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Essential · $1,298Good
Upgrade · $2,498Better
Absolute · $4,499BestEssentialBig, bright, fairly accurate picture
Upgradeover twice the measured brightness
Absolutemotorized lens shift and zoom
Essential · Hisense M2
The Hisense M2 Pro is a small 4K projector that makes a big, bright image with fairly accurate colors and an optical zoom. It supports HLG, HDR10, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, and motion looks smooth without judder. It weighs 3.9kg and tilts up and down to aim the picture.
Pro: A small 4K projector that throws a big, bright, fairly accurate picture.
Con: Only one HDMI input, thin-sounding speakers, and less popular apps may be missing.
Upgrade · Hisense C2
The Hisense C2 Ultra is a 4K laser projector on a tilting, swiveling stand, with built-in streaming and a robust speaker system. Wirecutter measured about 2,200 lumens with above-average contrast, and it supports all major HDR formats, including Dolby Vision. Gamers get low lag and Designed for Xbox certification.
Pro: Over twice the measured brightness, so the picture holds up in brighter rooms.
Con: It needs its bulky stand and is not ideal for a dedicated theater room.
Absolute · Epson LS9000
The Epson LS9000 is a 4K laser 3LCD projector rated at 2,200 lumens, with a motorized zoom, wide lens shift and lens memory. Its 3-chip design avoids the rainbow effect, and Natural mode gives accurate color out of the box. Two HDMI 2.1 ports handle 4K at 120Hz for gaming.
Pro: Motorized lens shift and zoom for a dedicated theater room, where the Hisense isn't ideal.
Con: No built-in speakers or streaming, and no dynamic HDR tone mapping.