Projector has been a popular electric appliance for home theater among trendy people and the younger in recent years. A budget of $500 is common for an entry-level quality home projector. In this post, we carefully select the top 5 best home theater projector under 500 to help you to make a decision quickly.
Best Home Theater Projector Under 500
In this section, we select the top 5 best home theater projector under 500 from different perspectives.
| Epson EX3280 | $499 | Best for Image |
| Optoma H190X | $479 | Best for High Brightness |
| Anker Nebula Mars II | $499 | Best for Smart System |
| AAXA P400 | $269 | Best for Short Throw |
| Emotn H1 | $289 | Best for Smart Features |
Epson EX3280
Reason for Listing: Epson is a leading projector brand, and the projector features acclaimed 3LCD display technology and 3,600 lumens. The image is bright enough for daytime use.
- Price: $499
- Brightness: 3,600 Lumens
- Resolution: 1024×768
- Dynamic Contrast: 15,000:1
- Screen Size: 30.00″ – 350.00″
- Display Tech: 3LCD
- Light Source: 210W UHE bulb
- Lamp Life: 6,000 hours
Epson EX3280 offers 3,600 lumens of color and white brightness, which can deliver crisp images for home theater. The high brightness of the projector enables users to use it during the daytime. It adopts 3LCD display technology and prevents the rainbow effect and brings vivid images.
| Pros | Cons |
| 3LCD Display High Brightness Giant Screen Size | Poor Wireless Connectivity Lower Resolution |
Optoma H190X
Reason for Listing: With this projector, you can enjoy bright and giant images even during the daytime.
- Price: $479
- Brightness: 3,900 ANSI Lumens
- Resolution: 1280×800
- Dynamic Contrast: 30,000:1
- Screen Size: 32.31″ – 299.45″
- Display Tech: DLP
- Light Source: 203W Metal Halide bulb
- Lamp Life: 6,000 hours
Optoma H190X brings stunning images during the day with the bright, 3,900 ANSI lumens. In addition, the projector has a high contrast of 3,000:1, delivering clear images for you. The projector also has a low input latency, which is suitable for playing games at home. It is a 3D projector, meaning that you can use the projector to watch 3D movies at home just like at a cinema.
| Pros | Cons |
| High Brightness Giant screen Low Input Latency 3D | Poor Wireless Connectivity Lower Resolution |
Anker Nebula Mars II Pro
Reason for Listing: Anker Nebula Mars II Pro is a smart portable projector with a built-in battery and Android system, bringing more fun and convenience to your home.
- Price: $499
- Brightness: 500 ANSI lumens
- Resolution: 1280×720
- Dynamic Contrast: 1,000:1
- Screen Size: 40.00″ – 100.00″
- Display Tech: DLP
- Light Source: LED
- Lamp Life: 30,000 hours
Anker Nebula Mars II is a hot smart projector for home use. The projector has a built-in Android system so that you can enjoy movies or shows conveniently. In addition, it has a built-in battery with a long lamp life of 4 hours, meaning that you can use the projector without connecting it to power when going camping.
| Pros | Cons |
| Built-in Battery Built-in System Long Lamp Life | Few Interfaces Smaller Screen |
AAXA P400
Reason for Listing: if you want to get a big screen in a small room, then you need to pick the projector as it has a short throw ratio of 0.7:1.
- Price: $269
- Brightness: 400 LED Lumens
- Resolution: 1920×1080
- Dynamic Contrast: 1,000:1
- Screen Size: 10.03″ – 180.17
- Display Tech: LCoS
- Light Source: LED
- Lamp Life: 30,000 hours
AAXA P400 has a short throw ratio of 0.7:1, and you can project a 100” screen from 63” away. In addition, it has a built-in battery with a lamp life of 2 hours, making outdoor use possible. Regarding resolution, it has 1080P resolution, whose projection image is clear and vivid.
| Pros | Cons |
| 1080P Resolution Built-in Battery Long Lamp Life | Few interfaces |
Emotn H1
Reason for Listing: A well-designed projector can be practical and beautiful. The projector features a retro design and smart features, which brighten your living room.
- Price: $289
- Brightness: 250 ANSI lumens
- Resolution: 1920×1080
- Dynamic Contrast: 3,000:1
- Screen Size: 65” – 251”
- Display Tech: LCD
- Light Source: LED
- Lamp Life: 30,000 hours
Emotn H1 has exquisite workmanship and unique design, which adopts retro design and buttons work like blue switch mechanical board. The projector has a built-in Android system so that you can watch movies directly on the projector without connecting to external devices. Regarding resolution, it has 1080P resolution and produces crisp images. In terms of connectivity, it supports both Bluetooth and dual-band Wi-Fi, delivering convenient wireless connections. The built-in battery, leather handle, and 1GB+16G memory also make it suitable for outdoor use.
| Pros | Cons |
| 1080P Resolution Built-in Battery Built-in Android system Built-in Memory | No USB 3.0 |
You may be interested in The Best HD Projector Under 500.
Top Considerations for Home Theater Projectors
Here are some factors and top considerations before paying for your projector. You can also refer to the projector buying guide, helping you to pick the best home theater projector under 500.
Resolution
Generally, a good home theater projector on the market has 720P or 1080P. Projectors with a pricing higher than $1,500 have 4K resolution. Some budget projectors have 420P or 720P resolution.
480P (852 x 480): widely seen in low-end home projectors;
720P (1280 x 720): widely seen in mid-range home projectors;
1080P (1920 x 1080) or (1920 x 1200): good home projectors;
4K (3840×2160): widely seen in high-end home projectors.
Brightness
Brightness is also a key parameter for home projectors. The internationally recognized unit is ANSI lumen or ISO lumen. The higher the lumen value, the higher the brightness provided the brightness unit is fixed.
Contrast
Contrast determines the details and gradation of the projection image. The higher the contrast, the more details, and gradations on the projection image. A projector with high contrast can project vivid and colorful images.
System
Recently, smart projectors get more and more popular among households. If your home theater has a smart Android system, then you can access some streaming apps conveniently and download various apps conveniently. If the projector has no system, then you need to connect the projector to a TV stick or other streaming devices first to access the content.
Battery
If you want to use the projector in an outdoor environment occasionally, then you need to pick a projector with a built-in battery so that you can use the projector when there is no power supply. Generally, the battery life should be no less than 2 hours.
Connectivity
The connectivity can incorporate wired connectivity and wireless connectivity. For wired connectivity, the projector should be equipped with HDMI, USB, and audio interfaces so that you can connect the projector to common devices, such as TV sticks, game consoles, TV sticks, computers, and more. For wireless connectivity, the projector should have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to connect the projector to external devices wirelessly.
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