Best Home Theater Projector Under $500 | Ultimate Guide

Do you love watching movies and playing games on a big screen? But you cannot afford those big-sized costly TV screens! Then the projectors are the best choice for you, as they are the best alternative to a big costly TV screen. They are way cheaper than TV screens and especially they are portable so you can take them anywhere you want.

There are a lot of options out there, so it can be a lot of work to find the best option for your needs and budget. We have come up with a list of the Best Home Theater Projectors Under $500 with a detailed review and buying guide.

Let’s explore them!

8 Best Home Theater Projector Under $500 | Reviews

1. Epson Home Cinema 1060

It comes with great features that will blow your mind. Now, you can enjoy your movie and game nights to the full extent with a larger screen and greater pixel. It has a full HD resolution of up to 1080P that allows you to view around 300 inches of the wide picture up to 25x larger than your usual 60” screen. It has the best in class brightness for several lighting conditions. It has a pack of 3100 lumens of white color brightness that helps in projecting vivid colors at a time.

It comes with a wide range of connectivity with 2 HDMI ports so that it can easily connect to your cable/satellite box, Blue-ray disc player, streaming device, or gaming consoles. It has a 3LCD technology that allows the action scenes to stream effortlessly without any rainbow effect. It also has an operational distance of 19 feet, and that makes it handier as you can simply use it from a pretty good distance. This is one of the Best Home Theater Projector Under $500

2. LG PH550 CineBeam LED Projector

This 60 Watt portable home projector is specially designed for those who like to travel and also like to watch movies or play games on the go on a big screen. It can project high-quality images in HD with a resolution of up to 1280 x 720. It also comes with a high brightness with up to 550 lumens that makes it easier for projection in almost every light condition.

This LG Projector has a wireless connection type that supports android OS and WiDi technologies that makes them easier to connect with any mobile, tablet, and laptop. It also comes with a Bluetooth sound output, so you can connect your speaker to it easily. It can be the best option for you if you frequently travel or have a smaller space at home.

3. ViewSonic WXGA Projector for Home and Office

It comes with a wide range projection of 120 inches from a distance of 15 feet and 8 inches. Its brightness is a plus point as it has a high brightness level of up to 3800 lumens that avoids any rainbow light to occur. It has the best-in-class lamp that can shine bright for up to 15000 hours with the help of its Super Eco Mode. 

It is very easy to connect, you just need to plug in the projector and connect it with your device to start streaming your presentation, movie, and game in less than a min. It also has a wide range of connectivity options such as HDMI, VGA, etc. that can support almost all media players like PCs, Macs, mobiles, etc. It has an HDTV compatibility of up to 1080p with a resolution of xga+wide.

4. Acer H5382BD – DLP Home Theater Projector

Acer H5382BD – DLP Home Theater Projector

Acer is a well-known company for its laptops and computers, they produce great quality products with  The Acer DLP Home projector creates extraordinary projection with bright details, rich color, and exceptional contrast. With Acer’s 3D color boost technology, you can even project on colored walls with extreme quality.

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This Acer Home theater projector gives a great quality image up to 720p  with a resolution of 1920×1080. You can enjoy your wide screening of movies and games that are created in Blue-ray discs and HDMI at a wide aspect ratio of 16:9. It comes with a high brightness of up to 3300 lumens that helps in perfect projection in every lighting condition, and it also avoids any type of rainbow light. It has one of the best lamps that can shine bright for almost 10000 hours with the help of Extreme Ecotechnology.

The projector comes with a wireless streaming technology kit that can be bought individually in case you want to break free from the tangled wires and cable. In general, it comes with all necessary inputs such as analog cable, HDMI along with MHL connection, PC audio input. So you can easily connect your mobile and tablets and this device will stream any suppressed videos easily.

5. Epson EX7240 – Wireless 3LCD Projector

It comes with a WXGA resolution up to 1280×800 that offers clear natural HD quality videos and presentations that are 2x more than the regular SVGA. It has up to3200 lumen brightness capacity for both color and white brightness for well-lit rooms, and it also avoids rainbow colors for crystal clear images.

The projector comes with pure wireless connectivity, so you can connect your mobile, tablet, laptop, or any other devices easily without the tension of tangled wires and cables. It also supports all MHL-enabled devices including Roku streaming stick and Chromecast.

6. BENQ 1080P Home Theater Projector

It has a sharp and clear image quality with a high HD resolution of up to 1080p. It delivers a high dynamic ratio with greater picture quality and big resolution. It also comes with a high brightness of 3300 lumens, which allows you to watch your favorite content in any lighting condition, without any rainbow light formation. Its bulb has a great lifespan of up to 10000 hours that makes it durable and long-lasting. 

It comes in a ceiling mount type with a vertical keystone correction that makes it very easy to install and use. It also has a 1.2x zoom feature for adjusting the picture ratio according to your screen. The optimal audio output of this projector allows you to connect it with an external speaker. 

7. Sony Portable Pico Projector

It comes with an HD resolution that can produce a video output of up to 120” from a distance of 11.48 feet only. It has a high brightness of up to 105 lumens that helps in the video streaming in any lighting condition without any rainbow light formation. It also comes with automatic keystone correction that helps in 3D viewing.

It occupies an in-built 5000 mah battery that provides 2 hours of wire-free operation. It also provides wireless connectivity with the help of an HDMI dongle, so you can connect your device on the go without the tension of cables. It also comes with an inbuilt speaker of 1.0W and an audio output port that makes it easier to connect with an external speaker. 

Best Home Cinema Projector Under $500 | Buying Guide

Choosing the best projector under $500 in today’s market is not a difficult chore if you know what features you should look for according to your needs. Ideally, you should be thorough with the basic features and specifications like contrast ratio, resolution, screen size, pixels etc that are associated with a good projector. Today, the availability is wide and diverse with competitive options from the best brands like ViewSonic, Epson, BenQ, Optoma etc. likewise, all these features will also vary from budget to budget, and hence, it is better to know all your options and make an educated decision.

1. Projector Type

You get different projector options in the market, each made with different techniques. However, every type is different in its advantages, functions, and disadvantages. Thus, you should go through the basics of each type and choose one that best fits your budget and needs. The most common one is the DLP projectors that come in different versions viz. single-chip and three-chip.

The Fewer the number of chips, the cheaper it is. The projectors for home entertainment are usually of a single chip which is sufficient for even 3D movies. The three-chip projector is best suited for movie theatres that offer 4K. The LCD is still popular and if not better than DLP, is an affordable option.

2. Screen Size

Ideally, when shopping for a projector, you must look for compatible screen sizes – not too big nor too small. It’s always beneficial to look at the aspect ratio of your projector. Another important aspect is to know the general audience who will be handling the projector. This makes it easier to decide the screen size. As for a home entertainment projector, a widescreen size is the most ideal to accommodate all the people in the room.

3. Brightness

Projector brightness is a very important factor. The brightness is mostly rated in lumens or ANSI. The greater the lumens of the projector, the brighter it is. The brightness can also determine how much you enjoy the picture quality. For example, too low light can be difficult to perceive especially letters and alphabets on the screen. Similarly, too much high brightness can damage the eyes and also be unpleasant to look at for longer durations. Hence, the brightness should be on a balanced level. Even too low a brightness can damage the eyes in the long run. 

Also, the environment where you will use the projector will help in deciding the brightness – whether it is a well-lit room or a dark room. For more rooms with an illuminance of 100 lux, the brightness of the projector should ideally be 200 nits. The thumb rule is that the brightness should be twice the illuminance of a room.

4. Contrast

The contrast ratio of a projector is described as the ratio of the light reflected from an all-white image to that reflected from an all-black image. The contrast ratio defines the intrinsic brightness of the colors and the way the image will appear after being projected. The greater the contrast ratio, the better will be the image as the image will become more detailed when cast on a screen.

The contrast ratio can be defined on a basic level to be a balance between the white and black brightness. Always look for a projector with a greater contrast ratio as you will enjoy the images for their perfect detailing. However, there should always be a balance as too much contrast does not look good all the time.

5. Lumens

Ideally, the lumens range of a projector should be between 3000-4000 lux as it will give the best amount of brightness. Having a wider range is always beneficial as you can set it as per convenience from time to time. 

6. Resolution

There’s nothing new to describe here – the higher the resolution, the better will be the picture quality. Getting a projector that covers HD resolution of 1280 X 720 pixels is ideal for enjoying HD displays. For business purposes, WXGA or 1280 X 800 pixels is the recommended resolution. If you want to play full HD videos or a similar gaming experience, 1920 X 1080 pixels are the best for you.

7. Portability

Why do you need the projector and for what purpose? Will you fit it into your house for viewing TV, HD movies, or for a gaming session? Do you need to carry it often for travel, lectures, or other business purposes? These questions will determine if you need an ultra-portable projector that is highly compact and, despite costly, is the best option for travelers. For gaming sessions at home, portability is not a factor and you get full HD projectors at a much cheaper cost. But they will often be bulky and complex in their operations than ultra-portable projectors.

FAQs

Is there any projector under $100 or $200?

Yes, there are many projectors available today under $100 and $200 but most of them are not long-lasting or have all the basic features.

Can a 4K projector comes under 500?

No, finding a 4K resolution under $500 is highly unlikely as the hardware, as well as software requirements, are quite pricey. Moreover, these are all used for professional or business purposes and for a very long term which means the longevity should also be quite high. All these factors make the 4K projectors a bit pricey than home or school projectors. The cost of a 4K projector can range anywhere between $500 to $1000.

Can I connect home theater projector with smartphones or tablets? 

Yes, many projectors under $500 can be smoothly connected to phones and tablets. This is especially beneficial for students studying in the online mode as extended on-screen time is having adverse effects on the eyes of students, especially in this pandemic. Moreover, these projectors can also be very useful for teachers conducting home tuitions or even smaller coaching classes or schools for the very same reason.

Does projector help to teach students?

Yes, the projector can be a very effective method of teaching primary to higher education students because of their latest technology and features that enable them to share online as well as downloaded video, image, pdf, presentation, and other files.

Do I need a dark room for projectors?

Not necessarily. However, the screen and the content are much brightly visible and clear when the light source in the room is blocked using a curtain or closing the windows and doors. Most of the time, a tube light source or sunlight is not recommended to offer the best clarity.

How long do projector screens last?

A projector screen lasts approximately 2000 hours. However, PowerLite projectors and LED-based projectors have a screen lifespan of over 5000 to 20000 hours.

Conclusion

It can be difficult to find the perfect projector for your needs as there are a lot of options in the market. Everyone has different needs according to their budget, size, picture quality, etc. That is why we have listed out some of the best home theater projector under $500. The list consists of all types of projectors from the smallest size to the biggest and from greatest picture quality to the lowest. Look out well for the projectors that match your needs and are compatible with your devices.