Recommendations – Projectors
Below you will find my most current recommendations for each product category. As always, these are NON-SPONSORED recommendations based on as much empirical information and testing as I can gather.
Last Updated: December 1, 2025
Sub $100 Projectors
Best Under $100
Fudoni GC888A
MSRP: $179.99
Common Price: $89.99
Link: https://amzn.to/47Tr38g
If your budget is $100, the Fudoni is the clear winner. It’s the brightest, has the best picture quality, acceptable input lag for casual gaming, it has motorized focus, a 1080p native display, decent speakers, digital keystone, and HDMI CEC support for controlling your streaming stick with the Fudoni remote. Overall, the Fudoni was the only projector that didn’t disappoint me in some way.
Best Under $50
HY320 Mini
MSRP: $125.57
Common Price: $59.99
Link: https://amzn.to/488iHtp
I was fully ready to give my recommendation to the HY320 Mini that finished 3rd in overall picture quality, has a nice small form factor, a mildly usable smart operating system, and puts out almost 200 lumens for just $26.49, which is almost unbelievably cheap. But as of writing this script it’s already unavailable just 10 days after I bought it. Now, the good news is that Umbolite is just a reseller and the HY320 Mini is actually made by Magcubic so it should have other sellers, but I don’t think you should pay more than around $40 for it.
Most Dependable
Happrun H1 Projector
MSRP: $99.99
Common Price: $69.99
Link: https://amzn.to/4i0bXll
The Happrun H1 did well enough to earn my recommendation again in 2025, but I don’t think it’s worth the $76 that it’s currently selling for, and I think it’s more fairly priced in the $50-60 range. But as you can see from my price tracker, it’s only been under $70 one time since July 2025.
Most Adjustable
Zentality A10 Plus
MSRP: $129.99
Common Price: $72.19
Link: https://amzn.to/3JLrQQy
The Zentality has all of Android 13’s picture options available that let you adjust things like gamma and white balance, and it also has better speakers and a fairly quiet fan. But it’s got relatively poor focus, a 720p native display, and some annoying bugs like the fact that it doesn’t play any sound through its speakers unless you go into the FireTV settings and set sound to PCM output instead of Auto, but I still think it’s a decent value at $70-80 if you want to try and make the built-in Android operating system work.
Brightest Option
Groview JQ818C Projector
MSRP: $219.99
Common Price: $139.96
Link: https://amzn.to/3Xqusq8
**Not always offered under $100**
If you want the brightest option under $100, that’s the Groview JQ818C which is over two times brighter than the next brightest projector and consequently finished first in the side-by-side testing. The Groview also had the loudest speakers and acceptable input lag numbers for gaming. But all that brightness comes at a cost, because the fan is louder than most at 48.4 decibels and the Groview is roughly three times as big and uses 3x as much power as the rest of the projectors in the video. Still, almost 500 ANSI lumens for $99 is pretty incredible.
More information on Sub $100 Projectors: https://youtu.be/Z9KQ2fDDTOA
Mid-Priced Projectors ($100-$500)
Best All-In One
Elephas W1K
MSRP: $499.99
Common Price: $247.48
Link: https://amzn.to/4kAbvMh
The Elephas W1K is definitely the most well-rounded, finishing first in the viewing experience testing due to its great tone mapping and image processing combined with its 735 ANSI lumens and 2883:1 contrast ratio. The Elephas also has a very tolerable fan noise at 42.6 decibels and the built-in speakers are not the highest quality but are plenty loud and it would be acceptable for most people to watch an entire movie. The Elephas also had the lowest input lag of these three projectors, but it was still close to 50 ms, which isn’t ideal. The Elephas also had higher than normal power use, drawing 153.2 watts while outputting 735 ANSI lumens for an efficiency of 4.8 lumens per watt.
Best All-In One: Runner-up
Dangbei N2
MSRP: $499.00
Common Price: $199.00
Link: https://amzn.to/4kFjGqt
If you’re looking for something a bit smaller and quieter, the Dangbei N2 finished fifth in viewing experience despite having a much lower brightness at just 419 ANSI lumens and a 1980:1 contrast ratio, and the N2 had the quietest fan of any projector in the video at just 34.8 decibels. For speaker quality, it didn’t have the same peak volume as the Elephas, but the speakers were higher quality with more low end and would be more than sufficient for a movie night. In my testing, the Dangbei N2 drew 98 watts but only output 419 lumens, meaning it is actually the least efficient of these three at 4.28 lumens per watt, and it also had the worst input lag at 98.9 ms.
Best All-In One: Third Place
Alvar F505
MSRP: $399.99
Common Price: $189.99
Link: https://amzn.to/4kFjUhj
The Alvar F505 finished second in viewing experience and had very similar raw brightness and contrast numbers to the Elephas at 724 ANSI lumens and 2841:1 contrast ratio, but the F505 had a significantly louder fan at 48.2 decibels and though it did have slightly more balanced sound with more bass, the speakers were overall quieter than the Elephas. The Alvar also had nearly double the input lag at 82.5 ms, so even though it was more efficient, drawing just 123.6 watts with an efficiency of 5.86 lumens per watt, I wouldn’t recommend picking the Alvar over the Elephas.
Best “Dumb” Projector
Nexigo PJ40 Gen 3
MSRP: $319.99
Common Price: $239.99
Link: https://amzn.to/4ixTMTM
However, all three of those projectors use the NetRange store and operating system, which other than full Netflix support leaves a lot to be desired. I want to make another argument for just getting a projector with no smart OS and adding a FireTV stick or Roku for streaming. The Nexigo PJ40 Gen 3 finished third overall for viewing experience with 692 ANSI lumens and 3173:1 contrast ratio, and importantly if you want to play video games, it also has a game mode with less than 20ms of input lag. The PJ40 has an adjustable fan, which is admittedly very loud at max brightness measuring in at close to 49 decibels, but the fan can be adjusted down along with the maximum brightness of the light source, and it can get all the way down to 34.7 decibels if that’s what you’re going for. At maximum brightness, the PJ40 draws 150.5 watts to output 692 lumens for an efficiency of 4.6 lumens per watt, which is slightly lower than the Elephas, and in addition to not having a SmartOS, the PJ40 also lacks motorized focus, and doesn’t have a Bluetooth remote. But combined with a streaming stick it’s the only projector in the video that would check all of my boxes in terms of image quality, input lag, and focus uniformity.
Highest Value Projector
Wemax Vogue
MSRP: $999.00
Common Price: $423.99
Link: https://amzn.to/4bF6YUJ
If contrast isn’t your end-all be-all stat, I feel 100% confident saying that the Wemax Vogue is WAY more projector than you would typically be able to get for your money. A DLP projector with a 4LED light source putting out 1404 measured ANSI lumens for $423 new just doesn’t line up with the rest of the market, and similar projectors from Dangbei and XGIMI are in the $700-800 range. In addition to the more robust DLP projection system, the Wemax’s built-in speakers were also in a completely different league with loud, balanced, full range stereo sound. The Wemax also has the advantage of projecting with 100% offset, which means it’s easier to mount on the ceiling or project from a table, and if you do need to position it to the side of your screen, the DLP projection system maintains better focus uniformity when using keystone. It also had a fan noise of just 37.4 decibels when outputting its full 1404 lumens and it drew just 152.3 watts for an efficiency of 9.2 lumens per watt, by far the highest in the video. If the Vogue had decent input lag it would be the easiest recommendation I’ve ever made, but at 53.3 ms it’s not quite as tempting since it’s not great for gaming.
Budget Short Throw
Magcubic HY450
MSRP: $199.99
Common Price: $149.99
Link: https://amzn.to/4qOePXf
An honorable mention has to go to the Magcubic HY450 for doing something completely different. I love the short throw and 100% offset and I think it would make a great projector for someone looking to build a budget golf simulator and would be perfect for doing projection holiday decorations. At $139, it’s the most lumens per dollar of any of the projectors in the video, but I think I’d recommend paying the extra $10 to get the NetRange version of the projector instead of the Android version like I tested. Be aware that it does have a decently loud fan at 47.2 decibels and the speakers are usable, but definitely not great.
More information on Mid-Priced Projectors ($100-$500): https://youtu.be/vHmy8sobWEc
4K Laser Projectors
Best Overall
Valerion VisionMaster Max
MSRP: $4999.99
Common Price: $4999.99
Link: (pre-order) https://amzn.to/443Osmc
If you are buying a projector for your home theater and you’re looking at things like the Epson LS11000, 12000, or 5050UB, you should forget about those and buy the Valerion Max instead. Last year when I tested the Valerion Pro 2 I said it was basically flawless and the Max has taken that solid baseline performance of the Pro 2, added an iris for increased contrast, vertical lens shift for flexibility in placement, and an RBE reduction feature that more than triples the color cycles per frame. To my eye they’ve also eliminated the color shifts with EBL that were introduced with the EBL high and low update, and the Max also adds another layer of flexibility with the external lens mounting system, so if the Max is in your budget and you need the flexibility, it’s basically a no brainer.
Best For Most Home Theaters
Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2
MSRP: $2999.99
Common Price: $2999.99
Link: https://amzn.to/3DiEuDx
The Valerion Vision Master Pro 2 has basically no weaknesses. I’ve reviewed hundreds of projectors, and I can usually find something wrong with them, but other than some maybe overzealous contrast claims that are only achievable with full black and white patterns, the Valerion is absolutely exceptional. In 2024, the Valerion had the highest usable brightness, the highest color accurate brightness, the second highest native contrast, and by far the highest dynamic contrast. It covers 99.5% of the DCI-P3 color space with an SDR color accuracy of 3.12 average delta error. It supports 24p, all types of 3D, Dolby Vision, and IMAX enhanced, it has exceptionally low input lag, 1.2x optical zoom, great clarity, great auto focus and keystone, a built in aiming kickstand and optional gimbal mount, a useful remote, snappy processor for its Google TV operating system, and most importantly, it finished first in the side-by-side viewing experience testing in 2024. The Max’s biggest competitor is the Pro 2, which still performs exceptionally well, but for a lot less money based on the current sale prices listed on the Valerion website. So, if you don’t need lens shift or an external lens, it’s pretty hard to justify the significant price increase of the Valerion Max which makes the Pro 2 the right projector for most people’s home theaters based on value alone.
Best Value
Nexigo TriVision Ultra
MSRP: $1599.00
Common Price: $1499.00
Link: https://amzn.to/3DHbhC6
If you’re on a budget, the NexiGo TriVision Ultra currently priced at under $1300 is hands down the highest value projector on the market, with the 3rd highest usable lumens, and also finishing 3rd overall in my side-by-side testing with low input lag, 24p support, great 3D, dynamic tone mapping, Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support, and it just got a firmware update to add laser brightness controls and full fade to black. Unfortunately for the Dangbei MP1 Max, DBOX02 Pro, and BenQ GP520, the existence of the TriVision Ultra makes it really hard to recommend anything else in that $1500 and under price range unless a built-in gimbal and Google TV are on your must have list, in which case the Dangbei MP1 is probably the way to go.
Best for Gaming, 3D, and Portability
XGIMI Horizon 20 Max
MSRP: $2999.99
Common Price: $2399.99
Link: https://amzn.to/46ouUcJ
If your setup is a bit more casual and you plan on putting your projector on a table or shelf, if you are mostly using your projector for video games with fast camera movements, or if 3D performance is at the top of your wish list, then the XGIMI Horizon 20 Max is also incredibly good. Even though it couldn’t touch its 5700 lumens claim in any usable mode, it still had over 3000 ANSI lumens with acceptable color accuracy. If they can figure out how to fix their dynamic black level enhancement setting, the Horizon 20 is going to be a serious competitor for the Valerion Pro 2 in a theater environment as well.
More information on 4K Laser Projectors: https://youtu.be/F6mFV7XQC3o
Ultra-Short Throw Projectors
Best Dark Room Performance
NexiGo Aurora Pro MKII Hisense PT1
MSRP: $3499.00 <-> $2999.99
Common Price: $2999.00 <-> $2997.97
Link: https://amzn.to/3ToWccI <-> https://amzn.to/4hbtxCW
For primarily dark room viewing, I’m going to declare a tie between the NexiGo Aurora Pro MKII and the Hisense PT1. Both are absolutely exceptional, with the NexiGo coming out slightly on top in terms of black floor and the PT1 slightly in the lead in terms of color accuracy after calibration and color space coverage. The PT1 has better input lag, but only if you’re planning on using 240 Hz, and the NexiGo has the advantage of being able to crank out about 400 extra lumens after calibration. If you’re trying to decide between the two, I’d say the main differences are that the NexiGo has a higher tendency to show dynamic artifacts as a result of its mechanical iris. So, if those types of things will bother you, then the PT1 is probably a better pick. But the PT1’s pure RGB laser light source is more prone to laser speckle and color deficient metamerism, so if you’re planning on using a Fresnel ALR screen or you have any form of color blindness, the NexiGo should be the clear choice. One other interesting thing that might be worth considering is that on full brightness the NexiGo pulls over 290 watts, the highest of any projector in the video, while the PT1 in comparison uses just 122 watts, which is the lowest in the video.
Best Multi-Use Projector
Hisense PX3-Pro
MSRP: $3499.99
Common Price: $3497.97
Link: https://amzn.to/3zODaGx
For a mixed-use projector, for watching football during the day with the lights on and movies at night in a dark room, the Hisense PX3-Pro is extremely well rounded with 3000 usable lumens, high native contrast, and effective laser dimming. It won’t have the same black floor as the Aurora Pro MKII or the Hisense PT1, but it’s generally just good at everything. However, like the PT1, its RGB light source is prone to laser speckle, so you should choose a lenticular ALR screen over a Fresnel. If you or anyone else in your family has color blindness there will unfortunately be white balance issues.
Best Bright Room Performance
Epson EpiqVision LS650
MSRP: $2499.99
Common Price: $1799.99
Link: https://amzn.to/4fenECU
For a bright room projector for watching sports the two top performers were the $5000 Epson QL100B and the $6000 Hisense L9Q. In their current state, at their current price you shouldn’t buy either of them. The QL100B measured 6200 lumens on dynamic mode which is about 1000 more than the Epson LS650 which is currently selling for $1500 and includes built-in Android TV and integrated speakers, and both projectors have virtually the same picture quality with ½ 4K resolution. There is nothing about the QL100B that justifies a 330% increase in price over the LS650.
Best Temporary Setup
JMGO O2S Ultra
MSRP: $2999.00
Common Price: $2799.00
Link: https://bit.ly/47mgWZ8 (pre-order)
In a completely new category that I never expected this year, the JMGO O2S Ultra is the first viable portable ultra short throw that I’ve ever seen. It’s small, has a super short throw ratio, and mind-blowingly cool automatic setup features that make it possible to project onto a non-tensioned screen or white wall. The O2S Ultra was also the 3rd brightest projector after calibration with respectable native contrast and low input lag, and I’m guessing the frame packed 3D compatibility is just a bug that can be fixed easily in a firmware update.
Best Under $2000
Formovie Cinema Edge
MSRP: $2499.99
Common Price: $1799.99
Link: https://amzn.to/4f998fW
Last, the Wemax Nova Pro, which for $1799 actually performed pretty well, finishing 4th for dark room viewing with a single laser light source that’s not likely to produce laser speckle or metamerism, and a nice small compact form factor. But there’s one big problem, and that’s that the Wemax Nova Pro and Formovie Cinema Edge that I selected last year as my overall budget option, are the same projector, except the Formovie Edge got a firmware update last December that fixed its 3D compatibility and the Formovie Edge and Wemax Nova Pro are currently the same price. I’ll update the pinned comment if Wemax is able to push that same firmware fix to the Nova Pro, in which case you should just get whichever projector is less expensive, but for now the software on the Formovie Edge makes it the clear pick over the Wemax Nova Pro.
More information on UST Projectors: https://youtu.be/OG-UTMriJT8
Portable Projectors
Best All-Around
TCL PlayCube
MSRP: $799.99
Common Price: $699.99
Link: https://amzn.to/4ntomkj
If you have your heart set on something small that you can throw in a backpack, the TCL PlayCube is the only one that I would call a “complete package.” It has decent brightness, good speakers, a useful aiming system, and lasts about an hour and a half on maximum brightness using its built-in battery. Overall, it just feels sturdy and well built.
Best Camping and Outdoor Projector
Nebula Mars 3
MSRP: $1049.99
Common Price: $799.99
Link: https://amzn.to/4enoHQx
If you’re looking for something rugged to take with you while you travel or bring into the backyard, the Nebula Mars 3 is going to get my recommendation for the third year in a row. It’s got a huge built-in battery, great speakers, and is twice as bright as the TCL PlayCube with a full two hours of playback on its built-in battery. It’s also a great Bluetooth speaker. I’ve been bringing the Nebula Mars 3 on my camping trips for the last two years and I’ll continue to do so for the foreseeable future.
Best Picture Quality Portable Projector
NexiGo Nova Mini
MSRP: $799.00
Common Price: $599.00
Link: https://amzn.to/4pP50rn
The NexiGo Nova Mini was bright, for a portable projector, had good contrast, for a portable projector, and had the best picture quality of these portable projectors. It’s currently on sale for $599, which is a reasonable price for this level of performance but while I appreciate that it maintained 100% of its brightness on battery and that the dynamic dimming system made it considerably more efficient, the speakers are not great, which seems like a big miss for a portable system. It seems like the Nova Mini would be better suited for a semi-permanent setup with a separate speaker system, which actually based on NexiGo’s marketing might have been its intended use case anyways. Aside from used and discontinued projectors, the Nova Mini is probably the best projector performance you can currently get around that $600 price point.
Best Bedside Table Projector (so far)
Epson LifeStudio Flex Plus
MSRP: $999.00
Common Price: $999.00
Link: https://amzn.to/4nYr7Kh
The Epson LifeStudio Flex Plus seems the best fit for that use case. It had good brightness, decent picture quality, good speakers, an easy to use aiming system, and impressively low input lag when using keystone. But the thing that qualified it to be in this video, which is its ability to be powered by a USB-C power bank was extremely disappointing since it loses over half of its brightness when powered by USB-C. Ultimately the LifeStudio Flex Plus is less of a portable projector and more of a mini projector like the JMGO N1S 4K and Hisense M2 Pro, so I’m also going to include it in my next video with those other sub $1500 projectors to see if it can compete.
More information on Portable Projectors: https://youtu.be/Xeugc_Y-mFY
Premium Home Theater Projectors
Best “Dark Room” Traditional Home Theater Projector
JVC NZ500
For a traditional dark room theater with dark colored walls, ceiling, and carpet, JVC has always been the king of black levels, and the NZ500 is no exception. With a native contrast ratio over 29000:1 without any laser dimming tricks, tons of zoom and lens shift options, and excellent tone mapping and color accuracy, the NZ500 has all the markings of a traditional high end home theater projector at a fraction of the price.
Best “Multi-Use” Home Theater Projector
Epson QB1000
If you need or want more brightness, I was also very impressed with the Epson QB1000. While $7999 is still a lot to pay for a pixel shifter with 1080p panels, the performance is on par with other projectors at and above that price point. So, if your theater is more of a multi-purpose room without black walls and ceiling, or if you just want to project a massive screen, you’ll appreciate the extra brightness of the QB1000 over the NZ500.
Best “Bang for the Buck” Projector
Valerion Pro 2
MSRP: $2999.00
Link: https://amzn.to/44jz1aq
If you need or want more brightness, I was also very impressed with the Epson QB1000. While $7999 is still a lot to pay for a pixel shifter with 1080p panels, the performance is on par with other projectors at and above that price point. So, if your theater is more of a multi-purpose room without black walls and ceiling, or if you just want to project a massive screen, you’ll appreciate the extra brightness of the QB1000 over the NZ500.
More information on Premium Home Theater Projectors: https://youtu.be/B4_MhHsZvkU
Gaming Projectors
Best Overall
BENQ X500i
MSRP: $1699.00
Common Price: $1499.00
Link: https://amzn.to/4drwDkd
No matter what your budget is, the BENQ X500i seems to be the best gaming projector on the market with the ViewSonic X2-4K close behind, and looking at the projectors themselves and their stats I actually wouldn’t be surprised if they had almost the exact same internal parts. That said, the BENQ seems quite a bit more polished from a software and tuning perspective and it also includes BENQ’s QS02 streaming stick which has full Android TV 10 with Netflix support, while ViewSonic’s smart OS platform is basically worthless. So, if you can get past the XPR motor noise at 4K 60Hz the X500i is not just the best gaming projector, but probably the best all-around projector I’ve ever tested.
Runner-Up
ViewSonic X2-4K
MSRP: $1599.99
Common Price: $1599.99
Link: https://amzn.to/3QEELnE
No matter what your budget is, the BENQ X500i seems to be the best gaming projector on the market with the ViewSonic X2-4K close behind, and looking at the projectors themselves and their stats I actually wouldn’t be surprised if they had almost the exact same internal parts. That said, the BENQ seems quite a bit more polished from a software and tuning perspective and it also includes BENQ’s QS02 streaming stick which has full Android TV 10 with Netflix support, while ViewSonic’s smart OS platform is basically worthless. So, if you can get past the XPR motor noise at 4K 60Hz the X500i is not just the best gaming projector, but probably the best all-around projector I’ve ever tested.
Best All Around
Nexigo Aurora Pro
MSRP: $2699.00
Common Price: $2699.00
Link: https://amzn.to/4dwBKzy
If you’re looking for better ambient light performance and your budget is a bit higher, like $3500, I still think the Nexigo Aurora Pro with a Fresnel screen is a nearly unbeatable combo, and I’m continually amazed at how it performs as a jack of all trades, master of many. Tri-Laser Color Performance, Dolby Vision, 3D, and fully functioning 1080p 240Hz at 9.1ms of input lag is just crazy.
More information on Gaming Projectors: https://youtu.be/biXPgm-pxiU
Golf Simulator Projectors
Best Overall
Optoma ZK608TST
The new Optoma ZK608TST is the best all-around golf sim projector money can buy. It’s got 5879lm of peak brightness in “Bright” mode with less than ideal but still usable color accuracy, and 4600lm in “Vivid” mode with vibrant and accurate colors. It has one of the shortest throw distances I’ve ever seen as well as optical lens shift and digital image shift. It’s quiet, dust proof, has a relatively low power draw for its brightness, a very high native contrast ratio, supports HDR content and 3D, has low input lag, and it’s just barely larger than a typical home theater projector. The only downsides I can see are that it doesn’t have any optical zoom and at $5999 it’s not going to fit most people’s budget.
Best Value 4K
BENQ TK710STi
MSRP: $1999.00
Link: https://alnk.to/8EJKBbG
The BENQ TK710STi is also a great all-around projector for a third of the price at $1999, but it also has half the usable brightness and while I was actually able to measure higher than BENQ’s claimed 3200lm in “Bright” mode, it wasn’t particularly usable, and “Living Room” mode gave the next highest brightness at 2448lm while maintaining accurate colors. Like the Optoma, the BENQ TK710STi is a particularly good option for someone looking for a multipurpose projector since it has good contrast, low input lag, and supports HDR and 3D formats. You’ll just need to keep the lights in your sim a little dimmer.
Best Budget Option
Epson EpiqVision Mini EF12
MSRP: $999.00
Link: https://amzn.to/3WEfk7U
As for the Epson EF12, it is what it is. If your budget is $500 and you want a very usable short throw projector that’s easy to set up, has a long lasting laser light source, is super small, has low power draw, great speakers, and good digital zoom image shift options, the EF12 works. But don’t expect much wow factor and be prepared to play with most of your lights off.
More information on Golf Simulator Projectors: https://youtu.be/c42W02UF_nI
Projector Screens for use with Standard Throw Projectors
Best Laser Speckle Reduction Screen
Silver Ticket White 1.1 Gain WAB
MSRP: $389.98
Link: https://amzn.to/40N8pfZ
If you have a standard throw triple laser projector like the Valerion Pro 2, Hisense C1, Hisense C2 Ultra, or any of the JMGO N1 or N1S lineup, you’re going to want a screen that reduces laser speckle. If you want to reduce that speckle all the way down to zero and maintain great maximum brightness, uniformity, and viewing angle, then the Silver Ticket Woven Acoustically Transparent material is king. Great news is that it’s super reasonably priced and comes in a ton of different screen sizes all the way up to 162”.
Best ALR Laser Speckle Reduction Screen
AWOL Lenticular UST ALR
MSRP: $899.00
Link: https://amzn.to/40MCyMk
If you want to reduce the laser speckle of your triple laser projector to almost zero while gaining the benefits of an ambient light rejecting screen, then I think the best screen material is a lenticular ALR screen made for ultra-short throw projectors. While I think standard throw lenticular screens could be a great product in the future, the current generation just doesn’t seem to perform as well as it should and isn’t available in as many form factors. Compared to the new standard throw lenticular screens, the UST versions have less hotspotting, less laser speckle, better uniformity, and are available in significantly more form factors.
Best Overall ALR and Viewing Experience Screen
Valerion Fresnel Long Throw ALR
MSRP: $999.00
Link: https://bit.ly/42qybI8
I thought that the best ALR performance hands down was from the Valerion long throw Fresnel screen, which had a measured gain of 0.55, 81% ambient light rejection from overhead sources, and by far the best brightness uniformity compared to the lenticular ALR screens. The only downside that I noticed was that when flipped upside down for a ceiling mounted projector, there seemed to be some loss of brightness since the focal point of the Fresnel structure was no longer lined up at eye level, but it was still far better than any of the other ALR screens. Even the viewing angle, which is typically a weakness of Fresnel screens, was more than acceptable, even at 45 degrees.
Best Overall ALR and Viewing Experience Screen
Valerion Fresnel Long Throw ALR
MSRP: $999.00
Link: https://bit.ly/42qybI8
I thought that the best ALR performance hands down was from the Valerion long throw Fresnel screen, which had a measured gain of 0.55, 81% ambient light rejection from overhead sources, and by far the best brightness uniformity compared to the lenticular ALR screens. The only downside that I noticed was that when flipped upside down for a ceiling mounted projector, there seemed to be some loss of brightness since the focal point of the Fresnel structure was no longer lined up at eye level, but it was still far better than any of the other ALR screens. Even the viewing angle, which is typically a weakness of Fresnel screens, was more than acceptable, even at 45 degrees.
More information on Projector Screens: https://youtu.be/T8BEmAtjc_U
Projector Screens for use with Ultra-Short Throw Projectors
Best Laser Speckle Reduction Screen
Elite/AKIA CineWhite UHD-B
MSRP: $184.99
Link: https://amzn.to/4htUals
For ultra-short throw projectors with pure RGB laser sources like the Hisense PX3-Pro and AWOL LTV-3500 Pro, you’ll want a screen that reduces laser speckle, and like the long throw projectors, Silver Ticket’s Woven WAB material reduced the laser speckle to zero, but the texture of the screen was clearly visible with the steep projection angle of the USTs, and definitely caused image degradation. The next lowest amount of laser speckle was from the Cinewhite UHD-B material, which also has the benefit of nearly perfect screen uniformity and wide viewing angles.
Best ALR Laser Speckle Reduction Screen
Formovie UST Fresnel
If you’re looking for an ALR material, the Formovie Fresnel screen is the best at reducing laser speckle to a moderately low amount while maintaining extremely high brightness and rejecting between 91% and 95% of ambient light depending on the source, and in all my testing and having personally used the Formovie Fresnel for the last two years it basically only has two weaknesses. First, it’s only offered in 100” fixed frame, which I know is a huge dealbreaker for some spaces, and second, in certain very bright scenes you can notice the circular Fresnel structure in the top corners of the screen. It’s never been enough to bother me, but it’s something to be aware of.
2nd Place ALR Laser Speckle Reduction Screen
Nothing Projector UST Lenticular
MSRP: $1830.00
Link: https://bit.ly/3PIRgxK
If you need a drop down or floor rising screen or one that comes in sizes over 100”, then a low gain lenticular screen seems to be the best at reducing laser speckle. In this video that meant that the Nothing Projector 0.6 gain screen was my 2nd place pick for my Hisense PX3-Pro.
Best Overall ALR and Viewing Experience Screen
F-Screen UST Fresnel Screens
MSRP: $799.00-2399.00
Link: (Spectra) https://www.projectorscreen.com/spectra-projection-helios-100-fresnel-alr-projector-screen-for-ultra-short-throw-projectors.html?af=hookup-af
(Nexigo) https://amzn.to/4h72709
(AWOL) https://amzn.to/4h6MgyZ
If your ultra short throw projector has an ALPD light source like the Nexigo Aurora Pro or Formovie Theater Premium, then you don’t need to be as concerned about laser speckle. I thought that the Fresnel screens from Spectra, Nexigo, AWOL, and XGIMI, which are all essentially identical, had the best all-around performance with great build quality, huge amounts of ambient light rejection, and no visible Fresnel structure. They have the added benefit of coming in both 100” and 120” and often getting offered as a bundle with a projector purchase which can save you a lot of money.
More information on Projector Screens: https://youtu.be/T8BEmAtjc_U