I want to buy a projector – how much do I have to spend?
Do you have to spend a fortune to enjoy a decent image or is something more budget? In this article, we will look at various price shelves and check what models in the range of several hundred to even several dozen thousand zlotys offer. I hope that after a teacher of this text it will be easier for you to assess what to expect from cheaper equipment, and what the premium segment provides additional.
What do projectors from individual price segments offer?
The projector market is changing very dynamically – just a few years ago lamp models dominated, and now LED and laser devices are gaining more and more. However, differences at prices can be cosmic. Just a quick glance at offers in online stores to see devices for PLN 500 and such for PLN 3,000 (and they happen and more expensive!). We divided projectors according to price segments and discussed their typical parameters. From the budget level, where the profitability counts, to the high -end segment, in which color reproduction, resolution and reliability are key.
The lowest shelf, i.e. a Chinese projector, up to PLN 500
Magcubic is a brand that appears in the offers of many online sales platforms. Magcubic tempts with an ultraranian price and slogans about “HD”, but in practice we often deal with a resolution of 480p or slightly higher, which is scaled to the alleged 1080p. The same with clarity – it can be heavily inflated in the specification, so if you plan to watch anything but a darkened room, you can be disappointed.
What to expect?
- Very basic image quality: at a price below PLN 500 it is difficult to count on a great color reproduction and contrast.
- Often a minimum set of connectors: HDMI, USB, or AV. There is also a built -in Android system.
Where will a cheap projector work?
It is a solution for people who just want to try, as it is with a projector at home, and they do not have great requirements. For this amount you can treat it as a curiosity or party gadget. It is also a good solution for a child’s room.
Budget projectors (approx. PLN 800-1500)
What do we get at this price? First of all, the resolution often not exceeding 720p. Yes, there are devices described as “fullhd” in this shelf, but usually it is scaling, and the actual image can be noticeably worse. Brightness around 2000 lumens (and sometimes less). Is that enough? Depends on the conditions. In a typical living room on a sunny day it can be hard to see clear details. But with the light turned off and the blinds, the effect can already be satisfactory.
Who is such a projector for?
If you need something simple to occasionally watch movies or series with a darkened light, and you are not a mega purist image – you can easily enter it. It will also work well in a small conference room for slide presentation – unless you have high requirements for color reproduction.
What can you find at this price?
Overmax Multipic 3.5 / 4.1
Polish brand, which releases projectors for home use at a decent price. This may not be the ideal of color reproduction, but for Sunday watching series or sporadic presentations is enough. In addition, these devices are often compact and quite easy to use.
Wanbo T2 Max
Budget LED projector, which has gained considerable popularity on the web thanks to the low price and to be acceptable to parameters. It works mainly in a darkened room. He is not super -buttous, but for his financial ceiling, it gives advice.
Medium -range projectors (approx. PLN 1500–3000)
This is a category in which many people find their “golden mean”. Why? Because for about two thousand with a piece you can already get a FullHD projector from famous brands (e.g. Optoma, BenQ, Epson). The difference in the image between cheap, no-noa models and popular manufacturers is often colossal.
What can you count on?
- Real FullHD (1920 × 1080), not just lower resolution scaling. Here, Netflix or HBO will not resemble watching the movie through the glass.
- Brightness within 3000–3500 lumens, which allows you to watch a bit more comfortable even with small daylight. However, it is still best to darken the room to see all the details.
- Quite a decent contrast (above 10,000: 1), which translates into a greater depth of the image. This may not be the level of HDR cinema, but for the average viewer it will be fully acceptable.
What can you find at this price?
Xgimi Mogo Pro
If you care about a more mobile projector, and at the same time you want to avoid the SUPERPTER NO-NAME Chinese, then Xgimi Mogo Pro will be an interesting option. It offers FullHD resolution, Android TV and quite a pleasant sound from Harman/Kardon speakers. Perfect for a bedroom or trips with friends.
Benq th534
A popular and proven model, often recommended for home cinema at a reasonable price. FullHD resolution, brightness at the level of about 3300 lumens and a good contrast is enough to enjoy movies or games. The Benq brand is famous for their good after -sales support, which is crucial if you want to have peace of mind.
Epson EH-TW650
Another proposal for those who focus on branded equipment in a reasonable budget. This 3LCD projector offers vivid colors and quite even image backlight. The brightness around 3100 lumens means that you do not have to sit in a complete darkness so that the screening is successful.
Higher shelf (approx. 3000–8000 PLN)
This is a level at which really specific specifications begin. We find here projectors with a native FullHD resolution (and sometimes 4K UHD in the “Pixel Shifting” version), with much better color reproduction. We often find models with a high -quality lamp or LED/laser solution that offer great life and stable brightness throughout the entire use.
Xgimi Horizon
If you want to go level higher than Mogo Pro, Xgimi Horizon (and its PRO version) are more serious equipment – stronger brightness (about 2,200 ani lumens), automatic trapezoidal correction mode, and “Pro” even higher resolution. Suitable for solid home cinema with a really pleasant sound and Android TV system.
Epson EH-TW7100
One of the most interesting options for home cinema with the possibility of displaying in 4K (pixel shift technology, so -called “pixel shifting”). The brightness and contrast are at a high level, and thanks to 3LCD technology, the colors look very natural. This is a model valued by film and series amateurs.
Optoma UHD35
Here we have a DLP projector, which tempts with 4K resolution and high brightness (even over 3500 lumens). In addition, the game mode with low input lag – console fans will be delighted. At a reasonable price, you can get a quality that definitely exceeds lower -end standards.
Premium projectors (over PLN 8,000)
Here we are already entering the territory for connoisseurs and people who like to have everything “the best”. In this case, prices can glide really high: 15, 20, and sometimes even PLN 30,000 (or much more in installation segments). Do we buy “space” for such money? In a way, yes. We are talking about devices that offer 4K native resolution, sensational covering of color space (such as DCI-P3 and even Rec.2020), a laser light source with many years of life and high brightness of reaching 5000 lumens or more.
- Laser light source: stable quality and brightness, no need to replace the lamps. For this start speed – the projector is ready in a few seconds, not several dozen.
- Top image quality: excellent contrast (even above 100,000: 1), sharpness, fantastic color reproduction. This is something that not only film connoisseurs, but also players (look at “Input Lag”!).
Hisense laser tv
Here, something begins that we often call “laser tv”. These projectors “Ultra-Short Throw” from Hisense guarantee a picture of up to 100-120 inches from a very short distance from the wall or screen. Laser light source means long life and stable brightness. In the set you also often get the Alr (Ambient Light Rejecting) screen, which greatly limits the impact of light from the environment.
Sony VPL-VW290ES
Native 4K, great contrast and delightful saturation of colors. For years, Sony has been famous for projectors that can build a truly cinema climate, but prices (unfortunately) are not the lowest.
JVC for-NP5
If you want to enter the audio-visual league, then JVC D-Ila (their original technology) is famous for its great black and tonal span. In the premium segment it is one of the stronger players. Hardly any projector can match the cinema impressions offered by this equipment.
Choosing a projector is the result of many factors: from the size of the room, through the type of content displayed, to the thickness of your wallet. Fortunately, today’s market allows everyone to find something that meets their needs – even if your budget is just a few hundred zlotys, you can fall into a quite extensive department of LED projectors. However, if you do not recognize compromises and would like to transfer the cinema impressions straight to the living room, fight with a high -end or premium projector.
