Projectors: Expert and User Reviews

Our AssessmentThough not as detailed as those at ProjectorReviews.com, the reviews at ProjectorCentral.com are sufficiently comprehensive, often comparative and generally well done. This review compares eight moderately priced home theater projectors to find the best choices. Four projectors emerge as standouts, though for reasons that might make one a better choice for certain users than others. Simplicity is the hallmark of the Mitsubishi HC4000. The Epson Home Cinema 8350 offers the best placement flexibility. The Optoma HD20 has been around a while, but it remains a hard-to-beat value. The BenQ W1200 provides lots of light output, though falters a bit with film-based content. Full reviews of all of these projectors can be found elsewhere on the site, as well as reports on a bushel full of other projectors.

Our AssessmentMost projector reviews at PCMag.com cover models aimed at the business and educational markets, but a few home-entertainment projectors get write-ups as well. Reports are decently meaty, and the results of testing are provided. The Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 8700UB earns an Editors' Choice award for delivering terrific performance at a reasonable price. In an older review, the Optoma HD20 earns a good rating for delivering an impressive image and low price. Issues with rainbow effect for those that see the artifact at all is the most significant negative.

Our AssessmentThe Perfect Vision is an online magazine (hosted by AVGuide.com) that occasionally eports on home-theater projectors. Reviews aren't quite as detailed as some found elsewhere, but most do a commendable job by clearly spelling out testing and explaining what the editors look for when evaluating a projector. Including a listing of recommended picture settings for each projector tested is helpful. The best projectors earn a Recommended award.

Our AssessmentThe articles here aren't nearly as detailed as some others, but they do a good job for the most part in laying out important positives and negatives. Not all projectors are tested, but where testing is done, About.com guide to home theater Robert Silva clearly and completely describes both the methodology and the results. Though most of the projectors listed here are available at retail, not all are current models. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)

Our AssessmentVideophiles looking for tons of technical details will enjoy the in-depth reviews here, which include the results of bench testing. A few moderately and even budget-priced projectors are covered, but most attention is paid to higher-end options, like the 3D capable JVC DLA-X3.

Our AssessmentAmazon.com is one of a number of sites that lets owners rate and review products after the sale. On the plus side, Amazon.com is easy to use and lists the number of reviews on the main navigation page, which lets you see at a glance if that 5-star rating is the result of lots of user feedback or just one owner. However, many discontinued projectors are listed, which slows down browsing, and most projectors have only a handful of reviews, at most.

Our AssessmentSound + Vision Magazine focuses mainly on high-end projectors in reports that are detailed but not too technically dense. You can also sometimes find reports on less expensive projectors, such as the Optoma PT100, a sub-$200 480p projector that's described as straddling "the no-man's-land territory between a toy projector and a full-fledged home theater model."