The 3D projectors category includes the latest projectors used for 3D 1080p home theater systems, and digital 3D movies. See below for a list of 3D projector reviews and information pages.
If ever there was a great story for projectors, that has to that 3D projectors may well finally catapult home theater and home entertainment projectors into the lime light, and start stealing serious marketshare from LCDTVs.
These Optoma’s 3D glasses are typical in weight, or for that matter style. They run on replaceable batteries.
3D on a 42″ LCDTV is cool, but hardly as impressive as a theater. 3D projectors filling screens typically from 92″ diagonal to 130″ diagonal, is a game changer. Like in a theater, you are immersed in 3D, not looking at some small 3D box.
3D projectors are now being used for home theater, for 3D gaming, in education, and for specialty business and scientific applications.
The new 3D projectors that launched in 2010, including many education and business 3D capable projectors were lower res under $1000, while 1080p for the home started from $4500. Affordable 1080p 3D projectors were a no show until CEDIA – fall of 2011. CEDIA offers new 3D projectors like Panasonic PT-AE7000U, the rumored Epson 3D projector, three Optoma’s, plus more. That will fill shelfs with affordable 3D projectors, most boasting very good quality and more brightness than before.
3D Projector Reviews
February 19, 2024
The BenQ X3100i is a 4LED, 4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160p) 0.65" DLP short-throw gaming projector that offers a BenQ-rated 3,300 ANSI at an MSRP of $2,399.
January 20, 2024
The BenQ V5000i is a $3,499 smart ultra-short throw 4K projector with RGB triple laser source. Ideal for vibrant, bright viewing experiences.
December 24, 2023
The BenQ LH820ST is a native Full HD short throw, DLP laser projector designed primarily for the golf simulation market for an MSRP of $1,899.
November 30, 2023
The Ricoh WUL6690 WUXGA Laser DLP Projector is their flagship in the professional laser projection market for $8,500.
November 13, 2023
The Nomadic P2000UST-RGB is a 4K Triple Laser projector with ALPD 4.0 laser light source, low input lag for gaming, and Harmon Kardon sound system. I
August 14, 2023
The JMGO N1 offers 800 CVIA lumens, a triple laser light source, and JMGO gimbal-like design for an MSRP of $999.
July 3, 2023
The BenQ HT4550i is a new 4K UHD HDR home theater projector with LED light source at an of MSRP $2,999.
June 22, 2023
The BenQ LH730 is a 4000-lumen LED projector designed for use in medium-sized conference rooms. It features a 1080p resolution, 98% Rec.709 color gamut, and a 20,000-hour LED light source.
May 1, 2022
Sony is excited to announce three new 4K SXRD laser projectors, the VPL-VW5000ES, VPL-VW6000ES, and VPL-VW7000ES.
April 25, 2022
The Sony VPL-XW7000ES is a 3200 lumen, native 4K home theater projector and part of Sony's SXRD projector lineup refresh.
May 19, 2021
The 3600 lumen UHD35 is a 4K DLP Gaming Projector that supports 1080P refresh rates up to 240Hz with game lag as low as 4.2ms.
December 11, 2020
The Epson LS500 is a laser powered, 4000 lumen, 3LCD projector with an ultra short throw design, and it is bundled with either a 100” or 120” screen.
November 28, 2020
Panasonic's first discrete RGB LED DLP projector that's being marketed to both the business and home markets.
July 27, 2020
The Epson PowerLite U50 is a 3LCD, WUXGA (1920 x 1200) resolution projector with built-in Wi-Fi connectivity for business use.
April 12, 2020
In this review we compare two projectors - the BenQ TH585 and the Vankyo V630 head-to-head.
April 1, 2020
The BenQ EW800ST is a DLP, WXGA (1280 x 800) resolution, short throw projector with smart capabilities. It is primarily positioned as a classroom projector, but is suitable for conference rooms and meeting rooms where its feature set would be useful. B ...
February 28, 2020
The ViewSonic X10-4KE takes the big screen experience, makes it portable, and gives it a handle. Add to that the 4K UHD resolution (3840 x 2160), short throw design and smart TV capabilities, you’ve got a highly versatile, portable home theater.
December 16, 2019
So-called "smart" TVs are nearly ubiquitous these days, but home-entertainment projectors with similar functionality are few and far between. The Optoma UHD52ALV is one of the exceptions. It doesn't have built-in streaming apps, but it does include a m ...
December 13, 2019
The Vivitek DH3660Z is a 1080p (1920 x 1080) resolution, DLP projector intended for business and education environments.
November 27, 2019
The Epson Home Cinema 3200 is a 4K HDR compatible home theater 3LCD projector with a rated brightness of 2,900 Lumens.
November 27, 2019
Epson has long been known for offering excellent home-theater projectors at very reasonable prices, and the new Home Cinema 3800 is no exception.
November 15, 2019
Epson’s flagship home theater projector, the Pro Cinema 6050UB is a 4K Capable projector that uses special high contrast 3LCD panels.
October 7, 2019
The Optoma 4K UHD UHL55 is an all in one home entertainment solution with 1500 lumens and a contrast ration of 250,000:1.
September 15, 2019
The Optoma HD27HDR serves up High dynamic range (HDR), which is the biggest improvement in consumer video since HDTV was introduced about 20 years ago.
August 31, 2019
The JVC DLA-NX7 is a HDR home theater projector that can deliver true 4K resolution (4096 x 2160) with a retail price of $8,999 it fits in the middle of the JVC 4K FPJ lineup.
August 13, 2019
The LG HU85LA is a Laser TV, also known as Ultra-Short Throw projectors, with a list price of $4999.
July 30, 2019
The Optoma HD243X is a single-chip DLP projector that offers full HD resolution (1920X1080).
July 11, 2019
The Casio XJ-S400UN is part of Casio’s new Superior series, which features the next generation of their mercury-free, hybrid laser and LED light engine.
July 1, 2019
The NEC NP-MC382W is a capable LCD projector, well suited for business and education environments.
June 13, 2019
The LG CineBeam HU85LA is a smart projectors and LG fans have been eagerly waiting for the arrival of this 4K UHD ultra short throw projector.
May 20, 2019
The AAXA 4K1 is a small portable projector for less than $1,000.
May 16, 2019
The BenQ HT5550 4K UHD home theater projector priced at $2,499.
May 12, 2019
The new Epson 4K capable Home Cinema 5050UB projector is their latest and best projector in Epson’s now 12 year old UB series.
April 24, 2019
Review of the the BenQ HT3550 4K UHD Home Theater Projector.
March 7, 2019
The Epson PowerLite 5520W is a 5,500 lumen, WXGA (1280 x 800) resolution projector for business and education applications. It has 3LCD technology, which means this Epson projects as many color lumens as it does white ones.
February 26, 2019
The Optoma EH330UST is a 3,600 lumen ultra-short throw projector with DLP technology for business and education applications.
January 29, 2019
The Epson PowerLite 109W is a WXGA (1280 x 800) business and education projector claiming 4,000 lumens making it suitable for classrooms and conference rooms where there is little control over the amount of ambient light.
January 21, 2019
The Sony VPL-VW995ES is a world class, native 4K home theater projector that won our Hot Product award.
January 2, 2019
The Hisense 100” Laser TV consists of an ultra short throw, very smart projector, combined with a 100” 16:9 screen designed for rooms with ambient light.
December 12, 2018
The Epson PowerLite L400U is a WUXGA 3LCD laser projector intended for larger meeting spaces and higher education.
December 6, 2018
The new Epson 4K Home Cinema 4010 and Pro Cinema 4050 projectors represent another step in the evolution of 4K capable, pixel shifting projectors.
November 21, 2018
The Sony VPL-VW295ES is the least expensive, true, native 4K home theater projector, with a list price of $4999.99.
September 29, 2018
The LG HU80KA projector is one interesting home entertainment and home theater projector – but more home entertainment – and that’s true on several levels.
September 27, 2018
The BenQ MW535A is a bright WXGA projector intended for the business and education market.
July 29, 2018
Optoma's UHD51A 4K UHD projector is one of the first projector manufacturers to offer a smart projector design.
July 23, 2018
The Panasonic PT-MZ670U is a 6,500 lumen projector with a laser light engine and WUXGA (1920 x 1200) resolution.
July 9, 2018
Full review of the BenQ TK800 4K UHD Projector.
June 11, 2018
Review of the ViewSonic PX727 4K UHD ome theater projector at an affordable price.
May 7, 2018
The Sony VW38ES is loaded with features: 4K with HDR, lens memory, dynamic iris, and a whole lot more.
April 11, 2018
The Optoma W460 is a WXGA (1280 x 800) resolution projector with an outstanding 4,600 lumens.
April 9, 2018
The Epson PowerLite 108 XGA, 3LCD projector is a mid-range, small fixed install or portable use projector suitable for classroom or conference room.
April 6, 2018
The InFocus IN2128hdx is a Full HD native resolution, compact portable projector that is built for easy connectivity whether on the go or mounted permanently.
April 2, 2018
The Sony VPL-EW435 is a WXGA (1280 x 800) resolution business and education projector claiming 3,100 lumens.
March 28, 2018
The BenQ HT2550 is a single chip DLP projector with 2200 lumens and 3D built in.
March 23, 2018
The Epson PowerLite 675W is an ultra short throw, WXGA (1280 x 800) business and education projector claiming 3,200 lumens.
March 16, 2018
The InFocus IN116xa is a compact, portable DLP projector that manages to load a ton of ability into a projector that is very reasonably priced at $425.
March 13, 2018
Review of the Dell S718QL 4K UHD Ultra-Short Throw Laser business and education projector.
February 1, 2018
The Epson BrightLink 710Ui is a WUXGA (1920 x 1200) laser projector with interactive capabilities.
January 7, 2018
The Viewsonic PJD7828HDL is an entry level priced 1080p resolution DLP projector, one that provides a lot of value.
December 20, 2017
Optoma’s new UHZ65 home theater projector is positioned at the top of Optoma's lineup of UHx6x models of UHD projectors sporting the first Texas Instruments consumer 4K UHD chip, and targeting home users.
November 16, 2017
The Epson Home Cinema 2100 and Home Cinema 2150 are two new projectors that replace their venerable HC2040 and HC2045.
November 9, 2017
The Epson Home Cinema LS100 Laser Projector is 1080p ultra-short throw projector with 4,000 lumens.
October 26, 2017
The Sony VPL-VW285ES - a real 4K projector, and the first under $5000.
October 23, 2017
The BenQ HT9050 LED home theater projector is a 4K UHD DLP chip projector with an exceptionally sharp image.
September 27, 2017
The NEC NP-PA653UL is a 6,500 lumen, large venue laser projector using 3LCD technology for advanced business and education applications.
September 6, 2017
Full review of the Sony VPL-VW885ES, a true 4K projector that supports High Dynamic Range.
May 11, 2017
Review of the Epson LS10500 laser home theater projector.
About 3D Projectors
It certainly should be. Anyone who’s watched a movie in 3D on that 55″ LCDTV, and then seen it on a 110″ screen, should appreciate that “big screen” is the only way to go for 3D!
Will that make a difference? Probably not. The Home projector business is a niche market. It accounts for 100,000+ projectors a year in the US, vs 10 million plus LCDTVs.
Certainly the projector manufacturers on the home theater side should be shouting the greatness of 3D projectors from the rooftops, but the silence is deafening.
IS 3D The Epiphany Event For Home Theater Projectors?
3D projectors come in both the business / education variety, and also for the home. To date, implementation in businesses has been limited, but 3D interest in the classroom is very strong, and many districts are testing or rolling out 3D projectors and content into classrooms.
Almost all of today’s home theater and home entertainment projectors are 3D ready. Yes, even most entry level projectors around $600 – $1000. Not all come with the needed 3D glasses, but many come with one or two pair. Essentially all you need are those glasses, a 3D capable Blu-ray player (including the Sony PS3 and PS4 gaming consoles). Note that 3rd party 3D active glasses are now around for most projectors, in the $20 to $30 price range.
3D at its best enhances your viewing experience. It’s not about gimmicky 3D movements, but about not even “noticing that it’s 3D after a while, but enjoying the movie or other content all the more, because it is in 3D.
If you are a home theater person, you should keep this in mind, at all times: With projectors – it’s like the theaters – awesome – you are immersed. With those pesky little 40 and 65″ LCDTVs, it’s like having a cute little window box in 3D. “awe – how sweet” but forget the immersive 3D “theater” experience. Tsk!
If there’s one area where projectors blow away smaller displays, more than any other, it’s got to be 3D. People who have been in my rooms and seen some of the 3D content on a large screen – are – truly impressed!
Not everyone can view in 3D. You need to have two good eyes. If someone has one problem eye, for whatever cause, 3D probably won’t work.
Brightness is a key challenge for 3D which “gobbles up” more than half of the available brightness and really closer to 2/3rds at this time. Earlier 3D projectors couldn’t even get 25% of the total brightness to our eyes. Thanks to most home projectors today offering 3D, many of todays newest home theater projectors are about twice as bright (or more) as their equivalent models just 4-5 years ago when 3D projectors were first shipping. Today many 3D home projectors claim 2000 lumens or more, and mostly, you’ll need that extra for comfortably bright 3D viewing. Of course in the business and education space, projectors are inherently brighter, with most offering 3000 lumens or more.
Price
When I first wrote this page, I was talking about the LG CF3D projector. Call it on of the first home/commercial projectors. Only $15,000
Fear not, today’s home entertainment projectors sporting 3D start around $500 for 720p resolution, and from $699 for full 1080p with 3D. Still moving up from entry level needs to get you up to around $900 – $1000 with popular projectors from BenQ and Epson and Optoma as excellent examples. Moving to over $2000 to $8000 priced projectors, again virtually all have 3D, and the 3D projector market is dominated by Epson, Sony, and JVC Projectors, along with entries from Panasonic, Sharp, and others.
On the business and education side projectors with 3D again start well under $1000, however, in group settings, such as a classroom, the cost of 35 pair of active 3D glasses, can really damage the budget, even at $20 and $30 a pair. So far Epson has come up with an interesting solution. Their W16SK is two projectors stacked together, allowing the use of passive 3D glasses which are only a couple of dollars each! It’s a clever approach, worth mentioning when 3D is needed for more that small groups. You pay more for the two projectors but save a lot more in the long run.
Commercial projectors are available in 3D as well, If you need a 3000, 5000 or 8000 lumen projector that’s 3D capable, there are plenty of choices, and more coming. Commercial ovie theater projectors I should note, at least in the US, are dominated by “stacked” projectors – essentially two in one, so they can use low cost passive 3D glasses.
Resolution
Home entertainment projectors start at standard HD resolution known as 720p (1280×720), I’d say more serious home theater projectors, at this time, are all 1080p resolution except for the very pricy true 4K projectors (3840×2160) from Sony starting at $15,000.
On the business and education side of things, there are even a couple of lower resolution SVGA projectors, but mostly the action starts with XGA (1024×768) and WXGA (1280×800). 3D is found on plenty business 1080p projectors, and there are 4K 3D projectors on the market as well (with stratospheric prices for the moment).
Conclusion
I personally love watching 3D using the many Home Theater Projectors that pass through my theater. I do feel it’s a superior experience to 2D, as most who view 3D at the local Cineplex would agree. In fact expect to enjoy a superior experience overall, in your home, than in the typical 3D theater, with all but the most entry level projectors, when in a good room, with a good screen.
I think 3D has great possibilities in the classroom, and a projector is likely to be the best vehicle for utilizing 3D in the classroom.
In the business world I can see specialized training, scientific uses, engineering and many other specific applications but do not see 3D taking over the typical conference room anytime soon.
