Best LED Projectors for Home Theater

The Asus brand model is positioned as a portable projector. The device is compact (17x13x13 cm) and quite light (1.57 kg), has an integrated stand and a complete case for carrying and storage. Inside there is a 17700 mAh battery, which will provide 3.5 hours of autonomy (enough for a movie even with a long running time), and the Power Bank function will allow you to power your smartphone.

Another feature of the Asus ZenBeam L2 is a complete TV set-top box with a certified Android TV OS. It easily connects to the model, is powered by it and hides in the case (in a special niche). As a result, users get a smart projector with access to various multimedia services, Chromecast and Google Assistant support. Plus, the TV box can be used separately.

The projection ratio of the model is 1.2:1, and the range of available diagonals varies from 30 to 120 ". Thus, at a distance of one meter you will get a 40-inch picture, and at 3.2 m - a maximum of 120 ". There will be no difficulties with the setup, because autofocus is implemented (and there is a drive for motorized adjustment), automatic correction of trapezoid distortions and recognition of obstacles.

The main "filling" of the projector includes an LED lamp with an impressive working resource of 30 thousand hours and a DLP matrix. The latter allows you to display an image with a resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels, but is also compatible with 4K content. Despite the ability to display only 16.7 million shades, everything is fine with the saturation and richness of the image, including due to the treatment of 120% of the sRGB space. The maximum brightness is declared at 960 lm (or 400 ANSI lumens), and the static contrast is 400: 1. In a darkened room, movie viewing leaves an excellent impression, but under other conditions, the last two indicators are still not enough.

Separately, we will highlight the presence of popular wired interfaces and Harman Kardon sound system, but its power is quite standard (10 W) and you should not expect a wow effect. The Light Wall function stands out - it allows you to decorate the interior by displaying one of 26 cinematic effects on the wall, including a working fireplace, rain outside the window, etc.

Asus ZenBeam L2 is an original projector for movie lovers with increased mobility and easy setup.

The 2024 debutant in the Optoma brand line is a laser projector for home multimedia entertainment. The Laser-LED light source combines a decent brightness reserve (3800 lm) with an excellent working resource of 30 thousand hours. With daily 5-hour sessions, the lamp will need to be replaced after 16 years. It is worth noting that the Optoma HZ146X-W is even ready for round-the-clock operation. And the greater durability of the lamp in such scenarios will clearly not be superfluous.

The projector is capable of projecting an image from 20 to 300 " in size at a distance from the wall (screen) of 80 cm to 10 meters (ratio 1.48:1 - 1.62:1). Focusing, scaling and trapezoid correction are performed manually.

The model can project a FullHD image with a treatment of 1 billion shades and decent contrast (2,000,000:1 in dynamics). Moviegoers will find a format with authentic 24 fps and 3D support, and for game fans, an increased screen refresh rate of up to 120 Hz and low input lag (8.6 ms) are available. But the device does not recognize 4K content at all.

The model is equipped with a 15-watt speaker, a pair of HDMI and one USB A. The latter, among other things, supports power transmission, which allows, for example, connecting a TV stick, such as Google Chromecast. Optionally, there is also Wi-Fi support for Internet access.

Optoma HZ146X-W is a good Full HD projector for movies and games.

Among the key features of the XGIMI brand projector, it is worth highlighting the proprietary Intelligent Screen Adaption technology. It eliminates the need for complex image settings. The model provides autofocus, intelligent alignment and automatic trapezoidal distortion correction, as well as recognition of obstacles in the frame and their "bypass" (due to a reduction in the projection size).

XGIMI Horizon is capable of displaying images with a size of 40 to 200 ". A fairly low ratio of 1.2:1 makes it possible to get a 100-inch image from a distance of 2.66 m, which will be a good bonus in cramped living conditions.

The projector works in tandem with the Android TV 10.0 OS, has popular wireless communication modules - Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.0, and also supports Chromecast and voice control (including interaction with Google Assistant).

Also on board are two 8-watt Harman Kardon speakers, providing decent sound quality. The engineers did not forget about the current wired interfaces, including HDMI with eARC for connecting multi-channel sound system.

The real resolution of the model is 1920x1080 pixels, but the projector recognizes and displays 4K content with less detail. The image is characterized by acceptable maximum brightness (1500 ISO lumens) and contrast, which is important for movie viewing and other multimedia scenarios. Plus, the light sensor will automatically select the optimal parameters.

You can count on a wide color gamut, but the factory calibration is far from ideal. Accordingly, the accuracy of color rendering is initially lame, and the possibilities for its correction are limited.

In any case, XGIMI Horizon is a balanced projector for home cinema, which will please you with a large lamp resource (30 thousand hours). And if you are counting on 4K, you can consider Horizon Pro with a higher price tag.

The laser model of the Epson brand is positioned as a smart solution. It has the Android TV 9.0 operating system, so even without connecting to a PC or other devices, users have access to popular streaming services, including YouTube and Netflix. There is also the possibility of voice control and organizing content broadcasts from mobile devices using Chromecast.

Epson EpiqVision Mini EF‑12 has a laser lamp that will last from 12 to 20 thousand hours (in normal and economy modes, respectively). The overall reliability of the projector is confirmed by an extended manufacturer's warranty: 5 years from the date of purchase or 12,000 hours of operation.

The device is characterized by relatively small dimensions (13x17.5x17.5 cm) and a moderate weight of 2.1 kg, which generally allows you to take it with you if necessary. This scenario is partly facilitated by the simple image adjustment: automatic focus and auto-keystone are provided.

The projection ratio is 1:1, i.e. when moving a meter away from the wall, a meter-wide image is projected. The maximum supported size is declared to be 150 ", and to deploy it, the case must be moved 3.4 m away from the screen (wall).

The projector produces images with a Full HD resolution, but is also compatible with 4K format. Viewers will enjoy accurate color rendering thanks to high-quality factory calibration, a good color gamut (1 billion shades), but limited brightness parameters (1000 lm). To enjoy a rich picture, you need to turn off the lights and close the curtains. Contrast is also far from ideal for demanding viewers.

It is worth highlighting the pair of 5-watt Yamaha speakers and low operating noise (from 22 to 27 dB).

Epson EpiqVision Mini EF‑12 is a small projector for movie viewing with easy setup and extended warranty.

In 2024, Epson debuted Mini models in its EpiqVision line, including the EF-21 projector in a white case, weighing 2.3 kg and measuring 11x20x19 cm. The Google TV operating system is pre-installed here. This platform features high performance, an intuitive interface, access to numerous multimedia services, as well as support for voice control and Chromecast.

Epson EpiqVision Mini EF-21 lets you enjoy movies, TV series and sports broadcasts on a screen up to 150 " diagonally. To get such a large picture, the device requires a distance of 3.4 meters (projection ratio 1:1). Focusing and trapezoid correction of the model is carried out automatically, and the digital 1.82x zoom has an electric drive for convenient adjustment from the remote control.

The projector's strong points include a long-lasting laser lamp with a service life of 20 thousand hours.

The projector displays a FullHD image on the screen (or wall) with a moderate color gamut (covering 16.7 billion shades) and an improved contrast ratio (5,000,000:1) compared to its predecessors, such as the Epson EF-12. At the same time, the brightness reserve is at a basic level (1000 ANSI lumens), so for a rich image you cannot do without high-quality darkening of the room.

The pleasant bonuses of the model include an extended warranty of up to 5 years (or 12 thousand hours of operation) and quiet operation (from 19 to 23 dB).

Epson EpiqVision Mini EF-21 is a home theater projector that is balanced in terms of price and quality.