The Best Cheap Projectors of 2023 for Fun Movie Nights

Here are the best cheap projectors that you need to check out.

Picking a projector is challenging, as so much depends on the room you’re putting it in and how you use it, whether you want to set it up as a home theater for the family or outdoor camping trips and business presentations. You’ll also want to know what you need to look for in terms of projector resolution and brightness for your intended purposes.

A cheap projector can be a great way to spice up a living room or bedroom without breaking the bank.

Best Overall

Vankyo Leisure 3

4.2

Walmart

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What We Like

• 1920×1080 image resolution

• Quiet fans

• Supports HDMI, VGA, and AV cables, plus SD and USB drives

• Comes with a carry case for easy transporting

What We Don’t Like

• Needs propping up when aiming at an angle

• Speaker quality isn’t great

• No wireless connectivity for smart devices

Vankyo Leisure 3 Review

The Vankyo Leisure 3 is a solid choice for an affordable projector with all of the usual features. It comes with its own carry case and HDMI ports, AV, and VGA ports, cables, which means that you won’t need to make any additional connector purchases. It also features SD and USB ports to view media from a card or stick and is very easy to set up, whether connecting a laptop, smart device, or video game console.

Using the built-in operating system to navigate the settings and options with the included remote is pretty intuitive. However, the stand is quite small, which means you may need to prop it up on a table or desk with something to get the angle you want. The 2,000:1 contrast ratio provides solid picture quality, but the brightness level is surprisingly dimmer than what one would expect from a projector boasting 2,400 lumens.

The built-in speaker is unlikely to impress those used to high-quality speaker systems or even a good built-in laptop speaker. Fortunately, the Vankyo Leisure 3 has a 3.5mm cable port which allows for a connection to an external speaker. You can also bypass the built-in speaker by exporting your audio directly from the source device, such as your computer or streaming stick.

Resolution: 1920×1080 | Brightness: 2400 lumens | Contrast ratio: 2000:1 | Projection size: 170 inches

Tested by Lifewire

While there were certain design features of the Vankyo Leisure 3 we appreciated, we couldn’t help but think that the projector felt and looked like a cheap toy. When adjusting the focus, we noticed that the lens was wobbly and did not fit tightly in the case. At only 4 feet, the power cord is annoyingly short and we had to get an extension cord to use the projector. We did like the carrying case that came with the projector—it fits everything inside including the cables and remote. We found the setup process simple and quick. Surprisingly, the projection was nice and clear with decent color and contrast. The bulb is not very bright, though, and the only way to get a decent projection is in a very dark room. In general, we would say this projector is not suitable for business situations. Don’t expect much when it comes to the two 2W built-in speakers; we found them basically useless. They are thin, tinny, harsh, and they blend in with the fan noise. Luckily the projector has a headphone port that acts as an audio output, but we opted to connect a laptop to a portable Bluetooth speaker and use that as our audio source instead. — Benjamin Zeman, Product Tester

Lifewire / Benjamin Zeman 

Best Short Throw

BenQ HT2150ST Projector

4.3

Amazon

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What We Like

• 2,200 ANSI lumens and 15,000:1 contrast ratio

• The 1:1.69 foot throw ratio is great for small spaces

• Low latency is great for gaming

• Loads of ports

What We Don’t Like

• A bit more expensive than other budget projectors

• No wireless connectivity

• No 4K projection option

BenQ HT2150ST Review

The BenQ HT2150ST is admittedly on the higher end of the cheap projector category, but It’s still worth considering, especially if you want a good projector for playing video games. This model boasts incredibly low latency with just a 16ms input lag, which means very little delay from when you press a video game controller button to when the action happens on-screen.

This budget projector also boasts a 1:1.69 foot throw ratio that gives you an extra 2 feet of image for every foot away from the wall or screen that the projector sits. This ratio is good as it will allow you to make a sizable projection when used in a small place such as a child’s bedroom or tent.

The 2,200 ANSI lumens allow the BenQ HT2150ST to put on a generally solid show in dimly-lit rooms while the support for 1080p resolution and 15,000:1 contrast ratio produces a projection with solid colors and fine details.

Where this projector really impresses is with its range of ports. With two HDMI ports, a USB-A port, a USB Mini-B port, 3.5mm input and output audio jacks, an RS-232 control port, and a PC VGA port, very few devices won’t be able to connect to the BenQ HT2150ST.

Resolution: 1920 x 1080 | Brightness: 2,200 ANSI Lumens | Contrast ratio: 15,000:1 | Projection size:up to 300 inches

Tested by Lifewire

One of the best parts of the BenQ HT2150ST is its short throw lens, giving buyers a fantastic projection experience that will work in just about any room configuration. A 1.2x zoom gives you a decent amount of play with your picture size, allowing for more flexibility in projector placement. This might not seem like a huge deal at first, but once we started setting up the projector and dealing with the practicalities of finding the best placement and projection surface, we quickly felt the benefits of this feature. An equally important design feature for some, even though it is not highlighted quite as often, is noise. The BenQ performs very well in this category, delivering whisper-quiet fan performance and doing a great job of creating as few distractions as possible. Image quality is definitely the main attraction for the HT2150ST. The picture is bright and sharp from corner to corner, with excellent color and contrast performance. The only place the HT2150ST loses marks is with brightness uniformity. It might not be plainly visible during normal use, but during testing, the difference in luminance from edge to edge is definitely noticeable. The audio is noticeably better than most other projectors we’ve tested, but that’s a fairly low bar. — Jonno Hill, Product Tester

 Lifewire / Jonno Hill

Best for Phones

TopVision T21

Amazon

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What We Like

• HDMI, USB, VGA, and AV ports

• Built-in surround sound speakers

• 2000:1 contrast ratio

What We Don’t Like

• No wireless casting option

• Physical design is a bit clunky

The Topvision T21 is an affordable projector designed for working with smartphones, tablets, and laptops. It can connect to devices via HDMI, USB, VGA, and AV and mirror their displays on a wall or screen in 1080p resolution.

The 3,600 lumens and 2000:1 contrast ratio create a rather good quality projection that’s sharp and bright. The built-in speakers offer basic surround sound that won’t compete with a proper speaker system but are more than enough for casual movie viewings. That’s not bad for such a budget-friendly projector.

Resolution: 1920×1080 | Brightness: 3600 lumens | Contrast ratio: 2000:1 | Projection size: 176 inches

Lifewire / Erika Rawes

Best Portable

Kodak Luma 150 Pocket Projector

Amazon

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What We Like

• Extremely portable and easy to carry

• Touch controls feel modern and premium

• Support for wireless casting from smart devices

What We Don’t Like

• 480p resolution is really low

• Low 1,000:1 contrast ratio

• 60 ANSI lumens isn’t very bright

The disappointing 480p resolution on Kodak’s Luma 150 projector rules it out as a primary home cinema projector, but its small size and stylish build make it an ideal solution as a projector for traveling, attending gatherings, or the occasional presentation with a client on-location.

In addition to the usual HDMI and USB connections, the Luma 150 also supports wireless casting from Apple, Android, and Windows devices. The 60 ANSI lumen hardware and low 1,000:1 contrast ratio do limit projections to smaller and darker spaces, but its convenient size and support for tripods also add extra functionality that many may find are worth the trade-off. If you’re after an inexpensive portable projector, the Luma 150 is worth a look.

Resolution: 854×480 | Brightness: 60 ANSI lumens | Contrast ratio: 1000:1 | Projection size: 150 inches

“This is a fun and stylish projector that would make a great gift for my nieces, and I like that it works both wirelessly and with Bluetooth.” — Katie Dundas, Tech Writer

The Best Projector Screens for Outstanding Viewing at Home

Best Outdoor Projector

Anker Nebula Capsule Max

Amazon

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What We Like

• Can natively run Android apps

• 720p projection resolution

What We Don’t Like

• Will need a dark space with just 200 ANSI lumens

• Low contrast ratio at 400:1

• Only four hours of battery life

The Anker Nebula Capsule Max projector features the usual HDMI and USB ports for connecting media, but its real claim to fame is its built-in support for the Android operating system, which allows it to run Android apps natively. You don’t need to connect another device to the Nebula Capsule Max for streaming content nor worry about copyright-protected content when casting Netflix or Disney Plus. You can run your favorite apps directly from the projector itself as if it’s a tablet or smart TV. You will need to use the Nebula Capsule Max smartphone app to control the apps you run on the projector, though.

Another benefit of the Nebula Capsule Max project is its size. The size of a soda can, this cheap projector is very easy to pack for a trip and store at home when not in use. The Anker isn’t perfect, though. Offering just four hours of battery life, it’ll need to be plugged into a power source very regularly. Its low lumen count can also affect its visibility in bright environments.

Resolution: 1280×720 | Brightness: 200 ANSI lumens | Contrast ratio: 400:1 | Projection size: 100 inches

Lifewire / Erika Rawes

The 8 Best Mini Projectors of 2023

Best Budget

Philips NeoPix Easy Projector

Amazon

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What We Like

• Support for HDMI, VGA, microSD, and USB inputs

• 3.5mm audio output for headphones and speakers

• Solid contrast ratio of 3,000:1

What We Don’t Like

• The 480p resolution is really disappointing

• No support for VGA connections

• No wireless functionality

The Philips NeoPix Easy is a budget projector worth looking at though it definitely isn’t for everyone. While it does support HDMI, VG, USB, and MicroUSB sources, the output resolution is only 480p. It’s a long cry from a proper 1080p HD resolution and an even further cry from what’s available with a high-end 4K projector. This low resolution will likely be a deal-breaker if you want to watch movies and TV shows in high quality but this also shouldn’t bother children or casual viewers who don’t have an experienced eye for image quality.

There is no AV port on the Philips NeoPix Easy but the projector does come with an AV adaptor so you will still be able to use an AV source if that’s what you prefer.

The 40 ANSI lumens may also be an issue for media enthusiasts as this rather low ANSI lumen count does decrease the projection brightness in rooms that aren’t completely dark. The 3,000:1 contrast ratio is solid, however, and the 3.5mm audio output does let you use your own speakers for audio.

Resolution: 800×480 | Brightness: 40 ANSI lumens | Contrast ratio: 3000:1 | Projection size: 80 inches