The Best 4K Projectors
It’s no secret that a projector can make any movie night one to remember. You can make it the star of your home theatre, or turn your living room into a cinema, while also enjoying crystal clear 4K HDR shows from streaming services. However you decide to use it, a 4K projector will change the way you watch movies, TV, sports, home video, and even how you play video games at home.
With 4K, home theater projectors are able to match the commercial movie theater visual experience in the comfort of your home. Indeed, 4K is a revelation for home theater. Unlike TVs, where viewing distances diminish the impact of 4K resolution, projection allows for screen sizes that show the extra detail versus HD video. Plus, since much 4K now includes HDR, you get smoother gradations, richer colors, and enhanced highlight detail when watching your favorite movies and streaming shows.
Today, there are many 4K projection options. Some are native 4K while others use some variant of e-shift, a process where the imaging chip is vibrated to create virtual pixels. Either way, you’ll get an experience that’s superior to 1080p HD projection is many ways.
Top Choice
Sony Home Theater Projector VPL-VW295ES: Full 4K HDR Video Projector for TV, Movies and Gaming – Home Cinema Projector with 1,500 Lumens for Brightness and 3 SXRD Imagers for Crisp, Rich Colorby Sony 68More choices from $3,499.99
True 4K and 3-Chip Picture Quality
True 4K is what this Sony is all about. It’s got a lens that can zoom and shift to fit the picture to your screen and your room. It now has 18 Gbps HDMI so you can use it to game in 4K HDR with extremely low latency.
Sony delivers true 4K at frame rates up to 60p with HDR support (both HDR10 and HLG format) in a super-quiet package that offers great color accuracy and smooth motion. Sony’s processing ensures that even streaming content looks great. Meanwhile, 1500 lumens of light output ensures that the image on screen looks perfect in a darkened home theater.
Highlights
- 1500 lumens
- 3-chip SXRD technology
- True 4K
- Low Latency/Game Mode
- Wide range lens
- Sony motion flow processing
- Triluminos color
- 4K upscaling
Best DLP Option
BenQ HT8050 4K DLP UHD THX Certified Home Cinema Projectorby BenQ 6$3,262.15 FREE Shipping
DLP Technology and THX Certified
The BenQ HT8050 excels in terms of color fidelity, resolution, and low fan noise. The HT8050’s claim to fame is its THX HD Display certification. This means the projector passed a wide variety of tests to ensure image quality and color accuracy.
The BenQ used pixel-shift technollogy to render 4K/UHD resolution. It has a specified brightness of 2,200 lumens and a 50,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, making for a sharp image, regardless of the content. Setup is simple, and the device allows for a 1.5X manual zoom.
Highlights
- High-quality lens
- Wide zoom range
- Vibrant, accurate color
- 4K UHD compatible
- Quiet
Highly Recommended
Epson Home Cinema 5050UB 4K PRO-UHD 3-Chip Projector with HDR,Whiteby Epson 359$2,984.89 & FREE Shipping
Color Accurate with a Great Lens
The Epson Home Cinema 5050UB is a 3-chip LCD projector capable of producing deep blacks and high contrast.
Epson’s UltraBlack Contrast tech offers a contrast ratio of up to 1,000,000:1, though that type of rating can’t be guaranteed in a non-lab setting. It boasts a resolution of 4096 x 2160 and is capable of reproducing the P3 color gamut in its entirety through its cinema filter. The 5050UB relies on a 250 W UHE which lasts up to 5,000 hours on Eco Mode (3,500 at full power).
This projector has motorized zoom, focus, and lens shift. Using ten different lens presets, you can store your settings and return to them later. With a specified peak lumens rating of 2,600, this projector can technically withstand some ambient light, though a dark room is still preferable for optimal performance.
The 5050UB is a great model if you’re looking for something that looks good straight out of the box, offers a wide color gamut, and allows for 4K playback when paired with a 4K compatible game console or streaming device.
Highlights
- 10 bit HDR color processing
- Highly adjustable lens
- Three chip LCD design
- 2600 lm brightness
Recommended
Epson Home Cinema 4010 4K PRO-UHD (1) 3-Chip Projector with HDRby Epson 221$1,979.99 FREE Shipping
High Performance and Feature-Packed
If your taste in projectors leans toward a nice, accurate, bright picture, then Epson’s midrange offering may be just the ticket. It supports HDR at 24p, so UHD 4K home cinema is going to look crisp and colorful.
Gamers are not going to be able to use HDR because HDMI on this model does not support it, but movie lovers are going to be thrilled by the overall image quality of this Epson.
One of the most appealing features of this projector is the flexibility of its lens. I offer powered focus, 2.1x zoom, up to ± 96% horizontal and up to ± 47% vertical lens shift, and 10 preset positions. That means you can automatically switch between different aspect ratios, and it’ll fit into more rooms than most other projectors.
Highlights
- 2400 lumens brightness
- Three LCD projector
- Full DCI/P3 color
- 10-bit HDR processing
Excellent
Optoma UHD60 True 4K UHD Projector, Bright 3000 Lumens, Entertainment and Movies, Rec.2020 with DCI-P3 for Wide Color Gamut, HDMI 2.0 and HDR10, WHITEby Optoma 414More choices from $1,199.00
Easy to Set Up and Looks Great
The second least expensive projector in this lineup still offers 4K compatibility, albeit the e-shift variety.
It’s a DLP projector, so black levels are not going to be all that deep, but you do get a color accurate, uniform picture that’s also bright. 18 Gbps HDMI 2.0 means this projector is compatible with HDR gaming and a 1.6X zoom lens with vertical shift allows for some placement flexibility. If you have a thirst for home theater and are into playing games and watching sports on a big screen, along with your 4K HDR movies, this could be the best projector for you.
highlights
- 3000 lumens bright
- HDR10 compatible
- Up to 15,000 hour lamp life
- 1.6X zoom and vertical lens shift
Best Compatibility
YABER Y31 8500L Native 1920x1080P Projector, 2021 Upgraded Full HD Video Projector, ±50° 4D Keystone Correction Support 4K, Home Theater Projector Compatible with Phone,PC,TV Box,PS5by YABER 3,765$224.36 $263.96FREE Shipping
With Multiple Interface Options
A ceiling-mounted projector that provides support for a large variety of interfaces. The one-click brighten function is a unique feature that a majority of alternative options lack.
The best 4K projectors for people who prefer superior quality. The 7200 lux brightness offers a better vision on any platform. The projector comes with multiple ports to maximize compatibility. The interface options include VGA, USB, HDMI, and AV. The projector can be mounted directly to the ceiling. It comes with wireless remote control for easier use.
Highlights:
- Full 4K support
- Automatic vertical correction
Great Choice
BenQ HT3550 4K Home Theater Projector with HDR10 and HLG – 95% DCI-P3 and 100% Rec.709 – Dynamic Iris for Enhanced Darker Contrast Scenes – 3 Year Industry Leading Warrantyby BenQ 802$1,499.00 FREE Shipping
Excellent Entry-Level Option
When you are shopping for a projector that offers a great array of features, the BenQ has got to be on your list.
This home theater and gamer-friendly model brings a lot of “capability where it counts” to the table, including 2000 lumens of output and 4K UHD HDR support with full-bandwidth HDMI that means even gamers can enjoy HDR 4K on this unit.
The main thing you give up, versus some other options in this list, is placement flexibility. But it still offers 1.3X zoom and vertical lens shift. You get excellent performance for the price. BenQ is known for delivering great color right out of the box and its hard to beat the overall package offered by this model.
Highlights
- HDR10 support
- Compact
- 1.3X zoom
- 2000 lumens
- DCI/P3 color support
- DLP reliability
- Dynamic Iris
The Top 4K Projectors
While a sizeable TV is great for watching films and sporting events, a 4K projector can amplify any cinema experience. It’s an excellent choice for homeowners who would prefer their TV to disappear when not in use, or those who use their TV room as a living space—all you need are some light-blocking blinds and you can easily convert it into an impromptu home theater.
For dedicated media rooms and home theaters, a projector is even more important. If you talk to a Hollywood director, they will tell you that they film their movies to be seen on big screens, not a little TVs. If you wish to respect the creative intent of your favorite filmmakers, projection is a must.
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