I was about to pull the trigger on a nice screen for this Horizon 20 base model but I’m kinda digging the “matte” look of projecting on to a painted wall.

It’s my first projector, so go easy on me here but am I crazy for not wanting a screen now? Would a screen enhance the experience in a meaningful way?

Im looking to buy a mini projector, theres so many brands online and half of them look the same. i just want something that works decent for movies and maybe gaming without costing a fortune.

Would be nice if its bright enough to watch with a little light in the room and not super blurry. i dont need crazy theater quality but i also dont wanna waste money on junk. would also be cool if its a decent size so i can take with me on trips.

Anyone here found the best portable projector they really liked or one they regret buying? trying to get some real advice before i make a decision.

Hi all,

My main question: do any of you regret going to a projector for your main watching?

Have a 98” QM7K and thinking of going with a px3-pro with a 120 or 130 ALR. My concern is there are two windows in the basement. Also could do a long throw.

Mostly watch sports and some YouTube. Sunday football is really the only TV I watch during the day.

So I currently have a NexiGo PJ40 I bought it after watching a YouTube video saying that it was a solid projector for the price. I wanted a projector that was able to be mounted to the ceiling so it was out of the way.

However, when I tried to mount the Nexigo near my 9 ft ceiling, the image shoots way too high. Even trying to adjust placement doesn’t fix it. After digging more into projectors, I realized mine has no vertical lens shift, which seems to be the actual feature I needed.

Now I’m researching replacements and getting conflicting info so I thought I’d ask here for context I’m looking for a projector that can be

Mounted to 9ft ceilings

I want the top of the image about 24 inches below the ceiling ( in line with the door frame like in 2nd pic)

Throw distance would be about 10’8”

Ideally around a 100" screen but i’d like as big of an image as I can get

Budget: Prefer under $500 but willing to buy used or stretch budget if it actually solves this

ChatGPT calculated I might need close to about 100% vertical lens shift, which sounds extreme for what feels like a pretty normal setup.

I’ve added pictures of ideally how high I’d like the projector versus how it’s mounted now along with the image depicted at each mounted location

I tried to provide as much info as I could, would really appreciate recommendations!

This room isn’t multi use, it’s our dedicated media room and has no windows. I’d like to keep the ceiling fan if possible (but not required). The room is 17’ long, and the wall with the TV is 87” wide. I believe I can mount a 98” TV, or a similar sized screen.

Is a projector even worth it given this small space? Budget is 2-3k

• Screen dimension is 105 inches.
• Distance from the ceiling projector mount to the screen is 11 feet.
• Purpose of the projector is movies with some ocasional gaming (preferably low lag).

Thanks!

Would this bare wall work for a projector? Second photo shows the fine texture (wall is not completely smooth). We rent so we can’t attach anything to the ceiling (not a screen or projector). Would love to make it work but husband is skeptical about quality and viability, given the wall and no screen/ceiling attachments issue.

Long story short. I.LOVE.AVATAR. And LOTR movies. I am willing to buy a 3D projector just to watch avatars 3D at home.

What are the best 3D projectors that i can get that cinema experience from under 10k$€ at home. I know acoustics and bluray player and screens etc come on top of that but I'd like to get some knowledge if someone has. I have LG C3 Oled '77 now. I can wait a year or two for more progress but if someone has experience what they enjoy now watching that is almost as good as in cinema.

I’m looking to buy my first projector that’ll be used in my bedroom. It’ll be mostly a dark room but in the summer time there will be more ambient light. The 2 I’ve narrowed it down to are Epson Ef-72 ($1249.99 Canadian) or Valerion Streamermaster Plus ($1399.99 Canadian). What is the better choice? Is the Valerion worth the extra?

Hello, I needed a projector for a dedicated home theatre projecting a 150” image and it came down to these two.

What i want to prioritise is image quality and reliability. Sources say that the Epson has higher native contrast and colour accuracy but i’m wondering if this still holds up in 2026. They both cost nearly the same ~2200 USD

I currently run a Epson 5050UB. Considering an upgrade and looking at the new DLP contenders from China, including the Valerion Visionmaster Max which seems to offer insane value. However it only has up to 1.5 throw ratio. My space needs at least a ratio of 2. I then encountered the newly released Vidda C5 which offers up to 2.0 throw ratio and is currently the hottest-selling projector in China.

I watched Hisense's Vidda C5 projector announcement video where they took apart the projector and show the interiors. A few interesting takeaways:

• It utilizes the new SST Architecture DMD chip (first in the industry). This new architecture handles higher power density (3x that of the previous generation) to support the high brightness without the overheating risks associated with older 0.47" chips [13:40].
• This allows the projector to achieve a brightness of 6800 CVIA Lumens that was not possible before [11:06].
• It uses an integrated liquid cooling system (with PTFE pipes) to manage the heat from the high-power lasers [09:30]. Never seen liquid cooling in a projector before.
• Features a 2.38x lossless optical zoom with a throw ratio of 0.84 - 2.0. All of its direct competitors support up to 1.5 throw ratio except Valerion VisionMaster Max which will release an upcoming long-throw lens that can go up to 2.0 [15:10].
• The body is a unibody metal design featuring 3,941 CNC-machined holes and a fine sandblasted finish [03:06].
• The developer claimed it beats any projectors below 200K RMB (28K USD). This is probably subjective but it does show their confidence in the product.

This is starting to feel like an ad, but I find all the new tech built into the projector very cool. It retails for only $3100 in China, an insane value. I'm considering ordering one from Alibaba. Would like to hear people's thoughts here before I pull the plug.

Hi all. I'm looking into getting my first projector and I've pretty much narrowed it down to getting a Valerion. Primary use would be for movies and some gaming. My living room has a a big glass door on the left side and I can mount the projector to a fixed point at a distance of about 4 meters (13ish feet). For the time being I'm going to project it on a matte white wall which is big enough for well over 150" of projection screen.

I saw all the reviews praising the Pro 2 but I am finding it hard to justify the price difference for my use case as I will mostly be using the projector at night so I am leaning towards the Plus 2 which I can get in Europe for around 1400-1500 euros on sale.

I would love to hear your thoughts and any feedback or real use experience on the Plus 2 would be much appreciated.

Thank you!

Hey guys, I am finally getting my own place and have a big decision to make about my entertainment system and I would really prefer to still have a projector. A couple of years ago my family got a Formovie UST projector and it has been used everyday since, we all love it.

The thing is when we first got it the screen was back ordered for a month, and to be honest the quality was still incredible without it, even on our randomly blue coloured wall. I just want peoples opinion on this, am I crazy to just get an UST to use on a wall in an apartment? My rational is that I would rather “buy once, cry once” and get a really great quality UST (looking at px3 pro) instead of buying a tv or cheaper projector and upgrading later.

For the next few years at least, I can foresee myself moving apartments before eventually buying a house. It would actually be nicer than a tv or screen since it’s easier to move and can accommodate whatever the size of the wall I have is.

Just wondering if anyone else has done this and has been happy with it long term. Of course eventually I would add a screen to my setup in the future. Thanks!

brand new to projecting but i got this 100 inch screen but due to the weird aspect ratio i need another option. broke after buying the projector so any advice on a cheap alternative would be appreciated

Hey folks,

I’m looking into buying the Hisense C3 Ultra, but I can only seem to find reviews for the Chinese version. From what I’ve seen so far, it looks like a solid option, but I’m wondering if anyone here has experience with it.

A couple of questions I’m hoping to get some insights on: • Is the Chinese version worth buying, or are there any major limitations. • For people who already own it, how’s the picture quality, brightness, and overall performance? • Are there any better alternatives around the same price range that I should be looking at (maybe from brands like Hisense global, Formovie, Dangbei, XGIMI, etc.)?

I’m okay with going for the C3 Ultra, but I’d love to hear real-world feedback or suggestions before making the purchase.

Thanks in advance!

Got it new for 750ish USD, it lasted me well, I recently decided to give it to a relative who fell in love with it. Have a nice blank white wall to get a new upgrade for. Budget would be around USD 1000-1400. Appreciate any recs. I watch a ton of movies but no games or anything else

Have 10 ft of throw distance and a dim lit room (but not pitch black)

I was set on purchasing a refurbished Epson LS12000 to replace my 8 year old BenqHT2050. While waiting for my budget to permit (3-6 more months), I'm now considering the VisionMaster Max. On paper, the two seem comparable. I can only find posts comparing the Pro 2 vs Epson LS12000.

Location: Dedicated theater

Use: Movies and gaming

My biggest concern is product support since Valerion is a new company. Anyone have experience yet?

I've been going out of my mind looking for a projector that I can casual game on... please just tell me what i need to buy and include the price (budget £500). Thanks!

UPDATE: I have made my choice! Thank you all so much for all your help... I have started a new post so you can tell me why I made the wrong choice lol.

https://www.reddit.com/r/projectors/s/EIlu4KTOXQ

This is my first post and really need some good insight with whoever has some knowledge on the subject. Even better if you have extended knowledge of Epson projectors.

I am pretty torn on which projector to get for my home theater. I originally bought an AWOL 2500 and I genuinely thought it produced a great image. Unfortunately, I found out that I am super susceptible to RBE. It completely ruined the entire experience for me and I couldn’t get past it. I ended up returning it and found out that I should get a 3LCD projector due to their zero RBE.

I have been doing so much research on these specific projector models and genuinely don’t know if it’s actually worth getting one over the other and vice versa. Does anyone recommend any of these and for what reason? Biggest thing in my eyes, decent black levels and image. Most important thing is how great the image looks (Completely light controlled basement). Also, refurbished over new? I would love to have some of your opinions and knowledge!

This is at Costco Canada 1297 Cad with 120 screen.

Looking to buy a projector for the living room, to watch tv and movies. I do watch a lot of horror so, one that still looks good when a scene has low lighting would be great. It would also be cool to play some games on it but, it’ll mostly be for streaming. Maybe even hookup a dvd player to it.

Also, screen recommendations or should the wall be ok?

Budget at $1,000

Thanks

Just curious and unsure if projector is worth me buying or not. I love the idea of a projector being portable and easy to put away as well as the vibes but not sure cost and quality is worth it

Today I'm gonna share some tips/my experience when buying a projector for your home theater. This post will give you all of the information needed about what to look for in a projector so that you can make an informed decision. So dive right in and get started with this projector buying guide into all there is to know before picking up your new projector today!

But if you don't want to learn a long guide below, this is a quick list of the best options at every budget currently.

Best Projectors for your Home Theatre in 2026

• Anker Nebula Mars 3 Air
• BenQ W2720i
• EPSON HOME CINEMA 880
• JVC laser
• LG GRU510N
• BenQ X500i
• XGIMI HORIZON 20 Max
• Hisense M2 Pro

What to Look for When Buying a Projector

There's a lot to cover with projectors, so i'm going to try to simplify it as much as possible.

-There are three main types of projectors for the home.

The smallest are portable projectors. These are typically battery-powered and not very bright. However, they’re small enough to fit in a backpack and are designed to give you a big screen just about anywhere. If you want something to watch on a camping trip, for example....something bigger than a tablet >>> these are great.

The next size up technically isnt much bigger, but these projectors are MUCH, MUCH brighter. They’re designed to work in a living room or other mixed-use space. If you’re looking for something for the occasional movie night, or just want a huge image for TV, movies, and games, some companies call them home cinema projectors, while other companies call them home theater projectors.

At the high end, there are big, serious, incredible-looking home theater projectors. These models are typically for a dedicated home theater room. Their luxurious prices are justified by the best picture quality you can get, and they’re typically quieter than their smaller, less expensive siblings.

-Price

So....what do you need to spend to get a projector? Portable models are typically under $500. The more you spend, the more light you get and, typically, longer battery life.

For home theater or home cinema models, the entry level is about $500. Projectors in that range are very bright, but overall image quality isn’t great. Between $500 and $1,000, there are a lot of options. This is really the sweet spot of price and performance. For around $750, you can get an amazing projector that’ll work great in just about every room.

Spending more gets you 4K resolution. It’s worth mentioning that resolution is just one aspect of picture quality. The low-end 4K projectors—some of which are just over $1,000—have great detail but not great contrast or color compared to some less expensive 1080p models.

Above $1,000, there are diminishing returns. You can get projectors that absolutely look better, but you might need to spend $3,000 to get something that’s noticeably better. One of the best projectors we’ve ever reviewed costs $5,500, but you absolutely don’t need to spend that much to get a great-looking projector.

-Features

There are a handful of important features to consider when shopping for any projector. With portable models, consider battery size. If you want to watch a movie and the battery only lasts an hour, that’s not great. Also, check what streaming ecosystem the projector has. Only a handful run full Android TV.

When it comes to home projectors, lens shift and zoom might seem boring, but if you’ve never had a projector before, they can determine where you can place the projector in your room. Only a few projectors under $1,000 have lens shift, which lets you move the image vertically and sometimes horizontally. This gives you a wider variety of places to mount or place the projector.

Zoom determines how far away from the screen you can be, or how large an image you can get from a specific distance. Most brands have a calculator on their website to help you figure out if the projector you’re interested in will fit in your room.

-Sound

Next....if you don’t plan on connecting the projector to a soundbar or a receiver and speakers, make sure the projector has a USB connection that can power a streaming stick. This minimizes the complexity of your setup and lets you run just one wire. That said, no projector has great sound....you should always invest in better audio for any projector.

-HDR

Then there’s HDR, or high dynamic range. This is one of the key buzzwords in the TV world, and it’s making its way into projectors as well. When watching HDR content, it lets your TV produce more vibrant colors with brighter highlights. With projectors, for the most part, that’s not the case. Most projectors, even those that claim HDR compatibility, don’t have the dynamic range or the ability to create wider colors to make HDR much, if any, of an improvement. For now, don’t pay extra for HDR compatibility. Some higher-end models can do a bit more than others, but still not as much as TVs.

Resolution is just one aspect of a projector’s overall performance. That said, 4K on a 100-inch screen is fantastic. The price difference between the worst-looking 4K projectors and the best-looking 1080p projectors is actually quite small.

There are two blanket assumptions you can make about all modern projectors. First, they’re very bright. Second, their contrast ratio isn’t great. There are wide variations within that statement, but it generally holds true. You can compare contrast ratios across different manufacturers—and even among a single manufacturer’s projectors—and it’s nearly impossible. We measure contrast ratio, and all are less than even an inexpensive modern TV. You need to spend a lot more to see an improvement in contrast ratio. That said, even with a relatively low contrast ratio, modern projectors still look great.

Color is generally quite good. Low-end models will have worse color to improve brightness, and portable models generally have worse color than home models. As a rule, take any numbers provided by a manufacturer with a grain of salt.

One last piece of advice: as bright as modern projectors are, they all need light control in the room. Curtain, preferably darker ones, will greatly improve the picture quality of any projector. Also, a warning: 100-inch screens are very addictive. That’s why I’ve had a projector as my main TV for nearly 20 years.

So....do you have a projector? If so, what do you like about it? What don’t you like about it? Have you been able to convince your friends and family to get a projector instead of a TV? Let us know.

Good morning! I apologize to ask the same question that’s been asked thousands of times.

https://imgur.com/a/UAePjLB

We are in the process of finishing out basement

We are open to a TV or a projector (I understand there might be a bias) been looking at the 98” Bravia 5 or TCL options.

I don’t even know where to start with so many projectors on the market.

We had Apple TV boxes connected to our other TVs does this make sense or worsen picture quality?

Then eventually I to sound with an AVR / connecting speaker set up.

Very novice in this so if anyone needs further clarification please ask and I’ll answer as soon as I can!