Best Projector 2025: Build a home theatre with these tested devices

Looking for a projector that’s explicity for gaming? BenQ’s X3100i is what you’re looking for with its solid 4K HDR picture and low input lag.

There’s a range of gaming features available with multiple modes with low input, 1080p/120Hz support, an FPS Crosshair feature and BenQ’s SettingXchange, which allows you to import custom gaming modes and colour parameters that have been created by experts and professional gamers. We measured input lag at an impressively low 16ms, and at 1080p/240Hz that figure falls to 4ms.

The picture puts in a bright, colourful and punchy performance. At its maximum output, the X3100i offers 3300 ANSI lumens of brightness (cinema mode reduces it to 2000 ANSI lumens). Black levels are more grey than black, but the performance we see with the X300G is consistent with other single chip DLP projectors, so contrast doesn’t deliver on what BenQ claims the projector does out of the box. Motion handling is superb, and overall, its wide colour performance and brightness makes up for its lack of deep blacks.

The sound system is pretty good for more casual viewing, but the 2.1 channel system (device Bon Jovi’s cousin) doesn’t have the scale or power to create a soundstage that complements its big screen images. They can’t go too loud without starting to distort.

It’s been quite a few years since the W2700 was released, so we were pleased as punch to see its successor arrive in the W2710i, a projector aimed at home cinema enthusiasts that sits within the mid-range of the market.

Our reviewer observed that the W2710i follows the same living room-friendly design template BenQ has used for many years. Its reasonably compact size allows it to fit comfortably onto almost any coffee or side table, and its three screw-down feet help angle the image correctly onto a screen or wall, and we’d recommend owning or getting a screen for a projector such as this.

The W2710i supports 4K and HDR, though it isn’t necessarily native 4K as the projector uses some clever tricks to create the illusion of ‘proper’ 4K.There are plenty of features to talk about with the W2710i but the most important is that BenQ claims it covers 95% of the DCI-P3 colour range and the full coverage of the SDR Rec 709 spectrum.

It can achieve a brightness of 2200 lumens, which is an increase on the W2700 for slightly brighter images, and there’s support for Filmmaker mode to get close to viewing content as it was mastered. There’s also a special port for a BenQ Android TV smart dongle to stream media with support for apps such as Disney+, Netflix, ITVX, Amazon Prime Video, Now, Apple TV, and Paramount+. Disappointingly, there’s no support for iPlayer or Channel 4.

We found set-up to be a breeze as its optical zoom and optical vertical image shifting gives the user a decent degree of flexibility in terms of placement, while an effective auto keystone adjustment helps get the edges of the image to where it needs it to be.

The W2710i improves on the performance of its predecessor in a number of areas – and in our humble opinion it’s easily one of the best projectors in its class. Images look incredibly sharp and detailed, with good quality native 4K sources looking absolutely pristine, packed with detail and textures no HD image could give you. We also observed that its sharpness doesn’t take a hit when there’s motion to deal with, the W2710i’s 24p True Cinema option serving up one of the most natural and relaxed looking 24p experiences we’ve seen on any projector.

HDR tone mapping is good, enjoying more vibrancy and volume than we’ve seen on other similarly priced projectors, though we did notice that skin tones can look a little suntanned with the projector’s out-of-the-box settings.

The sound system developed by BenQ’s internal Trevolo division is one of the better ones we’ve come across. It’s well-rounded, less harsh and projects audio away from its body well. If you’re sitting behind the projector, we noticed that it does feel as if it comes from the screen.

BenQ is launching another projector in the TK860i that shares similar specs with the W2710I but is designed for more casual users. Look out for that review soon.

Not everyone can afford the Samsung Premiere 9, which commands a price of £5999. In which case, if you’re looking for a TV replacement in the form of a projector, the Hisense PL1 is a more affordable option at less than £1999.

We found its design less intrusive than a TV as it can sit in front of a wall, and a screen up to 100-inches possible would be our recommendation. It’s much more convenient than a long-throw projector like the similarly priced BenQ W270i, as we found you could use the Hisense in a relatively small room.

We were impressed by the picture quality of the PL1. Packing 2100 lumens of brightness, it’s not the brightest UST and so for the best performance we would recommend that you draw the curtains for a proper cinema experience.

HDR support includes HDR10, HLG, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision; the latter helps the projector deliver a sharp image, with excellent colour vibrancy and motion handling. While projectors can’t match TVs for HDR output, we found the PL1 gives it a good go. It can’t manage deep blacks, reaching dark grey instead but for most dark content, the PL1 should look fine.

The system’s stereo sound system is serviceable enough for news but anything more challenging and you should consider adding additional speakers.

As the market surrounding the best portable projectors continues to open up, we’ve seen more standout devices in this category over the last few years, but at the time of writing it’s the Epson EF-22N that shows just how far these miniature entertainment hubs have come.

Aside from its smaller stature, what helps the EF-22N’s portability, particularly when needed to be used in the great outdoors, is the 360-degree swivel base that makes it incredibly easy to find the right level of framing without needing to constantly move the projector from place to place. The charging port is also conveniently located in the base of the device, so the power cable won’t get tangled up as the projector moves.

When it is set up, you can enjoy all of the smart features and apps that Google TV has to offer on the Epson EF-22N. This includes access to key streaming services like Netflix and Disney Plus, although irritatingly we were unable to access iPlayer or Channel 4 due to licensing issues. Still, there’s plenty on offer here and it’s handy to know that you don’t need to throw an extra device like the Fire TV Stick 4K Max into the mix.

In spite of its portable ambitions, the Epson EF-22N is still able to reach some impressively high levels of brightness, up to 1000 ISO lumens to be exact. At that level, it’s easy to make out plenty of detail in whatever it is that you’re watching. Even in darker scenes, the visuals never became muddy in our testing, so you’ll never be taken out of the immersion due to lacklustre visual quality.

While the Samsung Freestyle is still a better portable option for those tied to a budget, we can’t recommend the Epson EF-22N enough if you have the money to spend.

We’re onto the second generation of Samsung’s Freestyle projector and it’s arguably even better than the original.

Like the Freestyle 2019 version, this new model looks not unlike Luxor Jr. of Pixar fame, dressed in a white finish with its cylindrical shape and adjustable stand. Like before, the stand can be adjusted from 90 to 180 degrees, allowing for an image to be projected on a wall or even the ceiling.

It’s in the features area where the new Freestyle begins to diverge from the old Freestyle. There’s support 21:9 for screen ratios as well as Samsung’s Gaming Hub for cloud gaming. The Smart Edge Blending combines the images of two Freestyles into, a image we found to be even bigger and brighter than using one by itself. It also increases the minimum screen size from 100-inches to 130-inches that allows users to get the full benefit of the 21:9 ratio.

The micro-HDMI input can accept HDR signals and supports ARC for adding a soundbar. There’s a USB-C port for connecting to the power adapter or connecting the projector to an external battery. Its wireless support includes Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.3 and Apple AirPlay 2. Wi-Fi offers access to the Tizen-powered smart platform where you can find streaming apps such as Disney+, Netflix, and Apple TV+.

There’s built-in Bixby and Alexa voice assistance along with SmartThings support, which like before is an app that we found makes set-up and installation very simple. The Smart Calibration feature allows images to be calibrated with a smartphone, accurately compensating for colours if you’re watching on a non-white coloured wall or surface.

Our reviewer measured the amount of the noise the projector produced from two feet away, and found it matched the original with only 25dB of noise. In general we found picture quality to be very good with images that look clean and detailed, and though the projector is limited to 1080p resolution, we did not see any distracting image artifacts when the projector downscales content from 4K.

It is slightly brighter than the original at 550 lumens, which is not as bright as the Yaber K2S‘ 800 ANSI lumens, but we found its tone mapping to be very good, producing HDR images with plenty of pop. Unfortunately, the Freestyle 2023 does suffer from limitations such as weak blacks, contrast and possible colour fringing (rainbow effect) for some people.

It’s a decent option for gaming with a 40ms gaming lag (better than the original), and the built-in speaker system spreads audio in all directions, and we found it could go loud without distorting or losing its composure.

The new Freestyle takes what made the original good and adds a few more useful features and refines the overall performance. This is a fun, hassle-free smart projector that’s easy to use for big screen viewing in your home. The original Freestyle is still available at around £499, though the Samsung has recently reduced the price of the new model to £699.

JVC has quite a few projectors available so to simplify things a bit, just know that the JVC DLA-NZ700 is designed for the enthusiast crowd who might be shopping with a mid-range budget (comparatively speaking). Even though this isn’t the most high-end projector within JVC’s range, you’d be hard pressed to find fault with it once you switch the thing on. The type of image quality you can get with this projector is just stunning.

What really sets the NZ700 apart from so many of the other projector we’ve tested over the years is its HDR performance. Thanks to its Gen2 Frame Adapt HDR feature, the NZ700 is able to analyse every scene frame by frame to make sure that each one is optimised to the fullest, so you’re always treated to a rich and vibrant image that’ll have you absorbed completely.

Complementing that HDR processing is the fact that this is a native 4K projector, so there’s tons of detail to go with every image you see. This is brilliant for animated films where there are tons of fun details to find in the periphery, and it’ll make any future movie nights with the kids feel like a true trip to the cinema from home.

If you don’t have a cinema room that’s fully blacked out with no external light creeping in then fear not as the powerful BLU-Escent laser diode is able to reach a peak brightness of 2300 lumens, which almost makes it feel as if you’re getting the same experience that you would through a traditional backlit television.

In fact, the NZ700 also does a great job in more dimly lit scenes courtesy of an 80,000:1 contrast ratio, which can go a long way towards making horror films feel even more immersive. If things do get a bit too tense however, you can quickly pause a film with the backlit remote that’s bundled in.

If you know next to nothing about projectors but you’re looking to buy one that features high-end features and an easy-to-understand set-up process that makes the installation of a home theatre as simple as possible, then the ViewSonic LX700-4K is definitely the option for you.

On the quality front, there’s very little here to leave you wanting. The LX700-4K, as its name implies, is able to output content at a 4K resolution, so there’s no detail lost when enjoying the latest films and TV shows, plus the HDR performance kicks it up to a whole other level.

With support for HDR10 and HLG, this projector is able to emit a jaw-dropping image at all areas of the screen. This is brilliant if you’re enjoying an animated film with the family as younger viewers will marvel over the vibrant colours found in these fictional worlds. Part of this is achieved thanks to a super bright 3500 ANSI lumens, which still lasts for a whopping 30,000-hour lifespan for tons of entertainment.

As mentioned, the LX700-4K is one of the easier projectors to set up, partially due to the intuitive remote that comes with the device. You have instant controls for zooming and focusing the image, so it doesn’t take a great deal of work to find the point that works best for your screening room.

If you also like to mix things up with a bit of gaming then you’ll appreciate the smooth motion handling which keeps you locked in with every step of the action. The incredibly low latency also works in tandem with fast-paced titles like first-person shooters, so you’ll never be at a disadvantage when playing online.

There’s no way around it, at £24,999/$25,999 the JVC DLA-NZ900 is a sizeable investment and one that’s really meant for the true home theatre aficionados out there who obsess over the tiniest details and really getting that cinema style experience from the comfort of their living room or dedicated cinema room. If your budget does stretch to cover it however then you will not be disappointed.

In terms of resolution, you’re definitely future proofed with the NZ900 as it can support 8K at 60Hz and a faster 120Hz refresh rate when outputting at 4K. With these resolutions available, you’re getting the best of both worlds when it comes to both film and gaming.

The ability to output at 8K means that even older, classic Hollywood films can appear at their best, making it feel as it you’ve gone back in time to watch them when they first appeared onscreen, while the super fast 120Hz refresh rate is just the ticket for high-speed games like Forza Horizon 5 or Marvel Rivals.

If you’ve ever bought at the lower end of the projector market then you’ll know that brightness can sometimes be an issue, but the NZ900 has no such problem. JVC’s BLU-Escent laser diode can crank up the brightness to 3300 lumens which is just mind-blowing, and ends up being a true visual feast for the eyes.

Even with such high levels of brightness to hand, the NZ900 can still deliver on the lower end with a contrast ratio of 150,000:1. That type of performance is just on a whole other level, producing truly inky blacks that give so much depth to every single frame. Trust us when we say that this is a level of cinematic luxury like no other.