Outdoor Movie HQ’s Projector Reviews Guide

Don’t let our website name fool you guys, we started this site recommending outdoor movie gear but quickly expanded to cover all manner of projector tech.

We have a ton of reviews in all categories including LED, 4K, 3D, etc. By reading this guide, you can easily find which list you should be looking at to satisfy your needs. This guide will also tell you many tips on what you should be looking for when buying a projector, and try to answer any questions you have in the FAQ.

Now that you know this, go ahead and read through the list. You’ll be sure to find one review that will help you on your search to a great projector for you.

Let’s get projector-ing!

Projector Reviews Lists

Projector Reviews Buying Guide

There are several things to consider when buying a projector. We give you many pointers here on how to properly choose one for you.

What kind of build and image quality do you need?

You’re going to want a reliable projector with a sturdy build. In this essence, you want a projector that will last long, even if dropped. Stray from projectors with cheap builds because they are unreliable and easier to break. 

An example of this is the Sony VPL-PHZ10, a sturdy and reliable laser projector, versus the cheaply built, though great, Optoma UHD60.

For image quality, you need to consider brightness, color, contrast ratio, and sharpness. An image’s sharpness depends on its brightness and contrast ratio, which determine the black and white levels of a projector.

Though many would assume the brighter and higher contrast ratio the better, this isn’t always the case because it also depends on other features of the projector as well. Color only adds to this.

You need to decide whether you want a larger array of colors, like LED projectors bring, or a smaller array.

4K projectors bring the best image quality, having more saturated colors, more colors in general, HDR, better brightness and contrast, and an overall better sharpness. If you’re interested in this, you should check out our best 4K projector list here.

Here’s an example of image quality differences in 6-pico projector technologies. 

Does Portability Matter to You?

Projector sizes can impede on mounting conditions, where you’re going to place them, whether you plan to keep it in one place or move around, and much more.

If portability doesn’t matter, then getting a larger projector won’t either - as long as you’re not worried about mounting or not moving it. But if you want a portable projector, then you’re going to want something smaller, lightweight, and more compact. DLP and LED projectors fit this mold better than others, so if you’re looking for portability one of them would probably be your best choice.

A projector like the BenQ HT2250 is a good example of a portable projector, unlike the Sony VPL-HW45ES.

What Resolution Do You Need?

Most HDTV broadcasts in 720p, while streaming services can cast in higher res. If you just plan to watch TV, there is a slight difference with 720p (HD) and 1080p (Full HD). It looks a tiny bit better on higher resolutions, but you don’t have to spend more on such a minimal difference. This is the same with DVDs which are in 480p and are scaled up to the respective resolutions.

But when it comes to Blu-Ray, 1080p and 4K are the best; 4K especially for UHD Blu-Ray. If you plan on gaming, you’re going to want either 1080p or 4K, though it will look the best on 4K.

4K also brings a more immersive experience with better abilities to film outside as well. These projectors cost more, but are worth it.

In the end, this is up to you, but if you have the money then 4K is the best option to go with.

What are Lumens?

A projector’s brightness is measured in ANSI Lumens, where one lumen is equivalent to the light a birthday candle emits in a square-foot. The more lumens you have, the brighter your picture will be. 

Exploring Brightness

You need to know a projector’s brightness if you want to display images without a muddy look.

Your viewing environment will determine how many lumens your projector needs. The sizes of the room and projector screen, how far the projector is from the screen, and how much ambient light the room has will all affect how many lumens you need.

Generally, a dedicated home theater, which lacks ambient light and has controlled lighting, needs a projector with 1000 lumens or more. Having some ambient light brings the need up to 1500 lumens, and having a high amount up to 3000. 

Is Widescreen Format Needed?

In short: No, but widescreen is what most projectors use.

The most common projector aspect ratios are 16:9, 16:10, 4:3, 21:9, and 2.35:1. The only one not widescreen amongst these is 4:3, which is used by TVs. 

You can use 4:3 if you want and if your projector supports it. Otherwise, you’re most likely going to have to use widescreen. Many people believe widescreen looks better, especially for higher resolutions.

4:3 images fill the screen, but the images look a little more scrunched and you can be missing out on things. In the end, this is up to your discretion.

What are Contrast Ratios?

Contrast-ratios tell you the relationship between the darkest and brightest parts of an image. Though a higher contrast-ratio doesn’t always mean the picture will be better, a higher ratio delivers whiter whites, blacker blacks and better details; while a lower ratio can make your picture look muddled and washed out.

In a darkened room, a contrast-ratio of 2,000:1 or more is excellent; though having a ratio of at least 1,500:1 is good enough.

Factors like ambient light, throw, your screen, and much more will affect how your picture looks overall, so this is one more thing to look out for. 

How much distance do you need?

There is no definite answer to this because it depends on many factors, such as the resolution of the picture and the length of your room, but we do have some formulas here to help you find out how far your seats should generally be from the screen:

Width of the screen (not the diagonal) x 2 = minimum distance

Width of the screen (not the diagonal) x 5 = maximum distance

This works great if you are using many seats because it will tell you where the first and last seats should be from the screen. We will refer to this image here again for additional guidance: 

How do you connect your projector?

Connecting your projector so that it works is essential to the process. After mounting it and setting up the screen and seat distance, you’re going to want to plug the projector’s power in.

Then, you connect your TV, cable box, laptop, etc. to the projector through a cable, whether that be HDMI, VGA and an audio cable, or whatever your projector/TV/laptop uses, and change the input source on your appliance.

After this, you just start up the projector and work from there to properly align your image, adjust its focus, choose the right picture mode you want, and then turn off the lights and get into business.

Here’s a video to teach you how to connect your laptop to your projector: 

This video uses a VGA cable, whereas most projectors nowadays use HDMI, but the process is the same.

21:9 is a ratio that is being more used because it is great for cinema. It is wider than 16:9 and is loved more by cinefiles.

DLP vs LCD: Which is better?

A projector’s display technology is determined whether it uses Digital Light Processing (DLP), Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), or other technologies such as LEDs or Lasers.

DLP projectors use a spinning color wheel, millions of microscopic mirrors in its DLP chip, and a lamp to produce its images. The mirror structure in DLP projectors allows for there to be a fine image without the lattice effect that LCD projectors have.

Also, DLP projectors have closed systems that block out dust and smaller parts that allow for their builds to be lighter and smaller than LCD projectors. This makes DLP projectors require little to no maintenance.

Yet, unlike LCD, DLP has moving pieces which can result in the DLP rainbow effect.

LCD uses three LCD panels - red, green, and blue - and a lamp to create its image. LCDs are heavier, cheaper, and have no moving parts. They produce brighter and sharper high-quality images with greater color than DLPs. Yet, LCDs require a lot of filter replacements and constant maintenance due to a huge dust problem.

While their images are great, the cost of constant maintenance is enough to make people buy other projectors.

A better alternative to both of these are LED projectors. Though not as bright as LCDs, they live longer, have better color, and require little to no maintenance. 

4K Video Resolution and Ultra HD Explained

There are three kinds of 4K for projectors: true 4K UHD, Full 4K, and 4K enhancement technology. True 4K UHD brings a little more than 8 megapixels to your screen, which is 4x the amount that 1080p has; giving off the Ultra High Definition (UHD) resolution 3840 x 2160. 

Full 4K has even more pixels than True 4K, and is the actual native 4K with 4096 x 2160 pixels. 4K enhancement shifts 1080p pixels to create 4K images that can barely be told apart from true 4K, getting 4K resolution with 1920 x 1080 x 2 pixels. 

Through these three resolutions, 4K projectors give you very detailed images with amazing contrast and more saturated colors. Most people can’t tell the differences between them from a certain distance away regardless.

4K projectors allow you to sit closer to the screen than regular projectors, see all of the image’s details, and be immersed in its pictures. If you want to see images in the most immersive and cinematic resolution yet, project outside, play video games, or use UHD BluRay, then you’re going to want to get a 4k projector. 

In Conclusion

You are sure to find a projector that fits you by visiting one of our guides. Whether you’re looking for a 4K projector, a 3D projector, a Short Throw, or whatever else, we will be able to assist you here.

Before you go out and just by one, make sure to know what you want, what kind of technology you want, if portability matters, and so much more. By following our FAQ and Buyers’ Guide, you will be led down the right path to choosing a projector perfect for you.