoom Lens Ratio | 2.00:1 |
Lens Shift | Yes |
Lamp Life | 20,000 hours |
Weight | 56 |
Warranty | 3 year |
The DLA-NZ9 sits at the higher end of JVC’s D-ILA FPJ lineup, but its high native contrast combined with 4K resolution results in exceptional performance. Since this is a native 4K unit (unlike a 2K pixel shifting projector), it can faithfully reproduce all 8.8 million pixels found in 4K content.
JVC claims the NZ9 has a native contrast ratio of 100,000:1 (Dynamic Contrast Ratio 1,000,000:1), which is exceptional. Laser dimming gives the NZ9 a nearly infinite dynamic contrast ratio. In addition, the NZ9 can also deliver rich, vibrant colors. JVC also claims that the NZ9 can reproduce 100% of the DCI-P3 color space with the Cinema Filter engaged.
The Sony VPL-XW5000ES is a 2000-lumen native 4K home theater laser projector that retails for $6,000. The XW5000ES, which is Sony’s entry-level 4K home theater, is the least expensive native 4K 3-chip LCOS projector on the market.
Sony VPL-XW5000ES Specs | |
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Price | $5999 |
Technology | 3 LCoS panels (SXRD) |
Native Resolution | 3840x2160 |
Brightness (Manufacturer Claim) | 2000 |
Contrast | ∞:1 |
Zoom Lens Ratio | 1.60:1 |
Lens Shift | Yes |
Lamp Life | 20,000 hours |
Weight | 28lbs |
Warranty | 3 year |
All of Sony’s current lineup up of 4K home theater projectors, including the XW5000ES, utilize a Z-Phosphor laser light source. The laser light source has a rated life of 20,000 hours which results in years of nearly maintenance-free operation. The fact that the XW5000ES is a laser projector is a big deal. In the past, the least expensive laser light source equipped 4K SXRD projector was the VW915ES which retailed for about $20,000.
While the new SXRD panels used in the XW5000ES offer very high native contrast, the projector’s dynamic contrast is nearly infinite due to its ability to precisely modulate its Z-Phosphor laser light source.
The Epson Pro Cinema LS12000 which retails for $4999 is a 4K HDR-compatible laser home theater. The Pro Cinema LS12000 uses native 1080P 3LCD panels but the projector is equipped with the latest version of Epson’s 4K UHD Pro technology. This feature combines advanced pixel-shifting technology and a new Precision Glass Shift Plate with three individual high-definition LCD chips to produce 4K resolution (3840×2160 pixels) on screen.
Epson LS12000 Specs | |
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Price | $4999 |
Technology | 3LCD laser |
Native Resolution | 1920x1080 |
Brightness (Manufacturer Claim) | 2700 |
Contrast | 2,500,000:1 (Dynamic) |
Zoom Lens Ratio | 2.00:1 |
Lens Shift | Yes |
Lamp Life | 20,000 hours |
Weight | 28.0 |
Warranty | 3 year |
The LS12000 is Epson’s most advanced Pro Cinema Series projector to date and it is designed to deliver the performance and features demanded by the most discerning video enthusiasts. The LS12000 is a great option for someone who wants to enjoy HDR movies and high frame-rate gaming in a family room or dedicated home theater.
The Epson Home Cinema LS11000, which retails for $3999, is a 4K HDR compatible laser home theater projector. The LS11000 has a rated brightness of 2,500 ANSI Lumens and can deliver over 1,200,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio.
Epson LS11000 Specs | |
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Price | $3999 |
Technology | 3 LCD |
Native Resolution | 1920x1080x4 (3840x2160) |
Brightness (Manufacturer Claim) | 2500 |
Contrast | 1200000:1 |
Zoom Lens Ratio | 2.1:1 |
Lens Shift | Yes |
Lamp Life | 20,000 hours |
Weight | 28lbs |
Warranty | 3 years |
We had the opportunity to review the Epson Pro Cinema LS12000 and were incredibly impressed with the unit’s performance. The Home Cinema LS11000 delivers a lot of the same performance as the LS12000, but for a thousand dollars less.
The LS11000 sits at the top of Epson’s Home Cinema Series projector lineup. It is feature packed and delivers outstanding performance at a price that should be within reach of many enthusiasts. The LS11000 is a great option for someone who wants to enjoy HDR movies and high frame-rate gaming in a media or family room.
The AU810PB is one of these great new offerings and part of the LG CineBeam line-up of projectors. This series is designed to make projection more accessible and appealing to a broader range of consumers. We have reviewed a couple of other projectors in this line-up.
LG AU810PB Specs | |
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Price | $3999 |
Technology | DLP with XPR (0.47” DMD) |
Native Resolution | 1920x1080x4 |
Brightness (Manufacturer Claim) | 2700 |
Contrast | 2,000,000,000:1, 2,000.000;1 |
Zoom Lens Ratio | 1.6:1 |
Lens Shift | Yes |
Lamp Life | 20,000 hours |
Weight | 24.3. lbs |
Warranty | 2 year |
The LG AU810PB is a 4K DLP Laser Smart projector with a suggested retail price of $3999. This projector offers a great deal of performance and numerous advanced features for its price. The LG AU810PB has a rated brightness of 2700 Lumens, and its Laser-light source is rated to last up to 20,000 hours.
The LG AU810PB combines all the Smart capabilities of flat-panel TVs but with the high-quality, maintenance-free Laser-light engine and 4K resolution to make it a true flat panel TV replacement.
Even though the XGIMI Horizon Ultra only costs $1699 at retail, it has a number of cutting-edge features that aren't yet seen in projectors from pricier competitors. The Horizon Ultra's newly created light source is one of the most intriguing technologies it uses.
According to XGIMI, three elements affect a projector's picture quality: brightness, color gamut, and color accuracy. Accurate color reproduction is a common challenge for bright projectors. RGBB LED projectors are typically not extremely bright, despite the fact that they can properly display a wide range of colors. Although tri-laser projectors may create a wide spectrum of colors and high brightness, they frequently exhibit visible speckle and color fringing.
XGIMI Horizon Ultra Specs | |
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Price | $1699 |
Technology | DLP (0.47” DMD) |
Displayed Resolution | 3840 x 2160 Pixel Shifting |
Brightness (Manufacturer Claim) | 2300 ISO Lumens |
Light Source | Dual Light (RGBB LED+ Red laser) |
Contrast | Not listed |
Zoom Lens Ratio | 1.15:1 (motorized) |
Lens Shift | Fixed |
Sound System | 2 x 12-watt Harman/Kardon |
Dimensions (H x W x D) | 8.8” x 6.7” x 10.4” (224 x 170 x 265 mm) |
Weight | 11.5 lbs (5.2 kg) |
An RGBB LED and a red laser are combined by the XGIMI Ultra's Dual-Light technology to create a vivid, color-accurate image. The brightest display offered by XGIMI to date is the Horizon Ultra. According to XGIMI, the Horizon Ultra offers class-leading color fidelity and 2300 ISO Lumens, which is 77% brighter than the HORIZON Pro, its predecessor.
Delta E is a color accuracy and error value below 3, meaning that it is 'Excellent' and undetectable to the human eye. The Horizon Ultra's color delta E, according to XGIMI, is an exceptional 1.
With Android TV 11 preinstalled on the Horizon Ultra, you can play and stream a huge selection of games and applications.XGIMI also made sure to provide players with quick refresh rates and little input latency. A brand-new, low latency (18 ms) game option is available on the Horizon Ultra. The Horizon Ultra is the first standard throw 4K home projector to feature Dolby Vision in addition to HDR10 and HLG.
The BenQ HT3560 is one the company's newest versions of their highly successful line of UHP lamp-based home theater projectors and a direct successor to models like the TK850i and the HT3550. The HT3560 is almost identical to the HT3550, utilizing a Texas Instruments pixel-shifting 0.47" DMD DLP system to display a 4K UHD image.
BenQ HT3560 Specs | |
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Price | $1,699 MSRP |
Technology | DLP |
Displayed Resolution | 4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160) |
Brightness (Manufacturer Claim | 2200 ANSI Lumens |
Light Source | Lamp |
Contrast | 50,000:1 (Dynamic) |
Zoom Lens Ratio | 1.3X |
Sound System | 5 Watt x2 Stereo |
Dimensions | (WxHXD) 14.9 x 4.9 x 10.35 inch |
Weight | 9.25 lbs. (4.2 kg) |
This 4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160p) DLP projector carries a price tag of $1,599, offering a manufacturer-claimed brightness of 2,200 ANSI lumens. This is accentuated by the colors which is supposed to cover 95% of the DCI-P3 and 100% of the Rec.709 color gamuts.
When we reviewed previous models like the HT3550 and TK850i, we were highly impressed with their crisp 4K image quality. This is mostly thanks to features like BenQ's Auto Tone Mapping, Color Mapping technologies, and Dynamic Iris technology. These features allow the BenQ HT3560 to display high-quality, natural-looking images straight out of the box.
The HT3560 is an impressive upgrade from the HT3550, even though it does share a similar design and feature set. BenQ has now added support for HDR10+, an open-source alternative to Dolby Vision HDR, along with HDR-PRO and Dynamic Black technologies, creating a cinema-like experience at home.
While the projection industry has seen advancements in affordable and high-quality laser and LED light sources, lamp-based projectors like the HT3560 remain relevant. BenQ continues to produce a significant portion of its home theater, gaming, and cinema projectors powered by ultra-high performance lamps, emphasizing their value.
The BenQ W5800 is a premium 4K UHD capable home theater projector priced at $5,999. Designed for home theater enthusiasts seeking top-notch performance and exceptional picture quality, it delivers an unparalleled cinematic experience, which has made it a highly anticipated release in BenQ's lineup, especially since their previous home theater projectors haven't seen an upgrade in a few years.
BenQ W5800 Specs | |
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Price | $5999 MSRP |
Technology | DLP |
Displayed Resolution | 4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160) |
Brightness (Manufacturer Claim | 2600 ANSI Lumens |
Light Source | Blue Laser Phosphor |
Contrast | 2,000,000:1 (Dynamic) |
Zoom Lens Ratio | Motorized 1.6x |
Sound System | N/A |
Dimensions | (WxHxD) 20.7" x 5.7" x 15.4" inches |
Weight | 23 lbs. |
In order to compete with other premium projectors like the Sony XW5000ES and the Epson LS12000, the W5800 uses BenQ's proven CinematicColor technology to give accurate color production. The DYNAMIC BLACK technology adjusts the laser's light to maximize visible contrast, resulting in a stunning SDR and HDR picture.
The BenQ W5800 supports HDR content mastered in HDR10, HLG, and HDR10+. This is done with BenQ's HDR-PRO technology which has tone mapping that balances details in bright and dark scenes.
To ensure maximum color accuracy, BenQ calibrates each W5800 before it leaves the factory and includes a calibration report in the box. The W5800 can reproduce 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, used to master most HDR content without a light-robbing cinema filter.
The projector features a motorized lens with 1.6X zoom and a good amount of lens shift (vertical +/-50% and horizontal +/-21%), allowing for flexible placement without losing out on image quality. This flexibility makes the W5800 an adaptable option for various home theater setups.
BenQ continues to balance performance with value, impressing with models like the HT3650i and HT4550i. The W5800 builds on these models with advanced features, making it a significant step up from the award-winning W4000i/HT4550i reviewed last year.
The BenQ W4000i/HT4550i is the most recent addition to the company's growing family of LED light source projectors for an HDR home theater. If you live in the US, you will have access to the W4000i, which is identical to the HT4550i but sold in different regions.
The W4000i gives you a display resolution of 4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160) using a brand-new Texas Instruments (TI) 0.65" Digital Light Processing (DLP) Digital Micromirror Device (DMD) with XPR technology. With an MSRP of $2,999, the W4000i/HT4550i replaces the company's popular and successful HT3550i.
BenQ HT4550i Specs | |
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Price | $2,999 MSRP |
Technology4LED | DLP |
Displayed Resolution | 3840 x 2160 Pixel Shifting |
Brightness (Manufacturer Claim) | 3200 ANSI Lumens |
Light Source | 4LED light source |
Contrast | 2,000,000:1 dynamic contrast |
Zoom Lens Ratio | 1.3x |
Lens Shift | H ±15% max, V 0%-60% |
Dimensions | 16.55” x 5.32” x 12.28” (w x h x d)) |
Weight | 14.55 lbs. (6.59 Kg) |
The core of the new BenQ W4000i projector is its 4LED light source, which offers a broad yet precise color gamut. BenQ claims that the new projector displays genuine film colors. BenQ refers to this CinematicColor as an exclusive design that offers precise color reproduction to users. Additionally, BenQ offers users a new feature called WIDE COLOR GAMUT (WCG), which reproduces 100% DCI-P3 color performance when enabled in HDR mode. This is 1.3 times larger than the color gamut of comparable DLP 4K projectors with Rec. 709. With brilliant colors and amazing depth in both bright and gloomy areas, the image quality is excellent whether you're viewing movies or your favorite television shows.
BenQ has been pushing the boundaries with their 4LED technology in recent years, producing ever-higher brightness levels. With 3,200 ANSI lumens of brightness, the W4000i gaming projector outperforms the highly acclaimed X3000i. Not only has BenQ improved the brightness of the W4000i, but it has also used a larger 0.66" DLP imager to achieve this.
BenQ has added complete Netflix support for the first time. This is the Netflix app without the need to sideload an app or use a personalized launcher. I appreciate BenQ incorporating this much-needed feature at last.