Nothing beats a cinema-sized image in your home. We're talking over 100 inches of 4K awesomeness. There's nothing more immersive, and unlike big TVs, when you turn off a projector, it's just your wall or a white screen, not some looming "black mirror." Modern projectors are bright, colorful and often quite affordable. This guide contains some of the best projectors I've ever tested. If 4K isn't a priority, or if you want to save a little money, check out our list of the best home theater projectors for some less expensive, usually 1080p, options. If you're looking for something even smaller, the best portable projectors let you watch almost anywhere.
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What is the best 4K projector overall?
The Epson Home Cinema 5050UB is the best 4K projector overall because it has the perfect balance between image quality and price. Yes, you are paying more than you would for a 1080p projector, but the boost in image quality makes it more than worthwhile. If you're looking for a projector that is more budget-oriented another Epson, the Home Cinema 2350, doesn't look quite as good but offers a bright, colorful image for a lot less money.
Pros
- Superb overall picture quality
- Excellent contrast ratio
- Motorized lens
- Ample lens shift and motorized zoom
Cons
- Could be quieter
- Chonkers
The Epson Home Cinema 5050UB boasts an excellent contrast ratio, impressive brightness, accurate color and better detail than what's possible with a 1080p projector. This UHD projector isn't cheap, nor does it offer the detail of some DLP-based 4K projectors, but it offers a significant step up in image quality over most of its competitors. Extensive lens shift and a motorized zoom are the icing on the cake.
Best 4K laser projector
Epson Home Cinema LS11000
Pros
- Lasers never need to be replaced
- Bright and colorful
- Very natural looking
Cons
- Not as detailed as some 4K DLP projectors
- Performance doesn't quite justify the price
The Epson LS11000 uses lasers to create its light. This lets it turn on and off quickly, and create a bright, colorful image. It never needs a lamp replacement, an issue with most older projectors, and it has an impressive dynamic contrast ratio. While it is more expensive compared with the HC5050, over the life of the projector they'll cost about the same. The 5050 performs better in a few areas, but overall the LS11000 creates a deeply colorful, highly detailed image.
Pros
- Excellent contrast
- Accurate colors
- Bright
Cons
- Expensive
- Short throw not for everyone
The BenQ X500i is short-throw projector, meaning it only needs 4-5 feet to create a 100-inch image. Compare that to "regular" projectors that need 9-11 feet. The X500i's performance is fantastic. It creates a punchy, colorful, detailed image that's among the best we've ever tested. Short-throw projectors aren't ideal for many rooms, but for the rooms where the X500i fits it's one of the best options.
Best budget 4K projector
Epson Home Cinema 2350
Pros
- 4K
- Compact design
- Very bright
Cons
- Contrast is pretty mediocre
- Loud at max brightness
- Technically 4K but other projectors are sharper
The Epson Home Cinema 2350 is a reasonably-priced 4K projector that's bright, offers good detail and an image that's great overall. It's contrast ratio is below average, but on the plus side it has accurate colors, zoom and lens shift. For similar money we like the BenQ HT2060 a little better, but that's not 4K so it doesn't make the cut for this guide. It is in our guide for best home theater projectors.
Best 4K lifestyle projector
Xgimi Horizon Ultra
Pros
- Great design
- Quiet (Usually)
- Bright
Cons
- Contrast ratio is poor
- Random bugs
- No input button on the remote
The Xgimi Horizon Ultra is a compact, cube-shaped projector that throws out a ton of light, has decent speakers and Google TV streaming. It has a stylish design that would likely blend in better in many rooms compared to more traditional projector-shaped-projectors. It even has a slide down cover that protects the lens. While bright, its contrast ratio is fairly poor, so the other projectors on this list look better. They're a lot bigger and not as bright, however.
Best 4K all-in-one
BenQ X300G
Pros
- Great design
- Great contrast ratio
- Orange "ears" add characte
Cons
- Underwhelming brightness
- Expensive
The BenQ X300G is designed for the occasional movie night or giant-screen gaming session, with a portable design, built-in speakers and streaming. It's not quite as bright as the similarly-priced and similarly-cubed Xgimi Horizon Ultra, nor does it create as good an image overall as BenQ's own (but larger) X500i. It's sort of like a combination of both of those projectors for anyone not quite sold on either. While a bit overpriced when it first came out, its cheaper now and a more interesting proposition.
Best 4K gimbaled projector
JMGO N1S Pro 4K
Pros
- High brightness in a small(-ish) projector
- Surprisingly good speakers
Cons
- Colors aren't accurate
- The gimbal design is still weird
The JMGO N1S Pro 4K is mounted on a gimbal that allows for easy pivoting and twisting to get it aligned where you want it. We find gimbaled designs to be overpriced and unnecessary for most people since setting up a projector is neither difficult nor time consuming. If gimbals are your thing, though, the N1S Pro 4K creates a good image overall, with above average brightness and contrast ratio, though below average color. It was overpriced when we first reviewed it, but lately has come down in price and is far more reasonable.
Other projectors we tested
Anker Nebula Cosmos Laser 4K: Since it has a handle and a compact size, the Cosmos Laser 4K is technically portable, but there's no battery, so you'll need to plug it in. It's also 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 the list. Read our Anker Nebula Cosmos Laser 4K Projector review.
Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE: The SE version of the Cosmos 4K is a little dimmer but a fair amount cheaper. It has all the same pros and cons, but the lower cost makes it more interesting. We like our top picks better, but this one was close to being on the list. Check out our full review of the Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE.
BenQ TK860i: The TK860i is a decent step up in detail compared to 1080p projectors, though overall performance isn't quite as good as other BenQ options. It's been discontinued, but if you can find it used it might be a good deal. Read our BenQ TK860i review.
: The W2720i is a classy-looking projector that's longer-throw than the BenQ X500i but shorter-throw than several others on this list. While more expensive than the X500i its performance is worse. Read our full review of the BenQ W2720i" target="_self.
LG HU810PW: The HU810PW costs about the same as the Optoma UHZ50 and is also a laser-powered DLP projector with 4K resolution. It has better lens shift and zoom and is quieter. However, the contrast ratio is poor, so it doesn't look nearly as good overall as other 4K projectors we've tested. Read our LG HU810PW review.
Optoma GT2100HDR: The GT2100HDR is a short-throw projector like the X500i we recommend above. While the Optoma is cheaper, the X500i is significantly better in every way. Check out our full review of the Optoma GT2100HDR.
Xgimi Horizon S Max: The Horizon S Max looks like the Horizon Ultra we recommend above, just with a gimbaled base for "easier" setup. We're pretty meh on gimbals, especially when they add a lot to the price like this does. Check out our full review of the Xgimi Horizon S Max.
Factors to consider when choosing a 4K projector
Picture quality: Projectors lag behind TVs when it comes to overall picture quality. However, they largely make up for it with absolutely massive images. Want a TV that's 100 inches or more? Only a projector can do that, if you're not ultrarich. Even so, there's a wide range of picture quality even among projectors of a similar price. A projector with a great contrast ratio but only average light output is going to look better than the opposite. However, a brighter projector will be easier to see with some lights on and can create an even bigger image.
Where are you using it?: For light-controlled rooms and home theaters, a projector with a high contrast ratio is better than one that prioritizes light output. For mixed-use rooms where it'll be hard or impossible to totally control the ambient light, or if you want an outdoor movie night with an image the size of the side of your house, one that prioritizes light output will be better because the contrast ratio won't be as noticeable.
What about X spec?: Ignore the specs. Companies claim million-to-one contrast ratios, insane brightness ratings and more. But the specs are largely divorced from reality. A claimed 2,000-lumen projector is probably brighter than a 500-lumen projector, but 1,500- and 1,700-lumen projectors are probably the same.
How much should you spend?: 4K projectors start at around $1,000. There are decent options for less than $2,000 and some great ones for less than $3,000. Generally spending more gets you greater light output, and sometimes a better image overall, but not always.
What features should you look for?: If you're connecting the projector to an audio system (and you should, either receiver/speakers or soundbar), then you don't really need many features in the projector itself. Just get one that has great picture quality and high brightness. Lens shift and zoom are handy if you want more flexibility in placement. Most projectors now have Google TV streaming built in, or at least come with a dongle you install during setup.
How we test 4K projectors
CNET puts projectors through a rigorous and unbiased testing process that's the culmination of more than two decades of projector reviews. We use specialized test equipment, including a C6 HDR5000 colorimeter, a Minolta LS-100 luminance meter and an AEMC CA813 illuminance meter. The data is collected and collated by Portrait Displays CalMan Ultimate software, which helps us evaluate every PJ we review. Every lamp-based projector, rare in 2025, are "burned in" for 50 hours before measuring. All projectors are initially set up using their most accurate color temp and color modes. Test patterns, sent from a Portrait Displays VideoForge PRO 8K, are then used to adjust the various picture settings so the projector looks its best before measurement and evaluation. Contrast ratios are measured in each lamp and iris mode (when available). Once the projectors are fully set up and objectively measured, we watch a variety of content, including TV, movies and games, both with the projector by itself, and compared side-by-side with two direct competitors.
Broadly speaking, we're looking for the three picture quality aspects: contrast ratio, overall light output and color reproduction. Contrast ratio is the most important part of any projector's performance. It's the difference between the darkest part of the image and the brightest. While certain TV technologies, like OLED, can create a black that's the actual absence of light, no projector technology can do this. Therefore projector contrast ratios are far lower. It's the difference between a washed out and "flat" image and one that's more lifelike and "pops." The better projectors will have a measured contrast ratio in the thousands. Most are between 500 and 1,000:1. The median contrast ratio for all the projectors we've measured in the last few years is 468:1 and the average, bumped up by several high-priced projectors, is 876:1.
Light output is the second most important factor, because it's not only how bright the image appears on your wall, but also how big an image you can produce. Most modern projectors are significantly brighter than projectors from even 10 years ago. We measure brightness in candelas per square meter (cd/m2) and then convert to estimated lumens for ease of comparison. It's important to note that we use the most accurate color temperature mode for our brightness comparisons, but we'll note when a less-accurate mode is significantly brighter. Most of the projectors we test are between 1,000 and 2,000 lumens, with battery-powered models far less, and some specialized projectors even higher. The average brightness for the projectors we've measured in the last few years is 901 lumens.
Color accuracy is the last major factor. No projector can truly take advantage of HDR or wide color gamut, but some can do more than others. Generally, we're satisfied with accurate colors, but adding HDR effects is a bonus. Most home theater projectors we test are fairly accurate. Budget models, those that prioritize brightness over everything, and PJs from newcomers to the projector space, often have wildly inaccurate colors that result in a very unnatural image.
Other factors, like video processing and HDR processing, are evaluated in the viewing tests. These are rarely a major factor in projector performance, but some models still use older chips that have issues.
The best projector will have a high contrast ratio, high brightness and great color. Those are difficult to do at the same time, but as long as the balance works and it looks better than its competitors at a similar price, it's a winner.
For more info, check out how CNET tests projectors.
