If you have a budget of $500 for a projector, you can get good entry-level projectors with good brightness, resolution, and color performance. In this guide, we select a list of the best projectors under $500 for you, helping you to make a wise decision.
Price: $499 |Resolution: XGA (1024 × 768) |Brightness: 3,600 lumens |Screen Size: 30″–350″
As we all know, Epson is an established projector brand, whose projector product quality is reliable and stable. Epson EX3280 is one of the few Epson projectors under $500. The projector is very cost-effective in view of its 3LCD technology and 3,600 lumens. Epson EX3280 has a large contrast of 15,000:1, bringing more details to the image.
The projector is compatible with 4K, which is suitable for home theater use. It is equipped with an HDMI interface, which supports versatile connections for Fire TV, Apple TV, Roku, and Chromecast, enabling you to connect the projector to various external devices.
| Projector Model | Pros | Cons |
| Epson EX3280 | 3LCD Display technology High brightness High contrast Easy setup Giant screen size | Relatively short lamp life |
Price: $479 |Resolution: WXGA (1280×800) |Brightness: 4,000 ANSI lumens |Screen Size: 32.24″ ~ 299.53″
Optoma W400LVe is a good projector for under $500 for conference and educational use. Of course, you can also use it for home theater. It is rated at 4,000 ANSI lumens, which can project bright images even though you are using the projector during the daytime.
The projector has a dynamic contrast of 25,000:1 and WXGA (1280×800) resolution, which can project clear images with rich details.
It is equipped with rich interfaces, including HDMI, USB, and VGA, which are compatible with various devices, including USB flash drives, computers, TV sticks, and more. Optoma W400LVe supports 3D, and you can use the projector to play 3D videos.
| Projector Model | Pros | Cons |
| Optoma W400LVe | High brightness Good Images Large contrast Giant screen size 3D | Relatively short lamp life |
Price: $499 |Resolution: WXGA (1280×800) |Brightness: 4,000 ANSI lumens |Screen Size: 64.93″ – 150.00″
BenQ MW560 is a good projector for commercial presentations and conferences. The projector is rated at 4,000 ANSI lumens, which can provide bright images without closing the curtains.
The projector has 1280×800 resolution and dynamic contrast of 20,000:1, bringing crisp images. It supports 3D, satisfying various projection requirements and scenarios. It is equipped with various interfaces, including 2 HDMI interfaces, and USB interfaces, enabling users to connect to different external devices.
| Projector Model | Pros | Cons |
| BenQ MW560 | High brightness Sharp images Multiple interfaces 3D | Metal Halide bulb |
Price: $469.99 |Resolution: 1280×720 |Brightness: 200 ANSI lumens |Screen Size: 40”-100”
Anker Nebula Capsule Max is a smart projector with an Android system, which is suitable for home use and camping. You can download various streaming Apps directly via the projector. It has an LED light source, which can last 30,000 hours.
It has 720P resolution and 200 ANSI lumens, whose image is clear enough at night. Anker Nebula Capsule Max supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, bringing convenient wireless connections. The projector can be controlled by your phone via the Nebula Connect app. It supports Airplay and Miracast, providing convenient screen mirroring for Android phones and iPhones.
The projector has a built-in battery and 16G memory, which means you can download and play videos outdoors without connecting the projector to the power socket.
| Projector Model | Pros | Cons |
| Anker Nebula Capsule Max | Android system Smart features Wireless connectivity Built-in battery 16G memory Long lamp life | Lower brightness |
Price: $499 | Resolution: 1920X1080(1080P) | Brightness: 300ANSI lumens |Screen Size: 60”-120”
XGIMI MoGo Pro is also an intelligent projector. It features 1080P resolution, bringing sharp images and an excellent viewing experience.
The projector is powered by Android TV and accessible to 5,000+ apps, for example, YouTube, and Disney+. It has a built-in Chromecast, providing convenient screen mirroring from Android phones and iPhones. XGIMI MoGo Pro has a built-in battery that can last at most 4 hours for one charge. If you are using it for listening to music, the projector can last about 8 hours. With 16G memory, the projector enables users to download more content. The projector supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, bringing convenient wireless connections.
| Projector Model | Pros | Cons |
| XGIMI MoGo Pro | 1080P resolution Wireless connectivity Built-in battery Android TV 16G memory Google Assistant 3D | Lower brightness |
If you have a budget of $500, the available projector options on the market are rich and various. You need to pay attention to the following factors.
In terms of resolutions, a projector under $500 generally has 720P resolution or 1080P resolution. Of course, a projector with 1080P resolution is preferred. The higher the resolution, the more the pixels on the projection image, and the clearer the image. Resolution here refers to the standard resolution of the projector.
Besides, the supported resolution is also important. If the projector has a supported resolution of 4K, it can play 4K source videos by compressing the video into a lower resolution.
In terms of the light source, a projector under $500 may be an LED projector or a lamp-based projector. If you pay more attention to the brightness, you can choose a lamp-based projector. If you don’t want to replace the lamp frequently, you can choose an LED projector which generally lasts more than 20,000 hours. A lamp-based projector has higher brightness but has a relatively short lamp life, which means you need to replace the lamp when the original lamp reaches its lamp life.
In terms of display technology, the projectors under $500 are mostly LCD, 3LCD, or DLP projectors. Among the 3 types, 3LCD and DLP are better options in view of their overall performances. Among the three types, 3LCD has better color performance and stability but it has a shortcoming of a relatively bigger size. DLP projectors are widely seen in home projectors because of their lower cost, small size, and good overall performance. 3LCD projectors are typical of Epson projectors, which feature good color performance and stability.
For system, most smart projectors have a built-in Android system but some projectors have no smart system. If you want to use YouTube or other video Apps directly, you need to pick a projector with a built-in Android TV system. Otherwise, you need to connect the projector to a TV stick or other streaming devices to access more content.
Provided the projector price is under $500, you can choose a projector that has 1080P resolution and 3LCD or DLP technology with a smart Android system. The light source can be a lamp or LED based on your preference and using scenarios.