The 6 Best Gaming Projectors of 2019

Projectors aren’t just good for business presentations or movies; they can be great for gaming too. Playing a video game on a huge projection screen can be a more immersive experience than playing on a computer monitor or television.

Whether you want to organize a game tournament or fill your bedroom wall with the land of Skyrim, there’s a projector out there for you. In this list, we’ve selected the best gaming projectors that offer low response times and sharp video quality.

1. Best Overall Gaming Projector:
Optoma GT1080Darbee

The Optoma GT1080Darbee strikes a great balance between performance and value, which is why it’s our pick for the best overall gaming projector.

It has a special gaming mode that keeps input lag at a low 16ms. This minimizes the delay between your controller and what you’re seeing on-screen. This is ideal when playing games that rely on response time, such as first-person shooters and fighting games.

This model also has excellent video quality. It has a contrast ratio of 28,000:1, displaying deep blacks that look great in games with night environments; especially great for horror games. Movies and TV shows will also look great thanks to its accurate color reproduction. It also has 3,000 lumens of brightness so visuals will look sharp and vibrant even during the day.

Since gaming sessions can typically go on for hours at a time, it also offers a host of energy-saving features. The GT1080Darbee has 8,000 hours of lamp life, so it should last you for a long time even with heavy use.

It’s also a short-throw projector which makes it ideal for people that don’t have a large room to project from a distance. It can project a 100-inch screen from just 3.5 feet away. You can likely even set it up to project to your bedroom wall.

2. Best 3D Gaming Projector:
Sony VPL-HW45ES

If you’re looking for the best projector for gaming that can display stereoscopic 3D games and movies, look no further than the Sony VPL-HW45ES. It is RD 3D compatible, similar to Sony’s 3D TVs. When displayed on a sufficiently large surface, it’s almost like going to a 3D movie in the theater.

This particular model has a 1.6x zoom ratio and a wide lens shift range that gives you a lot of flexibility as to where to install it. You can easily make adjustments and get the perfect screen size regardless of the room that you’re placing it in.

It has a quick response rate that caters well to games of all types. The VPL-HW45ES is also equipped with Sony’s Motionflow system. This makes various details clear, even when there’s a lot of movement on-screen.

Its image quality is also strong, with a very high 60,000:1 ratio. This not only makes the picture extremely vivid but also helps to sharpen and brighten the images of 3D movies.

3. Best Versatile Projector:
BenQ HT2150ST

The BenQ HT2150ST is a highly versatile option. Along with providing a smooth, lag-free gaming experience, it has strong color accuracy and can deliver rich colors when paired with a good projection screen. Video content also looks great on this screen.

The HT2150ST is a short-throw projector that can project to a 100-inch screen from just three feet away. Taken further, it can project to a screen up to 300 inches. The larger screen sizes are great for gaming tournaments or events with a large audience.

This projector can display up to a 1920×1080 HD resolution with a 15,000:1 contrast ratio. There are several modes that automatically select the perfect settings and enhances the image depending on what you’re viewing.

There are two HDMI slots available that you can quickly switch between. This is ideal if you have more than one device that you want to hook up, such as multiple consoles or PCs.

4. Best Android Gaming Projector:
JMGO N7

If you want to game, but you don’t have a gaming PC or a console, the JMGO N7 might interest you. It’s a standalone projector that comes equipped with Android out of the box. That means you can install games and streaming apps, watch videos, and play music without an external device.

This unit also comes with its own internal storage, a quad-core CPU, and dual-band Wi-Fi. You can also use a wired ethernet cable if you want a faster connection. If you have video files lying around on a flash drive, you can plug USB 2.0 and 3.0 devices into the system.

That said, if you want to go the conventional route and plug in an external device, it also has HDMI input. Its 1080p resolution and 9000:1 contrast ratio makes it a competent projector in its own right.

The N7 boasts strong sound quality with two Dolby Digital 5W stereo speakers with a wide-range sound output. It also functions as a Bluetooth speaker, so you can connect your phone and start streaming music.

5. Best Living Room Projector:
ViewSonic PX700HD

The ViewSonic PX700HD is a cost-effective option with many features of the more expensive models. Since it isn’t a short-throw projector, you’ll need to find enough space for it. However, if you’re looking for a projector for your PS4 or Xbox One located in a big living room, this is definitely the best video game projector going.

This unit offers a 1920×1080 resolution and a screen size of up to 300 inches. It also has an above-average 3,500 lumens of brightness, so the projection should be clear even if your room has a lot of daylight.

ViewSonic’s power-saving features give the PX700HD a lamp life of up to 15,000 hours, which is ideal if you want it to replace a standard TV set. You can also plug in two separate HDMI inputs.

In addition to the short response time that provides a smooth gaming experience, it’s also great for all-around media consumption. There’s a dedicated sports mode that enhances detail, so you can easily recognize players and plays on your screen.

6. Best Cheap Gaming Projector:
Optoma HD143X

If you don’t have nearly a thousand dollars to spend on a gaming projector, the Optoma HD143X is a great, affordable pick. It delivers solid video quality regardless of content, including minimizing input lag for games.

The HD143X features a flexible zoom and throw ratio. That means you can make quick adjustments to the screen size and distance without having to move the projector itself. It also avoids a lot of the headache that comes with trying to position your projection in the right spot.

The picture quality is no slouch either. Colors are vivid, and blacks are deep thanks to the 23,000:1 contrast ratio and the 1920×1080 resolution. There’s also a 10 watt speaker if you want to output audio in a pinch.

It’s also a fairly compact unit that’s easy to carry around. The device weighs just 5.5 pounds, so you can travel with it if you want to play games or watch movies outside the house.

The Best Gaming Projector for You

There are a lot of factors to weigh when picking a projector, such as the video quality, the price, and the size of your room. You should take all of these into consideration before picking one.

If you just need an affordable, regular projector, the ones above might be a bit outside your price range. In that case, you should check our list of the best cheap projectors.

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