Play On The Big Screen With These 5 Gaming Projectors
Why keep playing your favorite games on a TV when you can watch them blown-up on the big screen? That’s where these gaming projectors come in. Compact, versatile, and powerful, they allow you to display images in Full HD and up to 300-inches, letting you enjoy your games, whether Red Dead Redemption, GTA 4, or Call of Duty, in all their action-packed glory. The short-throw models in our selection are especially useful for anyone with limited apartment or bedroom space, since they can project onto large screens from just a few feet away.
Optoma GT1080HDR Darbee Short Throw
A powerful and affordable short-throw projector
From one of the top names in the business, the Optoma GT1080HDR boasts everything you’d want in a gaming projector and more. Enhanced gaming mode, featuring a 8.4ms response time with a 120Hz refresh rate, ensures your gameplay is smooth with no interruptions, while a plethora port options allow you to connect just about any device you want, from gaming consoles to Chromecast and Fire Sticks. It’s also a short throw model, capable of displaying a 120-inch image from just four feet away, so it’s perfect for just about any size room in your house or apartment.
But more than that, the Optoma GT1080HDR is especially ideal for anyone looking for 4K image quality without shelling out thousands of dollars for it. While the 2019 model isn’t technically 4K, its 1080HDR technology comes pretty close, producing visuals that are nearly as crisp and vibrant as the real thing. It also performs great no matter what space it’s in, thanks to 3,800 lumens of brightness and an impressive 50,000:1 contrast ratio. And it all comes in a price that’s significantly less than a real 4K projector or television setup.
Pros:
- 4K input
- Enhanced gaming modes
- Also great for movies
Cons:
- Fan can be loud
- Replacement bulbs are a bit expensive
BenQ HT2150ST Short Throw
Color is king with the BenQ
One of the few advantages televisions often have over projectors is color accuracy. It’s not unusual for images to appear washed-out, for whites to look dull and for blacks to appear grey. It’s also a problem that especially plagues models on the more affordable end of the price spectrum, since color technology is one of the first compromises manufacturers make.
That’s why the BenQHT2150ST is still one of the most popular gaming options around. Part of a long line of great projectors, the short throw model is specially suited for gamers who care about color, as it incorporates a handful of unique features intended to make sure your game is displayed just as the designers intended. The 6x speed RGBRGB color wheel and 15,000:1 contrast ratio means blacks are blacker and red richer, while the Rec.709 HDTV standard color coverage helps maintain color consistency across platforms. It doesn’t have the brightest bulb, and it’s not 4K quality, but few other projectors at this price point take color as seriously as the the BenQHT2150ST.
Pros:
- Stand-out color accuracy
- No rainbow effect or color breakup
- Low lag input
Cons:
- Not 4K
- Could be brighter
ViewSonic PX706HD 1080p
All-around performance in a compact package
The ViewSonic PX706HD 1080p is stacked with great features. It has an HD resolution that creates vivid imagery, reduced input latency that enables smooth frame-by-frame gameplay, and automatic vertical keystone correction so your picture is never distorted. It also has a respectable 3,000 lumens of brightness, so you can use it even in rooms with lots of ambient light.
And even if none of those specs are necessarily outstanding, together they give the ViewSonic PX706HD an all-around performance that should satisfy any user. It’s one of the most versatile models around, capable of serving either as an everyday option for displaying your games or as an alternative to your TV. As a short throw projector, it also works great in just about any environment, whether it’s a cramped office or a spacious living room.
Pros:
- Flexible USB-C connection
- Eco-mode lamp
- Easy setup
Cons:
- Images could be sharper
- Speaker is underpowered
BenQ HT3550 4K Home Theater
A real 4K projector for the gaming fanatic
Imagine playing the newest Call of Duty on your standard HD projector. Now imagine playing it in 4K-quality, 3840×2160 resolution. Awe-inspiring, isn’t it? With the BenQ HT3550, you get exactly that kind of quality with every game and movie. The award-winning model is jam-packed with cutting-edge technology, from the dci-p3 color space, which encompasses an even larger visible spectrum than you can get with the industry-standard Rec. 709, to the HD-pro tone-mapping, which dials up the contrast to cinematic levels. Once you play on this projector, you’ll never want to go back to regular old HD again.
Of course, all this power comes at a price. The BenQ HT3550 is a bit more of an investment that other gaming projectors, so be prepared to shell out for it. Still, if you’re a serious user looking for one of the most uncompromising gaming experiences around, there’s hardly a better choice.
Pros:
- Sophisticated 10-element lens
- Bright and accurate colors
- 8.3 million pixels in each frame
Cons:
- Needs a big room
- A little pricey
VANKYO Leisure 410 LED
Big screen on a budget
If you feel like you’ve already put down enough money on your console and library of games, there’s good news: you don’t have to spend a huge amount more to get a decent projector to use them with. The VANKYO Leisure 410 is a case in point, offering a solid 1920×1080 resolution, integrated speakers, and lots of connection options — all for under a $100.
Naturally, there are compromises at this price point. With a 2,000:1 contrast ratio, colors aren’t nearly as rich as they are with a higher-end projector, and the maximum screen size is only 172 inches. It’s not quite as bright, either, so you can’t really use it in environments with lots of natural or ambient light. But even considering those drawbacks, it’s still a great value, particularly for anyone on a strict budget or for those looking for an entry-level projector to try out before committing to a more expensive one.
Pros:
- Fan is surprisingly silent
- Comes with a carry bag and lots of cables
- Good value for price
Cons:
- Subpar image quality
- Overheats easily
Frequently Asked Questions
How much should I spend on a projector?
Like TVs, projectors vary pretty widely in terms of price, from sub-$100 budget models to $2,000-plus high-end ones. So you should ask yourself what you’re looking to get out of owning a projector. Are you a college student on a budget? Or a hardcore gamer who wants the latest in motion graphics technology? That will largely determine how much you should spend. In general, though, it’s not difficult to find a projector with solid image quality, low input lag, and good brightness for around $600-$700.
What’s a short throw projector? Should I get one?
Short throw projectors feature a special lenses with shallow “throw” ratios, which is a technical way of saying they’re able to project large images at a very close distance from the screen. A short throw lens with a ratio of 1, for example, should be able to display a 100-inch image from as little as three feet away. That makes them ideal for use in smaller environments, and is also why they’re so popular among gamers. If you have limited space in your apartment or bedroom, a short throw projector is a great choice.
Do I need a 4K projector?
4K, or four times the number of pixels of standard 1080p, refers to the horizontal display resolution of high-definition images, usually 4096 x 2160 pixels for projectors. It’s become one of the most popular resolutions for TV and projectors today, and allows images to be displayed with even more lifelike smoothness than 1080p. Of course, a 4K projector is going to be more expensive, but if you’re looking for the top-of-the-line in image quality, 4K is the way to go.
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With the constantly shifting landscape in the world of technology, GameRevolution seeks to provide gamers and tech-enthusiasts with the information they need to select the right products for their needs. Since 1996, our experts have used their knowledge on all the latest gadgets – everything from headphones to standing desks – to help millions of people navigate specs and answer common questions.