You don’t need a big, expensive TV to get a movie theater experience. With projectors getting better for cheaper, it’s possible and easy to get a big screen in your living room. With an inexpensive projector, you can watch movies and TV shows on a 100-inch-plus screen. Pair that with a soundbar or a receiver and speakers and you can get picture and sound to rival your local cinema’s. Even better: no crowds, no noise, and you can hit Pause to use the restroom without missing anything.
Modern home theater projectors have impressive picture quality, good brightness in ambient light, vivid colors and a quality contrast ratio — and you can nab one starting at around $200. That means you can get a massive screen for a fraction of the cost of a big TV. And many models are portable, making them perfect for a backyard movie night under the stars.
To give you a sneak peek at some of our picks for the best projector of 2023: We like the Epson Home Cinema 5050UB as the best overall home theater projector. The best projector for the money is still the BenQ HT2050A, but it’s being discontinued soon. Its replacement, the HT2060, is excellent and one of our overall best projector picks.
Whether you’re looking to buy a 4K projector, want something that’ll make HD sources look great or need something you can use on the go, this list gives you the best home theater projectors.
Other projectors we’ve tested
BenQ GS50: The GS50 is a lunchbox-size 1080p projector with a built-in battery. You can even use it as a Bluetooth speaker. However, it’s dimmer than the Xgimi Halo Plus for similar money, so we recommend that one instead.
Samsung Freestyle: The small, cylindrical Freestyle is an interesting idea, but it comes up short. About the size of a Bluetooth speaker, and in fact can double as one, the Freestyle can pivot on its stand to project an image at any height on walls and even the ceiling. Its built-in streaming is far better implemented than most portable projectors. However, it lacks a battery and its performance is average, at best. Worse, its price is a good 50% higher than it should be based on how it looks and performs. Read our Samsung Freestyle review.
Xiaomi Mi Smart Projector 2: Another relatively expensive projector we didn’t love, the Xiaomi at least has a gorgeous, Apple-like design going for it. We appreciated the compact size, 1080p resolution and built-in Android TV streaming, but the cons outweigh the pros. It’s relatively dim, especially for the price, and it lacks both a built-in battery and compatibility with a USB power source, so it’s not truly portable. Read our Xiaomi Mi Smart Projector 2 review.
Epson Home Cinema 880: The 880 is one of Epson’s less expensive home projectors, but it still puts out a remarkable amount of light. That, and the price, make it tempting. The contrast ratio is terrible, however, so the overall image quality is weak. Read our Epson Home Cinema 880 review.
LG HU810PW: The HU810PW is a higher-end, laser-powered projector with 4K resolution that’s able to create some lovely, colorful images. It’s also quiet and sports an attractive, boxy case. The contrast ratio is quite poor, so it doesn’t look nearly as good overall as other projectors in its overall price range. Read our LG HU810PW review.
Anker Nebula Solar Portable: The Solar Portable is a portable projector with a built-in battery that lasts 3 hours. It sports 1080p resolution, but it’s not very bright and the contrast isn’t great. While the Anker Mars II Pro has its own issues, overall it’s the better option for the same money. Read our Anker Nebula Solar Portable review.
Anker Nebula Cosmos Laser 4K: Since it has a handle and a compact size, the Cosmos Laser 4K is technically portable, but it’s hardly mini at more than 10 pounds. There’s also no battery so you’ll need to plug it in. It’s nice and bright, but the other downsides — lack of zoom, average overall image quality and a steep price for what you get — keep it off this list. Read our Anker Nebula Cosmos Laser 4K Projector review.
How we test home theater projectors
Every projector we review goes through elaborate objective and subjective testing. CNET editors pick the products and services we write about based on editorial merit. When you buy through our links, we may get a commission.
For more info, check out how CNET tests projectors.
Projector performance comparison
| Brand | Model | Price | Resolution | Lumens** | Contrast ratio** |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anker | Mars II Pro | $400 | 720p | 337 | 354:1 |
| Anker | Nebula Solar | $560 | 1080p | 196 | 407:1 |
| BenQ | HT2060 | $999 | 1080p | 985 | 1,380:1 |
| BenQ | HT2050A | $699 | 1080p | 1,591 | 2,094:1 |
| BenQ | TH685 | $1,244 | 1080p | 1,641 | 853:1 |
| Epson | EF-12 | $900 | 1080p | 650 | 394:1 |
| Epson | HC 880 | $600 | 1080p | 2,085 | 221:1 |
| Epson | HC 2250 | $750 | 1080p | 1,729 | 1,026:1 |
| Epson | HC 5050 | $3,000 | 1080p x2* | 1,732 | 5,203:1 |
| Epson | LS11000 | $4,000 | 4K | 1,378 | 1,808:1 |
| LG | HU810PW | $2,550 | 4K | 1,498 | 490:1 |
| Optoma | UHD35 | $1,581 | 4K | 1,567 | 649:1 |
| Optoma | UHZ50 | $2,799 | 4K | 1,486 | 1,007:1 |
| Sony | VPL-VE325ES | $4,499 | 4K | 1,732 | 5,203:1 |
| Xgimi | Halo Plus | $850 | 1080p | 284 | 368:1 |
*See review for more details
**as measured. See how CNET tests projectors for details.
More advice on home theater projectors
- Home Theater Projectors: 6 Things to Know Before You Buy
- Best Home Theater Projector for 2023
- Portable Projector Pros and Cons: Read This Before You Buy One
- Best Portable Projector for 2023
- Affordable 4K Projectors Are Here. What Took Them So Long?
- Why You Shouldn’t Expect Great HDR From a Projector
- Big TV vs. Projector: Pros and Cons of Huge Home Theater Screens
- How to Setup Your New Projector for the Biggest, Best Movie Night Ever
- Backyard Movie Night: Everything You Need for a Private Outdoor Cinema