Best projectors over €1,000 in 2026

The Horizon 20 is XGIMI's high-brightness 4K laser model, aimed at people who want a proper living-room projector rather than a pocket device. It uses a triple RGB laser with a 0.47-inch DLP chip and claims 3,200 ISO lumens, which gives a lot of headroom for rooms with some ambient light and for HDR content.

The feature list is long. It decodes HDR10+, Dolby Vision and IMAX Enhanced, runs Google TV with Netflix built in, and has a wide zoom-style throw ratio of 1.2 to 1.5:1 with an image size up to 300 inches. For gamers, XGIMI quotes input lag of 1 ms at 1080p 240 Hz, 2.2 ms at 1080p 120 Hz and 3 ms at 4K 60 Hz, which is excellent if you use Game Mode with auto keystone off.

Two 12 W Harman Kardon speakers with DTS Virtual:X and Dolby Audio are well above average for a projector, so a separate soundbar is optional rather than essential. Connections include two HDMI ports (one with eARC), a USB 3.0 port, a USB 2.0 port, optical and a 3.5 mm output.

At 4.8 kg it is not something you will move daily, and it needs mains power. The picture is strongest in a dim room, but the brightness makes it more versatile than most rivals. It is a strong all-rounder for a dedicated lounge setup.

The C2 Pro is Hisense's brighter, short-throw take on the compact laser projector. It uses a triple laser with a 4K DLP chip, and retailer listings give a brightness of about 2,600 ANSI lumens, which is a big step over the smaller M2 Pro and suits rooms that are not fully dark. With a throw ratio around 0.9:1 it can fill a large screen from a short distance, and the image size runs up to 300 inches.

HDR support is broad, covering HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision and HLG. Audio comes from a JBL system rated at 2 x 10 W, so there is real volume for a living room, and an eARC port allows a soundbar to be added. The software is VIDAA, which has the main streaming apps but fewer than Google TV, and wired connections include USB 3.0 and Ethernet.

The main caveat is detail. Listings disagree on things like the number of HDMI 2.1 ports and the weight, so shoppers should check the exact model code and port counts before buying. Input lag is not published in the sources we could read.

At around 5.7 kg it is a proper piece of kit rather than a portable one. It suits a living room where you want a big, bright picture without a long throw distance, and where pricing in your country is sensible.

The X3100i is BenQ's flagship gaming projector, using a native 4K DLP chip with a four-colour LED light source. The LED engine is rated for up to 30,000 hours, so there is no lamp to replace, and BenQ claims 3,300 ANSI lumens and full DCI-P3 colour coverage. Together these give a bright and vivid picture that copes better with ambient light than most LED projectors.

Gaming is the focus. BenQ quotes 4.2 ms input lag at 1080p 240 Hz and 8.3 ms at 1080p 120 Hz, while 4K at 60 Hz sits at 16.7 ms. Those are class-leading figures on paper, but HDMI 2.0b limits the picture to 4K 60 Hz, so owners of newer consoles or PCs will not get 4K 120 Hz.

The lens offers a 1.15 to 1.5:1 throw ratio, a 1.3x optical zoom and 40 to 60 percent vertical lens shift, so it is easy to position on a table or a ceiling mount. Android TV is built in and the two 5 W speakers cover casual use; BenQ says the projector cannot send sound out over Bluetooth, so connect a soundbar through eARC or the audio output.

At 6.8 kg it is a fixed installation rather than something to carry around. It suits a dedicated gaming or film room where the budget is flexible and consistent brightness matters.

The EH-TW7100 is a 2019 home cinema projector that remains popular because of its colour performance and flexible lens. Instead of a native 4K chip, it uses three 1080p LCD panels with pixel-shifting to produce 4K-style images, which Epson calls 4K PRO-UHD. In practice this renders fine detail well but is not the same as a true 4K panel.

Epson quotes 3,000 lumens for both colour and white output. That matters because many single-chip projectors lose colour brightness in comparison to their headline figure, and it means colours stay vivid in a moderately lit room. It handles HDR10 and HLG, and the 1.62x manual zoom with lens shift makes it easy to position, projecting from 40 to 500 inches.

The 250 W lamp is rated for 3,500 hours, or 5,000 in economy mode, so replacements are a running cost. The two 10 W stereo speakers are better than most, though a dedicated sound system is still advisable.

There is no built-in smart system, so you will need a streaming stick or box in one of the two HDMI ports. At 6.9 kg it is best installed permanently on a shelf or ceiling mount.

It is an older design, so check current retailer prices against newer laser and LED alternatives before buying.

The M2 Pro is Hisense's smallest 4K laser projector, a squat box of about 3.9 kg that is easy to move between rooms but is designed to sit on a table or shelf rather than be carried about on battery. It uses a red, green and blue laser light source, which is the main reason to choose it over cheaper LED rivals: colours are rich and the claimed 1,300 ANSI lumens is enough for a darkened living room.

The feature list is generous. It decodes Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG and HDR10+, offers an HDMI 2.1 input with auto low-latency mode and an eARC port for a soundbar, and adds Ethernet and a USB 3.0 port. The maker quotes 12 ms input lag in Game Mode, but independent measurements point to that applying at 1080p, with a figure nearer 30 ms at 4K 60 Hz, so competitive gamers should look at the detail.

The built-in 2 x 10 W speakers are decent for casual viewing. The software is VIDAA, which covers the big streaming services but has a thinner app catalogue than Google TV, so some people will add a stick.

The throw ratio is flexible, with a roughly 2.2 to 2.9 m distance for a 100-inch picture according to retailer and calculator figures. It is a sensible step-up for people who want laser colour in a small body and can control room light.

The CineBeam Q is designed to look as good on a shelf as it works on a wall. It weighs about 1.5 kg, has a built-in carry handle, and uses a three-channel RGB laser with 4K resolution, which is an unusual mix at this size. LG's webOS is built in, so the main streaming apps are available without extra hardware, and the picture can be sent from phones and laptops over wireless screen mirroring.

Brightness is the limit. The maker claims 500 ANSI lumens, which suits a dark bedroom or living room with the curtains drawn, but it will not compete with daylight, and the 50 to 120 inch image size range suggests it is not meant for huge screens. HDR is not listed as a headline feature and the maker notes it does not work over the USB-C connection.

Sound is another compromise. A single 3 W speaker is enough for a quick video but not a film, so most owners will use Bluetooth speakers or the HDMI ARC output with a soundbar. With only one HDMI port, adding a console and a streaming box means swapping cables or buying a switch.

LG has since released a successor, the PU600U, so this older model may be worth buying only if the price is right. It is a good pick for people who want a tidy, low-fuss 4K projector for a bedroom or small lounge.