Projector Reviews

PRICE $1,700

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Accurate color out of the box
User-friendly auto-geometry set-up adjustments
Movie-friendly Dolby Vision and HDR
Another amazing autofocus application
Unique hybrid laser/LED light engine
Minus
Image size relies principally on physical placement
Sub-class-leading contrast
Ergonomic quirks that should long be resolved
Mediocre remote, lacks backlighting
In the room-to-room category, but handle-free

THE VERDICT
As Larry David often says in Curb Your Enthusiasm: “Pretty good…pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty good.” Balancing most aspects critical to me and fancying the Horizon Ultra, I would tend to echo Larry. You may like this projector for your intended use as well. Ultimately, though, after a solid month of steady use, just enough fell slightly outside the bullseye, particularly a less-than-ideal contrast ratio but also a few grating ergonomics that, for now, my AMEX will remain at its zero balance.

A self-described purveyor of “smart projectors and laser TVs,” Xgimi may not be the first brand name mentioned in answer to a man-on-the-street projector query. Though Internet forum gurus and YouTube influencers have done much to espouse Xgimi’s evolutionary stable of products, I am willing to wager that the name still escapes a majority of S&V readers.

Home theater comes in many shapes and sizes, but one constant is that it could be a more portable experience. But it’s not impossible! Elite recently sent an ezCinema Tab-Tension CineGrey 4D screen to evaluate, which is an excellent match for an Anker Nebula Mars 3 projector ($1,099) that I have on hand. The Mars 3 has a built-in battery with up to five hours of playtime, although using the projector at its full light output lowers that to around two hours.

PRICE $6,000

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Accurate colors
Laser light source
2,000 ANSI lumens
Native 4K
X1 Ultimate for Projector processor
Attractive price

Minus
Manual lens adjustment
Lens could be sharper
Does not cover DCI/P3 gamut
No 3D support
Lacks HDMI 2.1

THE VERDICT
Sony changed up the recipe for its most affordable native 4K home theater projector. The laser light source is a huge plus, as is the X1 Ultimate for Projector processor, but the new lens has limitations compared to the the model it replaces.

Long live home theater! That's the first thought that came to mind after I set up Sony's latest and most affordable native 4K projector. And the main new feature is all about long life, 20,000 hours worth thanks to a new laser light source. As a matter of fact, Sony no longer sells any bulb-based 4K home theater projectors, the entire lineup is now lit by lasers.

PRICE $3,500

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Ultra-wide color gamut
Terrific lens for impressive focus
Built-in (ATSC 1.0) tuner
Minus
No dynamic tone mapping
Netflix not part of the Android bundle
Tuner doesn’t support ATSC 3.0

THE VERDICT
With its onboard streaming capability and TV tuner, the Hisense PX1-Pro comes about as close as you can to the proverbial “Home Theater in a Box” concept—one that that lets you savor big-screen fun without leaving home.

Hisense is known by Sound & Vision cognoscenti as a brand taking ambitious steps to spotlight itself as an innovator in leading-edge television technologies with pricing it terms affordable. For those who do not peruse our pages, the Hisense name may be more closely identified with refrigerators and other home appliances. But as a manufacturer in the consumer electronics space, especially one in the business of making flat-panel televisions and projectors, you can legitimately claim to "have arrived" when your products occupy rack space in Costco alongside the best-known brands in TV.

PRICE $4,999

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Laser light engine
HDMI 2.1-compatible (4K/120Hz)
HDR10, HDR10+, and HLG support
Minus
Not native 4K
No frame-by-frame adaptive processing for HDR
No 3D Support

THE VERDICT
Offering great image punch, clarity, and good contrast, Epson's LS12000 impresses with most content, though its HDR performance is hindered by the lack of dynamic tone mapping.

After what felt like a lifetime since its last new home theater projector announcement, Epson recently launched the LS12000 4K PRO-UHD laser model. Selling at the surprisingly low retail price of $4,999, the new Epson boasts serious chops when it comes to features and specifications, and I felt fortunate to have a review sample sent my way. Let's dive in and see what this new projector brings to the home theater game.

PRICE $5,499

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Excellent detail
Vivid color reproduction
Motorized focus, zoom, lens shift
Minus
Relatively limited light output
No dynamic iris
Basic HDR tone-mapping adjustment

THE VERDICT
Sony's entry-level full 4K projector delivers detailed, seamless images and is a great option for dedicated home movie theaters.

Sony's projector lineup is notable for its use of the company's full 4K-resolution (4,096 x 2,160-pixel) SXRD (Sony-speak for LCOS) chips. It's also been notable for featuring a 5K model—5K as in $5,000, the price for the line's entry-level projector. Back in 2021, the company replaced that model, the VPL-VW295ES, with the VPL-VW325ES, an updated version offering a few new features, though at a higher $5,499 price. Are the updates worth the extra coin? Let's find out.

PRICE $24,999.95

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Industry leading HDR performance
Contrast improved over previous flagship models
True 8K video input and displa
Minus
Light loss in wide color gamut mode
Laser dimming needs some refinement

THE VERDICT
The DLA-NZ9 has an impressive list of features including support for true 8K and 4K/120Hz video. Its HDR performance is second to none for a projector and a new laser light engine provides a robust increase in light output along with a reduction of operating noise.

Given the current uncertain state of the world, I was truly surprised when JVC announced not one but three new projectors prior to the kickoff of CEDIA Expo 2021, an event that ended up being a pale shade of its regular self. The new JVC trio largely replaces the company's current projector lineup, offering a list of new features including a next-gen BLU-Escent laser light engine, HDMI 2.1 connectivity with full 8K/60Hz and 4K/120Hz video input support, and HDR10+ high dynamic range.