Best Outdoor Projector

Indoor 4K entertainment excites many people, but movie nights with family and friends in the garden are even better. An outdoor projector is the perfect tool to make it happen.

With a top-grade outdoor projector, you can turn your free space in a garden, patio, or rooftop into a home cinema or gaming arena.

Our guide below will provide you with our top picks for the best outdoor projectors. We have considered budget, time of the day, and other factors. Before you make a purchase, let’s make sure you know what to look for in an outdoor projector.

What to look for in an outdoor projector?

There are various aspects to keep an eye out for when buying an outdoor projector. Here are the most important of them:

• Portability – But not at the expense of image quality.
• Built-in speakers –  are handy but often not as good in quality. You would be better off purchasing standalone speakers that can be connected to your streaming device  via Bluetooth.
• Brightness – the higher the brightness, the more watchable the image, even if there is light around.
• A combination of high brightness, contrast ratio, and resolution –  results in the finest image quality.

Even after you have bought a great outdoor projector, you can still fall short if there is ambient light hitting your outdoor projector’s screen.

If you are streaming a movie on your outdoor projector during the daytime, ensure that the screen is placed under a gazebo with side panels to shield it from ambient light.

But again, for the best results, keep your outdoor projector for the twilight hours.

Safety Precautions

Before we dive into the list of our picks of the best outdoor projectors, it is imperative that you have the know-how of the safety precautions you need to take when handling an outdoor projector.

Be wary of rain

Water and electricity can cause a short circuit and an electric shock. To be safe, make sure to plan ahead if it looks like rain.

Before you plan a movie night in your garden, check the weather forecast. It won’t be 100% accurate, but it will give you an idea if you need to prepare for rain.

If it rains, switch off the power supply from the mains. Hurry to get your projector and speakers indoors. Cover the screen with a gazebo or enlist your friends to help bring it inside.

Store your equipment overnight

After the movie ends, you’re usually too exhausted to put away the projector and other equipment. All you want to do is go to bed.

Leaving your equipment exposed overnight can lead to moisture and dew entering it. This can cause damage and even pose a threat to your life if you come into contact with the damaged gear.

Take measures to prevent overheating

The sun, prolonged use and restricted airflow can cause your outdoor projector to overheat. To prevent this, you must take all possible precautions.

A few measures that you can take in this regard include maintaining and cleaning your outdoor projector, leaving a clear space around the projector for unrestricted airflow, and keeping a fair distance between your projector and a heat source.

Operate in dust-free surroundings

Bonfires and BBQs add fun to any night party. But the debris and dust they generate can damage the delicate components of your projector, leading to malfunction. To prevent this, ensure that your projector screen is far away from any source of dust and debris.

Properly Secure the Screen

If you are using a standing or inflatable projector screen, you must ensure that it is properly secured; otherwise, wind can cause trouble.

The standing and inflatable screens come with guide ropes or cords, which allow them to be tethered to the ground.

Make sure to secure and fasten the ropes as tightly as possible, so there is no slack.

Manage the cables right

A backyard party can quickly become a trip hazard if you don’t have a flexible budget to buy a completely wireless projector. Cables will be lying around your projector and screen, making it difficult to move around without getting tangled.

The best you can do is manage these cables appropriately and place them where there is minimum foot traffic.

Give the projector manual a go

Using an outdoor projector can present many challenges, such as sunlight, rain, and wind. To ensure it lasts for a long time, you must know how to use it correctly. Therefore, read the projector’s manual before streaming your first movie.

Best budget: BenQ TH671ST

For the best budget projector, BenQ TH671ST is our pick.

This projector boasts a bright 3,000 lumens, a high-definition resolution of 1920×1080, a powerful 10-watt stereo speaker, and a short-throw projection. Enjoy a captivating entertainment experience in your garden with this projector.

Besides being budget-friendly, BenQ TH671ST offers a very low input lag, so if you are an avid gamer, you are in luck.

For optimal results, you need an external speaker. But you won’t find a better option in this price range.

Key features

• Easy to set up
• The brightness of 3,000 lumens
• Resolution of 1920×1080
• The throw ratio of 0.69:1 – 0.83:1
• Powerful 10-watt stereo speaker
• Input lag of 16.4ms at 120 and 8ms at 60

Best high-end: Epson EH-TW9400

Do you want to upgrade your home cinema experience? If money isn’t an issue, the Epson TW9400 is your best choice.

This projector is easy to install with its vertical and horizontal lens shift. It delivers stunning visuals with its 4K UHD resolution and a remarkable contrast ratio. You can enjoy sharp and crisp images up to 300 inches.

Its 3LCD technology means you can avoid the rainbow effect and relish whatever you’re using it for without any distractions.

Also, 5,000 hours of lamp life in eco mode means you can watch a movie every day for seven years straight!

However, it is most optimally used at night due to a relatively low brightness of 2,600 lumens.

Key features

• Easy to set up
• Contrast ratio of 1,200,000:1
• 4K UHD resolution
• Display of 300 inches
• 3LCD technology
• 3,500 hours lamp life (5,000 h in economy mode)
• Wide lens shift: Vertical ±96.3% and horizontal ±47.1%

Best for daytime: Epson EB-L630U

For our best daytime projector, we suggest the Epson EB-L630U.

This state-of-the-art projector standout for providing brighter, bolder, more engaging and impactful displays even in brightly-lit environments – all thanks to its unmatched ANSI lumens rating of 6,200 lumens.

Besides its WUXGA resolution, it offers flexible settings for image enhancement to further sharpen the image resolution according to your preference.

More importantly, it provides a virtually maintenance-free operation with a laser light source of up to 20,000 hours.

Want to turn your garden into a cinema? There’s no better choice than the Epson EB-L630U.

Key features

• The brightness of 6,200 lumens
• WUXGA (1920×1200 pixels) resolution
• Easy and flexible installation
• Laser light source of up to 20,000 hours
• Maintenance-free operation.
• The screen size of up to 500′
• Split screen function of up to 4 screens

Best for night: Epson EH-TW7000

Although the projectors mentioned above can get the job done for you at night time as well, if you want one made specifically for this purpose, then look no further than Epson EH-TW7000.

With an excellent light output of 3,000 lumens, a contrast ratio of 40,000:1, and a big-screen display of up to 500 inches, this projector can provide a truly immersive experience at an affordable price.

Setting up this projector is easy due to its vertical/horizontal lens shift, optical zoom and keystone correction. However, it doesn’t come with an onboard speaker, so you must invest in a standalone one.

Whether you want to watch movies, sports, or play games, Epson EH-TW7000 is your go-to projector.

Key features

• The brightness of 3,000 lumens
• 4K UHD resolution
• Contrast ratio of 40,000:1
• Display of 40 inches – 500 inches
• Vertical/horizontal lens shift

Best overall: ViewSonic X1

Looking for the perfect blend of advancement, versatility, and cost-effectiveness in your outdoor projector? If so, then ViewSonic X1 is just the right choice for you!

The ViewSonic X1 displays life-like images on a large screen. It boasts 3,100 LED lumens of brightness and 125% Rec. 709 colour accuracy for a vivid picture. Plus, it has a Full HD resolution and a 3,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio for sharp images. Dual Harman Kardon speakers complete the package for an immersive experience.

ViewSonic X1 is a lamp-free projector boasting 3rd generation LED technology and a lifespan of up to 30,000 hours.

Due to vertical lens shift, horizontal and vertical keystone, 1.3x optical zoom, and 4-corner adjustment capabilities, setting up this projector is a walk in the park.

Additionally, its embedded Wi-Fi connectivity allows screen mirroring directly from smart devices to the big screen. On that note, you can even connect your Bluetooth headphones for personal entertainment.

Key features

• The brightness of 3,100 LED lumens
• Resolution of 1920×1080
• 125% Rec. 709 colour accuracy
• 3,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio
• Lamp life of 30,000 hours
• Maintenance-free operation
• 1.3x optical zoom
• 3rd generation LED technology
• Dual Harman Kardon speakers
•  Embedded Wi-Fi connectivity
•  Eco-friendly (mercury-free as no lamps are used)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many lumens do I need for an outdoor projector?

To get the best outdoor viewing experience, aim for at least 3,000 lumens. Anything lower than that, and you will need near-darkness to project a clear image.

Are outdoor projectors any good?

Given that you play your cards right and choose the right projector from the ones mentioned above, outdoor projectors can serve you well. Outdoor projectors are still compact and have brilliant lighting capabilities.

What colour screen is best for outdoor projector?

A white-coloured screen is best for the outdoor projector experience. It gives you more accurate colours, and contrast reflects more light and provides better viewing angles than a screen of any other colour.

What size projector do I need for outdoor movie?

You can watch a movie outdoors on the smallest projector there is. However, for a truly stunning movie-watching experience, you should try to have a projector that produces at least 80 inches of display.

Summary

And that brings an end to our comprehensive guide on the best outdoor projector. We hope it has helped you make up your mind regarding the subject.

There are many outdoor projectors to choose from. Your decision should depend on your needs, preferences, and budget. Before you buy, make sure to read the safety guidelines in this guide.