7 Best 4K Projectors For Cinema Quality Viewing In 2021

If you’re building or upgrading your home theater, adding a 4K projector can take your viewing experience to the next level. 

Bringing the theater to your living room requires a projector that combines clarity, scale and quality, ensuring that your movie marathons are top-notch. 

Even smaller rooms can feel larger when using today’s short throw models. All you need are surround sound speakers and you’re good to go.

With one of today’s top 4K projectors, you’ll be hooked the second you settle in to watch your favorite movie. 

Grab some popcorn and transform your living space into your own personal theater with one of our picks for the best 4K projectors.

Top 4K Projectors

Whether you’re looking for affordability, a mind-blowing image or portability, we’ve got you covered. Here are the seven best 4K projectors.

1. Epson Home Cinema 5050 UBe

Resolution: 4K Pro UHD (pixel shift)

HDR: Full 10-bit HDR

Contrast Ratio: 1,000,000:1

Lamp: 2,600 Lumens

With a 3-chip design including advanced 3LCD technology, the Epson Home Cinema 5050 UBe displays 100% of the RGB color signal in every frame. This gives all the colors life while maintaining brightness. 

The 5050 UBe uses pixel-shifting to control three individual high-definition LCD chips that parallel process millions of pixels, which means you get a super sharp 4K visual experience.

This projector stays sharp, so you can effortlessly go from an 80 inch to 120-inch screen or larger. It comes with a 3-axis motorized precision lens, which can shift 47% left to right and 96% up and down after installation. 

Once you set the zoom and focus, you can store all the settings into one of the ten lens memory presets for easy setup every time.

This device comes with the Epson WirelessHD transmitter, which includes a wireless HDMI hub with four inputs. It gives you freedom from needing to run HDMI cables everywhere. 

You’ll be able to connect just about anything and watch with incredible clarity on a huge projector screen. This is the Cadillac of 4K projectors and offers everything you could possibly need.

2. Sony VPL-VW715ES

Resolution: Full 4K

HDR: Yes (dynamic HDR enhancer and HDR reference mode)

Contrast Ratio: 350,000:1

Lamp: 1,800 Lumens

Sony’s X1 image processing uses algorithms to cut noise and boost detail by analyzing every frame, while their HDR enhancer creates a wider contrast scene by scene. 

The overall picture quality has brighter colors and deeper blacks, and Sony really shines a light on contrast with the VPL-VW715ES. Motionflow allows for smooth motion for 4K and HD. 

What makes this 4K projector really great for gamers is the input lag reduction. It allows for faster response times for real-time gaming, whereas some projectors have up to an 11 second lag time. 

We highly recommend either of the Sony models on this list for a quality gaming experience.

This projector offers excellent corner-to-corner sharpness. However, it does require a fiber optic HDMI cable for the best picture quality. 

The picture position memory stores your lens focus, zoom and shift settings for up to five different screen formats. It’s easy to simply set it and adjust it automatically.

3. JVC DLA-NX5

Resolution: native 4K

HDR: Yes

Contrast Ratio: 40,000:1

Lamp: 1,800 Lumens

JVC has some of the best projectors on the market. You really can’t go wrong with any of their D-ILA devices. 

They offer smooth color blending and the best black levels. Their focus on contrast control and HDR support make the picture brilliant, and the native 4K really can’t be beaten.

The fully motorized all-glass zoom lens focuses an image between 60 inches and 200 inches away. Focus, zoom and lens shift can be done from the remote control, moving the picture 34% left to right and 80% up and down. 

We love this capability because you can shift from wherever you’re sitting rather than having to get up, adjust, sit down, check and repeat. 

The motorized lens, to-the-point menu system and usable present picture modes allow for a super easy setup. Keep in mind that it does require proper installation, so check your theater room and plan accordingly. 

We would suggest professional installation since this is an investment piece and you want it tightly secured.

This projector will knock your socks off if you have a light-treated, super dark room. You won’t find picture clarity like this one, but it underperforms in a regular living room and other brightly lit places.

If you are looking for gorgeous pictures in dark rooms, this is the perfect home theater projector.

4. Epson Home Cinema 3200

Resolution: 4K Pro UHD (pixel shift)

HDR: Yes (full 10-bit)

Contrast Ratio: 40,000:1

Lamp: 3,000 Lumens

While this is an entry-level 4K projector from Epson, it still packs an incredible punch. The HDR handling and deeper blacks are quite good, especially at this price point. 

It doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of the more expensive models, but It’s a fabulous projector, especially in a darkened room.

This option boasts Epson’s 3LCD 4K PRO-UHD projector system. There is one 0.61 LCD panel for each of the primary colors, and these use pixel-shifting technology to create the 4K image. 

Of course, it’s not quite as good as native 4K. Fortunately, the HDR contrast more than makes up for the difference. You’ll hardly be able to tell that it’s using pixel shifting.

There is no motorized lens, so the focus, zoom and shift are all done manually. Once you have the unit where you want it, the lens shift can move the image by 60% up and down and 24% left to right. 

This can be a downside, but it can be overlooked for an entry-level projector.

Zoom allows you to produce an image between 40 inches and 500 inches, and this projector doesn’t require heavy-duty housing units to install. It does well from any shelf or rack. 

It even has two HDMI sockets, two USB ports and the ability to send audio through Bluetooth or a 3.5mm cable.

5. Sony VW325ES

Resolution: Native 4K

HDR: Yes

Contrast Ratio: N/A

Lamp: 1,500 Lumen

Like the Sony VPL-VW715ES, the VW325ES has Sony’s best X1 Processor. This produces dynamic HDR and Motionflow for smooth motion processing in 4K and HD.

The advanced reality creation for upscaling is a feature required at this price point, and it reminds you why you dropped the money you did on this model. 

Catering to gamers, the input lag reduction ensures faster refresh rates, while the TRILUMINOS display creates rich colors and dynamic blacks.

The VW325ES creates screen sizes up to 200 inches with a motorized lens. You can set it right from your couch or theater seating arrangement. 

This projector’s native 4K is incredible, and the contrast makes the brightness pop even though the lamp has a lower output than most. 

It also creates beautiful blacks, so you’ll love this option if dark, moody movies are your thing.

6. Epson Home Cinema 4010

Resolution: Full HD with “4K Enhancement”

HDR: Yes (full 10-bit)

Contrast Ratio: 200,000:1

Lamp: 2.400 Lumen

While this is not technically a native 4K projector since it only sports a Full HD chip, the Epson Home Cinema 4010 still supports 4K and HDR content with its brilliant 4K enhancement technology. 

If you compare it to a native 4K model, it will likely lack some finesse. However, it has an incredible picture for the price. 

Like the other Epson models, it uses 3LCD technology for pixel shifting. 

This projector comes with a motorized lens and remote control, allowing for easy setup to experience crisp colors and nice rich blacks. 

It’s easy to focus a screen from 80 inches to 120 inches and larger without sacrificing quality.

Ultimately, this is a solid middle ground choice between quality and price. 

7. LG HU80KA

Resolution: 4K Ultra HD

HDR: HDR10 Compatible

Contrast Ratio: N/A

Lamp: 2.500 Lumen

The LG HU80KA is your take-anywhere 4K projector. Set it up on a table, the floor, outside or in any room. Take it and go from your basement to your bedroom, cast on a ceiling or set it up outside. 

Even when you cast the image up to 12.5 feet, the picture is crisp and rich. It does really well in most lighting conditions. 

In fact, of all the projectors on this list, this LG model did the best with brightly lit rooms, outdoors and ambient lighting.

TruMotion helps increase the refresh rate to reduce motion blur in fast action images, like sports, movies and gaming. We did notice some jarring, but not as much as was expected for a portable projector.

LG also has an exclusive Smart TV streaming platform, and the included Magic Remote makes navigation easy. Netflix and YouTube are available, but Amazon Prime and other apps are not. 

You can even wirelessly screen-share videos over WiFi. With several connections available, there’s really nothing you can’t watch on this device.

Summary

When deciding which 4K projector to buy, consider what kind of space you have, your lighting, the amount of room you have and how light-controlled your room is. 

Do you need something portable? Are you a gamer? Do you want the absolute best image? Or will a great picture at an affordable price suffice? 

Once you know what your needs are, you can choose any one of the 4K projectors on this list and be confident you’re making an excellent choice. 

Get your favorite snacks, pick some movies you love and get ready to have a home theater you’ll never want to leave.