Best Projectors For Your Home Theater Setup 2023

Pricing shown for 120" model with 120" ALR Projector Screen.

Screen Sizes Available: 120”

The new Hisense L9G has been opening eyes among fans of ultra-short throw (UST) projectors, with its amazing image quality, excellent smart TV integration, and its pairing with two sizes of proprietary screens. Hisense is one of the pioneers of UST projectors, and their long experience is paying off in this ingenious new product.

Of its many selling points, the L9G’s 3-laser system is its strongest. Very few laser projectors on the market use true independent red, green, and blue lasers, and the L9G’s RGB laser system allows it to display a wider color gamut than you’ll ever get with a regular TV. It’s also one of the brightest projectors on the market at 3000 nits. With internal processing that can render dynamic HDR content of all the current formats, the L9G’s image quality is remarkably smooth, with unbelievable detail and color accuracy.

Sony has led the projector market with its breakthrough 4K picture and recently reengineered X1 processor system, a combination that provides superb rendering of HDR content, as well as fantastic upscaling of HD content. This projector builds on that innovative technology and adds object-based processing that detects and enhances individual objects on screen, and references two image databases to arrive at the optimal image quality. The HDR enhancer feature preserves the detail in bright images, and projects precisely controlled tone mapping.

What that means is the VPL-XW5000ES is going to let you see shadow detail and colors so accurate that you may never have noticed them before in your favorite movies and shows. Every frame is an image of astonishing clarity with the ideal color balance. And it does so in a remarkably compact footprint: compared to previous Sony projectors in this line, the VPL-XW5000ES is noticeably lighter and smaller. Don’t let the smaller size make you think you’re going to get reduced picture size or quality, however: The new Wide Dynamic Range Optics and re-engineered SXRD panels produce a very clear picture from edge to edge on screens up to 300 inches.

It’s Sony’s imaging technology behind the excellent picture quality that puts this projector on our list of highest recommendations. Action and speed are sometimes a challenge for even high-end projectors, and Sony’s MotionFlow technology is one of the best blur reduction systems on any projector at any price. The VPL-XW5000ES projects a consistently smooth and clear picture during action scenes, even with extreme motion. If you’re a gamer, you’ll love the very low lag time of the VPLX W5000ES, even when you’re watching in 4K.

Sony’s current line of projectors deliver picture quality that makes most viewers do a double-take: Is it an LED TV, or is it projection? Truly lifelike colors, tonal balance, skin tones, and detail even in the brightest areas of a scene set all of Sony’s projectors apart from competing projection systems. So, what does the VPL-XW6000ES give you that its lower-priced sibling does not? It turns out that bumping up the lumens to 2500 makes quite a difference. The picture of the VPL-XW6000X has a breathtaking dynamic range, from nearly a true black to blinding highlights that don’t blow out or clip. That long-lasting laser bulb offers more than just a treat for your eyes — it’s also part of Sony’s environmentally-friendly design and production, which means your projector contains no mercury, and the casing utilizes a percentage of recycled plastics. It’s a small step, but these things add up!

A huge part of the amazing picture quality on the VPL-XW6000ES is Sony’s advanced image processing, handled by the X1 Ultimate processor. This video engine has an incredible capacity for data processing, allowing it to enhance each on-screen object on each frame in real time. Two image improvement databases contribute to virtually eliminate on-screen noise, and upscale resolution makes all your shows seem like they were shot in native 4K. HDR content looks even better than you thought it could, with a combination of additional proprietary processing, including the Dynamic HDR Enhancer, the Object-based HDR Remaster process, and the new Triluminos Pro algorithm. These processes give you individual frames that are optimized for contrast, color, and texture. Another area where Sony’s projectors excel is in controlling motion blur with 4K Motionflow processing: Even the fastest-paced sports action, panning, and chase scenes appear smooth and jag-free. Motorized lens shift and lens memories give the VPL-XW6000ES a premium level of control, and with smart home system compatibility with Control4, Crestron, Savant, and AMX, this projector can integrate into your home ecosystem easily. The result is an astonishingly clear and balanced image, which is why we include this particular unit among our most highly-recommended projectors.

With a true 4K picture that rivals the clarity and brightness of LED and OLED TVs, the Sony VPL-XW7000ES delivers a truly theatrical experience. This projector has a long-lasting laser bulb that delivers 3200 lumens, giving you a picture of unparalleled dynamic range and brightness, in a package that’s substantially smaller than its predecessors. Smaller, yes, but much more powerful, thanks to the new smaller SXRD panels and compact Wide Dynamic Range Optics.

The full potential of that mind-blowing light source and observatory-quality optics is realized with powerful processing from Sony’s X1 Ultimate video engine chipset. The VPL-XW7000ES delivers an HDR image that absolutely rivals what you’ll see on TVs, with detailed tone mapping, brightness that doesn’t blow out, shadows with excellent detail, and an overall dynamic range that gives you everything from true black to astonishing highlights. Frame-by-frame analysis and processing gives every individual object perfect contrast, color balance, dynamic range, and texture. With live color enhancer processing, colors seem astonishingly lifelike and realistic, even skin tones.

With easy installation and setup, and compatibility with all the current home network systems, you’ll find it a breeze to integrate the VPL-XW7000ES into your home system. Powered zoom and lens shift as well as Picture Position Memory makes it easy to adjust the image, and to watch movies in their ideal aspect ratios. The VPL-XW7000ES really does give you a night out at the movies in your own home.

Cinephiles, take note. This high-end laser projector has a unique lens design and innovative processing that give it one of the most stunning pictures on the market — and it’s bright enough to handle screens of up to 300 inches. With HMDI 2.1 inputs that can handle 4k/120Hz content and a special Low Latency mode, the DLA-NZ9 is great for gaming. But it’s also ready for 8k content, and with JVC’s highly effective upscaling processor, you can watch 4k content in 8k resolution. Superb contrast is another characteristic of the DLA-NZ9, thanks to its three-chip Digital Direct Drive Image Light Amplifier system — one red, one blue, and one green — combined with its BLU-Escent laser phosphor light source. The 100mm lens is made up of 18 precision-ground, all-glass elements, which ensures a perfectly focused picture in every corner and along each edge of the image, with a minimum of color irregularities.

The future of cinema is with HDR content, and the DLA-NZ9 is way ahead of the curve with HDR10 and HDR10+ support, and automatic mode switching when a corresponding HDR signal is detected. The Frame Adapt feature dynamically tone-maps HDR10 content for optimal brightness, color, and detail, on each individual frame. Theater Optimizer mode applies HDR settings based on your current settings, so you’ll have consistent results from movie to movie. Got a custom home theater installation in your near future? Put this projector on your list.

Also check out our full JVC DLA-NZ9 projector review.

For their 2022 home theater projector line, JVC is clearly demonstrating that its years of engineering experience in this space are paying off. This 4K projector has one of the clearest pictures available at this price, supported by some seriously smart processing power. Compatible with the latest HDR10+ content, the DLA-NP5 reveals shadow detail and color you probably never realized were part of your favorite movies, enhanced by JVC’s Multiple Pixel Control image processor, Clear Motion Drive frame interpolation, and a color management system with 6-axis matrix. The DLA-NP5 achieves a truly excellent contrast ratio using their layered Liquid Crystal on Silicon system, which contains three D-ILA chips that reduce light scatter.

The DLA-NP5’s all-glass lens is nearly identical to that on their high-end DLA-NZ9, which gives this projector a superbly clear picture that can cover a 200-inch screen. Control the zoom, focus, and lens shift from your armchair with the motorized lens and 10-preset lens position and picture settings — this makes it a snap to dial in the perfect picture for the blockbuster, film noir, and action content on your evening’s playlist. This modestly priced projector performs well above its price point; it’s worth your attention.

What makes a projector good for gaming? For one thing, size really matters; your multiplayer game world is so much more immersive at 200" wide than it is even on a 49" wraparound monitor. But another critical aspect is lag: Any perceptible delay in the response of the action to anything you touch on your controller is a total dealbreaker. Some projectors have features to combat this problem, and in the case of the DLA-NZ7, the solution is very effective. Two HDMI 2.1 inputs accept 8K/60p and 4K/120p signals, and both inputs are HDCP 2.3 compatible. The upshot of these cryptic numbers and acronyms is this: The DLA-NZ7’s picture has exceptionally smooth and responsive gameplay, and with true 8K performance, you’re ready for the coming generation of games. Plus, the DLA-NZ7 is 3D-capable, though you’ll need extra gear such as JVC’s PK-EM2 3D Synchro Emitter and PK-AG3 active RF 3D glasses.

If you’re a non-gamer, is this projector for you? Um, yeah. This is a full 8K machine ready for the future of high dynamic range HDR10+ content, with one of the clearest, brightest, and high-contrast pictures available today. Its three Digital Direct Drive Image Light Amplifier chips and BLU-Escent laser phosphor light source produce exceptional black levels and contrast. The motorized lens is identical to the top projector in the line, which costs over twice as much. For serious home theater installations, the DLA-NZ7 is a very cost-effective but powerful choice.

Epson’s top-of-the-line home theater projector features a new lens and new processing technology and aims to reproduce content that is true to the intent and vision of the directors, artists, and producers. Its specs certainly support this goal: Very bright multi-array laser diodes power the 3LCD Projector Engine and give exceptional black contrast and color accuracy. True 4K rendering of HDR content, including HLG and HDR10+, makes this surprisingly affordable projector a true powerhouse. Two HDMI 2.1 ports enable you to stream the latest content as well as the shows that are coming down the pike; one HDMI port is eARC/ARC compatible, so your sonic connection with your video source is sure to be flawless.

A new processor enables frame-by-frame analysis and rendering of color, contrast, HDR, frame interpolation, and resolution enhancement. The multi-LCD chip system displays 100% of the RGB color signal for every frame, yielding an outstanding color gamut while maintaining excellent brightness. Epson has been in the high-quality projection business for many years, so it’s not surprising that their leading home theater projector gives such an exceptional viewing experience. What’s really surprising is how much you get for the price!

This is a lot of projector for the money. A very bright picture with stunning color saturation makes for a very favorable first impression — the kind of things that makes you cross the showroom floor to get a closer look. From this standpoint alone, the LS11000 rivals projectors that cost much more.

What did Epson do to make this possible? An array of three laser light sources is the first step. With 2500 lumens, there is plenty of power to make a dazzling picture. A three-LCD system provides one panel each for blue, red, and green, so it helps the LS 11000 achieve its eye-popping brightness. It also gives it very accurate color performance that avoids visual artifacts that can occur with some projection technologies, especially with Digital Light Processing (DLP) projectors.

Another one of Epson’s ground-breaking proprietary projection technologies is Pixel Shift, which the LS 11000 has the latest version of, called 4K PRO-UHD. This means that pixel positions get shifted in four different phases, which gives you super clear Ultra HD detail. Epson’s picture processor technology completes the heavy lifting by doing real-time enhancement of color, contrast, HDR, resolution, and frame interpolation. There’s a lot going on in this affordable projector, which is why we’re including it in our guide to the best projectors of 2023.