Projectors aren’t just for business presentations. These cool gadgets have many more benefits that may make you prefer them over a TV. Mainly, a projector provides a much bigger image without taking up space permanently. So the question is: what are the best projector brands to opt for?
Several industry-leading projector brands offer a wide range of projectors specializing in different departments. Choosing the right projector brand isn’t just a matter of which one provides the lowest prices. There are certain factors to consider, such as technology, picture quality, types of projectors offered, and customer reviews.
Lastly, you have to consider whether their projects have the features you need, such as 4K, short-throw, zoom lenses, and more. Well, we’ve made the decision a lot simpler for you. Keep reading to discover the five best projector brands of 2022 and what consumers have to say about their projectors.
What Should Make a Projector Brand Stand Out?
Certain elements, such as the resolution, brightness, features, and technology, speak of a projector brand’s credibility. Here are a few factors to consider while picking a projector brand in 2022.
Projector Reviews
Of course, the first step is to look at the reviews for the brand’s projectors, ranging from short Amazon reviews to detailed review articles. This way, you’ll know the consumer’s first-hand experience using the projector.
Projector reviews will allow you to find out whether the brightness and resolution are as great as it says on the box. If a brand’s projector reviews closely match its claims, that speaks highly of the brand’s credibility and transparency.
Technology
Next, you have to consider the technology the projector brand offers. The lamp type and lamp life mainly categorize several types of projectors, which in turn influences the price of the projectors.
Projector brands’ lamp sources include xenon, metal halide, LED, laser, LED/laser hybrid, and others. In addition, the lamp life can range from 2000 hours to 10,000 hours, depending on the capacities offered by the projector brand.
Other technologies offered by projector brands include DLP (1-chip), DLO (3-chip), Reflective, and LCD. Use these factors to decide which projector brand is best for you.
Picture Quality
Of course, the picture quality of the projects matters most, and brightness levels and resolution influence this factor. Most industry-leading projector brands offer high brightness levels, such as Epson and Sony.
Projector brands offer brightness levels ranging from 200 lumens to 50,000 lumens. In addition, the image quality can range from 480×320 to 5120×3200, while we wouldn’t recommend settling for anything under 1920×2060.
Type of Projector
You can also choose the projector brand based on the type of projector you’re looking for. For example, are you aiming to create a home theater, or do you need to project a business presentation? These are the questions you must consider while picking the right projector brand in 2022.
Projector types offered by projector brands include home theater, conference room, home video, pico, large venue, pocket, portable, classroom, and more. Home theater projectors focus on sound quality and color accuracy, while conference room projectors focus on quick boot-ups and smoother transitions. Meanwhile, pocket-friendly projectors focus on packing a punch in a small case.
Top 5 Best Projector Brands in 2022
Here is a complete comparison of the top projector brands in 2022, including their price ranges, features, brightness range, resolution range, types of projectors offered, and warranty. We’ve also included a detailed review of each projector brand and its pros and cons.
| Projector Brand | Price Range | Features | Brightness | Types of Projectors Offered | Picture Quality Range | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Epson | $300 - $89,000 | Edge Blending, Power Zoom, Frame Interpolation, Picture-in-Picture, Ultra Short Throw | 250 - 30,000 lumens | Laser, Home Theater, Pico, LED, DLP (3-chip) | 800x600 - 3840x2160 | 1 - 5 years |
| Sony | $289 - $140,000 | HDR, Geometric correction, Optional Lenses, Lens Memory | 10 - 10,000 lumens | Reflective Display, Metal Halide, Xenon | 480x360 - 4096x2160 | 1 - 5 years |
| Optoma | $249 - $49,999 | Closed-Captioning, PC 3D Ready, Edge Blending, DICOM, Crestron RoomView | 11 - 22,000 lumens | Single chip DLP projectors, Portable, LED, Laser | 480x320 - 3840x2160 | 1 - 5 years |
| Panasonic | $469 - $127,500 | Horiz Lens Shift, Vert Lens Shift, Frame Interpolation, Picture-in-Picture, Interactive | 200 - 50,000 lumens | Metal Halide, LED/Laser Hybrid, Xenon, Portable, Home Theater | 640x480 - 5120x3200 | 1 - 3 years |
| JVC | $2,499 - $225,000 | Frame Interpolation, Lens Memory, CEDIA, Anamorphic Ready, Edge Blending | 250 - 10,000 lumens | Classroom, Home Theater, Portable, Metal Halide, Reflective Display, LCD, LED | 640x480 - 4096x2400 | 1 - 5 years |
Epson Projector
Epson offers a wide range of projectors, including laser, DLP (3-chip) projectors, LED projectors, pico projectors, 3D projectors, and home theater projectors. The brightness of Epson projectors ranges from 250 lumens to 30,000 lumens.
The cheapest Epson projector is $300, while the highest is $89,000, ensuring that there’s a projector for any budget. In addition, the resolution of Epson projects can go as low as 800×600 and as high as 3840×2160.
In addition, the brand also offers various features in its projectors, such as Edge Blending, Power Zoom, Frame Interpolation, Picture-in-Picture, Ultra Short Throw, and more. Lastly, Epson offers warranties ranging from one to five years, depending on the projector.
However, you must consider certain limitations to projector parts being replaced by Epson warranties. Nevertheless, most Epson projector reviews describe the brand as the best for home theaters.
About This Brand
While Epson is famous for its printers, its projectors are also very well-known. The brand specializes in LCD projectors and has been in business since the 1940s, so it’s unsurprisingly the world’s largest manufacturer of imaging-related equipment.
Epson launched one of its projectors, the PowerLite Pro Cinema LS10000 laser projector, in 2014. The Home Cinema LS100 Full HD 3LCD Laster display was the brand’s next breakthrough projector. Currently, the brand sells over 50% of all LCD projectors sold around the world.
Why Consumers Love This Brand
Here are a few pros and cons that customers love about Epson.
Pros
- Diverse price range
- Up to 30,000 lumens brightness
- Ideal for home theaters
- Modern designs
Cons
- Epson projectors can be noisy
- Most Epson projectors don’t come with speakers
- Doesn’t offer 4096×2160
Sony Projector
Sony is another one of the reliable projector brands that lead the industry. The brand offers a wide range of projectors, including those with Reflective Display, Metal Halide, Xenon, and more. Sony projectors include high-resolution projectors, short-throw projectors, portable projectors, Wi-Fi projectors, and Motionflow projectors.
The brand is known for its Silicon X-tal Reflective Display range of LCoS projectors. However, the resolution of Sony projects can go as low as 480×360 and as low as 4096×2160, defeating Epson in terms of image quality.
Other than that, the brightness of Sony projectors ranges from 10 lumens to 10,000 lumens. In addition, the brand offers various features in its projects, such as HDR, Geometric correction, Optional Lenses, Lens Memory, and a lot more.
Lastly, Sony projectors are protected by warranties that last one to five years, depending on the projector. When it comes to the cost, the cheapest Sony projector costs $289, while the most expensive one costs $140,000.
About This Brand
Sony has been a Japan-based corporation in business since 1946, and it’s always been about innovation. It was the first company to sell home-use LCD projectors, and also created the first 4K projector and the first HD-compatible projector.
The brand released its first color video projection system, the VPP-2100, in 1973 and the first LCD projector, Sony LPH-350J, in 1993. Then, it released the first 4K projector, VPL-VW1000ES, in 2011.
Regardless of which store you buy a Sony projector from, the brand offers a warranty to repair any part. However, the warranty has a limit if you reach 12,000 operational hours of the projector.
Why Consumers Love This Brand
Here are a few pros and cons that customers love about Sony.
Pros
- Outstanding optical quality
- Uniform image quality
- Ambient light levels
- Specializes LCoS projectors
Cons
- Lamp life is typically low
- Limited portable projector selection
- Complex setting menus
Optoma Projector
Optoma projectors are mainly used for business and education purposes. Their prices range from $249 to $49,999, making it a more affordable option for those on a budget. In addition, the resolution of Optoma projectors goes as low as 480×320 and as high as 3840×2160.
Other than that, the brightness levels range from 11 lumens to 22,000 lumens. In addition, Optoma offers a wide range of projector types, such as 1-chip and 3-chip DLP projectors, portable projectors, LED projectors, laser projectors, and more.
In addition, Optoma projectors include unique features that other brands might not offer, such as Closed-Captioning, PC 3D Ready, Edge Blending, DICOM, Crestron RoomView, and others. As a result, most Optoma reviews describe the brand as ideal for 4K projectors and ultra-short-throw projectors.
About This Brand
Optoma is a Taiwan brand that was established in 2002, with offices now operating all throughout Asia, Europe, and the USA. The brand specializes in single-chip DLP projectors, making it the leading manufacturer of 1-chip DLP projectors worldwide.
Optoma created the first DVD projector in 2005 and began launching home projector models in 2006. Then, they released their laser projector line in 2013, before launching the world’s first 4K UHD ultra-short-throw laser projector in 2016.
Their latest release is the UHD35, a gaming projector with a speedy response rate, released in 2021. It’s worth noting that the brand offers extended warranties other than traditional warranties for consumers that want their projectors protected for longer.
Why Consumers Love This Brand
Here are a few pros and cons that customers love about Optoma.
Pros
- Specializes in gaming projectors
- Affordable
- Offers close-captioning
- Impressive brightness levels
Cons
- Doesn’t offer 4096×2160
- Limited portable projector options
- Stylistic differentiation
Panasonic Projector
Panasonic is held in high esteem in the projector industry, and rightfully so. The brand offers a wide range of projectors, such as 3-chip DLP projectors, Metal Halide projectors, LED/Laser Hybrid projectors, Xenon projectors, portable projectors, interactive projectors, and home theater projectors.
Understandably, Panasonic projectors can be pretty expensive, with the cheapest one being $469 and the priciest one being $127,500. Unlike the warranties of most projector brands, the lengthiest of Panasonic’s projector warranties is limited to three years.
The brightness of Panasonic projectors ranges from 200 lumens to 50,000 lumens. Meanwhile, the resolution of Panasonic projectors goes as low as 640×480 and as high as 5120×3200, offering the sharpest image size and quality on the list.
The brand’s projectors include features that add to the functionality, such as Horizontal Lens Shift, Vertical Lens Shift, Frame Interpolation, Picture-in-Picture, and more.
About This Brand
Panasonic has been in business for over a century, which is why they’re one of the first names that come to mind when you think of good projector brands. It was originally known as Matsushita Electric Industrial Company, founded in 1918.
Being the world’s top patent recipient for three decades, the company has received over 140,000 patents. Their first projector was released 35 years ago. In addition, the company’s projectors are all manufactured in their headquarters in Osaka, Japan, and the facility is ISO 9001 and 14001 certified.
The brand specializes in 3-chip DLP projectors, ensuring high picture quality and optimum brightness.
Why Consumers Love This Brand
Here are a few pros and cons that customers love about Panasonic.
Pros
- Highly modular lenses
- Specializes in laser projectors
- Professional-grade calibration
- Brightness of up to 50,000 lumens
Cons
- Expensive
- Lengthy set-up procedures
- Limited mini projector options
JVC Projector
Lastly, JVC is mainly known for its home theaters and classroom projectors, but it also offers a wide range of projector types, such as portable projectors, Metal Halide projectors, Reflective Display projectors, and LCD projectors, LED projectors, and others.
JVC projectors offer premium image quality, with resolutions ranging from 640×480 to 4096×2400, depending on the projectors. In addition, the brightness of JVC projectors goes as low as 250 lumens and as high as 10,000 lumens.
Of course, these factors also influence the price of the projectors. The cheapest JVC projector is $2,499, and the most expensive one is $225,000, topping the list in pricing. To make up for the high prices, JVC includes quality features in its projectors, such as Frame Interpolation, Lens Memory, CEDIA, Anamorphic Ready, Edge Blending, and more.
Lastly, the brand’s projectors are protected with warranties lasting one to five years, depending on the projector.
About This Brand
JVC began as Japan Victor Company, established in 1927 in Yokohama, Japan. During JVC’ ‘s history, the brand was a part of Panasonic for some time. In 2008, the brand merged with Kenwood Corporation and is now known as JVC Kenwood Holdings.
Currently, the brand is led by its D-ILA high-definition projectors, which are used in advanced cockpit and control tower simulation systems by the US military.
Why Consumers Love This Brand
Here are a few pros and cons that customers love about JVC.
Pros
- High image quality
- Specializes in 4K projectors
- Anamorphic ready
- Wide range of portable projectors
Cons
- Expensive models
- Low brightness capacity
Which Brand Has the Best Theater Projectors?
When it comes to home theater projectors, Epson tops the list. The brand has a wide range of home theater projectors which are ideal mainly because of their high brightness levels and impeccable image quality.
Epson Home Cinema 5050UB
The Epson Home Cinema 5050UB is one of the best theater projectors on the market. It’s part of their Ultra-Black shifting projectors series. Admittedly, the cinema projector is a bit pricey, costing $2,999, but its endless features are a long-term investment to consider.
This 3LCD projector has a native resolution of 1920×1080 and a brightness level of 2600 lumens for its light sources, providing brighter images. Its contrast ratio is what makes it one of the best theater projectors, rating at 1000000:1, while its zoom lens ratio is 2.10:1.
When it comes to the lamp, the LCD lamp lasts about 3500 hours, which isn’t as impressive compared to the competing brands. However, since it’s part of the UB shifting projectors line, this projector offers enhanced details along with CFI for smooth motion.
With less than 30ms input lag, the Epson Home Cinema 5050UB makes for a really good gaming projector, too, with its backlit remote adding to the ambiance and offering an HDMI link.
Epson Pro Cinema 4050 4K PRO-UHD Projector
The Epson Pro Cinema 4050 4K PRO-UHD Projector is another great option for those hoping to create a dedicated home cinema. The 3LCD projector has a 3-chip DLP projection system and offers 2400 lumens of brightness.
It offers an impeccable 4K image quality, with up to 5,000 hours of lamp life. In addition, the projector features low Delta E for extremely accurate color reproduction, so you can count on a highly-enhanced and colorful movie night.
Further, features like Frame Interpolation and proprietary Advanced Motion Control allow the projector to present crisp, bright, and accurate images and videos. Lastly, the 15-element glass projection lens eliminates hotspots and chromatic aberration.
Which Brand Is Known for Its Accurate Colors?
Optoma is known for its accurate colors when it comes to projectors. Its wide range of projectors come in many shapes, sizes, and types, but none of them compromise on color accuracy. This makes the brand’s projectors ideal for business and educational purposes.
Optoma CinemaX P2
The best part about the Optoma CinemaX P2 is that it can fill an 85×120-inch from mere inches away. In addition, TI’s XPR pixel shifting allows it to present images and videos in 4k resolution and provide top-tier color accuracy.
It runs on a single-chip DLP projection system and offers 3000 lumens of brightness. What sets the Optoma CinemaX P2 apart from other projectors is its sleek and lightweight design, making it ideal for business and educational environments.
In addition, the projector features premium Dolby Digital 2.0 audio, ensuring the perfect experience whether you’re watching a movie or putting on a presentation.
Optoma UHZ45
The Optoma UHZ45 is another great option for those that prefer color accuracy above all. This projector checks all the boxes when it comes to displaying a crystal clear and colorful image or video.
It offers 3800 lumens of brightness and a lamp life of 30,000 hours, but its 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio is the most impressive feature of all. In addition, the 4K resolution and 8 million pixels display ensure perfect pixel alignment, color accuracy, and ideal contrast.
The audio experience is also ideal with the Optoma UHZ45, thanks to its Enhanced Audio Return Channel. Furthermore, since it has a 240Hz refresh rate and 4ms Input Lag, this projector is also ideal for gaming.
Lastly, the 4-corner adjustment, 2D keystone correction, and warping make it easy for you to set up the projector.
Which Projector Is Known for Sound Quality?
Sony is known for its projectors having impeccable sound quality. This factor stays consistent even with its smaller models, as most of them come with built-in speakers. Here’s an example of a Sony projector with impeccable sound quality.
Sony MP-CD1 Portable Pico projector
Sony’s MP-CD1 Portable Pico projector is a great example, so don’t let its small size betray you. It actually packs quite a punch, with internal speakers that provide crisp sound.
This small projector only weighs 9.9 oz, making it the perfect gadget to fit in your bag for the next camping trip. You won’t have to miss movie night, even in the woods. Its 5000mAh built-in battery offers about 2 hours of cable-free operation.
You can even use it for quick business presentations since the boot-up only takes 5 seconds. Its brightness capacity is only 105 lumens, but that’s pretty good for a pocket-sized projector. In addition, its IntelliBright technology provides a 120-inch screen, short-throw distance, and automatic Keystone correction.
Lastly, it comes with a cable that provides 2.5 hours of operation after a full charge.
Shop the Best Brands in the Projector Market
Projectors are the handiest gadgets to have, especially for those that want to create a home theater without the commitment. When looking through the many high-ranking projector brands in the industry, it’s hard to know which choice is right for you.
So, consider factors such as cost, brightness levels, resolution, features, types of projectors offered, and reviews while making the choice. Then, shop from any of the best projector brands of 2022 to make the best purchase for your home theater, business and office, or gaming club.