Even when picking an entry-level projector, there are a few basic considerations to keep in mind. The most important is the projector’s brightness capabilities. Simply put, the higher the number of lumens, the brighter the image. The more ambient light you have in the room when you watch, the more brightness you’ll want to combat it. You’ll also want to consider the projector’s throw ratio, which explains how wide a projector’s image will be given the distance between the lens and the screen. Also, be sure the projector you pick offers enough keystone correction and zoom ability to match your installation.

Sound complicated? It’s not as hard as you might think.

Finally, you’ve got to think about sound: You can count on nearly any projector’s built-in speakers to be terrible. They are an afterthought in most cases, designed to get you by if you’re doing an office presentation, but not much more. Any of these projectors will benefit from even a modest outboard speaker system, though for big movie nights, we say go nuts with the sound system.

Why you should buy this: 4K resolution, HDR support, 2000 lumens of brightness.

Who it’s for: You want a competitively priced projector with gorgeous colour accuracy.

Why we picked the BenQ W2700:

If you’re in the market for a projector, the BenQ W2700 needs to be near the top of your list. With a beautiful 4K resolution, vivid 2,000-lumen brightness, and an HDR colour palate, this model is a slam dunk solution for any home theatre, especially at its attainable price point.

Great picture quality is at the heart of the W2700. The projector analyses every image to provide an optimal balance between colour accuracy and contrast. It also boasts automatic vertical keystone correction to true up the image when the projector is placed at less-than-optimal heights, and a 1.3x optical zoom helps you fit the picture to a screen.

Though the W2700 isn’t designed to be portable, it is lightweight enough to do the job, should you want to put together pop-up viewing events, and a quick and easy setup process makes it equally agile if you intend to tote it between locations every so often. In addition, a well-backlit remote helps keep the projector easy to adjust in darkened rooms, and hotkeys help you deal with commonly needed adjustments quickly.

With excellent quality pictures, and beautiful colours, the BenQ W2700 should last through years of playback, and with an image quality this good, you won’t be thinking about an upgrade for a very long time.

Why you should buy this: Portable and great for smaller rooms

Who it’s for: Budget-conscious buyers who want a beautiful HD picture at the lowest possible price.

Why we picked the XuanPad Mini Projector:

Those that don’t want to spend major dough for a big-screen addition to their viewing arsenal for the occasional big game or movie night should look no further than the XuanPad Mini Projector. The affordable projector provides a full 1080p image, 5,00 lumens of brightness, and 55,000-hour lamp life — enough to last for years of heavy use.

Lightweight and easy to move, the XuanPad is easy to tote between viewing venues. Though it lacks the automatic setup features of higher-tiered projectors, you’ll quickly be able to adjust the image to fit your screen with the manual zoom lever.

Colours are vivid, even when in use outdoors. As a simple projector solution, the XuanPad is the perfect option for the vast majority of everyday viewers. Let’s face it: Most of us aren’t looking to fill out the perfect home theatre, we’re just looking to watch a movie after a family barbecue, have a home cinema night, or watch the big game.

Why you should buy this: Great for connecting to smartphones.

Who it’s for: The home theatre enthusiast who is attached to their other devices.

Why we picked the Yaber:

Yaber’s wireless projector is easy to use and mobile-friendly, offering a wireless projecting experience on a budget. An excellent quality projector, this model is designed for enthusiasts who want to share and stream on larger surfaces in their home.

At 6,500 ANSI lumens of brightness, the picture offers excellent black levels and contrast in darker rooms, especially with the expanded HDR colour gamut. Best of all, it connects wirelessly to your TV, and to your smartphone or tablet quickly and easily.

If you don’t want to spend as much as it costs to buy a top of the line model, you’re going to want to take a serious look at this model, which combines a great picture with a tolerable price point for the average home theatre enthusiast.

Why you should buy this: Ideal for those long camping trips

Who it’s for: Those who are always on the go, and want a projector that can keep up.

Why we picked the ELEPHAS:

Created with reliability in mind, the ELEPHAS projector offers bright visuals without compromising on colour or quality, making it perfect for use in your living room, bedroom, garden, or even out in the countryside, underneath the stars.

This projector can connect to a range of devices, from TVs, to games consoles, to PCs, to smartphones and tablets, so as long as you have your films, games, or footy matches ready to go, this projector will keep up.

Best of all, the small size is easily portable, measuring only 7.9″ x 5.5″, perfect for fitting in your handbag, but this small but mighty projector can still give that big screen experience, with screen sizes ranging from 30″, to an incredible 120″, great for individual viewings, and large parties.

We begin testing by setting up each projector in a completely dark room and adjusting its picture settings, screen size, and overall appearance using tools and methods readily available to consumers — just like you might do at home. From there, we use a series of test patterns and familiar content, from streaming services to Ultra HD Blu-ray to over-the-air (OTA) TV, to judge each projector’s performance characteristics, including colour production, motion resolution, brightness, HDR quality (if applicable), and detail resolution.

Once we’ve analysed a projector’s picture quality, we move on to elements that affect the user experience, including user settings or smart platform interface, remote control, external device recognition and control, and other essential touchpoints.

When possible, we’ll view two competing projectors side by side to provide additional context for the pros and cons of each exhibit. Finally, we decide as to which type of user a certain projector might appeal to. For instance, some provide better bright-room performance, while others are better for dedicated home theater performance. Some are better for taking with you on the go, while others are better for static setup.

In short, we make a thorough evaluation to determine not only which projectors offer the best picture quality, but those that offer the best overall user experience. After all, you’ll be living with your new projector for years to come, and using it should be a joy, not a pain. Our job is to make sure you have the best possible idea of what you are getting into before you pull the trigger.