Do you want to experience your games in awesome detail and color on a 150″ screen? The only way to do that is with a good gaming projector.
You’ve likely looked at them. It can be confusing. We’re not confused. We know all about projectors for home theater. Also, We spent a lot of time talking to gamers to find out what they want from your games.
We sorted through all the available projectors to find those that will give you the immersive gaming experience you crave. So, here are the 8 4K game projectors.
Best 4K Projectors for Gaming: My Top Picks
A quick word about lag: Lag is the time between the projector’s reception of the signal from your game console to the time that the image appears. It is measured in milliseconds. You want no more than 50ms. Every projector that made our list has a lag of less than 35ms, which is virtually non-existent to the human brain.
1. Optoma UHD60 True 4K UHD Projector
Here’s the winner. Thanks to its high contrast ratio, super-bright lamp, and HDR capability, it provides the best picture. The lag time is very low, which is what you want for the most realistic gameplay.
The twin speakers are only two watts each, so you may want to upgrade the sound if you’re particular about that aspect of your gaming experience. We think this one’s the all-around projector for serious gamers.
The reviews we’ve researched have convinced us that this is the 4K HDR projector for gaming. HDR, or High Dynamic Range, really makes the picture pop with color and fine detail, and that’s what gamers are talking about when this projector comes up.
Pros
- Superior contrast
- Very bright picture
- HDR-capable
- Straightforward setup
Cons
- There have been some warranty claims for bad HDMI ports
2. ViewSonic True 4K Projector with 3500 Lumens
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The main attraction here is the speaker. Most projectors have small and weak two-watt speakers. This one has a big 10-watt dual speaker. It’s bright, too. It’s so bright that you won’t have to pull the shades.
Gamers like that they don’t have to pull the shades to play. That’s awesome if you live with others because there’ll be no fighting over light.
The speaker is a big hit, too. That ten watts delivers the bass and mid-range. Many people don’t even use a soundbar. The speaker reproduces sound with such fidelity and power that extra speakers aren’t really necessary.
Pros
- Great sound
- Very bright
- Can be set up with relative ease, but pro installation can be helpful if you have no experience with projectors
- HDR capability improves picture quality with compatible consoles
Cons
- A fan is loud when compared to other projectors of this type and size
3. BenQ TK800M 4K UHD Home Theater Projector
This 4K gaming projector offers a crispness and clarity that is hard to find in projectors at even higher prices. Many gamers have passed it up because the contrast is a mere 10,000:1. But we think it deserves a second look because of its special lens and HDR readiness.
The HDR kind of compensates for the lowish contrast, and the seven-element lens makes the fine details in the picture stand out, which is great for games.
They’re impressed with this 4K gaming projector’s sharpness. That seems to be the outstanding feature here. That sharpness combined with the high brightness creates a very detailed picture.
We recommend using this projector with an HDR-capable console to compensate for the relatively low contrast. Gamers with a good HDR setup don’t complain about the colors.
Pros
- The special lens delivers a clear and detailed picture
- Bright
- Easy to set up
Cons
- Low contrast may scare off some gamers
4. Sony 4K HDR Home Theater Video Projector
This projector can be adjusted to the project and perfectly shaped image that is perfectly faithful to the source on any flat or curved surface. There are some cool possibilities there. Let your mind run with them. The contrast and brightness are decent, but the trio of images turns that decent source into an incredible picture.
The speakers aren’t anything to write home about. That’s weird that Sony neglected sound when they spent so much on the picture. Just get a good soundbar to make up for it. Be aware that this one carries a nearly five-digit price. Get the extended warranty for sure.
Gamers talk about superb and realistic picture quality. The brightness isn’t as high as some other gaming projectors, but you can still use it in a room with ambient light, according to many. Gamers who went looking for a high-end 4K gaming projector got what they wanted. They recommend this one to anyone who can afford the eye-popping cost.
Pros
- Fantastic, bright color
- Intricate detail and exceptional clarity
Cons
- The price of this projector is too high.
5. Epson Home Cinema 5050UB 4K PRO-UHD 3-Chip Projector with HDR
This projector has a very high contrast. That, combined with the HDR capability, delivers a supremely wide gamut of color.
If your game is colorful, you may have been disappointed in other projectors or TVs in the past. Consoles have evolved past displays in terms of the color spectrum. It’s nice to see projectors like this that have not only kept up but surpassed gaming systems in this respect.
It’s also 3D-capable. That can add a whole new dimension to your gaming experience. You’ll need a good set of 3D glasses, though
Many of the people who bought this one made their decision based on the contrast. They weren’t disappointed. They say that they didn’t even realize that there were so many colors in the world. It’s true: This projector’s ability to replicate color exceeds the human brain’s ability to process them.
In short, they are all happy with the picture. And why wouldn’t they be? This is a fantastic projector that delivers on the promises that convinced them to buy it in the first place.
Pros
- The biggest pro is the color range and fidelity
- Super high contrast
- HDR-capable
- 3D-ready
Cons
- A bit on the pricey side for what you get
6. Epson Home Cinema 4010 4K PRO-UHD (1) 3-Chip Projector with HDR
This is a nice mid-priced gaming projector that amateurs and seasoned gamers alike will love. It’s above average in all respects.
The color and clarity are great, and so is the detail. The brightness is a little lacking, but it will do just fine in most rooms. We like the price. When you put performance against cost, you come out with great value.
Serious gamers comment about the detail in the picture. Novices notice it too, but experienced pros say that you can’t get this kind of detail from even high-resolution plasma screens.
All in all, there is great reception for this gaming projector. The color, clarity, detail, and sound are all top-notch.
Pros
- Exceptional detail
- Rich color
- Great brightness
Cons
- Not the best for rooms with high ambient light
7. JVC DLA-NX7 D-ILA Projector
This makes a fine projector for any game. You’ll need to pull some shades to compensate for the lower brightness, though. The color replication is nice.
JVC sure has kept up with the evolving technology of gaming projectors. If you like 3D gaming, though, you’ll probably love this model. The three-dimensional image is incredible. This projector leads the way in this enhancement.
This is a good 4K projector for gaming, but this one shines in 3D gaming. It packs the screen. Gamers have responded to this in their online reviews.
Sure, the picture quality has gotten many nods as well. It does give a great 2D image. But even a look at the input panel shows that the manufacturer had 3D in mind when they designed this projector.
Pros
- Built for 3D gaming
- Great contrast
- Fine detail
- Faithful color replication
Cons
- You may need to darken the room somewhat to get the best picture
Factors to Consider
Brightness
This refers to how bright the picture will be. It’s measured in lumens. A higher number translates into a brighter overall picture. Brighter pictures also mean more vivid lighter colors, like yellow and pink. You also have to think about the normal brightness of the room in which you’ll set your new projector up.
If your gaming room will normally be pretty dark when you play, a lower brightness will suffice. 1,000 to 1,500 lumens will be fine in a dark room. Rooms with lamps and overhead lighting need a brightness of 1,500 to 2200 lumens.
Bright rooms present a special challenge with all the competing ambient light. Get a projector with 3,000 lumens or more in this case.
Contrast
This affects how well colors stand out. Higher contrast ratios make for more vivid, truer colors. 1,000,000:1 is an outstanding contrast. 500,000:1 is still great for gaming. Avoid projects with contrast ratios below 100,000:1.
Laser projectors are different because they process colors differently than lamps and LED projectors. Some laser models with contrast ratios as low as 1,500:1 are still good for gaming.
Zoom And Throw
Zoom is how much a projector magnifies the image optically. A good zoom range will help during setup, but it doesn’t affect the quality of the picture.
The throw range is the projector’s effective casting distance. Longer ranges, or higher ratios, give you more flexibility in the placement of the projector.
Connectivity
You need to make sure your new projector will connect to your PC, PlayStation, or other game consoles. Ideally, you won’t have to buy any adaptors.
Check the outputs and inputs to be sure the projectors will jive with your gaming system and sound equipment.
FAQs
How much room do I need to set up a gaming projector?
You need a good eight feet from the projector to the wall or other surface you’re protecting. Most laser projectors can get by with less than four feet.
Does the room need to be dark for all projectors?
Gone are the days when you needed a dark room to see a projected image. Of course, it would look better in a dark room. Not that we’re not all fortunate enough to have a dedicated gaming room.
If you can make it too dark whenever you want to play, the an6 projector will have the brightness you need. For the average living room with a few lamps, you need at least 2,000 lumens. Very bright rooms require 3,000 or more.
Are laser projectors worth it?
Projectors that use a laser as a light source are on the cutting edge of gaming technology. But they were expensive. There are lamps and LED projectors that offer the same vibrant color and intricate detail as laser ones. The big advantage of laser projectors is that you don’t need a lot of space. Some need a throwing distance of only a couple of feet.
What are lag and judder?
Lag is the delay between the time the source sends the digitized information to the projector and the image’s display. Excessive lag can be disastrous to gaming.
Some cheaper, and even some expensive, projectors have horrid lag because they use yesterday’s technology to cut production costs. That’s not a good way to save a buck. Make sure your new projector has a lag of under 50 milliseconds, like all the ones we reviewed here.
Judder, or image tearing, is the stop-motion effect that makes it look like the game is skipping frames. It’s usually caused by a cheap processor. Avoid no-name brands. That’s the best way to avoid judder. Big-name manufacturers of good projects for gaming don’t stake their reputation on inferior electronic components.
Conclusion
So there you have it. You know now what to look for in a gaming projector. We’ve shown you the best ones that are available this year. The Optoma UHD60 is our winner due to its sweet all-around performance and fair price.
Can you imagine what gaming will be like with a huge, clear, detailed image with breathtaking color? We’re talking about a next-level experience. How bad do you want it?
Do it. You deserve the gaming projector with 4K resolution. Now you know how to find one. Go ahead and get one today.
