The 8 Best Projectors Under $500 in 2022 – Best Affordable Projectors

A home theater projector can transform your entertainment system, allowing you to create an immersive, cinema-style viewing experience at a cost that’s far less than a new LED or OLED TV. While you might need to spend at least $1,000 for a one of the best projectors, you can still find plenty of great projectors for less than $500. Most projectors in this range deliver impressive image quality, lots of connectivity options, portability options, and flexible controls.

But even in the sub-$500 category, there are important differences to consider. To help you find the right projector for a home, office, or on-the-go setup, we’ve compiled a list of the 10 best.

The Best Projectors Under $500

What to Consider

When looking for a projector that costs less than $500, keep an eye out for these specs and features: screen size, brightness/lumens, LCD versus DLP, resolution, throw distance, connectivity (HDMI, USB, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi). If you plan to take the projector with you, you’ll also want to consider specs like size and weight.

Also, bear in mind that projectors as a whole have their limitations when compared with TVs; they simply cannot match the color, brightness, or contrast performance of modern HD or 4K LED TVs. A few more things to consider:

• All projectors have a minimum or maximum screen size, which means you should know the size of the surface you intend to project onto before buying anything. You’ll also want to have an idea of how far the projector will be from the surface—known as the “throw distance.”
• Brightness, measured in lumens, is extra important for projectors because it affects the quality of the image as well as its size. If you can, look for or convert the lumens rating to ANSI lumens, which is a more accurate reading.
• LCD projectors generally deliver sharper, more colorful images, but DLP units are simple, cheaper, and more portable. Consider the difference when choosing between more expensive projectors.

How We Selected

Although the concept is simple enough, projectors serve a variety of purposes. In selecting the best models, we made sure to include something for everyone. Whether you’re looking for a presentation tool, a portable gaming display, or a home theater setup, there’s a projector here for you.

We combed through user reviews, independent reviews, and product specs to identify the most promising models. We then narrowed the list down based on the above-mentioned criteria: screen size, brightness/lumens, LCD vs. DLP, resolution, throw distance, ease of use, and connectivity. As for other features like lens shift, motorized zoom, and keystone correction—those are all nice perks, but they may or may not be available in this price range, so we didn’t necessarily require them.

For more easy ways to upgrade your viewing experience, check out our picks for the best projectors, outdoor movie screens, and outdoor speakers.