How to Choose a 4K Projector
The 4K Projector brings a new level of detail to movies, television, gaming, photos, and text. Fine details like skin texture, individual leaves and stray hairs appear sharper and more realistic.
Many of the best 4K projectors are HDR-capable. Support for HDR allows you to enjoy a wider color gamut than standard SDR content.
Resolution
When you are looking at buying a projector, it’s essential to look at the resolution it offers. 4K has a higher number of pixels than 1080p, which makes the image sharper and more detailed. This is important for displaying movies, pictures, and texts on the screen. In addition, 4K is used in many new gaming consoles and TVs to improve the image quality.
There is a lot of jargon surrounding projector resolution – which, if you’re not an expert, can be difficult to understand. You’ll hear about 4K, UHD, pixel shifting, and more. It’s important to know the difference between these terms before making your purchase, as they can have a significant impact on your experience.
A true or native 4K projector will display 8.3 million pixels on the screen – 4K Projector four times more than the previous standard. This gives the viewer a stunning image with remarkable clarity and detail. However, it also comes at a premium price.
Luckily, there are cheaper options available that still offer high-quality images. JVC’s and Epson’s 4K-enhanced projectors, for example, start with standard 1080p chips and use a system called pixel shift to significantly increase the apparent resolution of the image. These systems are referred to by JVC as e-shift and Epson as 4K enhancement. It’s worth noting that these projectors can only be used with 4K source material and cannot upscale or decode lower resolution content.
Brightness
When shopping for a 4K projector, look for a model that offers enough brightness to match the size of your room’s screen. The amount of brightness a projector produces is measured in lumens, and higher numbers indicate brighter images. For a dark home theater setup, 2000 lumens or lower should suffice, but for spaces with ambient light, a higher level of luminosity is required to overcome the light and maintain picture quality.
The brightness of a projector can also be affected by the quality of its lamp and color wheel. A high wattage bulb can provide a higher brightness output, but this may be at the expense of color performance. For a true cinematic experience, look for a projector that offers a high brightness with a balanced color performance.
Some 4K projectors can support HDR video, which allows for a greater range of brightness between the brightest and darkest areas of an image. This feature requires specially formatted content and a projector that supports HDR.
A 4K projector with a hermetically sealed DMD block, shielded laser drive and filterless cooling system is designed to last longer and keep picture quality high, even in harsh environments. The filterless design reduces maintenance time and costs by eliminating the need for a filtered replacement. Its industrial-grade laser engine is backed by a 3 year warranty for added peace of mind.
Contrast
The contrast of a projector measures the difference between its darkest and brightest pixels, and it’s one of the most important factors in image quality. A high contrast ratio makes images appear sharp and natural, while a low contrast ratio causes them to look flat and washed out. To avoid this, choose a projector that has a good native contrast ratio or has an automatic (or dynamic) iris to adjust the brightness and black level on demand to match the content being displayed.
Ideally, a 4K projector will have high contrast and brightness to produce the best image possible. However, the amount of brightness and contrast that a projector has depends on its use case and environment. For example, if you plan to use the projector in a bright room, you should choose a model that prioritizes light output over contrast. Alternatively, if you’re planning to use the projector in a dark home theater, you should choose a model that focuses on contrast and color accuracy.
The ViewSonic X2-4K is an excellent choice for anyone looking to buy a short-throw 4K projector. Its short-throw design bluetooth projector allows it to create a 100-inch image from just 5 feet away, making it ideal for apartments and smaller entertainment rooms. The X2-4K also has theater-level speakers and a low blue light ratio that helps to reduce eyestrain from prolonged viewing.
Inputs
A 4K projector has multiple inputs to allow you to connect a variety of media sources, including video players and gaming consoles. Most have HDMI 2.0 inputs that support a 4K signal at 60 Hz, while a few offer more modern HDMI 2.1 connectivity, which supports a faster 4K HDR signal at up to 18 Gbps.
For high-quality audio, look for a projector with at least one HDMI port that supports Dolby Digital Plus and DTS-HD Master Audio. Many of these models also have dual 10W speakers for an immersive cinematic experience. Some have built-in digital zoom for flexible image adjustment, while others come with an optional lens attachment for widescreen cinematic projection.
If you plan on using a projector for gaming, look for one with low input lag. This is the time delay between the input signal and the onscreen image, and it’s important for smooth and responsive gameplay. Most high-end 4K projectors offer game modes that lower the lag to less than 20 ms, which is below the threshold that most gamers consider acceptable.
The X2-4K’s high light output and good-sounding speaker make it a solid option for brighter rooms. Its lack of advanced picture controls and 3D support could be a dealbreaker for some buyers, though. That’s especially true if you have a large collection of 3D movies and need to play them back in their original format.