Buying a projector? Read this first to make sure you're getting your money's worth

Summary

LCD projectors offer high brightness and clear image quality but may have limited color accuracy and blurring issues.
DLP projectors are durable and compact with fantastic image quality but can display the Rainbow Effect and have limited brightness and zoom capabilities.
LCoS projectors provide top-notch picture quality and resolution with the best contrast ratios but are pricier, heavier, and may cause motion blur.

Choosing the best projector for your needs is more complicated than ever — countless options are available with different display technologies that it’s easy to get lost in the acronyms. There are 4K options for home theater experiences or portable outdoor models, and definitely some cinephiles out there that may have dedicated dark rooms with surround sound systems. Meanwhile, casual users might want to just simply enjoy outdoor movie nights, or office workers may need a smart projector for on-the-road presentations.

So, which projector technology is best? The answer isn’t clear-cut, and many variables, such as price, use, and overall lifespan, come into play. I’ll work to clarify things by listing the most common projector display technologies and lighting sources with their strengths and weaknesses to help you make the best buying decision.

Don’t buy a new projector without checking for these features first

Thinking of buying a new projector? You should consider these seven features before deciding.

1 Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)

Simple and effective functionality

Kodak Luma 150 wireless projector front.

LCD projectors work similarly to many TVs and computer monitors. A light source shines onto three liquid crystal display panels corresponding to red, green, and blue primary colors. The three beams are combined through a prism to create the on-screen image. LCD projectors offer high brightness levels and are known for displaying clear image quality with vivid colors.

They also offer several advantages, like being inexpensive compared to other projector types and operating relatively quietly. However, they also have disadvantages, such as limited color accuracy, contrast ratios, and a tendency to blur images.

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2 Digital Light Processing (DLP)

Moving mirrors to create an image

Digital Light Processing (DLP) projectors usually have an LED or laser light source that directs a white light beam toward a spinning color wheel. The color wheel separates the white light into three primary colors, red, blue, and green, and focuses them on a part called the Digital Micromirror Device (DMD). The DMD comprises millions of tiny mirrors corresponding to the individual pixels displayed in the image. Each mirror moves thousands of times between an on and off position, reflecting the light through the lens to create the projector image.

The main advantages of DLP projectors are that they are durable, compact, and lightweight. They also offer fantastic image quality, high color accuracy, and fast response times. On the other hand, they provide limited brightness and zoom.

DLP projectors are also prone to the Rainbow Effect, which displays flashing colors on the screen that can irritate some users.

Don’t buy a new projector without checking for these features first

Thinking of buying a new projector? You should consider these seven features before deciding.

3 Liquid Crystal on Silicon (Lcos)

Amazing picture quality at a price

Dangbei Atom projector sitting on a table.

Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LCos) projectors separate the light source into primary colors and direct it to parts called imagers corresponding to red, green, and blue. The light passes through the LCD layer of the imager onto a mirror surface behind it and is then reflected back through the cells again. After passing through the imager, the light is reflected through a prism, which combines the three colors into the image.

LCoS projectors offer the best picture quality and resolution, as well as the best contrast ratios and black levels.

LCoS projectors offer the best picture quality and resolution, fantastic contrast ratios, and black levels, and they often have varying light output to match the room’s ambient lighting. All these features come at a higher cost, making LCoS projectors pricier than other types. They are also bigger and heavier than the alternatives and can sometimes cause motion blur.

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4 Lasers

The latest projector technology

All the projector types I’ve mentioned so far typically use lamps or LEDs as their light source and require a filter to display different colors, but laser projectors work differently. They create light directly from three laser beams corresponding to red, green, and blue. These lasers then hit the DMD chip, and the light is reflected through the lens to create a picture.

Laser projectors are often brighter — and more energy efficient — than lamp and LED-based alternatives because of their direct light source. They also offer the best color accuracy, clarity, and resolution. Most laser projectors are reliable, require no maintenance, and have a long life expectancy of up to 30,000 hours. The drawbacks do include the cost and that they tend to be bulkier than other types.

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5 Lamps

Bright and reliable

Lamp projectors use high-intensity bulbs that send white light through the LCD or DLP to create different colors. They are the most affordable projector type, producing high brightness and excellent color accuracy. However, they aren’t the most efficient and are known for generating excess heat.

Lamp projectors require more maintenance because the bulbs have a limited lifespan of around 2,000 to 5,000 hours before needing to be replaced.

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The Nebula Mars 3 projector is a decent outdoor projector from the Anker subsidiary, and performs best in the dark of night.

6 LED

Efficient and long-lasting

A projector tilted upwards on its stand on a table.

LED projectors generate light using light-emitting diodes like those in modern TVs. The diodes emit red, blue, and green light for improved efficiency and color accuracy. Most LED projectors require less power than lamp-based alternatives and have a longer lifespan of around 30,000 hours. LEDs are also more compact and are often used in portable projectors.

Depending on the model. LED projectors often have lower brightness than laser and lamp-based rivals. They are also known for average color accuracy, which is changing as technology progresses.