As summer ends, it’s a good time to look back at the home theater projectors we’ve reviewed over the past year and put everything into one easy guide. This report will help you find the best projector for your needs.

What’s in This Year’s Report?

We’ve grouped projectors into four price ranges and reviewed many models—except for some very low-end ones under $500. Brands include AAXA, Acer, BenQ, Epson, JVC, LG, and Sony.

This is the 2019–2020 Home Theater Projectors Report because:

• Most new projectors are announced at CEDIA (September) or CES (January).

• By August, we’ve tested nearly all major models from the past year.

Late Releases & Updates

At CES 2020, brands like LG, Optoma, and VAVA showed new 4K ultra-short throw projectors. Most got delayed until August or later. Only LG’s model is currently shipping. Optoma’s P1 is expected around mid-September.

We’ll release an update early next year to cover these delayed models, new CEDIA launches, and CES releases.

Price Categories Have Changed

We updated our price groups to fit the market better:

• Under $1000 – Entry Level

• $1000–$2000 – Mid-Low Range

• $2500–$5000 – Mid-High Range

• Over $5000 – High-End

Before, entry-level was under $2000. Now, many $1000–$2000 projectors offer 4K or pixel-shifting, but usually don’t have deep blacks like more expensive models.

For example, BenQ HT3550 and Epson HC4010 perform well but don’t have great black levels. Models over $2500, like BenQ HT5550, have better black performance and compete with high-end models.

We base price classes on manufacturer list prices, not street prices or discounts.

Entry-Level Trade-Offs

Projectors under $1000 have compromises—it’s normal. We prioritize black levels since they’re key for dark-room movie watching, though others may focus on brightness or color.

Bottom Line

No single projector is best for everyone. It depends on your budget, room, and what you watch. We want to help you find what fits you best.

More 4K Projectors

4K-capable projectors are now common in the $1000+ range, including UHD DLPs, 1080p pixel-shifting 3LCDs, and LCoS models. Four years ago, only expensive native 4K projectors existed.

Choosing 4K or 1080p

Around $2000, you can pick from:

• Sony VPL-HW45 (1080p, no pixel shifting, great image)

• BenQ HT3550 / Optoma UHD51A (4K UHD pixel shifting)

• Epson HC4010 (1080p pixel shifter with good processing)

What you see on screen matters more than specs.

For Millennial Cord-Cutters

If you stream without cable or a TV, a compact projector can give you a big-screen experience for movies and sports.

For example, my daughter and her roommate in NYC streamed on a pocket LED projector instead of a TV. Small projectors can transform your viewing.

We also test input lag for gamers, but projectors won’t beat gaming monitors for speed.

Now, let’s get into the winners and help you pick your perfect projector!

Bring the theater experience home with one of the best home theater projectors available. With so many movies now streaming online, it’s a great time to get a projector for your home.

Projectors create big, immersive pictures that you just can’t get with a regular TV. All the projectors on this list are 4K, giving you amazing quality for watching and gaming. Plus, you get this quality for much less than a giant TV.

How to Choose the Best Projector for Your Space

The key to a great home theater is the right projector. Whether you have a dedicated media room or a living room setup, there’s a projector that fits your space. Things like room size, lighting, and seating matter when picking one. Our guides and reviews give you all the info you need to decide with confidence.

Look beyond just picture quality—modern projectors come with cool features like 4K, HDR support, and smart connectivity. Choose the right one for stunning visuals and great sound, bringing the cinema feel right to your home.

Check out our top picks and find the perfect projector to upgrade your entertainment!

Best Home Theater Projectors:

Sony VPL-GTZ380

If you want the ultimate home theater experience, check out Sony’s top projector, the VPL-GTZ380. It’s a powerful 10,000-lumen native 4K SXRD projector that costs $80,000 (lens not included).

The VPL-GTZ380 is much brighter than earlier models and shows a wider range of colors, giving you richer, more vivid images. Its X1 Ultimate chip improves video processing, making both SDR and HDR picture quality even better.

Sony VPL-GTZ380 Specs

• Price: $80,000 (lens not included)

• Technology: SXRD-3

• Native Resolution: 4K (4096×2160)

• Brightness: 10,000 lumens

• Contrast: Infinite

• Zoom Lens Ratio: 1.95:1 (with VPLL-Z8014 lens)

• Lens Shift: Yes

• Lamp Life: 20,000 hours

• Weight: 112 lbs

• Warranty: 3 years

This projector is made for those who need the best image quality possible. It’s perfect for serious home theater fans but is also used in film festivals, private screening rooms, and training simulators.

Sony VPL-XW7000ES 4K SXRD Home Theater Projector

The Sony XW7000ES is a native 4K home theater projector with 3200 lumens of brightness, priced at $27,999. It’s part of Sony’s updated SXRD projector lineup, which now uses laser light sources in all models. Thanks to the laser, the projector offers up to 20,000 hours of almost maintenance-free use.

This model features a new, smaller 0.61-inch SXRD panel that still delivers high native contrast and true 4K UHD resolution. The XW7000ES is also 20% smaller and 30% lighter than its predecessor, the VW915ES.

Sony VPL-XW7000ES Specs

• Price: $27,999

• Technology: SXRD

• Native Resolution: 3840 x 2160 (4K UHD)

• Brightness: 3200 lumens

• Contrast: Infinite

• Zoom Lens Ratio: 2.14:1

• Lens Shift: Yes

• Lamp Life: 20,000 hours

• Weight: 31 lbs

• Warranty: 3 years

It’s a compact, powerful option for serious home theater fans.

 

JVC DLA-NZ9 D-ILA Laser Projector

JVC has released three new home theater projectors, including the DLA-NZ9, which offers true 4K resolution (4096 x 2160). It replaces the popular DLA-NX9/RS3000 model. These projectors use JVC’s BLU-Escent laser light source, feature 8K e-shift technology, and are the first in the world to support 48Gbps 8K/60p inputs.

JVC DLA-NZ9 Specs

• Price: $25,999

• Technology: DILA, 3-chip

• Native Resolution: 4096 x 2160 (true 4K)

• Brightness: 3000 lumens

• Contrast: 100,000:1

• Zoom Lens Ratio: 2.00:1

• Lens Shift: Yes

• Lamp Life: 20,000 hours

• Weight: 56 lbs

• Warranty: 3 years

The DLA-NZ9 is a high-end model in JVC’s lineup. Its native 4K resolution means it shows all 8.8 million pixels in 4K content without pixel shifting. It also offers outstanding native contrast and a dynamic contrast ratio up to 1,000,000:1 thanks to laser dimming.

Colors are rich and vibrant, with 100% coverage of the DCI-P3 color space when using the Cinema Filter. This makes the NZ9 an excellent choice for home theater enthusiasts wanting top picture quality.

 

Sony VPL-XW5000ES 4K SXRD Home Theater Projector

The Sony VPL-XW5000ES is a 4K home theater projector known for its great mix of performance, features, and price. It’s the most affordable 4K model in Sony’s lineup and one of the best budget-friendly 4K projectors on the market. Even with its lower price, it competes well with more expensive projectors thanks to advanced Sony tech that used to be available only on high-end models.

Although it’s a base model, the VPL-XW5000ES delivers solid performance and offers many features found in pricier projectors. It makes high-quality projection more accessible, giving users excellent value without breaking the bank.

Sony VPL-XW5000ES Specs

• Price: $5,999

• Technology: 3 LCoS panels (SXRD)

• Native Resolution: 3840 x 2160

• Brightness: 2000 lumens

• Contrast: Infinite

• Zoom Lens Ratio: 1.60:1

• Lens Shift: Yes

• Lamp Life: 20,000 hours

• Weight: 28 lbs

• Warranty: 3 years

This model also features Sony’s Z-Phosphor laser light source, a tech that was once only in premium projectors. Now, it’s available in a projector under $6,000, making high-quality laser projection more affordable for many. The VPL-XW5000ES proves that you don’t have to spend a fortune to get excellent picture quality and advanced features.

Epson Pro Cinema LS12000 Laser ProjectorThe Epson Pro Cinema LS12000 is a 4K HDR-ready laser home theater projector priced at $4,999. It uses native 1080p 3LCD panels but features Epson’s latest 4K UHD Pro technology. This tech combines advanced pixel-shifting and a new Precision Glass Shift Plate with three high-definition LCD chips to create a true 4K image (3840×2160 pixels).

Epson LS12000 Specs

• Price: $4,999

• Technology: 3LCD laser

• Native Resolution: 1920×1080

• Brightness: 2700 lumens

• Contrast: 2,500,000:1 (Dynamic)

• Zoom Lens Ratio: 2.00:1

• Lens Shift: Yes

• Lamp Life: 20,000 hours

• Weight: 28 lbs

• Warranty: 3 years

The LS12000 is Epson’s top Pro Cinema projector, made for serious video fans. It’s a great choice for enjoying HDR movies and smooth, high frame-rate gaming in a family room or dedicated home theater.

 

 

Epson Home Cinema LS11000

 

The Epson Home Cinema LS11000 is a laser home theater projector that supports 4K HDR and costs $3,999. It has a brightness of 2,500 ANSI Lumens and a very high dynamic contrast ratio of over 1,200,000:1.

We also reviewed the Epson Pro Cinema LS12000 and were very impressed. The LS11000 offers much of the same performance as the LS12000 but costs $1,000 less.

Here are the key specs of the Epson LS11000:

• Price: $3,999

• Technology: 3 LCD

• Native Resolution: 1920x1080x4 (which equals 3840×2160)

• Brightness: 2,500 Lumens

• Contrast Ratio: 1,200,000:1

• Zoom Lens Ratio: 2.1:1

• Lens Shift: Yes

• Lamp Life: 20,000 hours

• Weight: 28 lbs

• Warranty: 3 years

The LS11000 is the best model in Epson’s Home Cinema Series. It has many features and excellent performance, all at a price that many home theater fans can afford. It’s a great choice for watching HDR movies and playing high frame-rate games in a media or family room.

 

 

LG AU810PB CINEBEAM 4K LASER PROJECTOR

 

 

The LG AU810PB is part of LG’s CineBeam projector line, designed to make projectors easier and more appealing for many people. We have tested other projectors from this series before.

The LG AU810PB is a 4K DLP Laser Smart projector priced at $3,999. It offers strong performance and many advanced features for its cost. It has a brightness of 2,700 Lumens, and its laser light source can last up to 20,000 hours.

This projector combines smart TV features with a high-quality, low-maintenance laser light engine and 4K resolution, making it a good alternative to a flat-panel TV.

Key specs of the LG AU810PB:

• Price: $3,999

• Technology: DLP with XPR (0.47” DMD)

• Native Resolution: 1920x1080x4 (4K)

• Brightness: 2,700 Lumens

• Contrast Ratio: 2,000,000,000:1

• Zoom Lens Ratio: 1.6:1

• Lens Shift: Yes

• Lamp Life: 20,000 hours

• Weight: 24.3 lbs

• Warranty: 2 years

XGIMI Horizon Ultra 4K Hybrid LED/Laser Projector

 

The XGIMI Horizon Ultra 4K Hybrid LED/Laser Projector impressed many at first with its clear and vibrant picture quality. But after a firmware update, most picture modes became less accurate. While the image quality is still good, it’s not as impressive as before, which might be a problem for users who want consistent colors over time.

A special feature of the Horizon Ultra is its Dual Light Source technology. It balances Red, Green, and Blue light evenly to deliver very accurate colors. This makes it different from other RGB LED or RGB Laser projectors, which often struggle with color balance. This technology is great for people who care a lot about color accuracy, like enthusiasts and professionals.

Here are the key specs for the XGIMI Horizon Ultra:

• Price: $1,699

• Technology: DLP (0.47” DMD)

• Resolution: 3840 x 2160 (Pixel Shifting)

• Brightness: 2,300 ISO Lumens

• Light Source: Dual Light (RGBB LED + Red laser)

• Contrast: Not listed

• Zoom Lens Ratio: 1.15:1 (motorized)

• Lens Shift: Fixed

• Sound: 2 x 12-watt Harman/Kardon speakers

• Size: 8.8” x 6.7” x 10.4”

• Weight: 11.5 lbs

Although the Dual Light Source is a strong selling point, the firmware update hurt color accuracy, which could concern buyers. XGIMI should work to make sure future updates don’t reduce this important feature, so users keep enjoying great colors and a better overall experience.

BenQ HT3650 4K DLP Home Theater Projector

The BenQ HT3560 is a 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) DLP projector priced around $1,599. It has a brightness of 2,200 ANSI lumens and shows colors covering 95% of DCI-P3 and 100% of Rec.709 color spaces.

This model is the latest in BenQ’s popular line of lamp-based home theater projectors, and it’s expected to perform better than older models like the TK850i and HT3550. It uses a Texas Instruments 0.47″ DMD chip with pixel-shifting technology to deliver sharp 4K images, similar to the HT3550.

Key specs of the BenQ HT3560:

• Price: $1,699 MSRP

• Technology: DLP

• Resolution: 4K UHD (3840 x 2160)

• Brightness: 2200 ANSI Lumens

• Light Source: Lamp

• Contrast: 50,000:1 (Dynamic)

• Zoom Lens Ratio: 1.3X

• Sound: 5W x 2 Stereo

• Size: 14.9 x 4.9 x 10.35 inches

• Weight: 9.25 lbs

We liked previous BenQ projectors like the HT3550 and TK850i because of their great image quality, thanks to features like Auto Tone Mapping, Color Mapping, and Dynamic Iris technology. The HT3560 keeps these strengths and adds HDR10+, BenQ’s HDR-PRO, and Dynamic Black for even better HDR performance.

The HT3560 is an upgrade, not a complete redesign, and still uses a lamp instead of newer laser or LED light sources. Lamp projectors like this remain popular for home theaters, gaming, and cinema setups because of their strong performance.

Overall, the BenQ HT3560 is a solid choice if you want to upgrade from a 1080p projector or add a high-quality 4K projector to your home theater.

BenQ W5800 4K Laser Home Cinema Projector

The BenQ W5800 is a high-end 4K UHD home theater projector priced at $5,999. It’s designed for home theater fans who want the best picture quality and performance. This model is a big upgrade since BenQ hasn’t updated their home theater projectors in a few years.

To compete with other top projectors like the Sony XW5000ES and Epson LS12000, the W5800 uses BenQ’s CinematicColor technology for very accurate colors. Its DYNAMIC BLACK technology adjusts the laser light to boost contrast, making both SDR and HDR images look amazing.

Key specs of the BenQ W5800:

• Price: $5,999 MSRP

• Technology: DLP

• Resolution: 4K UHD (3840 x 2160)

• Brightness: 2,600 ANSI Lumens

• Light Source: Blue Laser Phosphor

• Contrast: 2,000,000:1 (Dynamic)

• Zoom Lens: Motorized 1.6x

• Sound System: None

• Size: 20.7″ x 5.7″ x 15.4″

• Weight: 23 lbs

The W5800 supports HDR10, HLG, and HDR10+ with BenQ’s HDR-PRO technology, which helps keep details clear in both bright and dark scenes.

Each projector is factory calibrated for top color accuracy, and a calibration report comes in the box. It can display 100% of the DCI-P3 color range used for most HDR content, without needing a filter that dims the image.

The motorized lens offers 1.6x zoom and plenty of lens shift (vertical +/-50%, horizontal +/-21%), so you can place the projector in different spots without losing image quality. This makes the W5800 very flexible for home theaters.

BenQ continues to offer great value with models like the HT3650i and HT4550i. The W5800 is a major upgrade from the popular W4000i/HT4550i from last year, with even more advanced features.

 

BENQ W4000i/HT4550i 4K 4LED Projector

The BenQ W4000i (called HT4550i in some regions) is a new LED light source projector made for HDR home theaters. If you live in the US, you’ll get the W4000i, which is the same as the HT4550i sold elsewhere.

It offers 4K UHD resolution (3840 x 2160) using a new Texas Instruments 0.65″ DLP chip with XPR technology. Priced at $2,999, it replaces the popular HT3550i model.

Key specs for the BenQ HT4550i:

• Price: $2,999 MSRP

• Technology: 4LED DLP

• Resolution: 3840 x 2160 (Pixel Shifting)

• Brightness: 3200 ANSI Lumens

• Light Source: 4LED

• Contrast: 2,000,000:1 (Dynamic)

• Zoom Lens: 1.3x

• Lens Shift: Horizontal ±15%, Vertical 0%-60%

• Size: 16.55” x 5.32” x 12.28”

• Weight: 14.55 lbs

The W4000i uses a 4LED light source to deliver a wide and accurate color range. BenQ calls this CinematicColor, which aims to show true-to-life film colors. It also features Wide Color Gamut (WCG) that covers 100% of the DCI-P3 color space in HDR mode—about 30% larger than many other 4K DLP projectors with Rec.709. This means bright, rich colors and great detail in both light and dark scenes, perfect for movies and TV shows.

BenQ has improved brightness with 3,200 ANSI lumens and a bigger 0.66″ DLP chip, making this projector even better than the well-known X3000i gaming model.

A big new feature is full Netflix support built-in, so you don’t need extra apps or complicated setups to watch Netflix directly on the projector. This is a welcome addition for many users.