Low lag projectors good for casual gaming and playing games with friends and family
This category includes budget-friendly gaming projectors that are zippy, but not necessarily the fastest units in market. This type of gaming projector would be great for families with small children and people who like to play collaboratively with friends.
The GS50 is a smart all-in-one Full HD (1920 x 1080p) portable DLP projector. BenQ rates the brightness of the GS50 at 500 ANSI lumens. The LED light source is rated to last up to 20,000 hours on Normal Mode and 30,000 hours on ECO Mode. In addition, the GS50 has a built-in battery that is rated to last up to 2.5 hours.
The GS50 has a worry-free durable design that is ergonomically designed for a rugged and active lifestyle. The GS50 is IPX2 splash-resistant, with light splashes being channeled out of the projector and splash-resistant film protecting the speakers. An IPX2 rating means the GS50 can resist water that hits the projector at a 15° angle or less. The testing for an IPX2 rating includes a test duration of 10 minutes and a water equivalent to 3mm rainfall per minute. The projector is also 2.3-foot drop-resistant thanks to its double protection of a 1mm-thick water-resistant TPU inner layer and a drop-resistant outer resin. The BenQ GS50 has a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $799.
The Epson EpiqVision Ultra LS650 is a 4K UST (ultra-short throw) laser projector rated to deliver 3,600 ANSI lumens of brightness and 2,500,000:1 dynamic contrast, selling for $2,799 MSRP. The LS650 is an Android TV-powered smart projector with a sound system designed in partnership with the audio experts at Yamaha.
The LS650's ultra-short throw design allows it to be placed close to the wall, making it suitable for use in almost any space with room to project an image. The LS650 will work just as well in a bedroom as in a dedicated home theater space. Setting up and adjusting the display size is a breeze thanks to the Epson Setting Assistant app, which ensures a hassle-free experience.
Epson has continued prioritizing connectivity in its projectors, upgrading the LS650 connectivity options. This year, the LS650's HDMI #2 input has been upgraded from ARC to eARC. eARC offers all the benefits of ARC and much higher bandwidth than its predecessor, ARC. With eARC, high bit rate versions of formats like DTS:X and DOLBY ATMOS found on Blu-ray discs, 4K Blu-rays, and some streaming services are supported. eARC eliminates the need to activate HDMI CEC+, improving the communication process (the handshake) between supported devices. For more information about ARC and eARC, please click the links for detailed explanations with a full list of benefits.
Gamers should be thrilled that Epson has continued to support high frame rate gaming and low input lag on the LS650. Even though the dedicated HDMI #3 gaming input found on the LS800 is not on the LS650, users are offered an input lag of less than 20 ms when gaming with compatible hardware. An input lag of less than 20 ms means that the LS650 is an excellent projector for gaming, supporting 1080p gaming at up to 120 Hz. With speeds like this, users should not notice any delay from when a button is pushed on a controller to the corresponding action onscreen.
The XGIMI Halo+ is an Full HD (1080p) portable smart projector with a built-in 59W battery rated to last up to two hours. The Halo is rated at 800 ANSI lumens, and XGIMI stated at the time, the Halo was the brightest projector in its class. Well, the Halo+ just took over the throne with its rated brightness of 900 NASI lumens.
The Halo+ has Intelligent Screen Adaption Technology (ISA) and Auto Keystone Correction, allowing the projector to instantly focus and find an optimal screen size while avoiding obstacles like light switches or picture frames. The Halo has Auto Keystone Correction but not the Intelligent Screen Adaption Technology, meaning the Halo will not avoid obstacles. The Halo+ and Halo both have dual 5-watt built-in Harman Kardon speakers that emit clean, distortion-free Hi-Fi sound with ample bass response.
The simple plug-and-play capability of the Halo+ is simply outstanding; it practically sets itself up once powered on. This portable projector is a noticeable improvement over the Halo, which is an impressive portable projector with a built-in battery. The Halo+, with advanced technology, makes it well worth the additional $59 it cost over the Halo.
The games tested on the Halo+ played exactly as they should. There was no significant input lag while playing games on the Halo+. XGIMI states 1080p@60Hz input lag (signal lag) is at 26.5 milliseconds.
The Sony VPL-XW5000ES is a 2000-lumen native 4K home theater laser projector that retails for $6,000. The XW5000ES, which is Sony’s entry-level 4K home theater, is the least expensive native 4K 3-chip LCOS projector on the market.
The Sony XW5000ES is the successor of the highly-rated VPL-VW325ES ($5500 SRP), which we reviewed last year. All of Sony’s current lineup up of 4K home theater projectors, including the XW5000ES, utilize a Z-Phosphor laser light source. The laser light source has a rated life of 20,000 hours which results in years of nearly maintenance-free operation.
To maximize the gaming experience, the XW5000ES includes a Low Latency Game Mode. When this mode is engaged, the projector switches off most of its video processing to dramatically reduce game lag.
Sony quotes 27ms input lag when playing content in 4K@60fps and just 16ms gaming in Full HD@120fps. We measured 4K/60p at 28ms and 1080/120p at 17ms, which will satisfy most gamers.
The Hisense L9H is a 4K (3,840 x 2,160p) ultra-short throw (UST) Tricolor RGB laser projector featuring a manufacturer-rated 3,000 ANSI lumens of brightness, Dolby Vision HDR and a 40-watt Dolby Atmos onboard sound system. It is powered by a powerful Texas Instruments 0.47-inch digital light processing (DLP) imaging chip. It features the latest Google TV operating system, offering recommendations and search results across your favorite apps. The L9H offers a dynamic contrast ratio of 2,000,000:1 and low input lag, providing an excellent movie and gaming experience with features like Motion Estimation and Compensation (MEMC) for smooth video performance and a dedicated Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) that optimizes the projector to provide the best gameplay.
Hisense classifies the L9H as a Laser TV, which means it comes packaged with a matched screen to provide the best overall user experience. Laser TVs are designed to be viable replacements for flat-panel televisions, but to do this, they must be capable of being used day or night, delivering vibrant color regardless of ambient room light. They must have flat-panel TV features like a built-in tuner. The Hisense L9H does all this and more and is available to purchase now for an MSRP of $5,499 for the 100-inch package and a $6,499 MSRP for the 120-inch package.
The L9H is a follow-up to the highly regarded and award-winning L9G, which our technical editor, Philip Jones, reviewed in 2021. Click this link to read his full review. At the time, the L9G was a groundbreaking UST projector offering cutting-edge brightness and new features like Dolby Vision HDR. Three years later, in an industry with massive performance and feature gains, Hisense is introducing the newest L9 series model.
While the XGIMI Horizon Ultra retails for just $1699, it includes several advanced technologies that are currently not available on more expensive competitor's projectors. One of the most interesting technologies utilized in the Horizon Ultra is its newly developed light source.
XGIMI stated that three factors impact picture quality in projectors: brightness, color accuracy, and color gamut. Bright projectors often struggle to reproduce accurate colors. While RGBB LED projectors can reproduce a vast array of colors accurately, they are usually not very bright. Tri-laser projectors can deliver high brightness and a wide range of colors but often produce noticeable color fringing and speckle.
The Dual-Light technology in the XGIMI Ultra combines an RGBB LED with a red laser to produce a bright, color-accurate image. The Horizon Ultra is XGIMI's brightest display to date. XGIMI states that the Horizon Ultra can deliver 2300 ISO Lumens, which is 77% brighter than its predecessor, the HORIZON Pro, while delivering class-leading color accuracy.
