Are you ready to take the plunge and get the new 4K projectors under $2000? But you’re not sure if you can get a decent one under $2,000 bucks, right? It’s possible. Many have done it. And we know how. You have to know what to look for. We’ll tell you. We’ll recommend the home theater 4K projectors under $2,000.
That’s enough foreplay. Let’s go. Here are our top picks. Be sure to check out the FAQs and buyer’s guide that follows.
Best 4K Projectors Under $2000:
1. Optoma UHD51A 4K UHD Smart Home Theater Projector
The number one complaint is the processor speed being too slow. Some have experienced frame skipping and image tearing, which is also known as judder.
This is only noticeable when displaying in true 4K. But for about $1,000, many people consider some minor and occasional judder an acceptable trade-off.
Other than that, people who’ve bought this one are happy with the great value.
Pros
- Super price and good value
- No warmup period when starting
- 30,000-hour life and no lamp to replace
Cons
- Slow processor speed
- At 1,500 lumens, you’ll have to dim the lights in the room for the best experience
2. BenQ TK800M 4K UHD Home Theater Projector with HDR and HLG
Gamers like the negligible input lag. 42ms is something you usually only find in more expensive projectors. People comment on how easy it is to customize the picture modes. There’s no need to change every setting every time you go from gaming to movies, for example.
The biggest complaint is that it takes too long to switch between sources and modes. For example, when you are watching in sports mode and switch it to movie mode, there is a lag while the switch is made. This has frustrated some people.
Pros
- Easy to adjust the picture
- Bright enough for just about any situation
- Low lag – Great for gaming and sports
Cons
- Relatively low contrast – Only apparent in the depth of blacks and the brightness of whites
- Takes a while to switch between modes
3. AAXA 4K1 LED Home Theater Projector
You can get this one for less than $1,000. That’s about the price of a good 4K UHD TV.
The onboard media player lets you play your music list and watch your videos without having to connect to your phone or computer.
The electronic focus control lets you adjust the focus with the remote.
The number one complaint is the processor speed being too slow. Some have experienced frame skipping and image tearing, which is also known as judder.
This is only noticeable when displaying in true 4K. But for about $1,000, many people consider some minor and occasional judder an acceptable trade-off.
Other than that, people who’ve bought this one are happy with the great value.
Pros
- Super price and good value
- No warmup period when starting
- 30,000-hour life and no lamp to replace
Cons
- Slow processor speed
- At 1,500 lumens, you’ll have to dim the lights in the room for the best experience
4. ViewSonic True 4K Projector
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Strangely enough, no one has complained about the contrast. The rating, which is 12,000:1, is rather low. We scrutinized all of the reviews. Everyone is happy with the dark and light colors. Perhaps the manufacturer has underestimated their own product’s contrast?
There have been at least a few complaints about certain hues of red popping louder than other colors. It’s not too big a deal, because there haven’t been any returns based on this complaint. The brightness is a big hit with this model. You can watch it even with the shades open on a sunny day.
Pros
- Super brightness
- HDR support
- Nice speaker
- Backlit remote
Cons
- Blacks aren’t very deep unless the source is HDR-capable
5. Optoma UHD50 True 4K Ultra High Definition DLP Home Theater Projector
Two main issues are circulating among people who’ve bought this one. First, it is not fully capable of 3D. It is PC-only 3D. Next is the light bleed. This is the border of white light around the picture. The bigger the picture size, the bigger the border.
One buyer complained that the bleed on the maximum-sized picture, which is 300”, is about five inches wide. This is bigger than most other projectors. Other than those two issues, people are very happy with the wide contrast and excellent brightness.
Pros
- Great contrast
- Intense brightness
- Throw ratio and zoom allow for flexibility in setup
Cons
- The light bleed issue
6. Acer V6810 4K Ultra High Definition Home Theater Projector
Buyers who know what they’re talking about express their amazement that there is no rainbowing, which is a problem that often happens with single-chip projectors.
Knowing that this issue comes up often, we spent extra time looking for complaints about the dreaded rainbow, but we found none.
Some wish that the picture was brighter, but no one griped about it. 2,200 lumens isn’t bad, after all.
The general feeling out there is that this is one of the better 4K projectors under $2,000. We agree. The value is outstanding.
Pros
- Remarkable value
- Awesome color contrast
- No rainbowing
Cons
- We wish there were about 400 more lumens to go with the nice contrast.
7. Optoma UHD50X 4K UHD Home Theater and 1080p 240Hz Gaming Projector
We like seeing people rave about smart connectivity. They talk about connecting to all of the other smart devices in their homes, and we are encouraged that more 4K projectors will have these smart home capabilities soon.
As far as the picture goes, the most outstanding feature seems to be the brightness. Everyone comments about it. You don’t have to pull any shades to enjoy the picture provided by this sweet projector.
Pros
- Amazing brightness
- The smart home connectivity available
- Great contrast for vivid colors
Cons
- The lamp life is shorter because of the more intense brightness
8. LG HU70LAB 4K UHD Smart Home Theater CineBeam Projector
People like smart connectivity. But they have been complaining about LG’s particular smart features. These features are the same ones that LG smart TVs have, and there are the same drawbacks. One issue that comes up often is the lack of Amazon Prime Video. There is no app available for it on the LG platform.
You’d have to have a Roku, Firestick, or other streaming player to use Prime Video and some other apps. The picture quality is incredible, and everyone is responding to that. The only problem is the light bleed, that border of white light, and no one likes it.
Pros
- Crisp, beautiful picture
- 20,000-hour laser life
- Very easy to set up
- Connects to Alexa and Google Home
Cons
- Light bleed
9. Optoma UHD60 True 4K UHD Projector
Given its ease of setup and general overall good quality, we think this is the true 4K projector under $2,000.
One thing that comes up often in buyers’ reviews is the colors, especially the blacks. People say that the blacks are deeper than even the average LCD TV. There have been some complaints about the HDMI ports not working.
These are covered under the warranty, but there have been complaints about Optima’s responsiveness regarding warranty claims as well. Come on, Optima. Don’t let customer service issues overshadow the fantastic quality of your projectors.
Pros
- Brightness is good enough for rooms with high ambient light
- High Dynamic Range compatibility
- Great color range
- Flexible zoom, trow, and shift
- Relatively easy setup
- 15,000-hour lamp life
Cons
- There are those pesky HDMI problems
10. Epson Home Cinema 4010 4K PRO-UHD (1) 3-Chip Projector with HDR
Everyone talks about how bright the image is. It seems to be as bright as the 3,000-lumen models, even though it’s only rated at 2,400. That’s the beauty of LCD projection. There aren’t many complaints about this model that we can see. There have been a few warranty claims.
The most frequent complaint is that it is relatively hard to set up compared to other 4K projectors. It may be wise to pay extra money for professional installation. All in all, this is regarded to be a good 4K projector for under $2,000.
Pros
- Bright picture
- Quiet cooling fan
- Motorized lens
Cons
- Hard to set up
Factors To Consider
Don’t let all the info confuse you. Keep these important considerations in mind when shopping, and you’re sure to pick the native 4K projector for under $2,000.
Light Source
All projectors have a light source. This is usually a lamp. Lamps have a life of 10,000 to 15,000 hours, and they provide a great picture, as long as the projector has good contrast.
LEDs are a step up. They’re also more expensive, but some models under $2,000 have them.
They last for 20,000 hours or more, and they offer a slightly better and crisper picture than traditional lamps.
Laser is the latest light source technology, and they are the most expensive. There are a few models under $2,000 that have this light source. They are the easiest to set up and offer the best picture quality.
Brightness
Brightness is measured in lumens. The more lumens, the brighter the picture. 1,500 lumens is OK for a dedicated home theater, where there will be almost no ambient light. Look for 2,000 or more lumens for a typical living room. This will be enough brightness to compensate for sunlight coming in from windows and light from room lamps.
3,000 or more lumens are required for viewing in a room with bright ambient light, like a living room with a picture window with no drapes.
Connectivity
Get a projector that accepts the type of connections you have. There’s no need to spend more money on special connections. The most common is HDMI, and it provides a great picture.
Contrast
The higher the contrast, the more vivid the color you will get. For the absolute best, look for 1,000,000:1. The average is 500,000:1, and it has an exceptional quality that is great for all types of viewing, even gaming.
Throw, Zoom, and Keystone Adjustment
For a throw ratio of 2, the projector has to be two feet away from the screen for every foot of image width. If you want a picture size of 150”, for example, you would need to have the projector 300” away from the screen, or surface that you’re projecting onto.
Zoom indicates how much the image can be blown up from the native size. For example, a zoom ratio of 1.4 means that a picture with a size of 10’ can be blown up to 14’. Keep throw and zoom in mind when shopping, and think about how they will jive with the space in your living room.
Keystone adjustment allows you to correct the shape of the picture if the projector cannot be placed perpendicular to the surface that you’re projecting on. It’s useful, but usually not necessary, as the projector itself can easily be moved a bit if needed. Keystone adjustment can help make setup a bit easier, though.
FAQs
Here are the most common questions about affordable 4K projectors.
How Much Better Is 4K Than 1080p?
In short, the resolution is four times better. 1080p has 1,920 horizontal pixels. 4K has 3,840. 4K has a whopping 8.3 million total pixels.
What Is The Maximum Picture Size?
Currently, the maximum size for 4K projectors under 2000 $ is 300”. But the best picture is generally around 150”.
Is There Any Maintenance Required?
The only maintenance needed is an occasional cleaning of the outer lens to get rid of any dust that accumulates on it. We recommend using a lens cloth to avoid scratching it.
Some projectors need a replacement lamp after about 15,000 hours of viewing, although this can be longer or shorter depending on the ambient temperature and other factors.
LEDs and laser light sources usually cannot be replaced. You’d have to buy a new projector.
How Are Projectors Under $2,000 Mounted?
Mounting options vary by model, but they include ceiling and wall mounts. Many of them can also be set on a table. Lighter laser models have handles so they can be moved around easily. They are very portable.
How Much Power Do They Draw?
On average, they pull about 200 watts of electricity from the wall. This varies somewhat, with regular lamp models using the most juice and lasers using the least. LEDs fall somewhere in the middle.
How Much Noise Do They Make?
Again, this varies. They all have cooling fans to protect the circuitry and light sources from overheating. Lamp models have the biggest fans and are therefore the loudest. But even the loudest projector under $2,000 is so quiet that it is merely a whisper. LEDs generate less heat, and they have smaller and quieter fans. Laser models are the quietest of all.
Conclusion
Optoma UHD51A is a 4K projector under $ 2000. It has a bright, clear picture with vivid colors, pure whites, and the deepest blacks. It is also fairly easy to set up and offers the most useful features. In short, it has the best value.
All of the others made our list because they each have something different to offer. One may be a bit brighter, another may have superior contrast and another may offer a wider variety of connectivity options.
Scrutiny of each model’s notable features and specifications is necessary to understand what it has to offer and whether or not that is useful to you in particular.
Go ahead and check out the reviews again. Take your time. This is a pretty sizeable investment, and you want to make a choice that you’ll be happy with for years to come. But make your decision soon. Every day you delay is a day that you’re missing out on the huge, vivid, and immersing entertainment experience that you’ve been dreaming of.
Get your new 4K projector today.
