4 of the Best Short Throw Projectors in 2024

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Evan Shephard Avatar

Reviewed By

Evan Shephard
Updated Jun 13, 2024 4:49 PM
best short throw 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 tight on space, short-throw projectors are the way to go. They deliver huge images in small areas and take up less room than a big TV. Out of over 30 models we checked out, four made it to our buying guide. These picks excel with high brightness, vibrant colors, and low input lag for smooth performance.

We meticulously evaluated 10,220 reviews to filter out fake and low-quality ones. Our comprehensive approach combines our data-driven True Score with certification processes to ensure you get the best-performing and most trustworthy projectors available. To further assist you in making an informed decision, we’ve highlighted the best projectors overall as well, ensuring they meet the highest standards in both functionality and reliability.

How Did We Rank the Best Short Throw Projectors?

To create our definitive buying guide for the best short-throw projectors, we meticulously examined over 200 websites, assessing testing methodologies and customer reviews. We also scrutinized expert opinions to form our True Score system. This comprehensive analysis allowed us to pinpoint the critical criteria for projectors: 2 required test results, 1 nice-to-have feature, and 1 must-have specification. Our goal is to ensure you have all the information needed to make an informed purchase.

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

  • Must be a short throw or ultra-short throw projector

? 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 short throw projectors based on our True Score system.

Top Short Throw 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

    Samsung Premiere LSP9T

    The Samsung Premiere LSP9T offers exceptional brightness, color accuracy, and versatility, making it ideal for home entertainment and professional settings.

    Samsung Premiere LSP9T Review →

    True Score

    90
    92
    6

    Experts

    94
    172

    Customers

    $4,289.00

    Category Snapshot

    Projectors

    • Total Brands/Products Tested

      11 Brands, 30 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

  • Runner Up

    Best Value

    Best Budget

    gr recommended award

    Best Mid-Range

    Formovie Theater

    • Best For Sports

    The Formovie Theater excels with vibrant visuals and versatile performance, making it worth the premium for home theater, gaming, and professional use.

    Formovie Theater Review →

    True Score

    79
    81
    8

    Experts

    83
    43

    Customers

    $4,505.00
  • Runner Up

    Best Value

    Best Budget

    gr recommended award

    Best Mid-Range

    Optoma CinemaX P2

    • Best For Bright Room

    The Optoma CinemaX P2 offers commendable performance and versatility, ideal for home cinema enthusiasts seeking immersive experiences on a budget.

    Optoma CinemaX P2 Review →

    True Score

    74
    76
    0

    Experts

    78
    405

    Customers

    SAVE $200
    $1,999.00
    $1,799.00
  • Runner Up

    Best Value

    Best Budget

    gr recommended award

    Best Mid-Range

    Hisense PX2

    The Hisense PX2 excels in SDR brightness and color accuracy, making it versatile for home, office, or educational use.

    Hisense PX2 Review →

    True Score

    72
    74
    5

    Experts

    76
    21

    Customers

    SAVE $499
    $2,497.00
    $1,997.97

Which Criteria Matters for Testing Best Short Throw Projectors?

Prioritizing these criteria (2 essential, 1 desirable) enables individuals to efficiently compare these projectors and their performance. This facilitates making informed decisions and selecting a projector that fully aligns with their 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)

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 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 Short Throw Projectors: Mistakes To Avoid

  1. Ignoring Throw Distance and Screen Size: Short-throw projectors have specific throw ratios, meaning they need a certain distance from the screen to produce a particular image size. Ignoring this can result in incorrect sizing or placement. When comparing a short-throw projector vs a long-throw projector, consider that short-throw models are better for smaller spaces as they can project a large image from a shorter distance, while long-throw projectors are ideal for large venues where the projector can be placed far from the screen. Additionally, pairing either type of projector with a great projector screen can significantly enhance image quality, providing clearer and more vibrant visuals.

  2. Not Considering Room Size and Setup: Ensure the projector’s throw distance fits within your room’s layout. Some short-throw projectors might need more space than others due to their lens design. If considering an outdoor projector, ensure it has sufficient brightness to compete with ambient light and a sturdy build for durability. For a projector in a classroom setting, look for models that offer good throw distances to accommodate larger classrooms and connectivity options for various educational tools.

  3. Overlooking Resolution and Brightness: Make sure the projector offers the resolution and brightness suitable for your needs. A higher resolution provides clearer images, while higher brightness is crucial for well-lit rooms or larger screen sizes. To ensure optimal performance, it’s important to know how to test a projector lamp periodically, as its condition significantly affects image quality and brightness. Check the projector’s menu for a lamp life indicator, and use a known test pattern to evaluate the brightness uniformity and color accuracy.

  4. Ignoring Connectivity Options: Ensure the projector has the necessary ports and wireless connectivity options for your devices, such as HDMI, USB, or Wi-Fi, to avoid compatibility issues. For enthusiasts looking for a top gaming projector, consider models that not only offer these connectivity options but also boast low input lag and high refresh rates. As for classroom or conference use, while many projectors can interface with a smartboard, verify that the projector’s resolution and output settings are compatible to ensure smooth operation.

The Best Short Throw Projectors Tests Compared

Product
True Score
SDR Brightness
HDR Brightness
Contrast Ratio
Color Gamut % (DCI P3 uv)
Input Lag (ms)
90
  • 2,716 lumens

  • 2,782 lumens

  • 0

  • 161.4%

  • 55.9 ms

$4,289.00

Formovie Theater

  • Best for Sports

79
  • 2,837 lumens

  • 2,676 lumens

  • 1,916.6:1

  • 106.81%

  • 41 ms

$4,505.00

Optoma CinemaX P2

  • Best for Bright Room

74
  • 2,488 lumens

  • 1,990 lumens

  • 2,488:1

  • 2,488%

  • 69.75 ms

$1,799.00
$1,999
$200
72
  • 2,488 lumens

  • 2,488 lumens

  • 2,488:1

  • 2,488%

  • 69.75 ms

$1,997.97
$2,497
$499

Short Throw Projector Questions (FAQ)

What is a short throw projector and how does it differ from regular projectors?

A short throw projector is designed to project large images from a short distance, typically between 3 to 8 feet away from the projection surface. This is in contrast to regular (long throw) projectors, which require a much longer distance to produce a similarly sized image. Short throw projectors are ideal for small spaces or rooms where a conventional projector setup isn’t feasible.

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