The 7 Best Gaming Projectors to Buy in 2018

Optoma built this projector from the ground up to satisfy the needs of gamers. The result is the perfectly optimized short throw projector with enhanced response times, vibrant visuals and rich contrast. First, the .49 throw ratio is perfect for gamers, allowing the projector to be placed on your TV stand or entertainment center for a 100-inch image from just four feet away.

That image is going to be glorious, thanks to the DarbeeVision Image Processor that reveals extraordinary detail, depth and object separating, so the details of your games show in cinematic quality. Expect full HD 1080p resolution, 3,000 lumens of brightness, as well as a 28,000:1 contrast ratio that creates amazing black levels for the best experience in all genres of games. Don’t worry about lag, either. Enhanced Gaming Mode gives you a best-in-class response time of 16ms to keep you engaged in even the most demanding circumstances. Other nice features include Full 3D and a long-life lamp that will last up to 8,000 hours. 

This award-winning 1080p projector from No. 1 best-selling DLP projector brand BenQ hits all the marks to make an excellent gaming projector. It has an immersive 100-inch screen from just five feet away, with 1.2x optical zoom lens and vertical image keystone to make for easy installation that will fit your living room configuration. The image is bright and vibrant, thanks to 2,200 lumens of brightness and a 15,000:1 contrast ratio with no distortion, even in 3D.

Gamers will benefit from low input lag, meaning racing and action titles won’t skip a beat even on the 100-inch screen. Customized gaming modes provide even more benefit, allowing you to see the darkest shadows and brightest details to get the most cinematic experience out of all of your titles.

Most modern projectors only need four or five feet to cast an image, which is more than enough space for most living rooms. But if you live in a dorm or small studio apartment, you will need to be even more creative with your space. This ultra short throw projector from LG is here to help. From just five inches away it can cast a 60-inch Full HD image with an astonishing 150,000:1 contrast ratio.

It isn’t quite as bright as the other projectors on this list, only 1,000 lumens, but it comes with other features that other projectors lack. Besides the amazing short throw range, you get LG’s award-winning webOS 3.0 Smart TV functionality, giving you instant connection to the Internet and dozens of popular streaming services in an easy-to-use interface. Wireless connectivity and Bluetooth sound out make gaming even easier in a small environment, allowing you to pair speakers or a headset to the sound from the projector. All-in-all, this projector provides the ultimate gaming experience you can have in small spaces.

You can expect surprisingly bright and crisp visuals from this projector, thanks to the 3,600 lumen bulb. The projector has a native resolution of 1,200 x 800 and a contrast ration of 4,500:1, resulting in a soft and non-flickering image that is friendly on the eyes even after long gaming sessions. The LED bulb will also last for up to 17 years, while two built-in cooling fans will keep the temperature regulated if you spend all night gaming. The screen size varies from 50 to 200 inches and needs to be placed about 6.5 feet away from the screen. Gamers will enjoy the wireless experience, the ability to connect their controller to the projector and the quad core CPU that results in fast refresh rate with no lag time.

Want to take a look at some other options? See our guide to the best cheap projectors.

Epson delivers a kaleidoscope of color with the Home Cinema 2040, a Full HD projector that delivers up to 3x higher color brightness than similar models in its price range. The innovative 3LCD technology supports a 35,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio which, alongside advanced image processing and 2,200 lumens, creates an immersive experience. Image Enhancement and Frame Interpolation create an even more vivid contrast for rich detail in dark scenes, allowing you to game in 1080p on a screen that is up to 300 inches wide. Versatile connectivity allows you to connect your console directly to the projector, while the easy setup means you can take the projector with you to a friend’s house without any hassle.

Sony was the first electronics manufacturer to make native 4K projectors. They have unparalleled picture quality, but they start at $8,000 and get far more expensive than that. Then in 2016 Epson released the world’s first WirelessHD projector with 4K content support; not quite the same as native 4K, but at less than half the price you get revolutionary 4K enhancement technology that accepts 4K input.

Along with 4K support comes an astounding 1,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio for the most dramatic black levels imaginable. It is HDR compatible to enjoy brightness levels and real-life color, revealing the subtle intricacies of all your games. This amazing projector streams in wireless HD, has 3D projection and displays the entire sRGB colorspace.