The 7 Best Gaming Projectors of 2021

Best Overall: Optoma GT1080HDR Short Throw Gaming Projector

4.1

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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. 

_{Resolution: 1080p | Brightness: 3000 ANSI lumens | Contrast Ratio: 30000:1 | Projection Size: 120 inches}

Best Design: BenQ HT2150ST Projector

4.3

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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.

_{Resolution: 1080p | Brightness: 2200 ANSI lumens | Contrast Ratio: 15000:1 | Projection Size: 300 inches}

Best 4K: BenQ HT3550 4K Home Theater Projector

4.4

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There’s gaming, and then there’s gaming with the BenQ HT3500 4K Home Theater Projector, a high-end model committed to hyper-realistic, cinematic visuals. Compact and unobtrusive, it can zoom up to 1.3 times, can reach a screen size of 120 inches, and has a brightness of up to 2,000 lumens, allowing it to function at all brightness levels. This, combined with the 4K UHD 3840x2160 resolution with 8.3 million pixels, results in unparalleled picture quality.

Thanks to its dynamic iris, the device has a 30,000:1 contrast ratio, meaning you’ll be able to notice the nuances of shadows, along with details in both dark and bright scenes, bringing games to life. The projector’s built-in speaker is able to fill a room and offer clear, textured audio, though hardcore gamers might want to opt for a higher-end model, for full immersion. Though it is more expensive than other home projectors, the HT3500’s value is more than worth the cost for those who want not just to watch a new world, but be part of it.

_{Resolution: 4096x2160 | Brightness: 2000 ANSI lumens | Contrast Ratio: 30000:1 | Projection Size: 100 inches}

Best Sound: Optoma UHD60 4K Projector

4.9

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If you’re in the market for a projector, chances are you’ve landed on an Optoma model once or twice. The brand offers high-value projectors, regardless of what specs you’re looking for. The UHD60 is their 4K-enabled model, and unlike a lot of other projectors which accept 4K inputs only to spit out a downscaled picture, the UHD60 offers true 4K resolution up to 3840 x 2160. That’s 8.3 million pixels available, and with 3000 lumens, the brightness is plenty for your gaming needs. The color gamut is pretty impressive here, too, offering everything in the REC2020 sets — making your games shine with truly rich, deep blacks and cinematic highlights. What this all amounts to is the ability to sit up to 10 feet away and still take in the full, stunning range of 4K quality (unlike the much shorter seated distance required when you’re looking at 4K TVs). Plus, it’s HDR compatible, employs UltraDetail technology for picture clarity, and even folds in flexible zoom, throw, and shift. This means it'll fit nicely in your setup, even if you have to deal with awkward angles or room layouts.

_{Resolution: 2160p | Brightness: 3000 ANSI lumens | Contrast Ratio: 1000000:1 | Projection Size: 120 inches}

Best Color Contrast: Epson Home Cinema 2150

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Epson is arguably the king of projectors, but many of their options are catered to either business presentations or movies. When you’re looking to game on your projector, color response is hugely important, because modern video games are just as much works of visual art as they are fun challenges. With an astounding 60,000:1 color contrast, you have a really wide range of tonal options available here. For perspective, many mid-tier projectors settle in at 15,000:1, meaning their range from the blackest blacks to the whitest whites is vastly smaller than this one. The Epson 2150 offers 1080p resolutions, and at an 11-foot minimum throw, it offers a screen four times larger than a 60-inch flatscreen panel. There’s a built-in 10W speaker, and it even supports Miracast so you can easily stream HD media should you choose to use this for other entertainment purposes. Plus, at less than $1,000, it’s far from the most expensive option out there, especially considering its rich color spectrum.

_{Resolution: 2049x1080 | Brightness: 2500 ANSI lumens | Contrast Ratio: 60000:1 | Projection Size: 132 inches}