5 best gaming projectors in 2024 including budget, mid & high-end options
Written by
Last updated
15th May 2024 17:07
Whether you're planning a group gathering or a chilled night in, gaming projectors make for a great alternative display when playing the latest games or watching movies together.
However, like with other types of gaming hardware, it can be hard to pick the right model with so many varieties to choose from. Luckily, this guide rounds up five of the best gaming projectors to help you find the right model just for you.
Editor's Note:
Updated on May 15, 2024, to confirm prices.
How we've chosen the best gaming projectors
We chose the best gaming projectors by considering a few key things to keep in mind when picking out the right model: response time, resolution, throwing range, and colour clarity.
All these are important factors that make up a quality gaming projector, with response time being the most important for this medium in particular.
While a standard, cheap projector is fine for movies and TV, a gaming projector needs to be able to translate your actions to the projected screen, and you'll need a good response time otherwise you'll notice a lag between your inputs and the actions on-screen.
Essentially, all of our choices have good enough response times to warrant their use for gaming, with the other key factors highlighted above varying based on the price of the projector.
It's worth noting that gaming projectors are expensive in general, with our cheapest choice still coming in at just under $200 dollars, but they are worth it for the freedom and mobility they provide.
Best budget gaming projector
Wielio 1080p Projector
My budget choice for those looking for something much cheaper than a typical gaming projector is the Wielio 1080p Projector.
It's mostly built for watching TV and film, but it can support gaming at a high-quality 1080p. It's a simple-to-use gaming projector for titles like RPGs, where such delays aren't really an issue.
However, I'd advise to not use this projector for anything competitive-multiplayer-based as the response time lag will be noticeable in those situations, making your performances much worse.
Still, this budget projector comes with all the basic features you could expect, such as keystone correction, image projection size controls, and the ability to upscale to 4K.
Best mid-range gaming projector
Optoma HD146X
Getting into the purpose-built gaming projectors, we have the Optoma HD146X as our mid-range pick.
This projector has a gaming mode built in that reduces the input lag to 16ms while boosting the shadows and darker scenes on the display for greater visibility when playing. It allows for an output of 1080p, so you can really make games pop on the display while enjoying them with almost no input lag.
It has a standard throw of 14 feet, making it perfect for larger rooms, and the keystone correction will ensure the display is set up correctly with minimal fuss.
Best high-end gaming projector
BenQ TH671ST
Now we're in the pricier range, but if you can afford the BenQ TH690ST, it'll be well worth it as a gaming projector that's both high-end and high-quality.
This premium projector features an HDR 1080p screen with an option for 4K upscaling, and has exclusive 4LED technology to auto-calibrate colours and leave them popping even as the projector ages.
The response time can go as low as 4ms. What's more, there's room to change depending on your refresh rate, as the projector supports up to 120Hz if you can manage that framerate.
The TH671ST even has a gaming mode to help tweak darker colours to be more visible.
The biggest setback is its short throw range, so it's only really useful for smaller areas when you're gaming. On the other hand, if cosier spaces are all you'll be playing in, this projector will be an ideal fit that's more than worth the price.
Best portable gaming projector
XGIMI Halo+
If you're after a portable gaming projector for playing games or streaming films whilst you're away from home, the XGIMI Halo+ is everything you need and more packed into a compact package.
At a weight of only 3.52 pounds, this robust and portable 1080p projector is perfect for fitting in your backpack for gaming and entertainment whether indoors or outdoors at a vacation getaway, or to even bring to a house party.
Able to cast on screens up to 60 inches for up to 2 and a half hours of battery life following a super-fast 6-second setup, you'll even have Game Mode Boost to enhance your Mario Kart 8 or RPG gaming sessions with an even better resolution and higher refresh rate.
Whilst I would say its still-low latency of just 26.5m isn't the best if you've got super-competitive gaming in mind, the XGIMI Halo+ is still an excellent fit for casual fun.
Sure, the XGIMI Halo+ is another pricey piece of tech, but with everything on offer, the phrase "you get what you pay for" rings true when it comes to this portable model - especially with its 1:2:1 throw ratio of 40 to 200 inches.
What is the best gaming projector?
BenQ TK700
The BenQ TK700 is the ultimate gaming projector money can buy, offering a suite of quality features that are perfect for those looking to game on a projector.
Firstly, it supports 1080p gaming at a max of 240HZ, with a low latency of 4ms, and can go up to 4K 60Hz with 16ms, meaning it can suitably handle online competitive games in any of its modes.
It has a standard throw range of 14 feet, making it suitable for most ranges and a perfect projector for parties in larger spaces. An added benefit is the gaming-based surround sound, projecting audio quality to match the projection quality.
Finally, it has some of the best colour clarity you can buy for a projector, with 3200 lumens of brightness and detail enhancement on darker scenes. It has everything you would want in a high-end gaming projector.
Check out our hardware homepage for more guides. Have a look at more recommendations, such as the best budget mechanical keyboards, the best gaming tablets, the best 1440p gaming monitors, and the best wireless gaming headsets.
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