Best Projectors Under $500 – Buying Guide
The best projectors under $500 are entry level to intermediate level projectors with very good features like around 3000 lumens brightness, decent contrast ratio, SVGA to WXGA resolutions, 3D ready or 3D, HDMI support and many latest features. Most of them are LCD and DLP very compact size projectors. Some very good quality pico projectors are also available in this price range. Epson, BenQ, InFocus, ViewSonic, and LG are the well-known brands for sub $500 price projectors. These projectors are easy to use and set-up and can be used for halls and conference rooms business, office presentations, movies, and gaming.
For a business, a projector is as important as the device with which it has to be connected to give a presentation to a group of people. Giving the presentation to a small group of people sitting in a small meeting room does not demand a costly projector, but when it comes to addressing a big group in a large meeting room than the quality of projector must be considered. The best projector under 500 dollars from Epson, Dell, or Optoma can be the best fit for this requirement. With it, the presentation can be given on a large screen of up to 200 inches.
With full HD support, good contrast ratio, good image aspect ratio, less noise, and compatibility for both Windows and Mac, make the best projector under 500 dollars is the best pick for a business. Not only business but also for home users who are fond of playing play station 3 and Xbox games, projector under 500 dollars will prove to the best value for money. Even if you have created a list of features, then you will find that in this price range, several good projectors offering the great blend of features with money are available.
Check the top projectors under 500 dollars at Amazon
Here we have listed the top projectors under $500 on the basis of many Amazon.com customers reviews and ratings, latest projector features and quality, projectors expert review site ratings and projectors price in between $400 to $500.
Top 5 projectors under 500 dollars are given below:
# 1
Optoma H184X Affordable Home Theater...
Optoma H184X Affordable Home Theater Projector, this smart Projector has been loaded with large projection size, high brightness, built-in speakers, 3-D compatible, with all the amazing features. The Optoma H184X, a great home theatre option that is suitable for both home and office work which has been designed with 720p HD resolution, and 28000:1 contrast ratio for perfect picture quality. Optoma gives 3600 lumens brightness that gives an ideal image and movies that give a great theatre experience. Its 3D content display comes from all the 3D sources with a 120Hz refresh rate resulting in ultra-clear and blur-free images and a 3D glass is a must for using this 3D Optoma Projector. H184X’s flexible connectivity with the Laptops, Blu-ray players, Roku, Amazon fire stick & other external devices.
This gives a projection size of up to 300” from a projection distance of 14 Ft. away and its led lamp life may go up to 15000 hours long-lasting lamp life. Optoma’s smart device comes along with 1.1x zoom and a 40° vertical keystone correction. Can be connected with the HDMI 1.4a 3D support, a VGA-in, Composite video, Audio 3.5mm, VGA-out, USB A-power, and R232. A great option for both indoor and outdoor use with all advance specs comes at a price that is just under $500.
# 2
Anker NEBULA Capsule Max, Pint-Sized...
Nebula Capsule max launched by Anker is a full HD device that comes with a Pint-sized mini projector. This is also named a mini projector because of its size and shape that makes it compact and portable. Anker Nebula designed this mini projector with DLP technology, has got 720p resolution, and also its 200 ANSI lumen brightness for more clear images and gives a projection size up to 100” with HD quality, ideally used for low lights. It’s autofocus and 40° keystone technology, auto-corrects the image in a rectangular shape, and also corrects the angle. A perfect buying option for your home making it a perfect entertainment unit for all your access whether it's for personal, educational, or professional use. The Nebula Capsule max has got the Android 8.1, for streaming and also for using the Nebula connect app on your phone. Its in-built 8W speakers produce full intense sound quality for a complete home theatre experience and It can be easily connected through the HDMI and USB devices, with the help of which you can connect it to the projector.
With great picture quality and keeps your eyes stress free. Nebula has got the Led Lamp life that can last up to 30000 hours, with great picture quality, video experience, and great compatibility with all Android and Mac devices. So the best buying option with all specs that comes under $500.
Positive / Critical Customer Reviews:
# 3
Full HD Wifi Bluetooth Projector 1080P...
Full HD Wifi Bluetooth Projector 1080P Native Support 4K, 5500 Lumen LED Smart Android Wireless Home Outdoor Business Projector 1920x1080 USB HDMI VGA AV Audio for Laptop PC TV DVD PS4 Smartphones Mac. Zcgiobn has launched this Projector promising the Full HD display, Wifi, in-built Bluetooth4.2 connectivity with ultra-clear pictures, and a great video streaming experience. The 5G wifi projector has been designed with great connectivity through wifi, Bluetooth and also through all the output sources with all external devices whether a Bluetooth speaker, laptop, Mobile phone, keyboard, etc. This Full HD resolution and a wide display, also it supports 4K that gives crystal clear images and great video experience. It has been designed with keeping in mind all the smart specs that a professional projector must have like a perfect brightness of up to 5500 lumens, contrast ratio up to 10000:1,16.7 million color displays which gives you an amazing experience to use this projector for indoor or outdoor purposes at any time of the day. It provides the user an image size of 200” at the most from a maximum distance of 20 ft where the size can be reduced by using its zoom function. It has got multiple inputs like the HDMI, VGA, AV, USB, 3.5mm audio-out. It has got dual HDMI and USB ports, supporting an external drive up to 2TB. This Zcgiobn projector has the in-built Cooling Fan System from Nidec, one of the leading manufacturers designed with improvised technique.
Also, its in-built 5W speakers give an incredible sound quality, giving its users a great audio-visual experience. The Led Lamps gives this Full HD projector a lamp life that can last up to 50000 hours. It also gives an amazing gaming experience as it gives the refresh rate of up to 60Hz for smooth functioning. A perfect business and home projector that can be comfortably used both indoor and outdoor at a price under $500.
# 4
ASUS ZenBeam S2 Portable Mini Wireless...
ZenBeam S2 LED Portable Projector, is a compact smart portable device that comes with all the smart specifications and costs you under $500. This LED projector gives a maximum screen size in minimum space that varies from 40” up to 120” from a projection distance that is from 1m up to 3m. The ZenBeam S2 has been designed well by providing it a brightness of 500 lumen light with a resolution of 720p for clear and vivid images. It provides you with an option of hassle-free wireless connectivity and comes with a built-in 6000mAh battery that can be used for 3.5hours. This projector has been designed for multiple uses for both office, work, and outdoor activities too, its in-built ASUS SonicMaster gives full access to the audio controls.
And can also flexibly connected via HDMI and USB-C that makes the usage easy. In addition to all the basic specifications, it has also been equipped with the 2D keystone auto-correction that helps in adjusting it vertically and horizontally at an angle of 30°. Also, know for its huge screen projection perfectly done at day and night. A perfect buying option with all upgraded specs like the wifi connectivity, screen size, and projection distance makes this clear that it is perfect to buy this smart LED projector under the cost of $500.
# 5
Android Smart Projector V5 WiFi Home...
Android Smart Projector V5 released in the year 2019 was among one of the best smart projectors launched. It is compatible with all the external sources starting from an Android device to a mac. This projector comes with high brightness i.e. 3800 lumens with a native resolution of 1280*800(WVGA), also support the 4K technology and the 3D function giving very clear pictures and smooth video streaming experience without any hassle. Well equipped with the 5G wifi connectivity, Bluetooth 4.0 for connecting wireless speakers and other devices along with an Ethernet port*1, HDMI 2.0*1, USB*2, TF Card*1, 3.5mm Headphone jack *1 port. This smart projector gives a projection throw range varies from 30-300” from a throw distance of 1-6m, also supports 3D function and has 3800 lumens more brightness to give the users crisp and clear pictures with vivid colors.
This Android Smart Projector V5 supports both manual and auto keystone correction clubbed with digital light processing technology that helps to keep the picture in focus and never gets blurred. It has got the 360° Dual Stereo Speakers giving the users rich and vibrant sounds. Its LED bulb gives a lamp life of up to 30000 hours. So this smart outdoor laptop is a perfect combination of all advanced specs that comes your way under $500.
Some other top projectors under 500 dollars are given below:
BenQ DLP HD 1080p Projector (W1070) – 3D Home Theater Projector
The ‘BenQ W1070’ projector comes equipped with everything you would need for the small business presentation or home use. As a matter of fact, BenQ always tries to give you more for less. That’s why, while other brands only focus on the specifications, BenQ adorns its products with a better design. BenQ W1070 has glossy silver built and looks very much trendy. Compactness in design has been aimed for which is evidence that it is small enough to carry and weighs only 5.84 lbs.
And to keep up the reputation with such a good design, it has the good to back up the rest too. Dark Chip 3 DLP projection with 3D support by Texas Instruments needs no introduction when it comes to great picture quality with distinguished colors. And the RGBRGB color wheel significantly adds up to the colorfulness. BenQ has also augmented this projector with Day and Night modes for comfortable viewing in different light conditions.
The image is sufficiently bright with 2000 ANSI lumens count and to balance the visibility at a pixel level, it has a Contrast ratio of 10000:1. Picture size at 1080p is 200”; suitable for presentations even in small rooms as the Throw Ratio of this projector is 1.15 – 1.5:1.
Connectivity isn’t a problem at with this projector as it has 2 HDMI ports for the best gaming and movies experience, S-video port, Plug and Play ready Audio In/Out, VGA port to connect your PC, 12V trigger out and a mini USB port. A smart feature that this BenQ proudly boasts about in this projector is the Eco Blank Mode which saves power when the projector is ON but has been idle for more than 3 minutes. Also, the SmartEco saves 70% energy consumption and extends the lamp life up to 6000 hours. For all the best projectors under $500, BenQ poses a serious competition with its all-advanced image. Customer retention is another aspect that the brand has well taken care of with a 1-year warranty on parts and labor.
ViewSonic PJD5234 XGA DLP Projector
This high-performance DLP projector has an XGA 1024x 768 resolution with 2800 ANSI lumens brightness. It also has an unrivaled 15000:1 contrast ratio.
It comes with an HDMI and a dual VGA display. Features like S-video, VGA/ audio out and has integrated speakers makes it an undeniable choice for customers who look for a nice product but a low price. It has an impressive 1,1x optical zoom. It has a nice refresh rate of 120Hz and a 6 segment color design wheel to provide exceptional display quality.
It does have some stand out features like the 3D Blu-ray ready, vertical keystone correction and a remote control. The smart system Dynamic Eco Technology is useful as it reduces the brightness by 70%. This projector offers a best in class movie experience and in this price bracket deserves the supreme rank not because it has some good features but because it has many standing out specialties.
Optoma DW326e WXGA Projector
This product offers a remarkable 3000 lumens bright image with a commendable contrast ratio of 13000:1.
It has a sharp display up to 300” (diagonal). This projector box is compatible with many Blu-ray players, Xbox, PS3 and other devices. It has a 12 V jack for a motorized screen automation and a powerful 10W audio system. This product offers a value for money entertainment, which you can enjoy with family and friends. The DLP chip offers razor-sharp display with a 144Hz refresh rate, which makes this product one of a kind in this segment. It is affixed with a 0.65” DC3 DLP technology from TI and so it is a nice product to go for. All these features make it a fine choice to satisfy the needs at a low price.
Epson EX5220 Wireless XGA 3LCD Projector
With 3000 lumens brightness and high contrast ratio, it has many features. It has wireless connectivity for phones and tablets. Also, HDMI cable option is available. The lens control optimizes image size for a clear image and easy adjustments for vertical and horizontal alignment. It has a remote control option available and being compact and light makes it easy to carry and use.
The 3X color brightness projects sharp and clear images that won’t let your movie experience fade away.
The XGA resolution is a good projection and this projector goes that with extreme efficiency. This product is a full package deal in such a price and from a quality manufacturer like Epson.
Best Projectors Under $500 – Conclusion:
Ready to spend up to $500 for the projector you always wanted? Great! Here are some projectors that are absolutely worth it.
AAXA M5 Mini portable projector is quite suitable for use while travelling. It is so small that it fits your pocket but so big on performance. With 900 lumens brightness, this DLP projector throws an image with 1280 x 800 resolution up to 150” and stays up for at least 70 minutes. HDMI, Mini VGA, micro SD and AV inputs are some of the options to extend the experience. Another cassette size projector in this range is the Celluon Pico Video projector with an HD 1280 x 720 resolution and widescreen 1920 x 720 as well, for sheer cinematic pleasure. 63ANSI Laser Projection with an 80000:1 Contrast Ratio makes this DLP projector an amazing choice for movie buffs. Another good thing about the machine is that it is smart as it runs on Android 5.1 and has a USB Type-C charging port. Instead of manual controls, the Celluon Pico features touch interface to make it more convenient for you to operate.
Among the larger projectors, ViewSonic PJD5555 with DLP technology is one of the most optimal projectors at this price. Featuring a 3300 ANSI Lumen count, this projector launches a bright picture meekly balanced by its 20000:1 Dynamic Contrast ratio on a 1280 x 800 resolution. The PowerLite X27 by Epson on the list is quite affordable and extends your experience beyond the small display panels. 2700 Lumen count for environments with daylight is enough and 10000:1 Contrast ratio makes sure the grayness is off the picture. None of these projectors support MHL, so you cannot smartphones with these projectors.
Last update on 2023-05-09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API