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10 Best Budget Projectors 2025 in the United States

#1

Winner

10.0 score

Optoma GT1080HDR Short Throw Gaming Projector | Enhanced Gaming Mode

The Optoma GT1080HDR projector is specifically designed for gaming enthusiasts, offering a great experience on a budget. One of its standout features is the enhanced gaming mode, providing a fast response time of 8.4ms and 120Hz refresh rate, making it ideal for smooth and fluid gameplay. Additionally, it supports 4K HDR, offering bright whites and deep black levels, along with accurate colors thanks to its 6-segment color wheel. This ensures an immersive visual experience whether you're playing games or watching movies.

Rating
10.0
Chosen by1,247
Resolution
Brightness
Throw Distance

Most important from
859 reviews

Resolution
The image quality is comparable to a high-definition television, making it suitable for both gaming and movie watching.
Brightness
The projector delivers a bright and clear picture, even in rooms with a lot of ambient light.
Throw Distance
The short throw is perfect for compact spaces, projecting a large image from just a short distance.
#2
8.8 score

LG ProBeam 4K (3,840x2,160) Laser Projector with 5,000 ANSI Lumens Brightness, 20,000 hrs. life, 12 Point Warping, & Wireless Connection

The LG ProBeam 4K Laser Projector offers an impressive 4K UHD resolution of 3840 x 2160, which is typically found in higher-end models, ensuring sharp and clear images. With 5000 ANSI lumens of brightness, it can perform well even in brightly lit rooms, making it versatile for various environments like home cinema, education, and business presentations.

Rating
8.8
Brightness
Contrast Ratio
Lamp Life

Most important from
6 reviews

Brightness
The projector delivers a bright and clear image even at dusk, making it perfect for outdoor movie nights.
Contrast Ratio
While the brightness is impressive, the contrast could be better for non-animated films, leading to a decision to return the projector.
Lamp Life
The 20,000-hour lamp life offers significant longevity, reducing the need for frequent replacements.
Portability
Despite being labeled as portable, the projector's size and weight may not be the most convenient for frequent transportation.
#3
8.2 score

Epson Pro EX9270 Wireless 1080p 3LCD Projector, 4,100 Lumens Color and White Brightness, Apple AirPlay, Miracast, Stream from Phone and Laptop, 2 HDMI Ports, 1.6x Optical Zoom, Built-In Speaker

The Epson Pro EX9270 is a budget-friendly projector that excels in brightness and image quality. With 4,100 lumens of both color and white brightness, it performs well even in well-lit rooms, making it a solid choice for presentations or casual movie nights. Its Full HD 1080p resolution ensures sharp, clear images, which is a step up from many lower-cost models. The projector can display images up to 300 inches, offering a large viewing experience that’s great for group settings like classrooms or small offices.

Rating
8.2
Brightness (Lumens)
Resolution
Connectivity

Most important from
199 reviews

Brightness (Lumens)
The projector delivers outstanding brightness and vivid colors, making presentations look sharp and professional even in well-lit environments.
Resolution
The Full HD resolution combined with high brightness creates crisp, clear images that truly elevate presentation quality.
Connectivity
Connecting to laptops is seamless, and adjusting image size, focus, and keystone correction is straightforward, simplifying setup for any space.
Built-in Speakers
Audio from the built-in speaker is adequate for basic needs, though pairing with an external Bluetooth speaker greatly enhances sound for larger or noisier settings.
Portability and Size
The projector’s portability strikes a good balance—light enough to transport easily without sacrificing performance or features.

Top 10 Best Budget Projectors 2025 in the United States

#1

Winner

10.0  score

Optoma GT1080HDR Short Throw Gaming Projector | Enhanced Gaming Mode

Resolution: 1920 x 1080
Brightness: 3800 lumens
Contrast Ratio: 50,000:1
Throw Distance: 4 feet
Lamp Life: 15,000 hours
Connectivity: USB, HDMI
Portability: 6.61 pounds

Chosen by 1247 this week

Epson Home Cinema 3800 4K PRO-UHD 3-Chip Projector with HDR

Resolution: 3840 x 2160
Brightness: 3,000 Lumens
Contrast Ratio: 100,000:1
Connectivity: Bluetooth, HDMI 2.0
Portability: 15.2 pounds

Optoma GT3500HDR 1080p Full HD Home Laser Projector

Resolution: 1920 x 1080
Brightness: 3800 lumens
Contrast Ratio: 500,000:1
Throw Distance: less than a foot
Lamp Life: 30,000 hours
Connectivity: 2 HDMI, USB-A, audio out, RS232, RJ45
Portability: compact and portable design
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Buying Guide for the Best Budget Projectors

Choosing the best budget projector can make a huge difference in your home entertainment or work experience without breaking the bank. The key is to match a projector’s features to your intended use. Are you planning to watch movies, play games, present slides in a small room, or take it on the go? Understanding your main uses will help you decide which features truly matter, ensuring you get the most value and the right level of performance for your needs.
Brightness (Lumens)Brightness, measured in lumens, tells you how much light the projector can produce. This is important because a brighter projector will display clearer and more visible images in rooms that aren't completely dark. Lower brightness, around 1000-1500 lumens, is suitable for dark rooms with controlled lighting—great for movie nights in a home theater. Medium brightness, about 2000-3000 lumens, is better for spaces with some ambient light, like living rooms with shaded windows. High brightness, over 3000 lumens, is best for daylight viewing or larger rooms. To decide what’s right for you, consider the lighting in your typical viewing area; if you can darken your space, lower lumens are fine, but for flexible and daytime use, aim higher.
ResolutionResolution refers to how many pixels your projector displays, which affects image clarity and sharpness. This is important because higher resolution means more detailed pictures, making it ideal for videos, presentations with small text, or gaming. Common options are SVGA (800x600), XGA (1024x768), and HD (1280x720 or 1920x1080). Lower resolutions are cheaper and can work for basic presentations or casual viewing, but might look blurry for movies or detailed visuals. If you care about watching films or seeing fine details, try to choose a projector with at least HD resolution.
Throw DistanceThrow distance is how far the projector needs to be from the screen to create an image of a certain size. This matters a lot depending on your room layout. Short throw projectors can be placed close to the screen (about 3-6 feet) and are ideal for small rooms or limited space. Standard throw projectors need to be several feet back (8 feet or more) and work well if you have a larger room. To pick the right one, measure your space and check if the projector’s throw distance fits your setup. If you’re not sure where you’ll use it, a more flexible throw distance might be best.
ConnectivityConnectivity describes what types of devices you can plug into your projector, such as HDMI, USB, VGA, or wireless options. This is important because it affects how easily you can connect your laptop, game console, speaker, or streaming device. Some basic projectors have only simple inputs like VGA or USB, suitable for older laptops or basic media. More versatile models support HDMI or Wi-Fi, making them more compatible with recent electronics. Think about what devices you plan to use most with your projector, and make sure it has the right ports for those without needing extra adapters.
Lamp LifeLamp life is how long the projector’s light source will last before needing replacement. This matters for cost and convenience, as longer lamp life means fewer bulb changes and less maintenance. Shorter lamp life (under 5,000 hours) works if you’ll use the projector only occasionally, like movie nights or special events. Longer lamp life (over 10,000 hours) is better for frequent use or if you want to avoid the hassle of replacements. Estimate how many hours per week you’ll use the projector to help decide how important this is for you.
Built-in SpeakersMany budget projectors include built-in speakers for convenience, but their sound quality can vary and often doesn’t match external speakers. This feature is important if you want a quick, all-in-one setup or need portability, like for outdoor movie nights or classrooms. If you’re an audiophile or plan to use the projector for movie marathons, you might prefer a projector that allows you to connect to better external speakers. Consider how you’ll use the projector and what sound quality you expect when weighing this feature.
Portability and SizePortability is about how easy it is to move and set up the projector. Smaller and lighter models are easier to carry to different rooms or even outside, making them good for travel or multi-purpose use. Bulkier projectors might offer more features but are better suited to a permanent setup. If you want flexibility or plan to use the projector in different places, choose a compact, lightweight option. If it will stay in one spot, portability matters less.

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