The Best Budget 4K Projector
Above-average ratings, below-average prices, no fake reviews.
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Around 75% of the people who saw The Avengers, The Dark Knight Rises or Skyfall in the movie theater saw a 2K projection, not 4K. Do you think they noticed? “The real challenge is not 4K versus 2K, but HDR versus SDR [standard dynamic range]. The audience sees the difference when a movie is projected in HDR,” says Jean Mizrahi, president and CEO of Ymagis Group, while interviewed by trade publication, Screen Daily.
Picture Quality Is More Than Just Pixels
All else equal, a 4K projector will look better than a 1080p projector. But, all else isn’t equal. A projector’s contrast ratio, color gamut and black levels have the greatest impact on how we perceive picture quality. That’s why a great 1080p projector (like Sony’s beloved VPL-HW45ES) can make people happier than a budget 4K projector (like ViewSonic’s despised X10–4K).
“True 4K” Is More Expensive, Not Better
Whether or not a 4K projector is a “true 4K projector” isn’t as important as it would seem. Projectors that use pixel-shifting full-HD chips (1920x1080) are capable of producing 4K video signals that look almost identical to projectors with native 4K chips (3840x2160 or 4096x2160).
Pixel-shift technology (also called sensor-shifting, e-shift or spatial offsetting) sounds like upscaling, but it works more like interlacing. The projector divides a 4K signal into multiple 1080p signals that are rapidly projected beside one another. Meanwhile, the human eye puzzles this together as a 4K picture.
Some critics mock “Faux-K,” but pixel shifting is a legitimate innovation.
A 4K Projector Without HDCP 2.2 Is Useless
HDCP 2.2 stands for “High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection.” A 4K projector can’t display a copyrighted 4K video signal (basically, all video streams, broadcasts and Blu-rays) unless it supports HDCP 2.2.
Key Features and Accessories
- High-dynamic range (HDR) content looks better when its paired with a projector that supports HDR.
- Home theater projectors look best on a dedicated projection screen. On the other hand, a 4K signal projected onto a wall is like a sports car driven over pot holes: It works, but not the way it’s supposed to.
- The best cheap 4K projectors have at least one HDMI 2.0 input, which allows 4K content to play at 60Hz: This is essential for video games and fast-moving sports. Many projectors only have two HDMI inputs, so an HDMI switcher or A/V receiver may be necessary to connect multiple video sources.
- Most projectors have poor internal speakers (or none at all). An external sound system, whether its a soundbar or a full surround-sound package, is necessary to achieve a true home theater experience.
- The quality of high resolution audio and video content degrades when it is carried over long distances via a passive HDMI cable (i.e. copper wire). For longer cable runs, an optical HDMI cable is required, but these specialty cables can cost hundreds of dollars. It’s wise to price-check cables before buying a projector.
How Much Does a Good 4K Projector Cost?
A good 4K projector (with verified, above-average reviews) costs approximately $1,420, according to a 12-month analysis of price trends. Those same ultra-HD projectors cost around $1,260 while on sale: an average discount of 11%. Here are the best inexpensive 4K projectors for the money:
Methodology for Selecting Products
I use data science to discover above-average products that are selling for below-average prices. To find 4K projectors with below-average prices, I first assemble a list of candidates, then organize those products by their 12-month average sale price, determine the median value and then exclude any projector with a price above the mid-point.
To find UHD projectors with above-average reviews, I measure the relationship between 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 star ratings and flag outliers that fall outside of a normal statistical distribution. I also discount paid, sponsored and unverified reviews as well as unhelpful review behaviors from verified customers. Models with an average adjusted rating of less than 3.9 out of 5 are excluded; in the end, fewer than 15% of the analyzed products remain.
BenQ TK810 4K HDR Wireless Smart Home Projector
Good Value: $1,435 | Great Deal: $1,300
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BenQ’s Android-based 4K projector has a painless setup and magnificent picture quality, according to several online customers. Some reviewers warn that this projector has Bluetooth range and stability issues that render the feature useless; others say that this projector isn’t bright enough to use outside in daylight.
ViewSonic True 4K Home Theater Projector (PX727–4K)
Good Value: $1,000 | Great Deal: $800
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Viewsonic’s budget 4K projector is bright, vibrant and a clear upgrade over a 1080p projector, according to several online customers. Some reviewers complain that the fan is distractingly loud; others wish that this projector had a shorter throw (also cautioning that a large room is needed for a 100” or 120” screen).
Note: This item was heavily discounted on Amazon Prime Day.
BenQ True 4K HDR-PRO Home Entertainment Projector (TK850)
Good Value: $1,640 | Great Deal: $1,366
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BenQ’s affordable 4K projector is bright, sharp and it has excellent color accuracy (without needing calibration), according to several online customers. Some reviewers complain that this projector runs hot and loud; others were disappointed to learn that the HDMI-ARC connection only supports PCM sound.
Optoma UHD30 True 4K UHD Gaming Projector
Good Value: $1,300 | Great Deal: $1,200
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Optoma’s budget 4K gaming projector is bright, colorful and has no perceptible latency, according to several online customers. Some reviewers caution that long cable runs require the use of fiber optic HDMI.
Note: This item was heavily discounted on Black Friday.
ViewSonic X10–4KE True 4K UHD Short Throw LED Projector
Good Value: $1,500 | Great Deal: $1,000
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ViewSonic’s portable 4K projector is bright, sharp and has excellent internal speakers, according to several online customers. Some reviewers say that screen casting from a phone or tablet results in lag.
Note: This item was heavily discounted on Black Friday.
ViewSonic 4K Projector (PX747–4K)
Good Value: $950 | Great Deal: $788
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ViewSonic’s budget-4K projector is bright enough to be used during the day, according to several online customers. Many reviewers agree that this projector has disappointing black levels and a distracting border around the image, yet disagree whether these compromises are acceptable for the price.
Epson Home Cinema 4010 4K With HDR
Good Value: $1,800 | Great Deal: $1,675
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This Epson projector is easy to set up and has excellent colors, according to several online customers. Many reviewers caution that this projector is very large and only supports 4K 30Hz video, which isn’t ideal for gaming or fast-action sports. Others say the Epson 4010 has mediocre contrast.
BenQ TK800M 4K Home Theater Projector with HDR and HLG
Good Value: $1,285 | Great Deal: $1,099
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BenQ’s native-4K projector has great picture quality and no input lag, according to several online customers. Some reviewers wished for a calibration guide to help find optimal picture settings.
BenQ HT3550 4K Projector with HDR10
Good Value: $1,453 | Great Deal: $1,299
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This short throw projector has great sharpness and color rendition, according to several customers. Some reviewers say that fan noise is noticeable at times and that the projector’s auto-iris feature can cause screen flickering depending on the scene.
Epson Home Cinema 3200 4K With HDR
Good Value: $1,430 | Great Deal: $1,250
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Epson’s entry-level 4K projector is bright, sharp and handles motion well, according to online reviewers. Several customers were surprised (or disappointed) that this projector doesn’t include a speaker.
Epson Home Cinema 3800 4K With HDR
Good Value: $1,600 | Great Deal: $1,450
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Epson’s 4K-HDR projector has stunning picture quality, according to several customers. Some reviewers wish that this projector had better black levels and automatic lens protection (instead of a manual lens cap). Another reviewer was disappointed that this projector doesn’t support HDMI-ARC.
About the Author: John DeFeo is a movie lover, one-time A/V salesman and was formerly the head of editorial insights for Tom’s Guide.
