Best Short Throw Projectors
Short throw projectors are, in our opinion, the best choice for a home theater, classroom, or conference room. They are more convenient than a long throw projector because they only need to be placed about three feet away to get a good picture quality and screen size.
So, you don’t need a lot of space to put together an HD projector set up in your apartment or home theater.
The main drawback from short throw projectors is their cost. The benefit of such optics comes at a price but many of us just have to eat the cost as the spaces we are working with are best suited to a short throw projector rather than a ceiling-mounted or behind wall projector.
While the VAVA 4K UHD has a more attractive price, the Optoma P2 (new for 2020) short-throw projector’s extra Lumens and experience in the projector space puts it at the front of the pack. It’s neither the most expensive nor the cheapest. The build and projection qualities are excellent. A great upgrade from the CinemaX P1 (and cheaper)!
Optoma has been a part of our lives since the early 2000s, and it has always impressed us with a high-quality picture and impressive color representation. The form factor of the P2 model is excellent, and the Dolby Digital audio is a real bonus.
The VAVA, with its smart Android features and ALPD 3.0 patented light technology, makes for an effective short throw 4k UHD projector with a more manageable price tag. A strong 2500 Lumens and expected 25,000 hours of use (17 years worth), combined with an attractive finish, make this worth considering!
If you’re ready to invest in the best short throw projectors this year, here are eight of our very favorites out on the market now.
Read also: 5 Tips for choosing the best Home Theater Projector
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This 4K projector from Dell is an ultra-short range, meaning its projection distance only has to be about four inches away from the screen, and it still delivers a gorgeous 4K UHD resolution and 8.3 million pixels.
This one is seriously impressive, and the results are amazing. Even when there’s ambient light during the daytime, this home theater projector will still deliver a crisp, bright image.
I like this one for office use, too. You can hook it up to your office network and use up to four devices at once, which is one way to make a meeting more exciting. No room is too small to get an eye-catching, 100-inch display!
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2. Sony VPLVZ1000ES Ultra-Short Throw 4K HDR Home Theatre Projector
If you’re short on space, this amazing ultra short throw projector from Sony gives you an 80-inch picture from only two inches away using a short throw lens!
With a short throw ratio, if you have six inches, you get a 100-inch picture, and at 10 inches, a 120-inch picture. It features native 4K resolution. 8.8 million pixels and 2500 lumens of brightness. Plus, the color display is breathtaking.
One of the cool things about this product is the advanced reality creation, which is a fancy way of saying it upscales and tweaks SD and HD so they look as amazing as possible.
See the Sony VPLVZ1000ES Ultra-Short Throw 4K HDR Home Theatre Projector tuner on Amazon
3. LG HU85LA Ultra Short Throw 4K UHD Laser Smart Home Theater Cinebeam Projector
Another amazing option from LG is this ultra-short throw Cinebeam projector. It has a 4K ultra-high def display with up to 2700 lumens of brightness. The class 1 laser projector displays a 120-inch screen from only 7.2 inches away from the wall or screen.
One of the things I can’t get enough of about this projector is the LG webOS lite, giving it a wireless connectivity option. Just use the Magic Remote to access LG’s smart TV system and stream your favorites from Netflix, Amazon Prime, and more right from the projector. It also has Bluetooth connectivity, Google Assistant, and more.
See the LG HU85LA Ultra Short Throw 4K UHD Laser Smart Home Theater Cinebeam Projector tuner on Amazon
4. VAVA 4K UHD Laser TV Home Theatre Projector
VAVA’s ultra short throw projector can be adjusted for a projected image between 80 and 150 inches from as close as 7.2 inches from the wall. The picture quality is great, too. You’ll see deeper colors, higher contrasts, sharper imagery, and full saturation. It’s even a bit better than what you see in movie theaters.
See the VAVA 4K UHD Laser TV Home Theatre Projector tuner on Amazon
One of the best things about this product is that it’s designed to last a long time and deliver up to 25,000 hours of maintenance-free operation. That’s the equivalent of using it every day for four hours for the next 17 years. Literally blows the mind, doesn’t it?
5. Optoma Cinemax P2 4K UHD Laser TV Home Theater Projector
This awesome, high-quality projector from Optoma delivers a powerful home theater experience. With 4K Ultra HD and a 2,000,000:1 ratio, the images are shockingly clear, and the contrast ratio and wide range of colors bring brighter whites, deeper blacks, and amazing color performance.
I got my first Optoma project about 20 years ago on a trip to Hong Kong, and it was excellent. Since then, Optoma has made continued improvements to its projector technology. This is the P2 model released in 2020, which is a move forward from the P1 model.
You can place this projector as close as 5.7 inches to the wall or screen for an 84-inch image or pull it back to 14.5 inches away for 120 inches. I also love the built-in soundbar. It features Dolby Digital 2.0 with two full-range speakers and two woofers for superior sound.
See the Optoma Cinemax P2 4K UHD Laser TV Home Theater Projector tuner on Amazon
6. ViewSonic LS830 Ultra Short Throw Projector
If you’re looking for something versatile, I recommend this ultra short throw projector from ViewSonic.
The stackable design is ideal for conferences and classrooms, and it produces a pretty generous image – up to 150 inches with 4500 hundred lumens and a 100,000:1 contrast ratio.
Set up is easy, so you don’t have to waste too much time getting ready for a meeting or presentation. This could even be a great gaming projector, as it supports most media players, including PCs, Macs, and smartphones, and it has multiple connection ports, including HDMI and USB.
See the ViewSonic LS830 Ultra Short Throw Projectorr tuner on Amazon
7. Epson Home Cinema Ultra Short-throw Projector
I recommend this projector from Epson for an immersive home theater experience. It can project an image as large as 120 inches in diameter in full HD by placing it just inches from the wall and has one of the best contrast ratios I’ve seen.
At 2,500,000:1, it delivers deep, rich blacks and vibrant whites, while the advanced three-chip design delivers vivid color.
This is a great product that was made to last. The estimated life is 20,000 hours in normal mode for up to four hours a day, and a two-year limited warranty covers it.
Don’t Forget!
You’ll really need to pair your projector with a great sound setup. Most people will opt for surround sound, but some might go for a soundbar for many reasons (don’t be too judgy, audiophiles. However, I’d always recommend at least a subwoofer if you do go with a sound bar because you need to feel it).
Audio makes such a big difference to the visual experience.
Final Thoughts
There you have it, our top picks for the best short throw projectors. We promise your home theater experience will never be the same! Bigger movies, better visuals, and a more engaging viewing experience!
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A passion for writing and ongoing research projects gives Catherine an incredibly broad knowledge of all things. She has authored an incredible number of articles and can be found in the wilderness when not attached to technology or listening to podcasts.
This post was last updated on 2024-12-08 / Some images from Amazon Product API & some links may be affiliate links which may earn us a commission from purchases.