Are you looking for an affordable way to upgrade your living room or business space? A projector is a perfect solution. It provides a big-screen experience without taking up too much space. Whether you need it to stream movies and TV shows or make presentations in a meeting room, a budget projector fits the bill.
The best projector depends on whether you’re a consumer or corporate user. Check out our guide below for the top budget projectors on the market.
How to choose the best budget projector
Here are the key factors to remember when looking for the best budget projector:
- Portability – The weight and size of a projector matter. A smaller and lighter projector is more portable than a bigger and heavier one. Choose a portable model if you plan to take your projector to different places.
- Brightness – Brightness is measured in lumens. To ensure a good quality image, you should aim for a budget projector with at least 2,000 lumens for home use and 3800 for office use. Higher brightness is beneficial if you plan to use your projector outdoors.
- Resolution – For home cinema projectors to watch a TV show or stream content from Netflix or similar content platforms, for sharp and detailed images, it should have a resolution of at least 1080p (1920 x 1080). For Business use a minimum of XGA (1024 x 768)
- Contrast ratio – Measures the difference in brightness between blacks and whites. A higher contrast ratio means deeper darks and brighter whites, resulting in better depth of image. As a rule of thumb, look for a projector with a contrast ratio of at least 10,000:1.
- Screen size – A budget projector can give you an immersive experience with a screen size of 100 inches. But if you want an even bigger screen, you’ll have to sacrifice some picture quality.
- Audio – Most projectors have built-in speakers, but these can be low-quality. To get better sound, you need to invest in a separate speaker. Additionally, check that the projector has an 3.5mm audio jack if you plan to use headphones or desktop speakers.
- Connectivity – Your budget projector may not have many ports, but ensure it has the essential ones. For example, it should have an HDMI port to connect your laptop and stream content on the projector screen.
Best budget corporate projectors
For corporate use, you need a reliable budget projector with good detail. Here are our top picks:
Viewsonic PA503XB
Viewsonic PA503XB is our first pick in the list of best budget corporate projectors.
With 3800 ANSI lumens of brightness, a 22,000:1 contrast ratio, and an XGA resolution, this projector boasts an impressive visual performance regardless of the ambient lighting in the room. Moreover, exclusive SuperColor™ technology contains five colour modes: brightest, standard, presentation, movie and photo. You can choose any of these as per your needs.
In addition, an energy-saving SuperEco mode reduces power consumption and extends the lamp life by up to 15,000 hours.
Viewsonic PA503XB is perfect for classrooms and small business meeting rooms.
Key Features
- XGA (1024 x 768) resolution
- Brightness of 3800
- Contrast ratio of 22,000:1
- The throw ratio of 1.96 – 2.15
- SuperColor™ technology offers 5 colour modes
- The light source of lamp
- Lamp life of up to 15,000 hours
- Reduced power consumption
- Five years of projector and lamp warranty
ViewSonic LS500WH
ViewSonic LS500WH is a lamp-free projector with 3rd generation LED technology and a lifespan of 30,000 hours. So its users don’t have to spend extra money on frequent lamp replacements.
Having a brightness of 2,000 ANSI lumens, a WXGA resolution, and 125% Rec.709, this projector displays bright and true-to-life images in any environment. Furthermore, its instant power on/off option and 360° tilt angle projection make it ideal for use in small-to-medium-sized classrooms and meeting rooms.
Key Features
- 3rd generation LED technology that is both mercury-free and lamp-free
- WXGA (1280×800) resolution
- The brightness of 2,000 ANSI lumens and 3,000 LED lumens
- 3,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio
- An aspect ratio of 16:10
- The throw ratio of 1.55:1 – 1.70:1
- The light source of LED
- LED lifespan of 30,000 hours
- Reduced power consumption
- Instant power on/off option
- 360° tilt angle projection
BenQ MX825STH
Featuring a high brightness of 3,500 ANSI lumens, 1024×768 native resolution, a contrast ratio of 20,000:1, and full 3D functionality, this projector allows for perfect lights-on presentations in small-sized meeting rooms and classrooms. Furthermore, it displays crisp text and vibrant media, further facilitating the creation of an immersive viewing experience.
In addition, BenQ MX825STH boasts SmartEco Power Saving technology for reduced power consumption and a substantial lamp life of up to 15,000 hours in LampSave mode.
Key Features
- Native XGA (1024×768) resolution
- The brightness of 3,500 ANSI lumens
- Contrast ratio of 20,000:1
- An aspect ratio of 4:3
- 0.61 short-throw ratio
- The light source of lamp
- Lamp life of 15,000 hours LampSave mode
- Reduced power consumption
BenQ MX536
With a high brightness of 4,000 ANSI lumens, a resolution of 1024×768, and an excellent contrast ratio of 20,000:1, BenQ MX536 is a well-suited projector for meetings and presentations.
Furthermore, it has the finest crystal glass lenses for pure clarity and exclusive data review mode to showcase text and charts in perfect detail. On top of that, with its SmartEco mode, lamp power consumption is reduced by a whopping 70%.
Key Features
- Native XGA (1024×768) resolution
- The brightness of 4,000 ANSI lumens
- An aspect ratio of 4:3
- Contrast ratio of 20000:1
- The throw ratio of 1.942-2.332
- The light source of the lamp
- Lamp life of 20,000 hours on LongEco mode
- Reduced power consumption
Best budget consumer projectors
If you’re looking for a way to bring the cinema experience into your home, or you’re a gamer who wants a more immersive gaming experience, our picks for the best budget consumer projectors have got you covered.
BenQ TH671ST
Do you want a budget projector for an immersive gaming experience? With an easy setup, exceptional brightness of 3000 ANSI lumens, native resolution of 1080p (1920×1080), high contrast ratio of 10,000:1, low input lag, powerful 5-watt stereo speaker, and LumiExpert for viewing comfort, this short-throw projector is just the right option for you.
BenQ TH671ST also offers a larger-than-life display, making you feel like you are in the game.
Key Features
- Native 1080p (1920×1080) resolution
- The brightness of 3,000 ANSI lumens
- An aspect ratio of 16:9
- Contrast ratio of 10,000:1
- The low input lag of 16.7 ms
- Short throw lens
- The throw ratio of 0.69-0.83
- The light source of lamp
- Lamp life of 15,000 hours on LampSavemode
- 5-watt stereo speaker
- LumiExpert for viewing comfort
Viewsonic X1
Powered by 3rd generation LED technology with an impressive lifespan of 30,000 hours, Viewsonic X1 is the eco-friendly answer to your home cinema needs.
This 1080p projector has a high brightness of 3,100 LED Lumens, cinematic colours covering 125% Rec.709, an incredible contrast ratio of 3000000:1, and powerful dual speakers customised by Harman Kardon. As a result, it provides a matchless audiovisual experience, making your movie nights as exhilarating as possible.
Besides home cinema, Viewsonic X1 also makes for a great gaming projector.
Key Features
- Native 1080p (1920×1080) resolution
- The brightness of 3,100 LED lumens
- Contrast ratio of 3000000:1
- The throw ratio of 1.15-1.5
- Input lag 8.3ms
- The light source of LED
- Dual Harman Kardon speakers
- LED lifespan of 15,000 hours
- 125% Rec.709 colour accuracy
- Embedded Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity
- Vertical lens shift, 1.3x optical zoom, and H&V keystone for easy setup
Epson EH-TW6250
For a 4K UHD display on a large screen of up to 500 inches, Epson EH-TW6250 is a great option, whether you are an avid gamer or a movie watcher.
With features like lens shift, optical zoom and keystone correction, high brightness of 2,800 lumens, and a contrast ratio of 35,000:1, this projector is not only straightforward to set up, but you also get a top-quality image at a very affordable price.
On top of that, it can provide a lamp life of 10,000 hours.
Key Features
- 3LCD Technology
- Resolution of 4K UHD
- The brightness of 2800 lumens
- Contrast ratio of 35,000:1
- An aspect ratio of 16:9
- The throw ratio of 1.32 – 2.15:1
- The screen size of 40 inches – 500 inches
- The light source of lamp
- Lamp lifespan of up to 10,000 hours
- Built-in speaker of 10w
- Lens shift, optical zoom and keystone correction allow easy setup
FAQs
Are cheap projectors any good?
It depends on your particular needs. You can easily acquire a Full HD projector with a high contrast ratio and ANSI lumens rating at an affordable price. If that seems like a good projector for you, then voila!
How many lumens do I need for a home projector?
It depends on the amount of ambient light in your home. If there is minimal ambient light, you should look for a home projector with at least 1500 lumens. However, as the ambient light increases, your projector will need much higher lumens as the ambient light increases.
Can you watch a film on a projector?
Yes, you can watch a film, movie, or TV show on a projector. For optimal experience, you should look for a projector designed specifically for home cinema.
Summary
When buying a budget projector, consider what you will use it for, and consider aspects like resolution, contrast ratio, portability, connectivity, and the device’s audio.
Considering the aspects mentioned above, some of the best budget projectors for your corporate use are Viewsonic PA503XB, ViewSonic LS500WH, and BenQ MX825STH. On the other hand, some of the best consumer projectors include BenQ TH671ST and Epson EH-TW7100.