Best projector: all your best projecting options
Our constantly updated list of the best projectors around
As the temperature drops and the days get ever shorter, curling up with a good movie seems the sensible option.
Big TVs are fine, but if you want a seriously impressive home cinema experience then a projector is what you should search for.
It used to be the case the best projectors were hugely expensive and could only be used in blackout situations, something that few can achieve at home.
However, that's changed over the last few years and the latest DLP and 3LCD projectors are not only bright enough to use in the daytime (though direct sunlight nearby is still a big no-no), but have also plummeted in price.
That's just as well, because you'll also need to think about a sound system – some projectors do have built-in speakers, but they're rarely (never) any good.
There are other changes afoot in the projector market. We're now seeing portable units, those that bridge the divide between data and video, 3-D options, and even some that play nice with the latest Apple products. Whichever you go for, you're assured of an instant home cinema experience.
So here's our pick of the best projectors, ordered by price:
Philips PicoPix Mini 1430 – £225
A compact projector that's small enough to carry around
By their nature, projectors are not very portable, but that all changes with the pocket-sized Pico concept. Designed primarily for using with a PC, Phillips' well built effort can attach to home cinema components and take both USB sticks and SD cards from a camera or camcorder (WMV files are not recognised, but MOV files played fine). We managed a decent image 80-inches in size, though around 40 to 50-inches is best for the PicoPix, and quality with video is very average. A great little gadget, but buying this pocket projector to replace a TV could be folly – this is best for occasional use.
Read: Philips PicoPix Mini review
Acer H5360BD – £500
A bargainous 3D projector that offers bang for your buck
Saddled with a 1280x720 pixel HD ready resolution, this projector lacks ultimate contrast so don't expect the last word in Blu-ray quality, though in every other regard this is a bargain beamer - and it even does 3-D. Small enough to grab from a drawer when needed, this Acer has auto keystone correction for easy setup, and it's even possible to choose the colour of your wall (the quality of light changing as a result). It's with games that this projector excels, though it's just about versatile enough for occasional use with any source.
Epson MG-850HD – £600
A decent HD projector which includes an iOS dock for beaming your digital videos
What use is a projector if you watch most of your entertainment via an iPad? Cue the MG-850HD, a one-of-a-kind projector that boasts a unique iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch dock on its rear. It does also possess video inputs, but the MG-850HD is all about iDevice convenience; it extracts and plays absolutely any video or photo either stored or streamed through a docked iPad (complete with stereo 10W speakers), though don't expect to see apps on the big screen.
It has a user interface all of its own (it's very Apple like), which is displayed in 1280x720 pixel HD ready quality, and goes as bright as 2800 lumens. It's fine for daytime use, but don't expect the ultimate in cinematic glory – the MG-850HD is a budget projector, and besides, video on iPad is hardly of the finest quality.
InFocus SP8600 – £800
Aa home cinema bargain of quite ridiculous proportions
It's at this kind of money where serious home cinema becomes a possiblity – and here's the proof. A 2D home cinema bargain of quite ridiculous proportions, this nicely proportioned projector is versatility defined.
It's true it lacks lens shift levers and has just a 1.2x zoom, so installation could be easier (we wouldn't, for instance, recommend using on a coffee table, but instead as a semi-permanent fixture in a home cinema), but once set-up the SP8600 doesn't miss a beat. Full HD and with a six-segment colour wheel, detail is awesome, colour vibrant and Blu-ray spotlessly blur-free and smooth. Its 1800 lumens mean it's bright enough to use in ambient light, and it's even got a built-in mono speaker.
Read: InFocus SP8600 review
Vivitek H1080 – £850
Another great value HD projector offering 1800 lumens of brightness
A similarly smart choice in this relatively low price bracket, this DLP-based projector also features full HD resolution along with a slab of cinematic brilliance. Ideal for anyone wanting to create a home cinema on a budget, the Vivitek can nevertheless be used in daylight conditions, too, thanks to its 1800 lumens of brightness. Its short throw lens also makes it relatively easy to set up in a small room.
Beautiful colouring and stunning detail from Blu-ray, the H1080 offers a smooth and inviting picture from games, though it's not the most contrast-heavy option. Also includes a 5W speaker, though it's only worth using in an emergency.
BenQ W1100 – £900
How low can you go and still get a great cinematic experience?
Budget home cinema builders have never had it so good. This is the kind of money you want to be spending if you're after something that justifies your increasingly full HD disc and games collection. A DLP model with a distinctly upmarket, backlit remote, auto keystone correction makes set-up simple while out-of-the-box the W1100's image is preternaturally sharp and bright.
Image controls are extensive, and though fan noise is an issue and there's some resolution loss during fast moving video, the general sharpness of its images and the striking colour fidelity makes the W1100 an unqualified steal.
Read: BenQ W1100 review
ViewSonic Pro8450w – £1,000
Exceptionally bright at 4500 lumens, this DLP model is by far the best projector here to use in daylight, but it comes with a warning. Ostensibly designed for using with data in an office environment (the obvious giveaway is that it can be networked), its 1280x800 pixels are just enough to offer a HD ready 720p performance – and don't countenance using it at its maximum brightness for movies (you might as well switch the lights on).
It's not the most detailed image your find, and nor is it the most video friendly – we noticed some blur during fast moving footage – but its built-in speaker is handy, and there is also a 3-D option; hook up a VPD31 processor (£299) for some rudimentary 3-D images.The right choice if you need a projector for both home and business use.
Read: ViewSonic Pro8450w review
BenQ W1200 – £1,000
When BenQ re-entered the projector market earlier this year, we weren't particularly excited, but the W1200 quickly changed all that. A DLP model with 1800 lumens of brightness and a full HD resolution, it somehow manages to create sharp and lusciously coloured images from all sources.
Essentially a more cinematic, blur-less version of BenQ's W1100 (above), this smooth operator has image calibration menus aplenty, though its lack of lens shift levers or an auto keystone correction mode means it's not ideal for a coffee table. It's best positioned behind the viewing position in a home cinema setting, which make its built-in 10W speakers rather redundant. As versatile as your find at this price, the W1200 is an almost ludicrously good deal.
Epson EH-TW3200 – £1,000
Unlike most of the other projectors featured here, this Epson uses 3LCD technology, though it's the simple set-up we like most. Let's gloss over the fact that it's absolutely huge (something that also makes it one of the quietest projectors – the cooling system is bigger and more efficient) and go straight to its vertical and horizontal lens shift levers.
Manual they may be, but these levers physically move the lens around an axis, making it simple to create a dead on image from almost anywhere in a room. Its 1800 lumens make it fine for daytime use, and its full HD resolution sharpness combines with enough contrast and cinematic colour; there are few projectors that are either as impressive or as easy to set up.
Optoma ThemeScene HD33 – £1,300
A great 3D projector that uses Active 3D glasses
How about some 3D? It's not got nearly the same hi-tech chops as your average 3D cinema projector, but Optoma's great value HD33 somehow manages to deliver decent depth via active shutter 3D specs.
A single chip DLP projector, it's one of few 3D projectors to offer full HD resolution, and nor does it come with a separate processing box (most cheap 3D projectors do). With 1800 lumens brightness, the HD33 does a decent job in daylight, and though its middling contrast keeps it from home cinema perfection, that effective 3D mode makes it one of the best value beamers around if a 3D home cinema is your next move.
JVC DLA-X3 3D - £2,800
This 3D lightbox ushers in a new era for D-ILA home projectors
The DLA-X3 is a seriously desirable home theatre projector, with a 2D performance that's ridiculously fine for the money. The DLA-X7 and DLA-X9 models may offer superior contrast, but there's nothing here to really grumble about.
Black level performance and fine detailing remain top dollar. The X3 is also well built and at 20dB, whisper-quiet in operation. Its 3D performance is similarly exciting, although there remain some issues with performance and execution. The separate sync transmitter is inelegant, and there's also that thorny issue of crosstalk. But over all, this is a brilliant home cinema option for the enthusiast.
Read: JVC DLA-X3 3D review
Sony VPL-HW30ES - £2,900
Sony's second-generation 3D projector is a sensation
The Big S has delivered a barnstorming big-screen projector with the VPL-HW30ES. Not only is it good enough to convert the fiercest 3D cynics, it's also a darn fine 2D projector in its own right.
It's capable of deep, convincing blacks with tangible shadow detail. Unlike rival D-ILA technology, SXRD relies on a dynamic iris to deliver deep contrast. Here the Advanced Iris system has a couple of auto modes, which adjust to scene content; sensitivity is variable. I wasn't particularly aware of the iris opening or closing during my audition. Alternatively, you can manually set and fix it to taste.
While it may not be perfect – the lack of a 12V trigger particularly rankles and we'd rather the transmitter was back integrated with the lens assembly – this remains a compelling argument for bringing big-screen 3D home.
Read: Sony VPL-HW30ES review
JVC DLA-X7 - £5,000
If you still aren't convinced about 3D, this projector may well change your mind
However impressive the X7's 3D pictures might be, 3D viewing will probably only occupy a small proportion of your total viewing time (unless you're James Cameron). So it's handy that the X7 is also a terrific 2D projector.
On top of its impressive handling of dark sequences are punchy whites that are a big step forward from last year's models, intense colours and clean motion handling, even without resorting to the provided motion processing circuitry.
We also commend the X7's freedom from distracting video noise and its terrific sharpness, which did full justice to the exceptionally detailed Blu-ray transfer ofThe Social Network.
The big question for the X7 now is whether it can really justify costing nearly twice as much as the X3. We think it can, because it delivers a marked improvement over its cheaper sibling above.
Read: JVC DLA-X7 review
SIM2 C3X Lumis 3D-S - £30,000
Three-chip DLP projector is a watershed moment in home cinema 3D's fortunes
Last in our list is the ludicrously expensive SIM2 C3X Lumis 3D-S projector. Costing upwards of £30,000 it's a home cinema goliath and has the chops to deliver best-in-class pictures.
Since you won't be expected to install a £30,000 projector yourself, your installer will thrill to this machine's set-up flexibility. At the heart of its almost infinite tweakability is SIM2's Live Colours Calibration 2 software, which works in tandem with a colour meter to enable your lackey to get the Lumis 3D-S' colour palette looking essentially perfect.
The Lumis 3D-S' main 'wow'- inducing talent, though, is its picture quality, and its 3D pictures are far and away the best I've seen outside of a top-end commercial cinema.
Read: SIM2 C3X Lumis 3D-S review
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