What are the 2 Best 4K Projectors?

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Evan Shephard Avatar

Reviewed By

Evan Shephard
Updated May 2, 2024 10:50 AM
best 4k projector guide that shows the top best projector model

A whopping 75% of electronic and appliance reviews are untrustworthy. That’s why every reviewer gets a Trust Rating so our True Score System filters out the fake reviews. See how we do it.

If you’re on the hunt for the best 4K-capable projector, focus on brightness, resolution, and connectivity. These features guarantee sharp images and smooth streaming, whether it’s for home theaters or presentations. With a 4K projector, you’ll enjoy detailed visuals and vibrant colors that transform any setup. We evaluated over 30 projectors and analyzed 146,886 reviews.

Only two high-quality projectors earned a spot on our buying guide. We verified each model’s performance and filtered out unreliable and low-quality reviews using our proprietary and scientific True Score. These top performers excelled in image quality, ease of use, and reliability during testing.

How Did We Rank the Best 4K Projectors?

To determine the best 4K projectors on the market, we delved into an extensive review of more than 200 sources. Our approach integrates expert insights, detailed testing procedures, and genuine customer reviews. This in-depth analysis allowed us to identify 1 essential test result, 1 beneficial feature, and 1 crucial specification that matters most for top-performing 4K projectors. Our buying guide reflects a precise synthesis of this data, presenting you with the most reliable recommendations.

Our commitment to unbiased reviews is powered by our ‘True Score’ system, targeting low-quality and fake reviews. When you shop through our links, you’re backing our mission. Dive deeper to see how.

?️ Minimum Specifications

? Test Criteria

  • Color gamut: At least 90% of the DCI P3 or Rec. 709 color gamut, providing rich and vibrant colors.

? “Nice To Haves”

  • Input Lag: An input lag of less than 100 milliseconds, to prevent delays between what’s on screen and your reaction to them in games.

Latest Updates

  • 05/07/2024: Published the list of best 4K projectors based on our True Score system.

Top Best 4K Projectors For 2024

Prices accurate at the time of publishing

See how we test the testers

  • Runner Up

    Best Value

    Best Budget

    gr recommended award

    Best Mid-Range

    JVC DLA-NP5

    • Best For Gaming

    For gaming enthusiasts prioritizing quick response times, the JVC DLA-NP5’s 19.5 ms input lag delivers an immersive, lag-free experience.

    JVC DLA-NP5 Review →

    True Score

    94
    94
    2

    Experts

    97
    15

    Customers

    SAVE $1
    $5,999.95
    $3,999.99

    Did you know 82% of projector reviewers are untrustworthy?

    Our research found only 16 of 86 projector reviewers as of November 2024 can be trusted. This is why Gadget Review is committed calculating the most accurate product scores on the web.

    To do this, we give every projector review site a Trust Rating, which measures how trustworthy the site and their testing claims are. We then leverage AI & a machine learning model to combine and calculate the Trust Rating with data from experts and consumers to deliver the True Score, the web’s most accurate product quality rating.

    10,211

    Projector Reviews Analyzed

    28

    Total Products Analyzed

  • Runner Up

    Best Value

    Best Budget

    gr recommended award

    Best Mid-Range

    JVC DLA-NZ7

    For vibrant 4K projection, the JVC DLA-NZ7 excels with impressive brightness and color accuracy, catering to diverse entertainment and professional needs.

    JVC DLA-NZ7 Review →

    True Score

    88
    92
    4

    Experts

    88
    7

    Customers

    $8,995.18

    DON’T SEE WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING FOR?

    Check out our guide on the top NEC projectors for reliable performance. For high-quality visuals, explore our selection of the best Sony projectors. If you prefer LG, discover our recommendations for the best LG projectors.

    For creative use, see our picks for the best projectors for artists. If you’re on a budget, don’t miss our guide on the top projectors under $1000.

Which Criteria Matters for Testing Best 4K Projectors?

By emphasizing these criteria (1 essential, 1 desirable), individuals can efficiently compare these projectors and their performance. This aids in making informed decisions and selecting a projector that fully meets their needs.

CRITERIARANGEREQUIREDDEFINITION
Color Gamut % (DCI P3)> 90%YesThe % of colors a projector can produce defined by the gamut. DCI-P3 is commonly used in film.
Color Gamut % (Rec. 709)> 90%YesThe % of colors a projector can produce defined by the gamut. Rec. 709 is commonly used by HD TV, and is also known as BT.709.
Input Lag < 40 msNo (Nice to have)The amount of time it takes for inputs to be registered and processed by the projector and shown on screen.

Our Trusted Data Sources

We looked at 86+ projector reviewers and found that 16 are trustworthy (60%+ Trust Rating). The three we have listed below are our most trusted for projector.

  1. Pierre-Olivier Jourdenais – Rtings, LinkedIn
  2. Geoffrey Morrison – CNET, MuckRack
  3. Kam Valentine – Projector Reviews, MuckRack

Interested in a comprehensive analysis of our data sources? We’ve got you covered. Below, you’ll find a detailed list of every projector review website we’ve identified, organized by their respective Trust Ratings from highest to lowest. But we didn’t stop there. We’ve meticulously reviewed each publication and verified the data by checking whether the authors have bio links to MuckRack or LinkedIn. We’re committed to not only checking the facts but ensuring their veracity.

Projector Test Data & Results

Disclaimer:

Projectors are complex and difficult to test and evaluate, requiring extensive testing on the same level as televisions to paint a complete picture of how any given unit performs. Unfortunately, the testing behind projectors isn’t as rigorous, and a lot of the data we’ve compiled from expert reviewers has been incomplete at times. With different brightnesses measured from different sources, different color gamut tested and spotty contrast ratio measurements, we’ve done the best we can to leverage the available data when putting together these lists but have also trusted our True Score to help us make decisions when the data isn’t available.

1. Color Gamut % (DCI-P3) Test Results

Different color gamut are used for different types of media and represent the colors used by that form of media when creating the content. In the case of DCI-P3, this gamut is favored by film creators for making movies, so being able to cover large parts of it with a projector means the projector is better at showing movies.

We recommend a coverage of at least 90% to ensure you can reproduce accurate colors when watching movies and enjoy the films the way they were intended to be seen. Any lower and you begin to lose accuracy, which impacts how the movie looks by distorting the director’s creative vision.

Color Gamut DCI-P3 (%; higher is better; 0 = No Data)

2. Color Gamut % (Rec. 709) Test Results

If you watch a lot of high-definition TV such as HD sports, you’ve experienced the Rec.709 gamut. This gamut is employed mostly by HD television, so covering as much of it as you can is ideal. Fortunately, the Rec.709 gamut is smaller than the DCI-P3 gamut, so if you have good coverage of DCI-P3, it’s very likely you have good coverage of Rec.709. This gamut is also known as BT.709.

Regardless, we recommend you have a Rec.709 coverage of at least 90%, especially if HD TV is what you spend most of your time watching. Not covering enough of the gamut directly contributes to seeing inaccurate colors on things like sports uniforms or otherwise vibrant sets on your favorite TV shows.

Color Gamut Rec. 709 (%; higher is better; 0 = No Data)

3. Input Lag (ms) Test Results

Input lag is primarily an issue when it comes to playing video games on your projector. If you’re trying to enjoy fast-paced shooters or are using projector to play competitive modes, you’ll need a low input lag to “keep the projector out of your way”, so to speak. High input lag causes delays in your inputs and makes it harder to react to action on screen because your own physical reactions start to count for less than the projector’s ability to process what you’re doing.

For this reason, we recommend an input lag of 40 ms or less, but lower is always better, and for really competitive games we’d recommend less than 15 ms. Any more than that and your projector is better suited to playing games casually, though if you don’t play anything fast paced, input lag is less of an issue.

Input Lag (ms; lower is better; 0 = No Data)

Best 4K Projectors: Mistakes To Avoid

  1. Ignoring Room Size and Ambient Light: Consider the size of your room and the amount of ambient light present. Some projectors may struggle to produce vibrant images in brightly lit environments or large rooms.

  2. Not Checking Compatibility: Ensure that your devices, such as gaming consoles, Blu-ray players, or streaming devices, are compatible with the projector’s inputs and outputs. Compatibility issues can hinder your viewing experience.

  3. Overlooking HDR Support: High Dynamic Range (HDR) enhances the contrast and color range of images, providing a more immersive viewing experience. Make sure the projector supports HDR content if you want to enjoy the full benefits of 4K resolution.

  4. Ignoring Throw Distance and Screen Size: Just like with short-throw projectors, understanding the throw distance and screen size capabilities of your 4K projector is crucial. Ensure the projector can achieve your desired screen size from your preferred mounting location. While short throw projectors can be expensive, there are good quality budget projectors that can suit a variety of needs.

The Best 4K Projectors Tests Compared

Product
True Score
SDR Brightness
HDR Brightness
Contrast Ratio
Color Gamut % (DCI P3 uv)
Input Lag (ms)

JVC DLA-NP5

  • Best for Gaming

94
  • 1,465 lumens

  • 1,460 lumens

  • 0

  • 88.5%

  • 19.5 ms

$3,999.99
$6,000
$1
88
  • 1,633.5 lumens

  • 1,636 lumens

  • 0

  • 85.3%

  • 37.17 ms

$8,995.18

4K Projector Questions (FAQ)

Why should I choose a 4K projector over a lower-resolution projector?

A 4K projector offers much higher resolution, resulting in sharper and more detailed images. This is especially beneficial for large screens, home theaters, and environments where image quality is a priority.

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Our guides, reviews, and news are driven by thorough human research and use our Trust Rating system and the True Score. AI assists in refining our content, ensuring that every article is engaging, clear and succinct. See how we write our content here →