Overview
The best 4K projector maintains visual integrity as technology advances; 4K is no longer a luxury for the discriminating home cinephile. The best 4K projectors will get you there instantly and with a bang because it has effectively supplanted HD as the industry standard for image quality.
As technology advances, its cost decreases, and this is true of the projectors competing for the title of finest 4K projector. Most home movie enthusiasts couldn't afford the top 4K projectors just a few years ago.
There are now excellent options at the cheaper end of this market, as well as the truly amazing and "genuine" top 4K projectors at or over the several thousand dollar or pound barrier, even though you'll still need to spend four figures to bring most of the contenders into your home. Even though they are not native 4K, the cheaper models will still compete with the top gaming TVs by providing images with 4K resolution. Instead, they use pixel-shifting technology to produce images with ultra-HD clarity.
Top Picks
1. Best overall: Optoma UHD51
2. Runner-up overall: Sony VPL-VW295ES
3. Best design: Samsung Premiere LSP9T
4. Best purchased product: Epson Home Cinema 3800
Reviews
1. Optoma UHD51
Why we love it
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Excellent 4K projector for the price
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Excellent black levels
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Vertical lens shift
Take note
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Can have issues with ambient light
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No onboard applications
Even with the greatest 4K projectors, labels can occasionally cost money. Optoma is one of the brands that continually offers fantastic value projectors that can compete with the big boys. If you stay away from the conventional household names in home entertainment, though, you can get a true deal. Since the UHD51 has been around for a while, you can get some fantastic prices on it, even though "affordable" 4K still costs four figures.
To keep up with the quickest action sequences, it smooths out fast motion and provides outstanding color with good black depths. If you want to view Avatar again before the sequels, it also brilliantly upscaling non-4K images, and it even has 3D functionality (which requires the purchase of DLP link active shutter glasses). Despite having a decent light rating, this unit could benefit from having the curtains pulled in order to get the most out of it because it has some trouble with a lot of ambient light.
2. Sony VPL-VW295ES
Why we love it
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Astonishing 4K picture
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Excellent upscaling
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Exceptionally bright
Take note
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Large size
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Insufficient connectivity
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Exorbitant price
A significant improvement over its well-liked predecessor, the VW570, largely because of the amazing X1 chip, which is based on Sony's Bravia TV technology. The X1 is a lightning-fast processor that continuously examines each frame to make sure everything is clear and fluid in order to give you excellent picture quality. With astounding depth of color and contrast, the picture is bright enough to be of excellent quality even with large levels of ambient light.
It is big and heavy, but so are the majority of 4K projectors. The lack of connecting options beyond HDMI and USB is a minor complaint, but if you're spending this much on a projector, you probably already have an amp set up. The huge landscapes of open-world games look amazing in a 4K screen of over 100 inches, but so do the vibrant colors of a platformer. It's perfect for gaming with no noticeable input lag.
Few projectors are able to achieve its ability to provide excellent detail even in the deepest gloom. Yes, it is expensive, but if you have access to one, it is a state-of-the-art projector that takes the cinema experience right into your living room.
3. Samsung Premiere LSP9T
Why we love it
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Fantastic image
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Very quick throw
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Excellent 40W audio
Take note
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Occasional impacts of rainbows
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The cost is expensive
Even the best 4K projectors don't frequently receive pre-release anticipation, but Samsung's first projectors in ten years generated a lot of talk when they were released in late 2020. The Premiere LSP9T lives up to the hype and then some, staking claim to being the greatest 4K projector available right now.
With a laser for red, blue, and green light, the inventive three-laser light source produces superb images. Even in the presence of ambient light, this means extraordinary brightness and color. This is uncompromised, real 4K.
The fact that you can position this near to your projection surface and still produce a massive image is even more astounding. The occasional rainbow effects and the necessity to adjust the picture for darker images, like with most projectors, do not detract from the amazing viewing experience.
4. Epson Home Cinema 3800
Why we love it
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Excellent 4K picture at a mid-range price
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Bluetooth connectivity for audio output
Take note
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No parameters for 4K motion processing
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Chunky, crowded appearance
This excellent projector, which will be released in September 2020, will make Epson very competitive at this end of the finest 4K projector market. However, it provides a fantastic image that belies the cost. Although there are some of the projector-specific issues with blacks lacking the depth that is sometimes present, you would have to be very observant to see it. Colors are amazing for vast landscapes or close-ups of faces.
On 4K-level settings, there are no options for frame interpolation, yet motion blur is minimal and the action is still seamless. The picture is excellent even in 1080p modes, and there are several additional settings to further eliminate blur at this level.
FAQs
1. Is a 4K projector worth it?
Since 4K projectors are becoming more and more accessible, 4K is superior in terms of quality, details, sharpness, and all other factors you consider when building your own home theater experience.
2. Does a 4K projector require a 4K receiver?
The entire chain must be 4K compatible with 4K content. Therefore, you'll need to purchase a new receiver that supports those 4K sources if you buy a new 4K TV, wish to feed it 4K via HDMI sources, and want to switch those sources using an AV receiver (instead of the TV).
3. Are 4K cables worth the extra expense?
Remember that no matter what resolution you are using, if you are receiving a 4K signal, a different cable cannot improve the quality of that 4K. The sole distinction between the cables is which one enables you to obtain a steady 4K image and which one does not.
Keep in mind that picture quality is not solely determined by resolution. The best 4K projector that merely offers better resolution at the expense of everything else will not be able to compete with a projector with excellent contrast ratio, color gamut, keystone correction, and brightness. The top 4K projectors combine 4K resolution with outstanding picture quality across the board for visually stunning results.
