If you’re tired of watching movies and TV shows on a small screen, it might be time to upgrade to a projector. There were quite a few projector announcements, but the gaming and home theatre projectors stood out at CES 2023.
Types of projectors seen at CES 2023
Before we dig into the new projectors, here’s a quick recap of the main types of projectors announced at CES 2023. For more information on how to choose a projector, you can take a look at the projector buying guide.
1. Ultra short throw projector
An ultra short throw projector is a type of projector that sits inches from a wall or screen. It has built-in speakers and inputs you can use to connect to other devices. They fit well in small rooms and some are capable of projecting images up to 150 inches or more. They produce the best results when paired with an ALR screen as discussed below.
2. Gaming projectors
A gaming projector is a type of projector designed for use with video games. These projectors have fast refresh rates, low input lag, and high brightness. Some gaming projectors have other features for gaming including high frame rates and immersive audio.
3. Home theatre projectors
Designed for use in a home theatre setting, a home theatre projector is multi-use and can produce very large high-quality images, often up to 100 inches or more. They support HDR content and 3D video, as well as offer HDMI, Bluetooth, or Wi-Fi connections.
Gaming and home theatre projectors stood out at CES 2023
Samsung
Samsung announced the Samsung Premiere 8K ultra short throw project. They also presented a new version of the Samsung Freestyle for 2023 that was announced at last year’s CES and that we reviewed on the blog last year.
Samsung Premiere 8K
The Samsung Premiere 8K is an ultra-short throw projector with impressive picture and sound quality. 8K projectors are still a relatively new concept given the limited availability of 8K content right now, but with this projector, you’ll definitely stay entertained while you wait. Details on this projector are still limited, but according to the specs it will have very detailed image quality and offer a super bright display that feels almost 3D. The Samsung Premiere 8K also features Dolby Atmos and is able to project up to 150 inches.
Samsung Freestyle 2023
Samsung’s 2023 Freestyle projector is an update of the 2022 model announced at CES last year. It has a dual-screen feature that uses Samsung’s Edge Blending technology to let you connect two Samsung Freestyles for one super wide-screen display. With automatic keystone correction and picture adjustments, you can point it anywhere and use it for almost any purpose. The 2023 Freestyle is still only 1080p, but it’s so versatile you won’t mind that it’s not 4K. Samsung even added the Samsung Gaming Hub found on Samsung TVs, so you can use it for gaming too.
BenQ
The Best Buy blog has reviewed many BenQ projectors in the past including last years gaming projectors and portable projectors. Christine covered a few of the new BenQ projectors revealed at CES 2023. Take a look at her article for more details, but here’s a quick recap.
BenQ has released four new projectors.
- BenQ. HT4550i is a home theatre projector that offers a cinematic viewing experience with lens shift technology and accurate HDR colour
- BenQ HT2060 is a home theatre projector that’s also great for gaming. It can project a 100-inch image from 8 feet away
- BenQ GP500 is a smart home theatre projector offering 4K HDR projection and impressive 360-degree sound
- BenQ X3000i is a 4K gaming projector. It has an ultra-fast 4ms response time at 1080p/240Hz, has HDR10/HLG, and 3000 ANSI lumens brightness
Hisense
Hisense revealed several new ultra short throw protectors for 2023. We reviewed the 2022 model a few months ago on the blog and the reviewer was very impressed.
Hisense 4K L9H TriChroma Laser TV
One of the most talked about projectors from Hisense at CES 2023, it features a triple-laser light engine that displays 107% of the BT.2020 colour space. It offers an extremely bright 3,000 ANSI lumens, supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision, and runs the Google TV operating system. All of your favourite streaming apps are available, and you can even plug into high-speed HDMI ports if you’d like to game.
The Hisense L9H comes with an ARL screen for the clearest image quality in all types of lighting conditions. You can choose between 100-inch or 120-inch sizes.
Hisense L5H
If you’re looking for a wallet-friendly home theatre projector, the Hisense L5H is a good choice. It has a single X-Fusion blue laser light source and includes your choice of 100-inch or 120-inch high-gain ALR screen. Paired with the screen, it offers the best picture quality in all types of homes and all types of lighting conditions. With features like FilmMaker mode and the Google TV operating system, it’s an easy-to-use projector that’s great for movies and gaming.
Epson
Andy stopped by the Epson booth at CES 2023 and took a look at the Epson LS800 ultra short throw projector. It’s a 4K Pro-UHD projector that can be placed close to the wall and still project up to a 120 inch image. Like most ultra short throw projectors, it’s great for small rooms because it can sit a few inches from the wall or the screen. It’s bright too, featuring 4000 lumens of brightness with deep, rich contrast. Two of the best features on the Epson LS800 are the built-in Yamaha sound bar for integrated room filling audio and low 16.7ms lag time, which will benefit gaming. Epson says it can be bundled with either a 100-inch or 120-inch ALR screen.
Why you need an ALR screen
Any of the projectors announced at CES 2023 can project onto a wall, but for the best image quality, especially when using a short throw or ultra short throw projector, you’ll want to bring home an ALR projector screen. ALR screens are designed to reject ambient light, so they are great for home theatres and other rooms where you don’t have full control over your light sources. They have a special coating that absorbs or reflects ambient light coming in from the side or above, and to project the light coming from below, as it would with an ultra short throw projector at the base of the screen, out to the viewer. This special screen will improve brightness, contrast, and colour for overall amazing movie theatre experience.
Gaming and home theatre projectors stand out at CES 2023
With all of the new projectors available in 2023, I think a lot of people will make the jump from living room TV to living room projectors. You can find all types of projectors at Best Buy.
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