Top 10 Best Projector Under 200 – Buying Guide 2020

The brightness of the bulb serves as one of the preconditions while purchasing a projector as the brightness level needs to be higher than that of the room for benefitting out of vibrant picture quality.

With 3600 lumens of brightness, the GooDee video projector promises wider and brighter viewing even while being used outdoor such as in the garage or backyard.

LED lighting used by this home theater projector further adds to its lifespan in stark contrast to conventional bulbs.

The advanced cooling technology integrated into the function of the TAINIDI CL760 avoids overheating of the device in spite of using the same for long stretches of time.

The projector lens remains protected from external wear and tear coupled with its horizontal sliding lens cover.

A projection size ranging from 44 to 80 inches is supported by this versatile device with a projection size of 4.9 to 18.4 feet.

The four M3 holes assist in mounting this projector from the ceiling while enjoying projection sizes ranging from 44 to 200 inches from a distance of 4.9 to 18 feet.

A premium cinematic experience is delivered by its contrast ratio of 3000:1 which can definitely make for a compelling presentation although it cannot be treated as an equivalent of HDR.

The innovative cooling system of this dynamic projector leads to effective heat dispersion while its noise suppression technology brings down the projector noise to an exact half so that you can concentrate fully on the audio-visual extravaganza without getting disturbed by interferences.

This also extends the projector’s lamp life to 60000 hours to keep you protected from having to replace the bulb frequently.

The square pixels supported by this projector can reduce the jagged edges of images substantially in comparison to diamond pixels thus paving the path for clearer and smoother images.

Its upgraded contrast ratio of 3000:1 helps in viewing the intricate detailing of pictures especially in fast action sequences and dark scenes.

The ABOX A2 projector can reproduce 75% NTSC color gamut for the creation of saturated colors which is ideal for animated movies and gaming.

Such attributes make it the perfect choice for viewing pictures, playing games and even watching movies on the go.

Although you can watch videos even in the presence of ambient light, it is advisable to draw out the curtains for a better feel.

The built-in dual stereo speakers of the WiMiUS projector can easily fill in a medium-sized room with bombastic audio which can help you enjoy the real flavor of the movie viewing experience.

You can take your pick amongst the various color modes such as Warm, Cold etc. while enjoying the rich graphics on the projected surface.

This 2020 Upgrade Projector has been built by keeping the modern apartments in mind which mostly suffer from lack of adequate floor space.

The Wsky projector can cater to all those problems with its compatible watching size of 32 to 176 inches from a distance of just 4 to 16 feet and with a 165 degree of wide viewing angle.

You can connect the device with external speakers using the headphone jack to enjoy a holistic audio-visual experience. Up to 1080p of signal is accepted by the MHL compliant HDMI input which aids in establishing connectivity with the compatible smartphones.

There is also an MHL adapter, a micro-HDMI-to-HDMI adapter, a short standard HDMI cable and a 5-pin/11-pin converter meant especially for the Samsung Galaxy phones.

A projection size of 30 to 176 inches can be enjoyed from a projection distance of 1.1 to 5m. The portable projector comes equipped with a state-of-art speaker which can encompass you in 50% louder soundwaves compared to its traditional peers.

You can thus bid adieu to the requirement for external speakers especially while using the same in normal-sized rooms. The LED lamp can keep you covered through 50000 hours so that you can utilize the maximum potential of the projector without having to worry about frequent replacements.

The DracoLight mini projector renders 50% brighter images in comparison to its counterparts along with a stellar contrast ratio of 2000:1.

Its uniform illumination feature makes sure that no dark parts appear during the brink of the screen.

You can easily hook up this video projector with your smartphone through the HDMI adapter for making the most of its screen synchronization features.

• Brightness – The amount of light emitted by a projector has a big role to play in regulating the quantum of the brightness of the displayed image. We usually seek out best lumen degree to avoid soft and muddy images. A minimum of 1000:1 ANSI Lumens is mandatory if you require to make use of the projector for transforming your drawing room into a mini home theater. The size of the screen you wish to use for the projector, size of the room and ambiance light also serve as determining factors since bigger rooms call for projectors having higher ANSI Lumen.
• Resolution & Aspect Ratio –The density of pixel conveyed as native resolution has a big role to play in determining the ultimate picture quality. While playing DVD contents, 1024×768 pixels can suffice whereas, during the streaming of HDTV content, a native pixel count of 1920×1080 becomes mandatory. Width of an angle along with its height determines the aspect ratio and 4:3 is branded as the ideal projector aspect ratio which can serve business requirements while ensuring ultimate compatibility. An aspect ratio of 16:9 is considered penultimate for projection of DVDs and engaging in games and cinema. The 16:10 aspect ratio should be your pick if you wish to project on bigger screens without losing out on the level of brightness.
• Contrast Ratio – This refers to the ratio between the black and white images on the screen which imparts an added flavor to the projector brightness. When it comes to choosing the perfect contrast ratio, always try to opt for the highest as the colors might appear blurry with washed patterns if there is no clear-cut demarcation between hues. Projectors having a minimum contrast ratio of 1500:1 is required for making the most out of your projector in dark rooms.
• Projection Technology – The digital light processing (DLP) and liquid crystal display (LCD) are two of the most popular technologies used by premium projectors. Both these technologies have their own sets of pros and cons which need to be taken into account before proceeding with the purchase decision. The LCD model is perfect for well-lit rooms wherein it produces sharper and brighter images. These versions do not produce much noise and are much more energy-efficient. The DLP projectors on the other hand rank high in portability due to their lightweight and compact build. They can accept input from DVD, Blu-ray and HDTV sources to pave the way for smooth motion videos, especially in action sequences. Compared to LCDs, the color contrast of DLP projectors is much higher while the black colors are truer and deeper.
• Fan Noise – Projectors come with in-built fans which help in alleviating the heat produced by the lamp. LED projectors generating less heat make less noise but even amongst the LED ones, there are some which are quieter than its contemporaries.

Contrast Ratio is the ratio between luminance (or brightness) of the brightest( white) and the darkest( black) color. These are mostly in the form of 1500:1, 2000:1. What does it signify?

It signifies that the whites are 1500 and 2000 times brighter than the blacks respectively. Higher the ratio, better is the image quality of the projector. You would get full black, shadow details, and vivid projection.

Think of a picture of a city at night, a tv, projector or monitor with excellent contrast ratio will show the night sky along with the details of the city light. If the contrast ratio is low, it will show washed-out details with dull star, background, and features.

Similarly, if you watch movies that are often in dark background or night scenes, like the Star-War, the contrast ratio becomes very important in such cases. Only a high contrast ratio can give you a real feel and taste.

Today we are going to have a brief introduction of three projection technology used in modern projectors. These are DLP, LCD and LCoS.

• DLP stands for Digital Light Processing
• LCD for Liquid Crystal Display and
• LCoS for Liquid Crystal on Silicone.

DLP : Starting with DLP, all the DLP projectors use digital mirror device known as the DLP chip. Light is reflected from the surface of this special chip. Several millions of microscopic mirrors on the chips form the image. Then, the light travels through the aphotic disc and a lens and is finally projected on the screens.

Further, there are two types of DLP projectors, those having a single chip called Single-Chip DLP and those which are three-chip DLP containing three chips.

A single-chip DLP projector is used in most of DLP projectors used for business, education and home use. Whereas, theaters 3-chip DLP projectors are used for commercial applications like theaters and high-end home theaters. The three-chip ones are much high priced generally over $10,000 and that why it is so less popular.

Single-chip DLP projectors are more popular. They offer great performance for their price. When it comes to the size single-chip DLP projector is most portable and smaller than other two( LCD and CMoS) as the technology is just the single-chip process more compact and easier to make.

i.  LCD

Next on our list is the LCD. Today, most of the LCD projectors use three LCD microdisplay chips for each of the primary colors, red, blue and green. It is often referred to as a 3LCD projector. In the past, LCD suffered from a significant drawback of a much lower contrast ratio when compared to the DLP projector.

However, significant progress has been made in LCD projection technology and many new technologies like Dynamic Irises that have resulted in LCD to the same level of competitive technology like DLP and LCoS.

In fact, I would say LCD is now the best value for your money. It offers a winning combination of performance, price and features making them a favorite candidate in mid-price range for business, education and home entertainment applications.

ii. LCoS 

Finally, it’s time to LCoS projectors. Well, we will not go into the details of technology being used in LCoS Projection, the reason being it’s very varied. As said earlier, these are heavily priced and are used mostly for commercial purposes. They are however noted for their smooth, clear projected images. Many projector manufacturers use their modified names for their different projector technologies. For example, JVC calls D-ILA and Sony call its SXRD, there are many other technology variations of LCoS by various manufacturers.

Typically, the LCoS projectors are priced between $3000 to $10000 and produce high quality 1080p native resolution.

Next, I have seen many people worry about connecting a projector to their devices like laptops and mobile phones. Do they keep asking a question like how can I connect my projector to my iPhone? Or how can I connect wirelessly to my pocket projectors? What are the options to connect my device to the projectors?

Whatever be your need, there is something for everyone. Zone top 10 presents the list of top ten best projector under 200 dollars for you.

Always be sure to look at the color brightness specification of your projector. It mentions in the form of 1000, 1500, 2000, 5000 and like that. The rule of thumb is higher the better ( and costlier too).

With high brightness, the images have more vivid, vibrant and detailed color. But, with low light, colors can look dull, washed out and essential details lost. Many manufacturers with low brightness level, try not to publish or talk on the brightness number. And you know the reason why. Be sure to check the Lumen before you buy the projector or you may end up buying one with low brightness.

I tested three different projectors inside my room on my home theater. And the difference of picture quality was tremendous. I checked in complete darkness and with natural light, without curtain covering the window. The performance of low lumen projector decreased awfully. I noticed an apparent increase in quality with an increment of 1000 Lumen. If you don’t have many projectors to test, as I have, you can search Youtube for comparison of the projector’s brightness. There are various comparison videos there where they compare different projectors, and you can see that.

Now, when you know the essential concepts behind the deciding factors of a projector, you can easily choose the best. I mean you can decide between the good and bad projector among the various candidates you have for a given price range.

Now, it would be helpful for you to know about various projection technology used in projections.

• HDMI

It stands for High Definition Multimedia Interface. It is the best of the available options providing the best sound and picture output (both audio and video). It is well capable of displaying out a 1080p resolution.

It’s the best and also higher in price when compared to the other cables.

• VGA

Video Graphics Array or VGA is one of the most commonly used connection methods. VGA port is available on older PCs and laptops. HDMI is a newer introduction as compared to VGA. However, the picture quality from VGA is lower in quality than that coming out from HDMI. And, VGA only transmits video signals. So, you have to get a separate connection for audio.

• DVI

It stands for Digital Video Interface, it falls somewhere in between the HDMI and VGA cable. It was developed after VGA cable but, was soon overtaken by the HDMI technology in most of the computers.

However, it is less costly than HDMI and is much better in picture quality output than the VGA, but lower than HDMI. It can provide high-quality HD output.

• Component cable

This technology also came somewhat before HDMI. Okay, you must have seen it, used it and can quickly recognize it. You must have seen those three colored round input ports mainly in red, blue yellow and white. These are also to be seen in your DVDs and video games. That’s known as component cable.

These are capable of high-quality video transmission like the 1080p HD resolution. They are a bit complex as you have to deal with three different cables. And, that’s the reason they are not so preferred, but again on cost, they are the cheapest. You would never see such a system on small and compact devices like smartphones and tablets.

• S-video

S-video is also known as Super Video or Separate Video cables. These do provide good quality but are not capable of HD video. These are present in various devices like a game console, DVDs, camcorders, and computers. There are multiple variations S-video cable like they come in nine, seven and four-pin types. Also, these are available for S-video type and non-S-video type devices.

Well, these are wired options available apart from that the new projectors are coming with wireless options too like those working on WiFi and Bluetooth connections. And, that where the future improvement has to be.

Now I would be covering some commonly asked queries related to the projector’s connection.

You can divide projectors into four types:

1. Portable or ‘Pico’ projectors

These projectors are portable and you can move them around in a briefcase and without any use of a PC connection. These projectors are ideal for a salesperson.

2. Moveable models 

As the name suggests they can be moved from one place to another easily and weigh just a few kilos. They are normally used in small meetings

3. Fixed projectors 

They have more features and have more brightness than the above two projectors. They are installed on ceilings and are used in meeting rooms or a place with a large audience.

 4. Powerful, heavy-duty model

They are used at places like an auditorium, i.e. lecture halls, theatres, churches etc.

Everyone prefers wireless products over wired products, because of the mess wires create. Also, on wireless projectors you can display multiple screens all at once, thus simplifying the process and making it more beneficial.

But, if unfortunately, the projector you have an eye on doesn’t come wireless, you don’t have to worry about it, as you can always make your wired projectors wireless by just a simple addition of wireless module. For example, Epson’s wireless module can be used to make 100 different projectors wireless.

Not everyone buys a projector just to watch movies, but some cinephiles can spend a little money on projectors just to multiply their movie experience on a screen even bigger than TV. Also, projectors give more brighter image than TV so you can wash away all the dark scenes in your movie.

Apart from watching movies, other reasons for which people buy home theatre projectors is to watch their favorite team playing on a bigger screen. Well, if my friends are coming to watch the final game at my place there is no way I’m going to watch that game on a TV.

In sports, you don’t have to worry about dark scenes, but in a number of other programs you’ve to face the dark scenes. Now, you don’t have to worry about this problem as new brighter projectors with more lumen power can solve the problem of dark scenes.

They offer a large picture size; thus, you can have a film theatre of your own at your house. Most projectors have a size range 0f 90” to 120” and this range is far more than the range flatscreen TVs offer.

Projectors take a minimum of your space as they are mounted on the ceiling with the screen hanging on the wall. Now many companies are making a retractable screen in which the screen goes inside the ceiling.

The TV also takes minimum space if they are attached to the wall. But many TVs are heavy and there is a high chance that they might get damaged if you drop them. While in a projector there is a minimum possibility of getting damaged.

Projectors give a clear image only when lights are turned off, this might become a problem at some point as it is not always possible to give the required situation for its display. You must ensure that the projector can work under different scenarios and have a level of brightness that can face a decent range of light. So, test the lumens of the projector before buying it.

Projectors normally fall under three categories:

• Under 3000 lumens
• 3000 to 4000 lumens
• Over 4000 lumens

For example, if you’re buying a projector with 3000 lumens. First, test it in the room you’re going to use. Maybe in that room 3000-lumen projector is not suitable, and you need something with more power. So, if you know the usage and the power, you’re going to need you can easily select a projector suitable for you.

Another expense you’re going to have while buying a projector is an additional set of speakers. As, the need for speakers with projectors is compulsory, and it may add a little strain on your pocket if you want a high-quality sound.

Projectors commonly come in 20 DB and 40 DB range. A 20 DB projector would be inaudible, whereas in 40 DB projector you might hear a little whisper. If you’re buying projectors for small spaces, a 33 to 39 DB range projector at full power might be sufficient for you. But mainly it depends on your choice or the size of the room. A room of larger size with a greater distance between the projector and screen might need a volume range accordingly.

Some projectors generate a fair amount of heat, because of this these projectors have fans and this will result in the production of noise. The amount of noise created varies according to the type of projector. Inexpensive and small projectors can be quite loud, whereas, larger, more expensive projectors have features that limit the production of the noise.

If you’re going to place a projector right above your head then choose a projector that will produce minimum or no noise, but if it’s away from your sitting area then there isn’t much to worry.

Maybe, at some point, you will face some malfunctioning in your projectors. For this consider taking those projectors that provide good warranties and will recover your device in a short amount of time.

Some warranties will cover your damage in a day or two. So, if you’re working in some office where there is constant use of projector you might want to replace your projector within a short amount of time.

Make sure that the font displaying on the projector is capable to be read easily.

If you’re capable to read an 11-point type on a 21-inch display from 28 inches, then you want that same legibility in any other room, for example, if you’re using that same 11-point type of 21-inch display but now with a distance 3 times the distance you used before. In this case, your visibility will be affected. For this, you need to make adjustments accordingly.

For larger rooms, big displays will be needed, that will provide a clear image.