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Technically, you can find a projector priced under $100. They do exist. But just because the price is nice, doesn’t mean the product will be. Simply put, most ultracheap projectors aren’t good options. In fact, they’re hardly watchable. However, we were able to scare up a handful that can generate a reasonable, TV-size image — as long as you use them in a dark room. Of the best projectors we’ve reviewed, most go for somewhere between $500 and $1,500. But if that’s more than you’re wanting to spend, you can manage on a model as cheap as $65. And if spending a bit more isn’t an issue, these gems for just a few hundred bucks are worth checking out.
After raising the spending limit to $250 or so, I found that models like the AAXA P8 and the Vimgo P10 fared surprisingly well in my comparison tests. They delivered big, perfectly watchable images for less than the price of a cheap phone.
Even among the sub-$100 projectors, some are notably better than others. We tested several, using the same tests and measurement gear we use to review “real” projectors, and we got some interesting results. Here’s how they looked.
The AuKing M8-F is a sort of “best of the worst” option in the sub-$100 category. It’s by no means what I’d call good, but against some pretty abysmal competition, it’s decidedly not bad. Its light output, contrast ratio and color are all as good, if not better than the other ultrabudget projectors we tested.
If you consider that this $65 projector can create a quite-dim-but-watchable image, that’s not nothing. As long as you don’t expect miracles, and aim for a TV-size (60 inches or less) image, you could definitely do worse.
An OK 1080p option
Hision HIUS-LP-M7
Saying the Hision is one of the best projectors in this roundup is a little misleading. It is one of the least bad projectors in this roundup. It can create a watchable image, mostly, and is bright enough to get that image to roughly at least TV-size. It’s even 1080p resolution. And thus end the superlatives, such as they are. The AuKing M8-F’s image is a little better, and it’s a little cheaper, but both are far better than the other options below.
The Hision is not particularly bright, in the ballpark of mini and portable projectors. The contrast ratio isn’t much worse than some projectors we’ve reviewed, though that isn’t saying much. It’s surprisingly loud, however. And the uniformity is bad, making the center of the image noticeably brighter than the edges.
It also had some bugs. Well, a bug. Literally. Forever entombed between the image sensor and the lens, it appeared as an ovoid splotch of darkness a few dozen pixels wide near the middle of the image. Charming.
The Hision was good only in comparison to most of the others here. If you just want to spend around $100 and you want 1080p, though, you could do worse.
Here’s where I mention that pricing on all of these ultracheap projectors varies quite a bit, sometimes from day to day. If the Hision costs more than $100 when you read this, it’s an even worse value. For around $250 the Vimgo P10 and AAXA P8 are both brighter and far more watchable, and definitely worth saving for in my opinion.
Ultracheap projector if you really must
Meer YG300-Pro
The YG300-Pro isn’t good. It’s half as bright as the Hision, has a worse contrast ratio and worse color (and that’s saying something). It shares many of the same issues, including abysmal uniformity. Some colors, like red, are very undersaturated, making for a lifeless, cold image. It’s 720p, so the pixels aren’t the size of paving stones at least.
Bottom line: The Hision and AuKing are definitely better, but if either are significantly more expensive when you read this, the Meer makes a solid runner-up if you simply can’t save up for a better cheap projector.
A projector for the price of a video game
Elephas JingHuier
The Elephas JingHuier is half the price of the more “expensive” options on this list. However, it’s easily twice as bad. In its favor, the design features a friendly, round focus knob and a rather pleasant curvy design with a yellow front. Unfortunately, it’s the second-dimmest projector we’ve ever reviewed, putting out a nearly invisible 33 lumens. The image isn’t the worst I’ve seen, but it’s so close.
Dominated by big, SD-resolution pixels and mediocre color, its biggest strength is that it’s not the MissYou YG300 (see below).
A projector nobody should buy
MissYou YG300
The MissYou YG300 is very bad. Terrible. It’s unquestionably the worst projector, and probably the worst display, that I’ve ever seen. The image is a smeary, joyless mess of washed out colors and sadness. The color red is barely a suggestion. It puts out enough light to imperceptibly brighten a shoebox. Every one of its 23 lumens — the lowest I’ve ever measured — seem to struggle their way to the screen, then resent being there. Reviewing the YG300 made me question my life choices as a projector reviewer.
Even for $35, which is what we paid at the time, don’t buy this. Since then the price has gone up, which is the only thing that can make me recommend this projector less.
We need to talk about picture quality
The projectors above, except perhapsthe Hision and AuKing, look worse than pretty much any modern TV, no matter how cheap. You definitely need to recalibrate your expectations for what you’re getting here. I’ve used the word “watchable” a lot in this guide which is somewhere between generous and Olympic-grade hyperbole. Here are a few key reasons why:
- Light output
- Contrast
- Color
- Resolution
In every measurable way, spending $150 more will get you a vastly superior product. The best cheap projectors we’ve reviewed are substantially brighter, better looking, more accurate and more detailed. I hate recommending anyone pay more for something, but in this case, it’s well worth it. Unless you’re considering these as a disposable toy, I’d advise getting something else or saving up and getting something better.
One of the understandable points of confusion are the specs and marketing of these projectors. They’re filled with… shall we say, “gifts for fiction”? One of them claims 8,000 lumens of brightness. I measured 141. Another claimed a resolution of 1080p. I measured 240, which is the same resolution as VHS tape. Lots of marketing will twist the truth to sell you a product, but these projector descriptions were especially bad.
Why you should spend a bit more on a projector
I’m all for spending as little as possible to get something cool, or at least useful. We’ve reviewed several inexpensive projectors recently that aren’t bad for the price. The ones in this roundup, however, are decidedly not good, even for the price. They’re exceptionally dim, so they can’t create a very large image, and it would be generous to call their color and contrast “marginal.”
What do you get with slightly more expensive projectors, starting at around $250? Picture quality is an obvious one, in terms of resolution, detail and color, most noticeably. Spending even a little bit more gets you significantly more light output, which means the picture is easier to see and you can create a larger image as well. Some have built-in batteries so they can work completely wirelessly. Lastly, many more expensive projectors have built-in streaming. This means no external device is needed to watch Netflix.
If you’re considering one of these $100-ish projectors to have on hand for the kids to occasionally watch a show in a room without a TV, the TV is absolutely a better option. It will be easier to use, easier to watch, and can be seen with the lights on. It’s not even that different in price. We recently spotted a deal on a 32-inch TV with streaming built in for $90. It’s less portable, for sure, but infinitely more useful.
If you were considering these projectors for something inexpensive and portable for camping, the Meer and MissYou can technically run off a battery. But then they’re even dimmer, if you can believe it. Don’t expect to create an image much larger than the smallest of TVs. If it doesn’t break your budget, something like the AAXA P8 is way brighter, or the Anker Mars II Pro which is good all-around for a bit more.
How does CNET test budget projectors?
The same way we test more expensive projectors. For specifics, check out how we test projectors.
Ultrabudget projector FAQ
As well as covering TV and other display tech, Geoff does photo tours of cool museums and locations around the world, including nuclear submarines, massive aircraft carriers, medieval castles, epic 10,000-mile road trips, and more. Check out Tech Treks for all his tours and adventures.
He wrote a bestselling sci-fi novel about city-size submarines and a sequel. You can follow his adventures on Instagram and his YouTube channel.