A projector beats a TV when the picture goes beyond 100 inches, in a room that can be darkened, and when you mostly watch movies or sports at night. A TV remains the better choice in a room with plenty of daylight and for anyone who switches it on every day without setting anything up. In store we have projectors from €949 (Optoma HZ41HDR, Full HD) up to €5,999 (JVC DLA-NZ500, native 4K), and a 106-inch screen costs €299.
The projectors we carry, in three tiers
| Model | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Optoma HZ41HDR | €949 | Entry-level Full HD laser |
| Optoma GT2200HDR | €1,049 | Small rooms, short throw |
| Optoma UHZ67 | €1,549 | Bright 4K for movies and gaming |
| Optoma UHZ58LV | €1,999 | 4K with Dolby Vision |
| Optoma UHZ68LV | €4,499 | Dedicated room, top Optoma 4K |
| JVC DLA-NZ500 | €5,999 | Deep blacks, native 4K |
You can see the full range in the home cinema projectors collection.
Optoma HZ41HDR, €949
A Full HD laser projector with 4,400 lumens, HDR and HLG, two HDMI 2.0 inputs and a low-latency gaming mode. The DuraCore laser source lasts up to 30,000 hours without maintenance. It is the most sensible way in for anyone who wants to move from a TV to a projector without spending a lot.
Optoma GT2200HDR, €1,049
A short-throw Full HD 4LED projector with 3,300 lumens and a throw ratio of 0.69 to 0.83. It makes a large image close to the wall, so it suits small rooms. The page mentions up to 30,000 hours without a lamp change, HDR10 and HLG, and a 3-year warranty.
Optoma UHZ67, €1,549
A 4K UHD laser with 4,300 lumens, HDR and HLG, and a 3-year warranty. It has an HDMI 2.0 eARC input, WiSA SoundSend wireless audio and a gaming mode at 1080p and 240 Hz. The page highlights sharp images even with some ambient light, which makes it a good choice for a room that does not get completely dark.
Optoma UHZ58LV, €1,999
A 4K UHD projector with Dual Laser technology, 3,000 lumens, Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and 95% DCI-P3 coverage. It has a 1.6x zoom and lens shift, which make installation easier. Input lag is 8.5 ms and the light source lasts up to 30,000 hours.
Optoma UHZ68LV, €4,499
A 4K UHD projector with Dual Laser, 5,000 lumens and a 3,200,000:1 contrast ratio, with Dolby Vision and HDR10+. It has one HDMI 2.1 input and two HDMI 2.0 (eARC), plus RS232 and RJ45 for control. It is a projector for a dedicated room, where the picture justifies the investment.
JVC DLA-NZ500, €5,999
A D-ILA laser projector with three native 4K 0.69" devices, 40,000:1 native contrast and a 2,000-lumen BLU-Escent laser. It brings HDR Frame Adapt Gen2 for deeper blacks. With fewer lumens than the Optoma models, it needs a very dark room, and that is where it stands out.
Image size and distance
A big TV tops out around 85 or 98 inches and costs a lot. A projector makes 100 inches or more for a fraction of that price, and the image grows with the screen. Throw distance depends on the model's throw ratio, such as the 1.48 to 1.62 of the HZ41HDR or the 0.69 to 0.83 of the GT2200HDR, which sits much closer to the wall.
Ambient light
This is where the TV has the advantage. A projector needs little light to show real blacks, while a TV copes well with daylight. More lumens help, hence the 4,400 of the HZ41HDR or the 5,000 of the UHZ68LV, but no projector replaces a darkened room.
Laser or lamp
The Optoma laser and 4LED models we carry last up to 30,000 hours according to their pages and need no lamp change. With lamp models the wear is gradual and replacement has a cost, so laser pays off for anyone who watches a lot.
4K
On very large images the resolution is more noticeable. The Optoma UHZ67, UHZ58LV and UHZ68LV are 4K UHD and the JVC NZ500 is native 4K, while the HZ41HDR and GT2200HDR are Full HD, which for movies in a dark room and images up to 100 inches still gives a very good result.
Sound
The Optoma models that list audio on their page have 10 W or 15 W speakers, which is enough for a presentation and falls short of cinema. Plan on a separate sound system. Our guide soundbar or speakers helps you choose, and active speakers with HDMI ARC are a simple solution.
Screen
A white wall is fine to start with, but a screen improves contrast and uniformity. The screens collection has manual and motorized models, in 16:9 and matte white.
Total cost
We added up two examples from the store prices. The Optoma HZ41HDR (€949) with the 106-inch manual screen Seemax Attractive SCCR106 (€299) adds up to €1,248. The Optoma UHZ67 (€1,549) with the 120-inch motorized screen Seemax Cine Max SPESW120 (€839) adds up to €2,388. A mount and sound come on top of that.
What to consider before buying
- Measure the distance between the projector and the wall and compare it with the throw ratio.
- Check whether the room gets dark by day and by night.
- Allow for a mount, HDMI cables and a sound system.
- Decide whether the image stays fixed (ceiling screen) or is stored away.
- Think about use. For TV every day, a TV may be more practical.
Frequently asked questions
Is a projector worth it instead of a TV?
It is when you want an image above 100 inches and watch movies at night in a dark room. For daily use with the lights on, a TV is more practical.
From what size does a projector make sense?
In our experience, from about 100 inches, because TVs of that size cost much more.
Do I need a screen?
You can start on a white wall and a screen improves the picture. We have screens from €99 in the collection.
Does a projector replace a sound system?
No. The built-in speakers the page mentions are 10 W or 15 W and suit presentations.
Also read how to choose a projector for the selection criteria in more detail.