How We Ranked the 5 Best Projectors for Church

Evan Shephard Avatar

Reviewed By

Evan Shephard

(ISF Certified)

True Score Methodology

v1.5

10,104

Reviews Analyzed

Updated Jun 13, 2024 7:02 PM

TABLE OF CONTENTS

best projector for church 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 need a projector for your church, you want to provide an immersive visual experience for your members. Look for key features like brightness, color accuracy, and input lag. You need a projector that supports a screen size of at least 150 inches to ensure visibility for large congregations and an SDR brightness of over 1500 lumens to provide clear and bright images in any light.

In our comprehensive review, we evaluated over 28 projectors and certified 5 as the best choices for church use. We analyzed 10,104 reviews, filtering out fake or low-quality reviews. Our unique approach uses our scientifically proven True Score system to ensure only the top-performing projectors in testing made the list. The winning projectors excelled in brightness, color accuracy, and ease of setup​​​​​​. This rigorous evaluation process helps us identify and recommend the best projectors for church settings, ensuring that each selection meets the specific needs of congregational use with superior visual performance.

How Did We Rank the Best Projectors for the Church?

To determine the best projectors for church use, we meticulously reviewed over 200 sources, examining various testing methods and customer reviews. We evaluated expert reviews and integrated our findings with our proprietary true score system. Our comprehensive analysis identified 2 required test results, 1 nice-to-have feature, and 1 must-have specification. This approach ensured we highlighted projectors that deliver exceptional brightness, clear image quality, and easy installation, meeting the unique needs of church environments.

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

  • Max Screen size is at least 150″

? Test Criteria

  • SDR Brightness: Equal to or greater than 1500 lumens or more to help produce a bright and clear display.
  • Color Gamut: At least 90% of the 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

  • 06/13/2024: Republished the list to include the best projectors for the church based on our True Score system.

Top Projectors for Church 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-NZ8

    • Best For Church

    For church coordinators prioritizing vibrant visuals, the JVC DLA-NZ8 excels with unmatched color accuracy and brightness, ideal for varied lighting.

    JVC DLA-NZ8 Review →

    True Score

    94
    95
    4

    Experts

    99
    4

    Customers

    SAVE $765
    $11,313.90
    $10,548.90

    Snapshot

    Reasons to Buy

    • Good brightness rating
    • Sharp image quality
    • Low 38ms input lag

    Reasons to Avoid

    • Bulky in size

    Specifications

    ResolutionResolution4096 x 2160
    Refresh Rate240 Hz
    Display TechnologyDisplay TechnologyD-ILA
    Contrast RatioContrast Ratio80,000:1
    Digital KeystoneDigital KeystoneYes
    HDRHDRHDR10, HDR10+, Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG)
    Max DistanceMax Distancen/a
    Max Screen SizeMax Screen Size200"
    3D Ready3D ReadyYes
    Aspect RatioAspect Ratio17:9
    BrightnessBrightness2500 lumens
    DepthDepth20"
    HeightHeight9.2"
    Integrated SpeakersIntegrated SpeakersNo
    Light SourceLight SourceLaser
    Light Source LifeLight Source Life20000 hrs
    Min DistanceMin Distance85.80"
    Min Screen SizeMin Screen Size60"
    Noise LevelNoise Level24 dB
    PortablePortableNo
    Smart FunctionalitySmart FunctionalityRemote
    Sync TechnologySync Technologyn/a
    TV TunerTV TunerNo
    ThrowTypeThrowType1.43:1 – 2.8:1
    Video InputsVideo InputsHDMI 2.0
    WeightWeight49.5"
    WidthWidth19.6"
    Yes

    All Specs

    Test Results

    SDR Brightness (Lumens)1,999
    HDR Brightness (Lumens)1,973
    Contrast Ratio (x:y)0
    Input Lag (ms)39
    Color Gamut % (Rec. 709)138
    Color Gamut % (DCI P3 uv)95
    SDR Brightness (nits)0
    HDR Brightness (nits)0
    SDR Color Temperature (K)0
    HDR Color Temperature (K)0
    Color Gamut % (Rec. 2020)0
    Color Gamut % (BT.2020)0
    Color Gamut % (BT. 709)0

    All Tests

    All Retailers

    • $10,548.90
      $11,314
      Save $765

      Availability

      In Stock

      Free Shipping

      No
    • $16,000.00

      Availability

      In Stock

      Free Shipping

      Yes

    Our Verdict

    The JVC DLA-NZ8 stands out with its superior color accuracy, making it an outstanding projector for church coordinators seeking the most vibrant colors. It covers a best-in-class 137.6% of the Rec. 709 color space, ensuring true-to-life colors for a vivid viewing experience. It also has an impressive 95.11% DCI P3 color coverage, enhancing worship and learning experiences. With SDR and HDR brightness at 1999 and 1973 lumens, this projector ensures that sermons, religious films, and educational content are clearly displayed, even in the brightest church halls.

    Comparing the JVC DLA-NZ8 to the JVC DLA-NZ7, both projectors boast a 200” max screen size and 4096 x 2160 resolution, providing crisp visuals for large venues. However, the DLA-NZ8’s higher brightness makes it a better fit for bright rooms, offering more vivid colors though at a higher cost. It also works for outdoor movies and educational presentations, where clarity in various lighting conditions is crucial. The DLA-NZ7 still provides exceptional color accuracy, delivering stunning visual quality for a cheaper price.

    If you’re looking for a projector that delivers high-quality visuals across a broad range of settings, the DLA-NZ8 is a superb option. Its standout features include its extensive color gamut and brightness for well-lit environments. While the price is steep, its performance and versatility, especially in home theaters or educational settings, make it well worth it if you’re an educator, home theater enthusiast, or church coordinator who prioritizes the best colors and visual quality.

  • Runner Up

    Best Value

    Best Budget

    gr recommended award

    Best Mid-Range

    JVC DLA-NZ7

    • Best For 4K

    For church leaders seeking a valuable projector with vivid colors for sermons, the JVC DLA-NZ7 offers vibrant, accurate visuals in various light settings.

    JVC DLA-NZ7 Review →

    True Score

    87
    91
    4

    Experts

    88
    7

    Customers

    $8,334.23
  • Runner Up

    Best Value

    Best Budget

    gr recommended award

    Best Mid-Range

    Epson Home Cinema 3800

    • Best For Cheap

    Epson Home Cinema 3800 offers vibrant, clear visuals with high contrast, perfect for churches, at an affordable price and a large max display.

    Epson Home Cinema 3800 Review →

    True Score

    83
    84
    6

    Experts

    87
    1k

    Customers

    $1,641.00

    Did you know 82% of projector reviewers are untrustworthy?

    Our research found only 16 of 86 projector reviewers as of July 2024 can be trusted. This is why Gadget Review is committed to 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.

    10,104

    Projector Reviews Analyzed

    28

    Total Products Analyzed

  • Runner Up

    Best Value

    Best Budget

    gr recommended award

    Best Mid-Range

    Formovie Theater

    • Best For Sports

    The Formovie Theater projector excels for church use with its bright display and vibrant colors, ideal for engaging congregants in well-lit halls.

    Formovie Theater Review →

    True Score

    79
    81
    8

    Experts

    83
    43

    Customers

    DON’T SEE WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING FOR?

    Understanding how to replace the projector lens is essential for maintaining your device’s performance. LG projectors are among the leading brands known for their innovative features and reliability. Optoma projectors also offer excellent quality and performance, making them a popular choice for various needs.

    A top mini projector is perfect for on-the-go presentations and entertainment because of its portability and convenience. Knowing the aspect ratio on a projector is essential to ensure your images and videos display correctly and fit the screen dimensions perfectly. These insights will help you choose and maintain the best projector for your needs.

  • Runner Up

    Best Value

    Best Budget

    gr recommended award

    Best Mid-Range

    Epson LS800B

    • Best For Bright Room

    Epson LS800B excels with top brightness, sharp images for well-lit venues, and vibrant colors, ideal for churches and presentations.

    Epson LS800B Review →

    True Score

    74
    75
    4

    Experts

    78
    98

    Customers

    SAVE $169
    $3,499.99
    $3,331.31

    Category Snapshot

    Projectors

    • Total Brands/Products Tested

      11 Brands, 28 Products

    • Top 2 Brands

      Epson, BenQ

    • Price Range (Budget-Premium)

      $350-$16,000

    • Average True Score

      81.36

    • Important Test Criteria

      Brightness (cd/m2)
      Contrast Ratio (1000:1)

    • Most Trusted Testers

      projector top trusted testers

    • Typical Warranty

      1 year

    • Covered by Insurance

      Yes – AKKO

Which Criteria Matters for Testing Best Projectors for Church?

By focusing on these criteria (2 required, 1 nice to have), anyone can quickly and easily compare these projectors and how they’ll perform. This helps you make an informed decision and purchase a projector that will meet all of your needs.

CRITERIARANGEREQUIREDDEFINITION
SDR Brightness (lumens)> 1500 lumensYesThe amount of light the projector outputs from the lamp/bulb and projects onto the screen when playing SDR content.
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 < 100 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. SDR Brightness (lumens) Test Results

Projectors have two ways you can realistically measure brightness: in lumens or in nits. Lumens are more common, but brightness in general matters because projectors have to project light strongly enough that it overcomes ambient light without losing detail or color.

Most of the time, a projector is going to be used in a fairly dark room to help give the unit the best chance of displaying content the way it was intended, but higher lumens output let you watch content in progressively bright spaces – or across longer distances on bigger screens. For standard dynamic range content, we recommend at least 1500 lumens for most home applications, but more isn’t a bad thing, and 3000 lumens or more are ideal.

SDR Brightness (lumens; 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)

6. 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 100 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 Projectors for Church: Mistakes To Avoid

  1. Ignoring Ambient Light: Churches often have varying levels of ambient light due to windows, lighting fixtures, or skylights. Ignoring ambient light conditions can result in poor visibility of projected content. Choose a projector with high brightness (measured in lumens) to ensure clear visibility even in well-lit environments. For these settings, opting for a projector for bright rooms or the best projectors for daylight viewing is crucial, as they are specifically designed to offer excellent performance in environments with substantial ambient light, ensuring that the congregation can see images clearly regardless of the time of day.

  2. Resolution Mismatch: Just like in classrooms, ensure the projector’s resolution matches the content you’ll be displaying. For church presentations, a higher resolution (1080p or higher) is recommended to ensure clarity, especially for text-heavy slides or videos.

  3. Lack of Connectivity Options: Churches may use a variety of devices for presentations, including computers, DVD players, or media streaming devices. Ensure the projector has multiple connectivity options such as HDMI, VGA, and USB to accommodate different devices and setups.

  4. Not Considering Throw Distance: The size and layout of the church venue will determine the optimal throw distance for the projector. Failure to consider throw distance can result in images being too small or too large for the projection screen, affecting visibility and clarity. When deciding between a short-throw projector vs long throw projector for your church, consider that short-throw projectors are better suited for smaller spaces or where the projector can be placed relatively close to the screen, while long-throw projectors are ideal for larger venues where the projector needs to be placed far from the screen without sacrificing image size or quality.

The Best Projectors for Church Tests Compared

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

JVC DLA-NZ8

  • Best for Church

94
  • 1,999 lumens

  • 1,973 lumens

  • 0

  • 95.11%

  • 38.5 ms

$10,548.90
$11,314
$765

JVC DLA-NZ7

  • Best for 4K

87
  • 1,633.5 lumens

  • 1,636 lumens

  • 0

  • 85.3%

  • 37.17 ms

$8,334.23
83
  • 2,176 lumens

  • 0

  • 23,971.05:1

  • 76.85%

  • 28 ms

$1,641.00

Formovie Theater

  • Best for Sports

79
  • 2,837 lumens

  • 2,676 lumens

  • 1,916.6:1

  • 106.81%

  • 41 ms

Epson LS800B

  • Best for Bright Room

74
  • 4,084 lumens

  • 0

  • 0

  • 92.6%

  • 21.75 ms

$3,331.31
$3,500
$169

Projector for Church Questions (FAQ)

Learn More About Projectors



Projectors Reviews