12 Best Projectors Under $500

You want a good projector, but you’re afraid you can’t find one in your price range, right? Well, we’re here to tell you that you can get one! Whether you want the best 1080p projector under 500 $ or just a good one for office presentations, we’ve got you covered.

We looked at all available models under $500 and mercilessly culled the herd, getting rid of low quality models and those with bad reputations.

Keep reading. We’ll show you the best and teach you how to find a great one on your own in the buyer’s guide below the reviews.

Pay attention to the ones we think are the best out there. And be sure to read the buyer’s guide after this. We really want to teach you about the important factors to consider before you buy anything.

Comparisons Projectors Under $500

Prices and images pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

12 Best Home Projectors Under $500 on the Market Today:

Its native resolution is only 800×600, which is decent for more affordable projectors, but it will support source resolutions of up to 1080p with no problem.

Read the buyer’s guide following these reviews for more information about native versus supported resolution.

What Customers Are Saying

People love the brightness, which is among the brightest of all projectors in this price range.

Some have even used it for outdoor movie nights in their backyards.

The overall feeling is that this model offers the best value among affordable projectors.

What we have here can rival the very expensive projectors of the previous generation’s technology. It offers an immersive experience with a bright, colorful image and great sound.

What Customers Are Saying

This is also a pretty bright projector, and everyone has noticed. They like that they don’t have to worry about dimming the room to watch movies or play games.

There has been some confusion about the resolution. This is not a 1080p projector, as it is advertised by some online sellers. There have been complaints about that, but it isn’t Vankyo’s fault.

All in all, everyone loves the image quality, ease of use and the overall value.

What Customers Are Saying

Who doesn’t love something that’s easy to set up?

Those who take the time to learn how to use the keystone adjustment feature talk about how easy it is to get it going and have a great, perfectly shaped picture.

They like how super bright it is, too. 6,000 lumens in awesome for any projector, but it’s incredible for a projector under $500.

What Customers Are Saying

People who like to have a big TV image in a small room, like their bedroom, like the short throw. They can have a 50” picture with a throw of only about five feet.

The picture quality is a big hit as well. Good contrast and a bright projection make for a realistic image.

What Customers Are Saying

People who have owned other projectors say that this is the best in its price range.

They like the resolution, which is a true 1280×800. Combine that with the decent contrast, and you’ll understand why people rave about the picture quality.

What Customers Are Saying

Everyone loves smart devices. That’s one reason for this tiny projector’s popularity. People like that it can connect to WiFi and to phones and tablets with Bluetooth.

Most are surprised with the picture. It doesn’t look like you would get a full projector experience out of this little thing, but you really do. The biggest difference people notice is the picture size. The maximum size is 100”.

What Customers Are Saying

Gamers are very impressed that they can have a gaming projector for under $500 that isn’t a piece of junk. Many gamers who own this one had tried cheap projectors for games before and thought that they would have to spend over $1,000 for a decent one. They were pleasantly surprised when they started playing with this model!

What Customers Are Saying

First off, people wish that there was a way to connect additional speakers. Apparently, the integrated speakers leave something to be desired.

But most bought this one for its portability. And that’s where it shines. It’s 8”x6”x3”. It can fit in a purse or a small duffel bag. The picture quality hasn’t drawn many complaints. In fact, everyone is pretty happy with it. It has good resolution and nice coloring.

What Customers Are Saying

People who understand what it is and what it’s for like it a lot.

Some have complained that it only has HDMI inputs and that the sound isn’t great. But this was designed for simplicity and the ultimate in portability. And it excels in those areas.

What Customers Are Saying

People are usually surprised that they get this kind of performance from a projector of this price and size. Many of those who are experienced with projectors compare this one favorably to models well over $500, even though this one costs around $130. That really is an amazing price for this thing.

Some people have taken advantage of the great value to put a projector in their bedroom or even a guest room.

What Customers Are Saying

Many have commented on the clarity of the picture. That has to do with the multi-layer precision glass lens. Multi-layer lenses are usually seen only on more expensive projectors.

Some have griped that the sound quality of the speaker isn’t that great, but there is an audio out jack. One innovative buyer purchased a dongle to connect to the audio jack so he could use his Bluetooth speaker.

What Customers Are Saying

People have complained about the brightness and the loudness of the speaker. They say that the room has to be dark for a good image and that the speaker isn’t as loud as a smartphone speaker.

Well, this is a pocket projector. It isn’t the best for entertainment, but it is fantastic for presentations. Those who use it for its intended purpose are impressed. There are people who use it for movies and TV, but most of them use an external speaker.

Factors To Consider When Buying A Home Projector Under $500

Think about these factors when weighing your options so you can get the best home theater projector under $500.

Native Resolution Vs Supported Resolution

Avoid the number one amateur mistake by understanding the difference.

Think of native resolution as actual resolution. Regardless of the input, native res is what will be displayed.

Supported resolution is the highest res that will be accepted as input.

For example, say you have a projector with a native resolution of 720p and a supported resolution of 1080p. You can play a source of up to 1080p, but it will be converted to 720p before being projected.

Brightness And Contrast

The brightness of projectors under $500 is usually comparable to those of more expensive models. Light sources aren’t expensive.

Contrast is a different story. It’s determined by the image chip, which is a big cost factor.

A contrast ratio of 2,000:1 is pretty good for a projector priced under $500. If you want to save a little more then check out our projectors under $ 300

Throw Distance

Less expensive projectors are often made for the purpose of smaller rooms. That means that they sometimes have a shorter throw distance, but not always.

Just check the specs. Measure the distance from the surface you’re going to project onto to the place you want to put the projector. Then make sure the throw distance of the model you’re considering covers that.

Gaming

There are some extra considerations for projectors that will be used for playing games. Follow the same rules for home projectors in regards to contrast, brightness and other picture factors.

But you need to pay attention to lag. Lag is the amount of time it takes for the frame to appear as an image after being received by the projector. It’s measured in milliseconds, or ms.

Anything under 45ms is good for gaming, but lower is better. We’ve reviewed two projectors above with lags of 16ms, and they would be great for gaming. Check them out.

Projectors Under $500 FAQs

Here are the questions that people who are looking for the best digital projector under $500 ask the most.

How can they afford to sell projectors so cheap?

Manufacturers use cheaper image processing components to save on costs, then pass that savings along to the consumer.

That’s why projectors under $500 usually have a contrast ratio of under 3,000:1 and native resolution of 720p and below.

In order to save a bunch of money, like a thousand dollars, you have to sacrifice some image quality.

How hard is it to set a portable projector up?

Many people who want a cheap projector are looking for a portable one. It may seem intimidating to have to set it up every time you want to use it.

All projectors can be set on a table. That’s probably what you’ll want to do if you’re giving a presentation or playing a game at a friend’s house.

Keystone correction is useful in these scenarios. That’s a feature that basically allows you to move the lens up, down or side to side to compensate for an uneven surface, like a table.

If the lens isn’t perpendicular, the image will not be a perfect square or rectangle.

What kind of inputs do affordable projectors usually have?

Almost all projectors have at least one HDMI port. That covers most any device or console you’d want to connect to it.  Even phones can connect to an HDMI port.

You just need an adaptor. Some cheap projectors also have VGA hookups, which is a common means of connecting to a PC or laptop.

USBs are pretty common connections on affordable projectors, but sometimes they’re just for supplying power to devices that are connected to them through another port. Check and see if the USB is a power port or a data port.

Conclusion

The Yaber Native 1080p projector is the best projectors under 500 $. It offers a superior picture in actual 1080p resolution, which is rare in affordable projectors.

If you need a projector with a throw of 15 feet or less, check out Epson’s VS250. It will give you a great picture in smaller rooms.

You gamers out there will love the bright colors and incredible lag of 16ms that Optima’s HD243X will put on your wall.

You want the best movie projector under $500. It doesn’t seem to be an impossible dream anymore, does it?

You know what you’re doing now. You know what to look for and what to avoid. You’ve seen the twelve best.

Every day you spend without a projector from this day forward is just a waste of time. There are some really good deals out there. Why wait any longer. You deserve it. Use what you’ve learned here and make your choice today