2021-2022 Education Projector Buyer’s Guide

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Welcome to Our Annual Education Buyer’s Guide

In this guide, we explore a wide range of projectors suited for K-12 schools, higher education, and museums. When reviewing projectors and selecting award winners, we consider how each model performs in various educational settings.

Before we begin, it’s important to acknowledge the lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the education sector.

Educators have found creative ways to engage students, both in-person and online. With many schools and museums going virtual over the past year, technology use in classrooms has evolved significantly. Interactive projectors have become increasingly popular, allowing both in-class and remote students to see the same content in real time.

Even as more students return to in-person learning, the effects of the pandemic will likely influence education for years to come—possibly leading to a permanent shift in teaching methods. One positive outcome is that both teachers and students are now more comfortable using technology in the classroom.

As schools reopen with physical distancing in mind, projectors can help. In large classrooms, students can be spaced out more effectively if there is a big enough screen—ideally 90″ or more for K-12, and at least 100″ for higher education.

Smaller displays (such as 60″) are becoming less practical, as they don’t provide the visibility needed in larger or socially-distanced spaces. We recommend checking out our feature on the Equivalent Visibility Rule for more details.

At Projector Reviews, we’re interested to see what long-term changes emerge. In the meantime, we believe schools will continue investing in tools and technologies that make learning more interactive and engaging. We’re confident immersive projection can play a key role in that effort

Overview of Projector Types in This Guide – And Why They’re Included

This Education Projector Report covers several categories of projectors based on how they’re used in education settings.

  • Standard Projectors: Mostly used in K-12 classrooms, these are budget-friendly options. K-12 schools often have tighter budgets than higher education institutions, so cost plays a major role.

  • Large Venue Projectors: Common in higher education for lecture halls or large classrooms. However, all types of schools may need these more powerful projectors for spaces like auditoriums or multi-use rooms.

  • High-End/Specialty Projectors: These include models designed for digital signage and projection mapping—often used in museums and specialized educational displays.

Each category includes different projector types, such as standard and ultra-short throw models. Some come with interchangeable lenses and features like horizontal/vertical lens shift, which can impact both cost and installation. Many also offer different levels of interactivity, from fully interactive to none. Interactivity is becoming increasingly popular in educational environments.

In this report, we focus on real-world use—not just specs. Our awards go to projectors that perform well in specific applications and environments.

What’s Inside This Year’s Guide

This year, we reviewed dozens of projectors and selected around 20 models that we believe are especially suited for the education market. For each projector, you’ll find a brief overview and a link to a full review if you want more details.

Many of these models have “siblings”—similar versions with small differences like resolution, brightness, or wireless features. So while we feature about 20 models, they represent nearly 100 options currently available.

Some models may be familiar from past reports. That’s because most projectors stay on the market for 2 to 4 years. We’ve noted any models that won awards last year as well as this year’s new winners.

As schools prepare for the return of students in the fall—especially during summer upgrade cycles—we hope this guide helps you make informed decisions.

We carefully choose which projectors to review and include, focusing on models that are among the best in their price range and feature set.

Thank you to all the educators who have continued teaching through such a challenging year. We hope this report makes your technology decisions easier and supports your efforts to create brighter, more engaging learning environments.

 

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