What Is The Best 4K Projector For 2024?

Cinephiles and big screen addicts still yearn for that immersive experience you could only find on the silver screen at their local cinema. But with the power of at-home projection these movie lovers are able to create that same feeling they'd find at a commercial theater of fully diving into films and TV shows.

With the capabilities of a 4K projector you too can achieve this elevation of enjoyment by getting a new projector of your own. 

So what is the best 4K Projector for 2024?

We’ve reviewed dozens of the most exciting UHD projectors, judging them based on price, brightness, color and contrast, usage and a few other criteria to help us pick our favorite projectors. As new 4K projectors in 2024 are released we’ll update our list to give you the most up to date top choices.

Our projection experts picked their choices for various categories like the #1 Ultra Short Throw and top rated gaming projector to give you our picks going into the year for the best 4k projectors of 2024.


Best 4k Projector 2024

We looked at dozens of ultra high definition projectors, comparing their specs, their visuals, their price and several other attributes to give you our top recommendations. These were our choices for the best overall 4K projectors for 2024:


Best Entry Level Projector

If you’re buying your first projector, these 4K options are the way to go. For this category we looked at affordable 4K projectors that still offer very good visuals and provide overall value for your purchase.


4K Projector With The Best Image Quality

For this category we only looked for the best picture and did not take into account cost or any other factor. This is purely based on image. If you're a cinephile who wants the most cinematic picture this is the projector you should get in 2024.


Best UST Projector

Ultra short throw projectors were the hottest trend in projection in 2020. Between 2020 and 2024 several top companies like Samsung, Epson, LG, Optoma, Formovie, BenQ and Hisense released new laser TVs. Going into 2024 these are the best:


Best 4K Gaming Projector

Two years removed from the rollout of the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X, 4K gaming is huge and will continue to be through 2024 and beyond. So, now is the time to get a 4K UHD gaming projector, so you can take full advantage of the ultra high resolution gaming revolution. Here are our two top choices:


Best 2024 Projector For An Apartment

As apartment living becomes more prominent in 2024, big screen enthusiasts are going to need a projector that fits in with the limited amount of space available. Here are our top picks for 2024 4K projectors for apartment living:


How We Picked Our Top 2024 4K Projectors

To be called a top rated projector it must deliver outstanding picture quality, while balancing the cost. A home cinema projector needs to perform in different lighting conditions and situational usages. Of course it also needs to be easy to use and points for style.

We chose our favorite 2024 4k projectors based on these criteria:

  • Picture Quality
    • Contrast Ratio
    • Brightness
    • Color Accuracy
    • Color Gamut
  • Price
  • Light Source
  • What the projector is built for
  • Other Features
    • Size
    • Chassis
    • Connectivity
    • User interface

What is meant by "Picture Quality"?

Picture quality is without a doubt the most important factor  when choosing a projector. There are four aspects to a phenomenal-looking video image. They are the contrast ratio, brightness, color accuracy and color gamut.

Contrast Ratio

Contrast ratio is the difference between the darkest part of the projected image and the lightest part. It is possibly the most important aspect when comparing projectors. A projector with a low contrast ratio will appear flat and boring. It can also make it harder to decipher what’s happening in a darker scene.

Brightness

A projector’s brightness is often considered the second most important factor that makes up the image quality. The light output of a projector determines how bright the image is. If you don’t have enough brightness your image will appear washed out. A cinema room projector doesn’t need to output as many lumens as a regular TV because the light in the room is much more controlled. However in a more well lit environment like a living room, the brightness of the projector becomes very important. Higher brightness also helps with HDR content.

Color Accuracy

The color accuracy of a UHD projector is how true to the source content the colors on the screen appear. If you want to see the image as the director intended you need to get a projector with a high level of color accuracy.

Color Gamut

Color gamut is defined as how many colors a projector can show on a screen. Ultra High Definition content has a much wider color gamut than standard high def, which is a big part of why 4K looks so much better than 1080P. Many cheap 4K projectors lack the ability to fully display the vividness of the reds, greens and blues. Higher end projectors however are completely capable of showing all these different shades of color.


FAQ

What Is 4K Resolution?

The  resolution of a screen tells you just how dense are the tiny dots (aka the pixels) that collectively make up the image you see you. The higher the pixel count the higher the resolution. 4K resolution refers to a horizontal display resolution of approximately 4,000 pixels. With the “K” standing for “kilo” (thousand)

The majority of 4K displays come with a 3840 x 2160 pixel resolution. This is referred to as 4K UHD and is the 4k standard. You can also find 4K media that uses 4096 x 2160 in the movie projection industry. This is called DCI 4k.

What Is A UHD Projector?

A UHD projector is the same as a 4K projector. It’s a projector with a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels. UHD stands for ultra high definition. You can use these terms interchangeably.

How Much Is A 4K Projector?

Most 4K projectors cost between $1,800 to $6,000. There are some higher end ultra high definition projectors that are priced at $9,000 and above. The variation in price is a result of a number of factors including throw distance, picture quality, lamp type, chipset and other features included with projector such as built in sound.

Is It Worth Getting A 4K Projector?

If you want superior picture quality it is definitely worth getting a 4K projector. When you put a UHD image next to a 1080P it’s very easy to see the difference. This is particularly true in 2024 as more media is being broadcast and created in 4K, including Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus and Amazon Prime Videos.

Do You Need A 4K Screen For A 4K Projector?

Yes, in order to get a 4K image from a UHD projector you’re going to need to buy a 4K projector screen or better. If you’re paying for a 2024 projector that’s ultra high definition you want to see the picture in 4K. Using a wall, even a white one, is going to have bumps and imperfections that won’t resolve to the proper number of pictures. Cheap movie screens also do not have a smooth enough surface and will distort your image.

Beware of screens that advertise themselves as “4K Ready” as these cinema screens lack the smoothness to display UHD quality video.

We recommend future proofing your investment in your display surface by getting an 8K or even 16K projection screen. This way, as more and more media content is put out in 8K and 16K you can be ready to upgrade your projector without needing to get a new screen to go along with it.