If you're searching for a home projector, image quality and features take precedence over portability. Sure, the ability to carry your projector from room to room is nice, but ultimately, you'll always have access to an outlet. You'll also have greater control over room conditions, like lighting, than if you were to take the projector outside. Thus, before shopping, consider the room, or rooms, where you hope to set up the projector. If the room has a few lights or windows, having a projector with higher peak brightness is more important than deep contrast. The inverse is true if you install the projector in a darker room. Also, consider the projector's primary usage. Will it solely be used for watching movies from physical media, or do you prefer streaming services? Or perhaps you're buying a projector to play games with your friends? All of these will guide you toward the best product for your needs. If you’re unsure how far you can place a given projector for your screen size, our projector throw distance tool can help you plan your setup.
We've bought and tested over 60 projectors, and below, we list the best overall projectors for home use, covering a few critical use cases from home theater to gaming. We only cover consumer models, not high-end products meant for enthusiasts. If you're specifically looking for a home theater projector, explore our recommendations for the best models for home theater use. If you'd rather see a list of the best budget and cheap projectors on the market, look no further than our best cheap projectors. Want to take your projector outdoors? Consider our picks for the best outdoor projectors. And don't forget that you can vote on which projectors you'd like us to purchase and put to the test!
Quick Look
We've independently bought and tested over 60 projectors, and we've published all the detailed results for each so you can decide which one to buy. These have all been tested under the same standardized methodology, allowing you to compare them side by side. We still have all these projects in our lab so we can continually go back and compare them to ensure our reviews are still accurate. All our test methodology is also public on our website, so you can validate the results yourself.
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Best Home Projector
Movies8.9Gaming7.8Brightness9.2Contrast8.6Pre-Calibration Color Accuracy7.8Color Gamut9.7Supported Resolutions9.8Input Lag6.3Imaging TechnologyDLPLight SourceLaserSee all our test resultsNative ResolutionPixel Shift 4kIf you want the best home projector we've tested, get the XGIMI HORIZON 20 Max. It's a 4k projector that uses pixel-shifting on a single-chip DLP, so movies, TV, and sports look much sharper than on 1080p models while staying more affordable than native 4k units. The RGB laser light source is very bright, which helps it punch through a bit of ambient light in a living room, and in a fully dark room, its strong contrast lets dark scenes keep depth instead of turning to murky gray. Its wide color gamut and very good out-of-the-box accuracy make everything from animated films to HDR dramas look rich and saturated without a lot of tweaking.
HDR support is excellent for home use: you get Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, and HLG, so it plays nicely with modern streaming services and consoles. It also has the kind of placement flexibility you want in a main home projector, with motorized zoom, lens shift, autofocus, auto keystone, and a swivel stand so you can drop it on a table, shelf, or ceiling mount and dial it in quickly. It's also a solid choice if you game. It accepts 4k @ 60Hz plus 1080p @ 120Hz and 1080p @ 240Hz, with low enough input lag in Game Mode for both fast and cinematic titles, and it supports VRR to help reduce tearing. There can be some visible artifacting with unstable frame rates, so VRR works best when your FPS is capped or relatively steady, but overall, it's very responsive. Add in a full smart platform and eARC for a soundbar or AVR, and the XGIMI HORIZON 20 Max is the most versatile home projector you can buy right now.
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Best Ultra-Short-Throw Home Projector
Movies8.1Gaming7.0Brightness7.8Contrast8.3Pre-Calibration Color Accuracy6.4Color Gamut9.8Supported Resolutions9.8Input Lag5.4Imaging TechnologyDLPLight SourceLaserSee all our test resultsNative ResolutionPixel Shift 4kIf you want a projector that really replaces a living room TV and lives right up against the wall, the Hisense PX3-PRO is the best ultra-short-throw home projector we've tested. It's a 4k pixel-shifting DLP with a TriChroma triple-laser light source, so 4k movies, sports, and streaming apps look sharp and very colorful. Because it sits only a few inches from the wall, you can drop it on a low media console and still fill a 90- to 150-inch screen without a ceiling mount or long cable runs. It's also bright enough to cope with a few lamps or daytime viewing in a typical living room, especially if you pair it with a proper UST ALR screen, and in a darker room, its strong contrast helps preserve shadow detail so dark scenes don't immediately wash out to gray.
For home use, it behaves a lot like a high-end smart TV. Google TV is built in, with Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support and all the major apps, plus Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, Chromecast, and AirPlay 2, so you don't need an external box. The integrated 50W speaker system is good enough to get started, and a dedicated HDMI eARC port makes it easy to hand audio off to a soundbar or AVR later. It also accepts 4k @ 60Hz and up to 1080p @ 240Hz, so consoles and PCs are well-supported; input lag isn't as low as a dedicated gaming projector like the BenQ X3100i, but it's perfectly fine for story games and casual play. If you want a big, bright, TV-like image from right up against the wall, the Hisense PX3-PRO is the one to get.
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Best Gaming Home Projector
Movies8.1Gaming8.0Brightness8.2Contrast7.7Pre-Calibration Color Accuracy8.5Color Gamut8.4Supported Resolutions9.6Input Lag7.5Imaging TechnologyDLPLight SourceLEDSee all our test resultsNative ResolutionPixel Shift 4kIf you're in the market for a home projector that's built with gaming in mind, the BenQ X3100i is the one to get. This 4k pixel-shifting DLP delivers a sharp, detailed image that stays crisp even on large screens, and its 4-LED light source is easily bright enough for moderately lit rooms while looking excellent in a fully dark space. Contrast holds up well in darker scenes, and its wide color range makes movies, TV, and games look vibrant. Out of the box, its color accuracy is very good, so even picky viewers can enjoy a natural image without needing a full calibration. It supports HDR10 and HLG, giving modern consoles and streaming apps a bit of extra punch once you dim the lights.
It's also very well set up for day-to-day home use. The included QS02 Android TV 11 dongle supports Google Cast and Apple AirPlay, has native Netflix support, and offers Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0, so you don’t need a separate streamer. For gaming, two HDMI 2.0b ports handle 4k @ 60Hz, 1440p @ 120Hz, and 1080p @ 240Hz, and input lag in Game Mode is low across all of these, making everything from cinematic single-player titles to fast competitive shooters feel responsive. One HDMI port also doubles as an eARC connection if you want to add a soundbar or AVR, and there’s a third HDMI hidden under the top cover for the dongle or another device. Overall, the BenQ X3100i is the best home projector if gaming is your priority, you still want great performance for movies and everyday viewing, and you don't want to pay the premium for the XGIMI HORIZON 20 Max.
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Best Short-Throw Home Projector
Movies8.4Gaming7.5Brightness8.6Contrast7.9Pre-Calibration Color Accuracy7.9Color Gamut9.8Supported Resolutions9.8Input Lag6.1Imaging TechnologyDLPLight SourceLaserSee all our test resultsNative ResolutionPixel Shift 4kIf you want a big screen in a regular living room without committing to a ceiling mount or an ultra-short-throw unit, the Hisense C2 Ultra is the best short-throw home projector we've tested. It uses 4k pixel-shifting with a triple-laser light engine to deliver a crisp, richly colored image on typical 100- to 120-inch screens. The short-throw lens lets you place it much closer to the screen than a standard projector, which is great if you have limited depth or want it on a low table in front of the sofa. It gets bright enough to handle some ambient light for daytime TV and sports, and in a darker room, its contrast keeps movies looking punchy instead of flat.
Compared with the Hisense PX3-PRO, the C2 Ultra is better if you don't need an ultra-short-throw sitting right up against the wall. It's usually cheaper, a bit easier to position, and much less picky about screen type: you can use a basic white or gray screen (or even a decent wall) and still get good results, whereas UST models really benefit from a proper UST ALR screen to look their best. For everyday home use, it behaves a lot like a smart TV. Hisense's VIDAA platform is built in with official Netflix and other major apps, plus Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support, Wi-Fi, and Ethernet. It has an integrated 2.1-channel JBL sound system, and an HDMI eARC port makes it easy to add a soundbar or AVR later. It also accepts 4k @ 60Hz and high-refresh-rate 1080p, with gaming modes that keep input lag low enough for most single-player and casual multiplayer titles. If you want a bright, flexible short-throw projector for a typical home space, the Hisense C2 Ultra is the one to get.
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Best Value Home Projector
Movies8.1Gaming7.6Brightness7.8Contrast7.8Pre-Calibration Color Accuracy8.4Color Gamut9.3Supported Resolutions7.3Input Lag7.1Imaging TechnologyDLPLight SourceLED + LaserSee all our test resultsNative ResolutionPixel Shift 4kIf you want a serious home projector without paying flagship prices, the XGIMI HORIZON S Max is the best value option. It's a 4k projector that uses pixel-shifting, and its laser-based light engine has plenty of brightness for a dim living room while really coming into its own in a darker room. Contrast is very good, so night scenes keep a sense of depth, and its wide color gamut gives animated content and HDR dramas a lot of pop. Out of the box, it's already quite accurate, so most people won't feel the need to calibrate. It's also very bright when projected on a 100-inch screen, so you don't need to turn off every light in the room for a good experience.
HDR support is a big part of its appeal at this price: it handles Dolby Vision as well as standard HDR10, so you get more nuanced tone-mapping from compatible apps and discs than on many mid-range projectors. You also get a full built-in smart platform with the major streaming services, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth, so you don't need a separate box for everyday use. For home gaming, it’s perfectly fine if you mostly play 60 fps console titles. It accepts 4k @ 60Hz and feels responsive enough for story games and casual multiplayer, even if it doesn't offer the 120Hz/240Hz modes you get on dedicated gaming models like the BenQ X3100i. Add in eARC for a soundbar or AVR and a relatively compact chassis that's easy to place on a shelf or table, and the XGIMI HORIZON S Max is the sweet spot if you want a genuinely cinematic 4k experience at a more approachable price.
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Best Budget Home Projector
Movies7.0Gaming4.4Brightness8.4Contrast5.3Pre-Calibration Color Accuracy8.3Color Gamut6.6Supported Resolutions3.3Input Lag3.3Imaging TechnologyLCDLight SourceLampSee all our test resultsNative Resolution1080pIf you're looking for a budget home projector and expect to watch a lot with the lights on, the Epson Home Cinema 1080 is the one to get. It's a 1080p 3LCD projector that's impressively bright for the price; in fact, within this list, only the XGIMI HORIZON 20 Max and Hisense C2 Ultra are brighter, and both are far more expensive. That makes the Epson a great fit for casual TV, sports, and family use in living rooms or multipurpose spaces with windows or lamps. The trade-off is image quality in darker rooms: contrast is disappointing, and its color gamut is relatively narrow, so blacks look gray, and it doesn't deliver the rich HDR-style punch you get from higher-end models. In fact, it doesn't even support HDR, so this is an SDR-only projector. If you mostly watch in brighter conditions, though, those weaknesses are much less noticeable, and the sheer light output is what matters most.
It also has a few handy features for home use. There's integrated Wi-Fi with Miracast support so you can cast from compatible phones or laptops, and a USB-B port for projecting supported content directly from a computer. It doesn't have a built-in smart OS, so you'll still want a streaming dongle for Netflix or Prime Video, but there are two HDMI inputs that handle 1080p @ 60Hz, plus USB-A for power. Audio is basic, with a small 2W mono speaker and no ARC, so using the 3.5 mm audio out or a receiver is recommended if you care about sound. Overall, if you want the brightest, most versatile budget projector for a typical living room, the Epson Home Cinema 1080 won't break your wallet.
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Best Cheap Home Projector
Movies6.3Gaming5.2Brightness5.1Contrast8.8Pre-Calibration Color Accuracy3.9Color Gamut5.4Supported Resolutions6.3Input Lag4.7Imaging TechnologyLCDLight SourceLEDSee all our test resultsNative Resolution1080pIf the budget option above is still too pricey, check out the NexiGo PJ40 (Gen 3), the best cheap home projector we've tested. It's a 1080p model that isn't nearly as bright as the Epson Home Cinema 1080, so it struggles in well-lit spaces, but its native contrast is surprisingly strong for the price, much better than the Epson. In a dark room that pays off: movies and shows look much more cinematic than you'd expect from something this cheap, as long as you keep the lights down and don't mind that colors look a bit muted due to its limited brightness and narrow color gamut. Out-of-the-box color accuracy also isn't great, so if you're picky, a bit of calibration or tweaking goes a long way.
Feature-wise, it's loaded for a bargain unit. You get Bluetooth 5.1, Wi-Fi, and casting via Miracast or Apple AirPlay, plus two HDMI ports (one with ARC for a soundbar), a USB input, a 20W built-in speaker system, a Game Mode, and HDR10 support. Of course, the projector isn't quite bright enough to make HDR sing, but it's available if you want to use it. The Android TV interface is very bare-bones and doesn't really replace a proper streaming OS, so most people will still want to plug in a Chromecast or Fire TV Stick. Overall, the NexiGo PJ40 (Gen 3) isn't the brightest or most colorful option, but if you can darken your room and want the biggest possible image for the least amount of money, it's a solid, cheap home projector.
Notable Mentions
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Epson Home Cinema 5050UB:
The Epson Home Cinema 5050UB is still one of the nicest-looking lamp-based home theater projectors we've tested, with excellent contrast and flexible optics. But it's big, lacks a smart OS, and offers limited gaming features, so for most people, a modern laser model like the XGIMI HORIZON 20 Max is a more versatile choice for home use.
See our review -
Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2:
The Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 is a capable premium projector, but the XGIMI HORIZON 20 Max generally wins on brightness, contrast, HDR color, and out-of-the-box accuracy. The Valerion's main perk is that it runs quieter, so it's worth a look only if fan noise is your top concern and prices are close.
See our review -
XGIMI AURA 2:
The Hisense PX3-PRO and XGIMI AURA 2 are closely matched UST projectors, but the Hisense has the edge overall. The XGIMI is a bit brighter and slightly more accurate out of the box, while the Hisense delivers better contrast, a much wider color gamut, and stronger gaming support, so it’s usually the better buy unless the XGIMI is significantly cheaper.
See our review -
BenQ X500i:
The BenQ X500i is a great option if you like the idea of the BenQ X3100i but need short-throw placement, or if you just want to pay less money. It still delivers a sharp 4k pixel-shift image and low-lag 120Hz/240Hz gaming, though it isn't as bright or as cinematic for movies as the X3100i.
See our review -
Epson Home Cinema 3800:
The Epson Home Cinema 3800 is a solid mid-range alternative if you want a bright, traditional projector for mixed home use. It’s a 4k pixel-shifter with strong SDR brightness and decent contrast, but it lacks a smart OS, and its HDR and color volume trail newer laser models like the XGIMI HORIZON S Max.
See our review -
BenQ HT2060:
The BenQ HT2060 is a 1080p, 4-LED home theater projector with excellent contrast and very accurate color, making it a great dark room movie option. It just can't match the XGIMI HORIZON S Max for brightness, smart features, or 4k pixel-shifting, so it mainly appeals if you want a more traditional 1080p cinema projector at a lower price.
See our review
Recent Updates
Nov 24, 2025:
Reworked our picks to focus on brighter, living-room-friendly models, adding the XGIMI HORIZON 20 Max, Hisense PX3-PRO, Hisense C2 Ultra, and XGIMI Horizon S Max to the list, and updating the Notable Mentions accordingly.
May 08, 2025:
Ensured that our picks are all widely available for purchase.
Apr 11, 2025:
Moved the BenQ TH671ST to the Notable Mentions, as it's harder to find than it used to be, at a slightly higher price. The Epson Home Cinema 1080 is now the 'Best Budget Home Projector' and the BenQ HT2060 is the 'Best Dark Room Home Projector.'
Feb 05, 2025:
Made sure that all of our picks are still widely available for purchase.
Jan 06, 2025:
The Hisense PX3-PRO replaced the NexiGo Aurora Pro in the Notable Mentions due to the Hisense's slightly superior performance and more impressive feature set.
All Reviews
Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the top home projectors for most people to buy. We factor in the price (a cheaper projector wins over a pricier one if the difference isn't worth it), feedback from our visitors, and availability (no models that are difficult to find or almost out of stock everywhere).
If you'd like to do the work of choosing yourself, here's the list of all our projectors. Be careful not to get too caught up in the details. While no projector is perfect, many are good enough for most uses; however, avoid the worst models to ensure adequate quality.