When it comes to home entertainment, there are few ways to improve things quite so much as the addition of a projector. Whether you’re looking for a screen to make your viewing more intimate or just want to make the experience more dynamic, a projector can add an extra dimension to your viewing.
However, projectors aren’t exactly cheap, especially considering that they need a lot of accessories and positioning equipment in order to work effectively. Fortunately, there are plenty of cheaper options out there if you know where to look – these are our top picks!
What to Look for in a Low-Budget Projector
When you’re shopping for a low-budget projector, there are a few key things you want to look out for. For starters, the projector should have a native resolution of at least 1280×800. This is the minimum resolution you’d want on a TV-sized screen, so it’s a good rule of thumb. Scanning frequency and input lag are also worth considering. Both of these things determine how responsive your projector’s controls are and how smooth the image is – the better these things are, the more responsive and high-quality the image is likely to be.
Last but not least, you’ll want to look out for brightness, contrast ratio, and the projector’s screen size. The more lumens (brightness) you have, the more your projector can combat ambient light – this is important for outdoor viewing.
Best Low-Budget Projectors 2022
There are plenty of excellent low-budget projectors on the market, but here are our top 3 for 2022!
Proctor Mask II HD LED Projector
The Proctor Mask II HD LED projector is a seriously impressive piece of kit for the price. With a native resolution of 1280×800, an input lag of less than 20ms, and an impressive brightness of 50,000 lumens, it’s hard to deny this projector’s credentials. The Proctor Mask is also versatile – it comes with a mount so that you can use it as a home theater projector and a tripod so that you can use it as a desk projector.
Most impressively, this device is compatible with PC and Mac, Android, and all other major operating systems, making it incredibly convenient to use. The only drawback of this device is that it uses a lot of power, so you’ll need a large power outlet or a power strip to plug it in. Other than that, it’s a phenomenal projector, especially for the price!
Electronic Monster EM85 LED projector
The Electronic Monster EM85 is one of our favorite projectors – after all, it’s the one we use for our tech reviews! This projector is just as capable in a home setting as it is in an office setting – it’s bright enough to be used in almost any room and has a native resolution of 1280×800. The EM85 also has excellent input lag (less than 20ms) and a contrast ratio of 15,000:1, making the image incredibly high-quality.
It also comes with a tripod and a remote control, so setting it up and controlling it is a breeze. The only issue we have with this projector is that it’s only compatible with Windows, MacOS, and Linux. Otherwise, it’s an excellent projector that we’d highly recommend for all kinds of use!
Sumudu Dark Grey HD LED Projector
The Sumudu Dark Grey HD LED projector is a great projector for all kinds of uses, from gaming to watching movies and TV. It has a native resolution of 1280×800 and is compatible with PC and Mac, Android and all other major operating systems. This projector has an excellent brightness of 30,000 lumens and a contrast ratio of 15,000:1, making it one of the most high-quality projectors out there.
It is also comes with a tripod, a remote control and a 12-month warranty, making it a real bargain! The only issue we have with this projector is that it uses a lot of power and is therefore not very portable. Other than that, it’s a fantastic projector that we’d highly recommend!
Bottom line
As you can see, there are plenty of excellent projectors out there that are well suited to low budget settings. If you’re looking for an affordable projector, then you’ll want to make sure that it has a native resolution of at least 1280×800 and has a brightness of at least 30,000 lumens. Most importantly, though, you need to make sure that you get a projector that’s compatible with your operating system. Once you’ve got that sorted, you’re all set!