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How to choose a projector in 2026

Home projectors finally caught up to TVs for casual viewing, but still trail meaningfully for HDR and contrast. The Mars Score weights brightness, resolution, contrast ratio, light source type, throw geometry, and HDMI 2.1 support.

Light source: laser vs lamp vs LED

Laser (Epson EpiqVision LS800, JMGO N1S Ultra 4K) lasts 20,000+ hours, hits high brightness instantly, and avoids the lamp-replacement cost cycle. Traditional UHP lamps (BenQ TK860i) are cheaper up front but require $200–$300 lamp swaps every ~3,000–5,000 hours. LED is rare in the high-brightness segment but excels in compact portable projectors.

Brightness: ANSI lumens vs marketing lumens

ANSI lumens is a measured, standardized figure. "Light source lumens" and similar phrases are unstandardized and frequently inflated 2–3×. Reasonable home projector ANSI ranges: 1,500–2,500 for a darkened room, 3,000–4,000 for a living room with ambient light, 5,000+ for daytime / bright environments.

Ultra short throw vs long throw

UST projectors (Epson LS800) sit 4–8 inches from the wall and project 100–150" — they replace TVs without a ceiling mount. Long-throw projectors need 8–15 feet of distance for the same image but cost less and often deliver better contrast.

Contrast and HDR

Native contrast ratio matters far more than the "dynamic" or "full on/off" numbers in marketing. 2,000:1 native is typical for DLP; 10,000:1+ is JVC laser territory. Most HDR-claiming projectors do not have the contrast to render HDR convincingly.

Smart OS and HDMI 2.1

Built-in Google TV / Android TV reduces dongle clutter but updates slowly. HDMI 2.1 with 4K 120 Hz support matters for console gaming (PS5, Xbox Series X); check the spec, not just the "HDMI 2.1" badge.

Speakers: usually skip the built-ins

Even premium projector speakers are mediocre. Pair with a soundbar or external audio.

How vsMars scores projectors

Each score combines brightness, resolution, contrast, light source life, throw geometry, and HDMI 2.1 features per the methodology. Compare against TVs before committing to a projector-first setup.