The Best Home Projectors for 2026

The Best Home Projectors We've Tested for 2026 | PCMag

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p~*:not(#readMore,#trust-badge,#commerce-group)]:!hidden" x-data="{ readMore: false }" :class="{ '[&>p:first-of-type~*:not(#readMore)]:!block': readMore }"> Looking for a home projector? Start by being clear about what you want it for: home theater (viewing in a dedicated, dark room), home entertainment (to work well under ambient light), or gaming (also for ambient light, plus added features for gaming). I'm PCMag's resident projector guru, and I discuss all three types below. I've been reviewing projectors since well before there was any difference between business and home models, let alone among home theater, home entertainment, and gaming projectors. I judge image quality using a standard set of film and video clips, as well as other content; factor in other issues, such as brightness and contrast; and measure input lag, which is critical for gaming. My current top picks are the Epson Pro Cinema LS12000 for home theater, or the Hisense L9Q if you need an ultra short throw model. But read on to see how each model earns its recommendation for specific needs, and for shopping advice that will help you make the right buying decision.

Our Top Tested Picks

div:nth-of-type(n+11)]:hidden" :class="{ '[&>div:nth-of-type(n+11)]:!flex': showMore }"> Best Ultra-Premium Home Theater Projector Epson Pro Cinema LS12000 4K Pro-UHD Laser Projector $4,499.99 at Amazon See It Bottom Line Editors' Choice 5.0 Exemplary this.$refs.template.innerHTML, onCreate: (instance) => this.tippyInstance = instance, onShow: (instance) => { this.escapeHandler = (e) => { if (e.key === 'Escape') instance.hide(); }; window.addEventListener('keydown', this.escapeHandler); }, onHide: (instance) => { if (this.escapeHandler) { window.removeEventListener('keydown', this.escapeHandler); this.escapeHandler = null; } }, onMount: (instance) => { const closeBtn = instance.popper.querySelector('[data-tooltip-close]'); if (closeBtn) closeBtn.addEventListener('click', () => instance.hide()); }, }; }, }">   What Our Ratings Mean 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies. The Epson Pro Cinema LS12000 is the company's first home theater projector to put genuine 4K resolution on screen, but that's just part of the top-tier image quality and long feature list that make it worth its high price. Jump To See More Details product_name }} Review" x-track-ga-click>Epson Pro Cinema LS12000 4K Pro-UHD Laser Projector Review Pros li]:leading-normal"> Delivers a full 3,840 by 2,160 pixels on screen 2,700-lumen laser light source rated to last the life of the projector Supports HDR10, HDR10+, and HLG HDR Good color accuracy, contrast, and shadow detail, plus dark blacks for a laser model Easy to maintain image height for different aspect ratios