What to Look For in a 4K Smart Projector

Many people choose to buy a smart projector for its ability to reveal more color details than traditional televisions. This is especially beneficial for people who watch a lot of movies or TV shows.

It is also easy to set up and operate, with preloaded apps for Netflix, YouTube, AppleTV and Amazon Prime Video. It supports Dolby Vision and HDR10 and has good color accuracy, contrast and shadow detail.

Easy to Set Up

Smart projectors have a smaller form factor and require less setup work than standard TVs. They also have a better image resolution and are more portable. This makes them a good choice for home entertainment and movies. They also have the ability to connect with different devices and offer a high-quality audio system. These devices are ideal for home theaters and are compatible with most streaming services.

When looking for a smart projector, consider its brightness and contrast ratio. A higher brightness level is best for a bright room, while a lower contrast rating works better in a dark room. A higher contrast ratio will also give you a more detailed image. You may want to look for a projector that has a keystone correction 4k smart projector feature, which electronically manipulates the image to be more rectangular. However, this can negatively affect the image quality.

If you’re going to be using a smart projector for gaming, it’s important to make sure it has a high frame rate. This will ensure smooth action without any lag. Another important feature is support for HDR, which reveals more color details and offers greater contrast than standard definition. Most projectors support HDR10, but you may also find ones that are equipped with Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG), which is supported by a number of streaming services and is increasingly used for some content on discs.

Easy to Operate

If you’re a gamer, you’ll want to look for a projector with low input lag. That varies by resolution, but it also depends on the refresh rate, which is how many times per second the image is redrawn. Hardcore gamers should aim for a minimum of 17ms, while casual gamers may be comfortable with a slightly higher number.

Most smart projectors have an internal sound system that’s powered by an audio chip. You can connect it to a separate speaker system or use its Bluetooth connectivity to stream from your smartphone or tablet. Some even have a mic, so you can use your voice to control the projector’s features.

Smart projectors with 4K resolution are able to show more intricate details in color than their non-4K counterparts. The high resolution helps create a big, immersive screen while keeping the images clear and crisp from most distances.

While 4K is the most common resolution for smart projectors, some have lower-resolution chips that use pixel shifting to produce a 4K image onscreen. These models cost less, but they will look noticeably softer and less sharp than a full-fledged 4K projector with native 4K chips. If you plan to use a projector for presentations or in classrooms, a 4K model with HDR support is worth considering. That’s because HDR offers more accurate colors and better shadow detail than standard dynamic range (SDR). It can make an important difference if you work with video content often.

Easy to Maintain

Although TVs and desktop monitors have been packing in more pixels for a while now, smart projectors have tended to lag behind in terms of resolution. The good news is that they’re now getting into the price range where 4K (3,840 2,160) resolution is becoming affordable for more people.

Resolution is a big deal, especially with smaller smart projectors that have to squeeze their technology into more compact form factors. It’s important to understand how you’ll be using a smart projector so you can figure out what resolution is the best fit for your purposes.

For example, if you plan to use the projector for gaming and movies, you might want a native 4K resolution that offers an image that is as close as possible to the cinema experience. However, if you’ll be using the projector for presentations, a lower resolution might work better.

Whether you choose a native or pixel-shifting model, the image quality on our top picks is excellent. The 5050UB has the highest contrast we’ve seen in a 1200 ANSI super bright projector budget projector, while the 3800 is bright enough for use in a living room. Both offer great color accuracy, and both are easy to set up and operate.

Unlike most of the competition, these two models use a laser light source, which has several benefits. It’s more environmentally friendly than bulb-based projectors, and it can deliver a brighter image with less heat. It also has a longer lifespan than the average lamp-based projector, which means that you’ll have to replace yours much less often.

Easy to Store

There are no palm-sized 4K projectors on the market at this time, and even most of the “room-to-room portable” models we’ve reviewed are too bulky for briefcases or backpacks. Instead, they’re suitable for carrying from room to room, or even outdoors (with an extension cord) for a backyard movie night. Some also include built-in handles.

Many people who purchase a smart projector do so to re-create a large-screen, home-theater experience with high-quality audio. Unlike TVs, which offer decent onboard audio systems, most projectors have only tolerable sound quality, and they require external speakers for true surround-sound. To remedy this problem, manufacturers have recently added built-in speaker systems to some of their designs.

Some 4K projectors also offer HDR support, which is designed to bring out more of the details in movies, TV shows, and video games. However, it’s important to note that the brightness levels of HDR images vary widely from one projector to the next. So, if you’re considering a particular model, look for reviews that compare the brightness of its HDR images with those of standard dynamic range (SDR) models.

Some buyers may decide against purchasing a 4K smart projector in favor of a less expensive 1080p option. For these consumers, a lower resolution still delivers vivid, richly colored visuals. In addition, for those who frequently use their projectors in bright rooms or outdoors, a lower resolution can help minimize pixelation as ambient light levels increase.