Updated On Oct 2024
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Not long ago, projectors were considered the equipment generally meant for specific usage; however, as the advancement broke in many fields, their use also got extensive. From a mini projector to a 4K projector, now you find the end number of varieties of projector out there on the market and each caters to a specific audience.
A projector consists of an inverted camera, which rather than receiving light throws it through a lens. It then projects images or moving images generally onto a projection screen. The most common kind of projectors come into use is called video projectors. To give you clarity, the read follows focuses on various projectors and the aspects a user must consider before buying.
Before buying a projector, you must consider different factors consisting of types, quality, build and designs, usage, etc. Each one fulfills certain requirements, and to know your best match, the quick read below about the best projector has been curated based on general users’ extensive and various requirements.
Types of Projectors
It’s a fact that the market is full of a variety of projectors, and this availability in volumes puts the buyers into deep confusion to choose the best video projector. Besides the aforementioned few types of projectors, they fall in the following kinds:
DLP stands for Digital Light Processing comes with a chip made of small microscopic mirrors and a spinning color wheel. As far as the image quality is concerned, it guarantees sharp projection and quality response time. The three-chip DLP is the best in two aspects; 1. remove the rainbow effect, 2. without spoiling the pixel spacing.
This one stands for Liquid Crystal Display, and the white light it throws is diverted into three basic colors; red, green, and blue. The light passes through three individual LCD panels, and it composes a recognizable color. If we simplify it, an LCD projector works like a slide projector. Not the slides, but small liquid crystal elements create the projected image.
Generally, a projector, which uses LED, is referred to as an LED projector. Providing better color control than standard lamps, these projectors turn out to be ideal for presentations and group meetings. They are also widely used in pico projectors, and are pretty quiet in terms of the operations and come with smaller footprints in comparison with standard lamps because energy-efficient LEDs generally do not need a fan for cooling.
Application
The very first question you must address is what is the purpose of the projector you want to buy. There are many varied criteria for a variety of applications a projector can be brought into use, and these you need to bring into consideration.
Brightness
The brightness of a projector is measured by ANSI lumens. An HD projector generally has 2K lumens while a home theater projector comes at 1K lumens and ranges between 2500 lumens and more. The spot where you want to place it is the one based on that you should always consider the lumens. Dedicated spaces (rooms with controlled lighting and no natural light) do not need high brightness levels as it requires at spaces with ambient light.
Resolution
This is the most crucial feature you must check before buying such a product because this is what decides the image quality and enhances the viewing experience. At the moment, Wide XGA (1280 x 800) and HD (1920 x 1080) are the most common projector resolutions. An HD (1920 x 1080) projector has approx double the number of pixels of a Wide XGA projector. Higher pixels mean a gleaming sharp image and better compatibility with high-definition sources.
Lens Zoom
If you are setting up your portable projector at various spots where you will not often have control over the screen size or placement of it, you can use the lens zoom to adjust the image size. By adjusting the lens zoom, you will not have to move the projector closer or farther away from the screen to adjust the image size.
The higher the zoom ratio, the larger the image will be. For instance, a 1.2x zoom creates an image up to 20% higher than the minimum size. A 2.0x zoom projects an image twice the minimum size. It’s a fact that not all projectors have a lens zoom; pico projectors, for instance, always exclude the lens zoom to make the projector as close-packed as possible.
Product Support and Reliability
These two factors are crucial to check before buying any projector. You must go for a branded manufacturer so that you get sublime product support and reliability. Optoma projector and Epson projector are two reliable brands that offer customer-friendly 24x7 product support.
Optional Features
3D Technology
There are projectors loaded with 3D technology available these days. These 3D projectors allow you to enjoy the full emersion in the picture. A 3D-ready projector gets easily attached to other 3D-compatible devices for a mindblowing 3D experience on a larger screen. Some brands offer 3D-compatible features in their projectors, while others need a 3D emitter to show 3D content.
Price
The cost is one of the crucial factors every buyer should consider to buy the best budget projector. The price of a projector varies depending on many factors, which include brand, features, warranty, size to an extent, etc. However, a budget projector you can find at the cost of £21.99 while a premium projector costs £999 or above. The price of 4K projector starts from £199.99 and above, whereas a pocket projector’s priced at £36.98.
Warranty
Generally, you get 12 months manufacturer warranty. However, if you want peace of mind, always go for a warranty that covers maintenance and repairs. In addition, some manufacturers offer a one-time build replacement, so check on that note as well.
Final Verdict
To conclude, the major aspect that surfaces after analyzing each aspect of buying a home projector is that you should understand your requirements before making your mind to buy this. Whether you need a light projector or a 12v projector, everything depends on your specific usage and requirements. We are sure that the read above has given you enough clarity on the subject; however, if you are still confused, find out our top 10 list of projectors listed below which has been curated to help you out to decide the best one.