The best 4K projectors are ideal for those looking to enhance their home cinema experience with a larger screen, without having to break the bank. As impressive as the best TVs are, many see a size range topping out at 75- or 85-inches, with these larger-size screens also costing a pretty penny.
This is where the top 4K projectors offer big-screen-size potential at more affordable prices than what the top TVs can match. A display size of 100-inches is considered standard for 4K projectors nowadays, with some capable of beaming up to 120-inches, while others offer the flexibility to display anywhere between 70-inches to 120-inches.
The power and performance of these projectors is also rapidly improving. Many of the top options offer high resolutions with impressive colours, contrast and brightness levels, as well as connectivity and features to appeal to gamers and streamers alike.
In order to help Aussies discover the best 4K projectors money can buy, we’ve put a variety of the top beamers to the test ourselves in order to determine the top home cinema solutions most worth your time.
The best 4K projector in Australia 2024
Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
Although certainly a projector, Hisense nonetheless feel so confident in the L9G that they instead call this one a "Laser TV" and it's difficult to argue the logic. With impressive brightness and a stunning colour gamut for what amounts to a screen of this size, there is a lot to like with the picture quality from the get go.
This is especially with the inclusion of Ambient Light Rejecting (ALR) which ensures that your picture doesn't suffer for lighting conditions or from excessive glare like other projectors can. You'll still get the best out of the L9G's picture when using it in a darkened room, but the ALR inclusion will be a welcome comfort for most hoping for a 4K projector to replace their home TV permanently. Hisense also offer an accompanying screen via redemption after purchase, something that makes its high price look a little less imposing.
The L9G also offers one of the more impressive native audio profiles on the projector market, with the built-in audio quality roughly comparable to most entry-level soundbars. There is also gaming support, with latency offered as low as 34.1 milliseconds for 4K/60 Hz.
Getting the best out of the L9G, however, does require you to pay a little more attention and familiarise yourself with its various functions and features more than some others. This isn't necessarily a major issue, but for the time poor it might be a frustration at least in the initial stages until you're familiar with what the L9G can do.
It'll set you back a bundle, but nonetheless might be the most complete 4K projector money can buy.
Read our full Hisense L9G TriChroma Laser 4K TV review
(Note specs and details above are for the Hisense L9G projector as sold in Australia, specs and details may vary in other regions)
The BenQ TK700STi is an excellent projector for gaming, but we think it's also a very good choice for TV and movies too. Its price is comparable to 4K TVs on the mid to lower end of the price range for screens capable of such response times, which will still set you back more than AU$2,000. It supports 4K at 60Hz with HDR and an unsurpassed 16ms response time at that resolution, which is as low as response times get in a native 4K projector. And if you want up to 120 inches of bright, crystal-clear game on your wall or screen, this sets a new benchmark.
You can also push to 120Hz if you're happy settling for HD output.
Obviously with these gaming performance specs built in, this projector should especially appeal to those looking for a 4K projector offering the versatility to provide crisp image for film and TV but also keep up with gaming on the latest-gen consoles including the PS5 and Xbox Series X. If this versatility isn't important to you it might be worth considering other options, but the BenQ TK700STi is otherwise unmatched for versatility value.
And what further drives this BenQ TK700STi projector further up this list to claim second spot is its price, which sits well below its premium competitors even while the TK700STi offers incredibly competitive specs and overall performance to match or surpass many of them.
Read the full BenQ TK700STi projector review
A slight decrease in maximum brightness, more modest audio performance and a little less punch in the complete package department is all that separates this LG CineBeam HU715Q from the Hisense L9G above it on this list. It's no surprise then that our colleagues at What Hi-Fi? gave this one a full five stars in their review, with its dynamic and attractive picture quality particular standouts.
Offering a Dynamic Tone Mapping feature and a variety of features and mode, the LG CineBeam HU715Q does a lot to impress in terms of its flexibility while boasting much of the same premium performance attributes expected from an LG home cinema offering.
Where the LG CineBeam HU715Q falls short most though is almost certainly in the audio department, with sounds often hollow or lacking overall punch. That's not likely to be a problem if you're already planning to pair your projector with any of the best soundbars, but it's disappointing enough to see this projector edged out for this list by the Hisense L9G above it.
Modest gaming support performance at this price point is also a bit of a let-down, though it nonetheless does offer ALLM and eARC to at least show up to this party.
After more than a decade since its last home cinema projector, Samsung returned with an absolute cracker: the Premiere LSP9T projector. It's an ultra short-throw beamer that makes use of 4K HDR laser projection, while its three-colour laser removes the need for a colour filter. That enables the Premiere's 2,800 lumens brightness to really shine, and it's capable of producing a very impressive 130-inch image. Pictures are punchy and colourful and Samsung's support for the HDR10+ format adds scene-by-scene picture calibration in compatible films and TV shows.
This projector also benefits from full implementation of Samsung's smart TV operating system. Although we found it a bit sluggish at times, it's nice to have it on a projector instead of the basic and poorly-organised interfaces we're used to.
It is expensive for most budgets but comparable to premium TV screens, and we think the Samsung is a knockout choice for those who can afford it. For everyone else, there's plenty of other great models in the guide below.
Read our full Samsung The Premiere projector review
The Optoma CinemaX P2 is unusually good looking for a projector thanks to its stylish matte white finish, complementary grey fabric grille and a peekaboo lens up top. But there's substance here too.
It's built around a single chip DLP 4K device which uses a laser light engine. That results in pin-sharp pictures (no chance of any panel alignment issues here) and excellent colour vibrancy, although we think it's actually a little less vibrant than its predecessor. But in the positive column the P2’s audio performance is top notch. Each driver has its own 10W digital amp module, so that’s a cumulative output of 40W. With the sonic chops of a large Bluetooth speaker, it’s more than loud enough to disguise its operating noise which is a low 26dB.
This isn’t quite a cinephile-grade projector. However, we think that its convenient form factor and fantastic audio performance should be ample compensation.
Read the full Optoma CinemaX P2 review
We gave this beamer five stars for its impressive colour reproduction, HDR support, and 2,600 lumens brightness, which deliver bright and impactful images. While this isn't a native 4K projector, even upscaled images are detailed and come across well, with highly natural skin tones and an impressive amount of shadow detail.
The blacks could be deeper and the motion could be smoother, but there's really little to complain about here. The EH-TW9400 boasts advanced capability all around, from its 3D compatibility to motorised lens controls that deliver excellent precision and an impressively easy setup. There's also a lens cover to prevent dust from creeping in.
The Epson EH-TW9400 isn't all positives, though, with cheaper native 4K options out there that might be worth considering over it. This projector also doesn't come with built-in speakers, meaning that you are reliant on connected audio equipment. Don't count it out entirely though, if you're attracted to feature variety first and foremost this will tick a lot of boxes.
Read our full Epson EH-TW9400 review
Make no mistake, the LG HU810P is an excellent projector worth considering for any home theatre setup even if it lands further down on this list. Packing in impressive, dynamic picture quality with a generous display size, the LG HU810P manages to maintain its attractive picture even in brighter light surroundings even if the black levels may not be as deep as they could be.
Image quality is unquestionably where the LG HU810P excels and should appeal most to those for whom this is a priority first and foremost, but it is otherwise challenging to argue that there isn't more attractive options for only a slightly higher price.
Read our full LG CineBeam HU810P 4K UHD Projector review
Are 4K projectors worth it?
Five years ago, the simple answer to the question might have been along the lines of "probably not". But now that the technology and prices for the best 4K projectors have become significantly better, it's an entirely new ball game.
If what you're looking for is a home cinema experience on a large screen with impressive quality, you don't have to resign your hopes to imagination any longer. And while the best 4K projectors will still set you back a bundle, factoring in their size and increasingly impressive performance qualities and specs can make them actually look more attractive than even many of the best TVs.
But of course, one of the main appeals of a TV over a projector is simplicity, with your average home screens being as simple as set and forget. When it comes to projectors, there can be a little bit more of a time-sink in terms of setup for each viewing and more of a learning curve, so the particularly time poor might not find a 4K projector best suits their needs.
However, if you're an avid movie lover especially, a 4K projector might offer you the unrivalled quality and size partnership you've long dreamed of especially as the best 4K projectors continue to get better and better.
How important is ultra short throw?
Many new 4K projectors these days come with ultra short throw (UST) technology, which sees a reduction in the required distance needed between the projector and where you're hoping to project your image to.
Picture quality for these is also generally the best on offer for 4K projectors, with most using laser light modules to creates crisp images with more impressive dynamism qualities. Ultra short throw projectors, like all short throw projectors, will also save you space and generally not require mounting in the ways that long throw projectors will.
It also means you don't need to worry about someone getting up to pee in the middle of your movie and blocking the picture, which helps.
Overall, the question is less about how important ultra short throw is or isn't, the question is more about do you want or need the best of the best? If the answer is yes, the best 4K projector for you is highly likely to be an ultra short throw projector.
How big should my 4K projector picture be?
In a similar fashion to how most people shop for a new TV, the size will almost certainly be a factor of consideration. That said, the answer to what size is best for you depends entirely on your needs and the dimensions of your living room. The Hisense L9G at number one on this list offers a 100-inch screen. This is a lot of screen real estate, certainly, but it packs the punch required to fill it with confidence.
If you need or want bigger, the likes of the LG CineBeam range offer options that would appeal with size ranging (eg. 79-inch to 120-inch). This flexibility might also appeal to a lot of people who might like the idea of size but require the flexibility to adapt that size where needed.
The best thing to do before shopping for a 4K projector is knowing the dimensions of where you're planning to give it a home, where (and to what) you're hoping to project image to and what your needs are. Based on these factors you will be able to determine how big your 4K projector picture should be.
What is the best 4K projector for gaming?
When it comes to gaming, the best 4K projectors have begun to demonstrate the kinds of capabilities found even in the best gaming TVs. That means features like Auto Low-Latency Mode (ALLM), Variable Refresh Rates and Dynamic Tone Mapping.
While they may not quite meet the lofty heights of refresh rates and other attributes as the best gaming TVs do, the best 4K projectors nonetheless pack in enough of a punch in terms of gaming support to belong in the conversation.
In terms of the best 4K projector for gaming, it might be difficult to look past the BenQ TK700STi, which offers 4K at 60Hz with HDR with a 16ms input lag, which might be the best on offer from any 4K projector. The Hisense L9G isn't far off, and also has the edge when it comes to projecting movies and TV, but it nonetheless can't match the quality of the BenQ TK700STi when it comes to gaming specifically.
