Top 10 Best Projectors in 2021 – Reviews & Buyer Guide

This is a device that, through its system of lenses and an illuminator, transmits the video signal or the images coming from the source device (for example a computer), on a surface.

Such an instrument can be useful for various reasons: leisure (see a movie), work (for PowerPoint presentations), gaming (connect Ps4 and Xbox) and much more.

Right here we have selected the best projectors for you. These devices can turn your room into home theater and these are also portable.

Things to Check Before Buying Projectors

1. Intended Use

The first and fundamental evaluation to make, before buying a projector, concerns the use that you intend to do with it. Based on the use you want to make of the projector, you will have to evaluate some technical characteristics, which can make it suitable.

For example, for completely dark or partially illuminated rooms, and suitable for watching movies or more suitable for general use, such as the showing a Power-Point presentation, or playing video games, watching photos or more.

The characteristics that influence the intended use, and that you will have to take into consideration, are the brightness of the lamp and the contrast of the image.

Brightness

The brightness of the light beam emitted by a projector lamp is measured in lumens (lm), and determines how visible the projected image will be in the presence of ambient light: the lower the brightness, the dimmer the image in an environment, even partially lighted.

On the other hand, a projector with less brightness needs a less illuminated environment for the image to be visible, but the rendering at the definition level is better.

We can identify three bands of brightness as a reference for choosing the projector:

• 1500-2500 lm: home theater projectors, require a completely dark environment
• 2500-4000 lm: general-purpose projectors, require a partially darkened environment
• 4000 lm and beyond: office projectors, they also perform well in illuminated environments

Contrast

As we have mentioned, higher brightness normally leads to poorer image yield: in particular, a very bright projector causes losses in terms of contrast. There will, therefore, be a lesser sense of the depth of the images and the color range, in particular as regards films. The more the lamp emits light, the more technically difficult it is to keep dark areas in the image.

For these reasons, home theater projectors have a low brightness and require a completely dark environment for optimal performance, while projectors for more general or office use are much brighter, to project visible images even in semi-illuminated environments.

Also as regards the contrast, we can indicate the values that have relevance for use:

• 600000: 1: high-end home theater projectors
• 50000: 1: versatile home theater and general-purpose projectors
• 10-25000: 1: general purpose projectors

It should be remembered that the lamps of the projectors, except those that use LED technologies, have a maximum life span, and that the brightness of the lamp is progressively decreasing with use until the moment of replacement arrives

2. Quality of The Projection

Once established on what type of projector you want to orientate yourself, the second factor to take into consideration in your choice is that related to two other technical characteristics that affect the quality of the projected image.

On the one hand, it is important to evaluate the resolution supported by the projector, on the other, the minimum and maximum dimensions of the projected screen are also important.

Resolution

In this field, the projectors do not reserve many surprises, the resolutions available are the same as for computer monitors. The more advanced models, from the prices that we consider today inaccessible, can also touch the Ultra HD resolution (3840 × 2160 p), but it will still take a few years before this becomes a market standard.

Among the commercial devices, some projectors support Full HD resolution (1920 x 1080 p), in particular those oriented towards home theater, or HD (1280 x 720 p), in particular among the projectors for more general use.

If what you are looking for is a projector for watching movies and series, Full HD resolution will be a good feature to have, while if you are looking for an office or didactic projector you can safely postpone and stay on lower resolutions.

Screen Size

Expressed in inches, the dimension measures the length of the diagonal of the projected luminous rectangle. This factor is relevant both if you also need to buy a projection screen and if you want to project images on a white wall.

On the maximum screen size, it must be said, also affects the brightness of the lamp: the less bright the lamp, the smaller the screen.

In principle, the minimum dimensions of the projected rectangle are around 30-40 ” without large variations between more or less bright models, but it is on the ideal dimensions of the screen that the gap manifests itself.

The projectors with the weakest lamp stop in fact around 150 ” diagonal ideal, while the brightest models can be up to twice the size ( 300 ” ) and beyond.

3. Display Technologies

Among the main factors to be taken into consideration are undoubted all the technologies and features that contribute to defining the quality of the projected image, including the compatibility or otherwise of the device with 3D technology.

Image Quality

In addition to the considerations we have already made in contrast, there are additional features that contribute to making a projected image of good quality, and which are particularly important when choosing a projector, especially if the use you intend to make of it is more oriented to watching movies. Let’s see them one by one:

• Color Range: together with the contrast, it determines the richness of the nuances that the projector can reproduce. A good home theater projector is expected to reach 1.07 billion colors, while among the more general-purpose projectors it is easy to find a range of 16.7 million
• Update Frequency: not unlike monitors and televisions, there are some applications for which the update frequency is very important, for example for the rendering of 3D films and for playing the latest generation of video games. For these two uses, a medium-high end projector with a refresh rate of up to 144 Hz would be better, while for all other uses, 60 Hz may suffice
• Corrections of The Image: since it is not always possible to place the projector with the lens perfectly parallel to the projection surface, very often the projected rectangle is deformed, effectively taking the shape of a trapezoid. A good projector must at least foresee the possibility of rectifying the vertical deformation and adjusting the inclination of the luminaire

3 D

Compatibility or not with the contents in three dimensions has not yet become a market standard for all projectors are equipped with the necessary technology.

It must be said that there are specific uses for which it is important, which boil down to home entertainment, for the projection of films in three dimensions or to play video games that are equipped with the 3D option.

For all other uses, and in particular for office use, the ability to view content in three dimensions will be almost irrelevant. So take this factor into account about the use you will make of the projector.

4. Connectivity

Another factor not to be overlooked in the choice of a projector is the quantity and quality of the inputs and outputs present on the fixture, both video, audio (where present), and network.

Depending on which and how many devices will be connected to the projector, even simultaneously, you may need to have many ports available.
Let’s see in detail which inputs and outputs a good projector can be equipped with.

Video Inputs

Obviously, among all, the most important ones are the video inputs. A good projector should be able to receive the signal from all devices, even the less modern ones, and therefore offer at least one input per type: from HDMI to D-Sub, to S-Video, to DVI, in addition to an input for coaxial cable.

The best models, especially those oriented towards home entertainment, usually offer the same range of inputs in larger numbers, offering at least two HDMI inputs, at least one USB port and, depending on the manufacturer, additional proprietary technologies.

Audio

On the audio, it must be said that there is a big difference depending on the type of projector. The projectors specifically designed for the home theater are completely devoid of both integrated speakers and audio inputs or outputs in their entirety.

This is because the assumption is that the audio will be entrusted to a separate stereo system, be it surround or not.

The more general or office projectors, on the other hand, aim to manage audio too, so they are usually equipped with one or two front speakers, audio input and also output if you choose to use external speakers.

Wireless

As in the case of 3D technology, WiFi connection is not yet a widespread standard in projectors, mainly because the transmission of video data on radio frequencies is still not as stable and fluid as through cables.

In any case, some models also provide the possibility of connecting wirelessly to a computer, in particular those projectors designed for office use.

5. Available Settings

Lastly, a relevant factor is the quantity and quality of settings offered by the projector. We refer both to the preset settings for each use of the luminaire, and to the energy-saving operating modes, which not only translate into lower consumption but also in longer lamp longevity.

Default Settings

The best projectors, especially those designed with wide versatility of use, offer the user a range of predefined settings for brightness, contrast, refresh rate, etc. optimized for all types of use.

For example, if present, a “Game” mode usually provides very bright colors, high contrast and a higher refresh rate than a “Cinema” mode.

Likewise, a good projector allows you to select between different screen formats, not only 16: 9 and 4: 3, the most popular formats, but also less common display areas.

Energy Saving

Almost all the projectors, unless you buy a very low-end product, have at least one operating mode in energy saving, which moderates the brightness, and consequently the consumption, of the lamp, and regulates the automatic switch-off of the same lamp when no device is connected to the projector.

The more advanced models usually offer different levels of containment of consumption, thus allowing you to find a compromise between the brightness of the projection and energy savings.