Top 10 Best Projectors under $500 in 2023 – [Newest Models]

Are you looking for the best projectors under 500 dollar or want to replace your existing one with a new budget projector?

Projectors are used for a lot of things such as presentations, watching movies, and gaming. There are many projectors in the market, but not all of them are worth the investment. You might be wondering if there is a way to find out which projectors are good for you, and which ones are not.

The answer to this question is yes. We’ve compiled a list of the best projectors under $500 in 2023 to help you make an informed decision. You can also check out reviews and guides for more information on what the best projector is for you.

To create this list, we’ve gone through all home projectors available in the market and narrowed down some best projectors that will give the best value for your hard-earned money. All these devices come with full HD resolution which allows you to enjoy high-quality pictures on the screen for movies, games, or other activities.

Before buying a projector, it is important that you research each company and read reviews about their product. To help you out, here’re a few things you need to know to before buying a projector.

Image	Product	Ratings	Price
Best Choice	ViewSonic PA503W Resolution – 1280 x 800 Throw Ratio – 1.55~1.70 Contrast Ratio – 22,000:1 Brightness – 3,600 Lumens	9.8	Check on Amazon
Best for Offices & Classroom	Optoma X400LVe XGA Resolution – 1280 x 800 Throw Ratio – 1.94 ~ 2.15:1 Contrast Ratio – 25,000:1 Brightness – 3,600 Lumens	9.5	Check on Amazon
Best Portable	Anker NEBULA Capsule Max Mini Projector Resolution – 1280 x 720 Projection Size – 20-100 inch Video Playtime – 4 hours Brightness – 200 ANSI Lumen	9.7	Check on Amazon
Best 3LCD Portable	Epson Home Cinema 880 3LCD Projector Resolution – 1920 × 1080 Throw Ratio – 1.21:1 (D: W) Contrast Ratio – 16,000:1 Brightness – 3,300 Lumens	9.7	Check on Amazon
Best for Movies & Gaming	Optoma HD146X Projector Resolution – 1920 x 1080 Throw Distance – 120" @13–14 feet Contrast Ratio – 500,000:1 Brightness – 3,600 Lumens	9.8	Check on Amazon
Budget Choice	FANGOR F-701 1080P Projector Resolution – 1920×1080 Projection Size – 35″-300" Contrast Ratio – 10000:1 Image Brightness – 8500L (200-300 ANSI estimated)	9.5	Check on Amazon
Gamer's Choice	ViewSonic 1080p Projector (PX700HD) Resolution – 1920×1080 Throw Ratio – 1.5 – 1.65 Contrast Ratio – 12,000:1 Brightness – 3,500 Lumens	9.7	Check on Amazon
Best Mini	PIQO Smallest HD Projector Resolution – 1920×1080 Max projection range – 240 inch Operating system – Android Brightness – 200 Lumens	9.8	Check on PIQO
Budget Pick	YABER 5G WiFi Bluetooth Projector Resolution – 1920x1080 Projection Size - 45-300" Contrast Ratio – 10,000:1 Brightness – 9,500 Lumens	9.6	Check on Amazon
Best for Outdoor Movies	DBPOWER Native 1080P WiFi Projector Resolution – 1920×1080 Projection size – 40″-300″ Contrast ratio – 10000:1 Brightness – 8500 Lumens	9.6	Check on Amazon

Best Projectors Under 500 Dollars in 2023

1. ViewSonic PA503W Best Choice – Latest Model

• Resolution – 1280 x 800
• Throw Ratio – 1.55~1.70
• Contrast Ratio – 22,000:1
• Image Brightness (Lumens) – 3,600
• Display Technology – DLP
• Connectivity – HDMI, VGA, Composite Video

ViewSonic PA503W is one of the most versatile projectors with many advanced visual features making it ideal for education and small business environments. The projector offers a long lamp life which maximizes your view time for up to 15,000 hours. It comes with a simple setup and control so you can easily play your presentations, videos, and pictures.

It is packed with 3,600 lumens and a high contrast ratio which can produce bright images even in a well-lit environment. For connectivity, this projector comes with HDMI, VGA, and more to connect with most media players, PCs, Macs, and mobile devices.

2. Optoma X400LVe XGA Projector

• Resolution – 1280 x 800
• Throw Ratio  – 1.94 ~ 2.15:1
• Contrast Ratio – 25,000:1
• Image Brightness (Lumens) – 4000
• Lamp Life – Up to 15,000 hours
• Connectivity – Wireless, HDMI, MHL, USB

This is the best budget projector from Optoma which offers many powerful features at an affordable price range. It comes with 1280 x 800 pixels XGA resolution which is ideal for projecting everyday presentations and graphics. The projector has 4000 lumens of equal color and white brightness which delivers more accurate and vivid colors even in a bright room.

The Optoma X400LVe works with the latest laptops and media players with HDMI connectivity support. This business projector has DLP display technology which gives 3 times higher color brightness and 3 times wider color gamut. Its 10-watt built-in speaker makes it loud enough for small-to-medium classrooms and meeting rooms. If you want to buy a projector for movies, sports, and gaming but running on a tight budget then Optoma X400LVe is one of the best inexpensive projectors under 500 for you.

3. Anker Nebula Capsule Max Mini Projector

• Resolution – 1280 x 720
• Projection Size – 20-100 inch
• Video Playtime – 4 hours
• Image Brightness (Lumens) – 200 ANSI lumen
• Display Technology – DLP
• Connectivity – HDMI, USB, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Screen Mirroring

This mini projector from Anker Nebula is another great movie projector under 500 dollars with high-end specifications. It is an incredibly portable and budget-friendly projector you can use for outdoor entertainment. It comes with a compact design and is lightweight making it easy to carry around as it is to install. The Capsule Max mini is featured a built-in 8W speaker that gives you immersive audio for heightened cinematic immersion.

For connectivity, this projector comes with HDMI, USB, Bluetooth, and Wi-fi connectivity so you can project all your media on the big screen. Also, it has 200 ANSI lumens color brightness for accurate and vivid colors, especially in low-light environments. With autofocus and keystoning technology, the projector delivers an ultra-sharp image from almost any angle in under a second. The lamp life of the Capsule Max mini projector is up to 30,000 hours.

4. Epson Home Cinema 880 Best Projector for Home Theater

• Resolution – 1920×1080 (FHD 1080p)
• Throw Ratio – 1.21:1 (D: W)
• Contrast Ratio – Up to 16,000:1
• Image Brightness (Lumens) – 3,300
• Display Technology – 3LCD
• Connectivity – HDMI/Composite

Epson is one of the most trusted and popular brands when it comes to buying the best 3LCD projector for your work. The Epson Home Cinema 880 is one of the best business projectors as well as the best home theater projector under 500 bucks from Epson which delivers great quality at the budget price rate. It comes with a 1080pixel SVGA resolution which is ideal for projecting everyday presentations and graphics. Its 3300 lumens are both for white brightness and color brightness.

The projector supports HDMI connectivity which is standard in connectivity as it can work with single-cable connections for digital video and audio. This projector gives you maximum viewing time while minimizing the overall cost of use with 12,000 hours of lamp life. Overall, it’s a great 3LCD projector to buy under $500 price range.

5. Optoma HD146X

• Resolution – 1080p (1920 x 1080)
• Throw Ratio  – 41.8″ – 305″
• Contrast Ratio – 500,000:1
• Image Brightness (Lumens) – 3,600
• Display Technology – DLP
• Connectivity – Wireless, HDMI, MHL, USB

Optoma HD146X is a dynamic and cost-effective Home Theater Projector that comes with many high-end features. It is a full 3D-ready projector which is best for gamers and sports fans. The projector has a brightness of 3600 ANSI Lumens with a resolution of 1080p, which is perfect for watching Blu-ray movies and playing games. With DLP technology, this projector is great for gaming platforms including Xbox One, PS4, and Sky3D.

For connectivity, you’ll get everything you want in a projector such as Wireless, HDMI, MHL, and USB connectivity. It also comes with an extended lamp life of 15,000 hours which means if you watch a two-hour movie every day, your projector’s lamp should last over 10 years. Overall, it is the best projector under $500 you can buy right now.

6. FANGOR F-701 1080P Projector

• Resolution – 1920×1080
• Projection Size – 35″-300″ Inches
• Contrast Ratio – 10000:1
• Image Brightness – 8500L (200-300 ANSI estimated)
• Lamp Life – 100,000 hours
• Connectivity – HDMI x 2 (Shared MHL)

FANGOR F-701 is a DLP projector that offers many high-end features under $500 price range. The projector comes with a sleek and lightweight design of anti-dust, lower noise, and a cooling system. It offers 1080p full-HD image quality with a brightness level of 8500 lux lumens, which is actually pretty good against competing brands.

By producing the contrast ratio of 10000:1, the F-701 produces fine details in dark and bright scenes without washout. With this projector, you can maximize big-screen thrills in minimum space as it requires mere 9.8 feet to project stunning 300” images. As this projector is based on LED technology, you won’t have to worry about buying pricey replacement light bulbs as well.

7. ViewSonic PX700HD Best For Gaming

• Resolution – 1920×1080
• Throw Ratio – 1.5 – 1.65
• Contrast Ratio – 12,000:1
• Image Brightness (Lumens) – 3,500
• Display Technology – DLP
• Connectivity – HDMI, USB 2.0 Type A, Mini USB Type B

ViewSonic PX700 is an HDMI home theater projector that offers an immersive experience with gaming and movies session. It comes with a 1080p resolution with 3500 lumens that produce bright images in nearly any environment. It comes with an exclusive SuperColor technology that offers a wide color gamut for beautiful image production in nearly any environment.

It has a long lamp life which can shine brightly for up to 15,000 hours with less power consumption. For connectivity, it supports 2 HDMI inputs and can be powered by a USB cable plugged into the USB A port. With a user-friendly design and powerful specifications, the ViewSonic PX700 is an ideal home theater projector for gaming as well as for watching movies.

8. PIQO – Most Powerful Portable Projector

• Resolution – 1920×1080
• Max projection range – 240 inch
• Operating system – Android
• Image Brightness (Lumens) – 200
• Net weight – 210g
• Connectivity – HDMI, USB, Headphone jack, Bluetooth

If you are looking for a portable projector that you can easily fit in your pocket, then the PIQO projector is the ultimate solution for your multimedia experience. The projector is as portable and slim as an iPhone with a weight of just 210g. It can project up to a 240-inch screen so you can enjoy your personal home theater experience anytime, anywhere. Moreover, the projector offers 16GB of internal memory so you can access your media even when there’s no internet available.

This projector is compatible with all devices and operating systems that let you cast the content from your mobile or PC via WiFi or Bluetooth. Apart from this, PIQO offers an amazing 50 hours of life on one charge of the music. The projector also has a headphone jack so you can plug your headphones in for solo enjoyment. Overall, it’s a great portable projector with so many excellent features to buy under $500 budget range.

9. YABER 5G WiFi Bluetooth Projector for Home Entertainment

• Resolution – 1920×1080
• Projection Size – 45-300″
• Contrast Ratio – 10,000:1
• Image Brightness (Lumens) – 9,500
• Aspect Ratio – 4:3/16:9/Auto
• Connectivity – HDMI, USB 2.0 Type A, Mini USB Type B

The YABER is one of the best gaming projectors under 500 price range. The projector offers you high brightness of 9500 lumens that ensures brilliant picture quality with vibrant colors. Moreover, the YABER 5G comes with high contrast and pixel fill factor that increases clarity for black and white images and reduces eye strain during presentations and allows you to focus on the content.

With its high contrast ratio, you’ll enjoy clearly shadow detail and deep black levels experiences. The projector offers a long lamp life that can shine brightly for up to 100,000 hours with lamp save mode. As far as connectivity is concerned, this projector featured all essential connectivity ports including a USB Type-A, USB Type mini B, HDMI, audio in and audio out, etc. The YABER also provides an innovative 4-Point Keystone Correction Function (±50° for four angles) to adjust the image for a professionally squared image from a variety of locations.

10. DBPOWER RD828 – A Smart Portable Projector

• Resolution – 1920×1080
• Projection size – 40″-300″
• Contrast ratio – 10000:1
• Image Brightness (Lumens) – 8500
• Display Technology – DLP
• Connectivity – HDMI+USB/VGA/AV/TV BOX/DVD, Bluetooth & Wi-Fi connectivity

DBPOWER RD828 Projector is another extremely portable that is equipped with a lot of amazing features under a $500 price range. As far as the design of this projector is concerned, it has a fabric on top that gives it the feel of a modern speaker. The projector supports 1080p video with 300″ cinema-quality images on any surface. It offers 8500 lumens brightness, makes one of the best in its class, and delivers a crisp, sharp picture in any lighting condition.

The projector offers a long lamp life that is rated to last for 1,00,000 hours. It can produce a clear image with screen sizes between 40 to 300 inches. Furthermore, these mini projectors offer an innovative 4-point keystone correction to project ideally aligned images from a variety of locations.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the best inexpensive projector?

Of the ten best cheap projectors on this list, the Optoma S334e is certainly the brightest, with an equal 3,800 lumens. This projector is simply an excellent choice for business presentations boasting 1920 x 1080 pixels SVGA resolution.

2. Are cheap projectors any good?

There are plenty of cheap projector options available as low as $60 and are worth it for the price. However, if you’re planning to run HD movies or play moderate gaming, then we recommend you go for projectors for at least $500 or higher depending on your budget.

3. Are mini projectors worth buying?

The main advantage of having a mini projector is that it can be easily carried in a backpack or taken on a trip for a presentation. Usually, they don’t offer 4K resolution, but that won’t let you settle for low quality. Many mini projectors come with versatile connectivity options such as USB, HDMI, Micro SD, Headphone Jack, Bluetooth & Wi-Fi connectivity. Some of these projectors (like the PIQO projector) run on the Android operating system.

Final Words

These are the best projectors under $500 in 2023 based on their reviews, performance, and specifications. If you have any queries or suggestions about this review guide, let us know in the comments below!

You may like to check: 

• Top 10 Best Projectors Under $1000
• Top 10 Best Projectors Under $200
• Top 10 Best Gaming Projectors
• Top 10 Best 4K Projectors – From Cheapest to Most Expensive
• Top 10 Best Short Throw Projectors