W1070

If you haven't, look at this video and watch others on his site... [https://youtu.be/9QqnfJ0-I\_s?si=SasM42EBRqjIdztV](https://youtu.be/9QqnfJ0-I_s?si=SasM42EBRqjIdztV) The Hook Up covers various models at differing price points which is quite helpful. IMO, if you are going to spend only $300, you should spend under $100 or so and call it a day. Maybe $150. But, you are getting low end models as you are aware. You CAN game on them, but they just tend to be laggy. This video specifically covers models like the Nexigo PJ40 which actually DO have low input lag for gaming... [https://youtu.be/vHmy8sobWEc?si=mCODYmJJoKvHEbOQ](https://youtu.be/vHmy8sobWEc?si=mCODYmJJoKvHEbOQ) You have options. These aren't high quality, reliable options, but they are okay for what they are. Ideal for 100" or so gaming in a darkish room. Lights off in the room, and some lights over by the seating area isn't a horrible way to do things. Long term, a model like the W1070 or HT2050a from BenQ are REALLY god for entry level home theater and gaming. Low input lag, really solid performance. So, keep your eyes open for a deal out there.

With proper care, they are as reliable as most other brands out there like Samsung or LG. XGimi isn't a new company and has been pretty active for over 10 years now. JMGO is newer. Hisense is a MASSIVE company and is in the same league as Samsung when it comes to electronics. Samsung is #1, but Hisense is #2. So, yeah, they are a pretty solid company. That said, companies like Hisense and Samsung don't prioritize projectors in their business model. Companies like JMGO and XGimi do. So, we are seeing more advancement from the smaller brands than the larger ones. One of the absolute top tier companies is JVC, who people barely think about when it comes to electronics these days. But, in the world of projectors, JVC is pretty close to being the top dog. There are also brands consumers have never heard of like Christie Digital and Barco who often operate at the very high end.

I don't have any high pitched noise at all. The projector runs really quiet overall. I seriously have no idea if there has been any firmware update for RBE reduction, but I can tell you I just find RBE very hard to see on this one. Feels like an 8x or faster color wheel equivalent. I have to look for RBE, and even then, it's barely there. So, thumbs up to them on doing a great job. I see it way easier on my BenQ W1070, which I do find mildly irritating when watching a movie.

Magcubic is a cheap no-name Chinese company that sells extremely low end product. They are bought a lot, but also have a ton of issues. They are very dim, and not appropriate for any serious home theater. You REALLY want to check the videos over at [www.youtube.com/thehookup](http://www.youtube.com/thehookup) as he just put out a sub-$500 projector shootout. The Nexigo PJ40 was ranked best, with some other options in there. He also has done a similar shootout for sub-$100 projectors. Here's the deal: At this price point you are getting mostly no-name models which use single LCD panel technology that is prone to failure. Understand you aren't buying long term quality, and that's half the battle. Then you don't get brightness, or sharpness, or quiet operation. Whatever issues you have will rarely get any support from the manufacturer. The single LCD often doesn't get proper cooling and it (literally) burns up, or the from polarizer burns up. This appears as a brown spot in the image. I personally bought the Happrun H1 for about $70 on Amazon. It was inexpensive, and it is okay, at best. I hooked up a Amazon Fire TV Stick to it, and it showed an image. Yay. It filled my 110" diagonal screen with what was a usable, but dim image. The noise was significantly more than my branded higher end projector (JVC) and my used BenQ models (HT2050a, W1070) but the Happrun only put out about 1/10th the light output. Audio should generally be considered an afterthought on most projectors. Not all of them, but in general, audio isn't that good. A decent Bluetooth speaker is often a significant step up in audio quality.

Prioritizing actual dark room image quality, the Noir is the better choice. Prioritizing use with some lights on in the room and the quality that offers, then the Aetherion is the way to go. You get to choose one or the other. I'm a image quality guy, so I ordered the XGimi. (put a deposit down) I don't like the headaches that go with UST projectors such as perfectly flat screens being absolutely required. That alignment is a massive headache to get perfect. Dealing with center channel placement. Worrying about bumping into it. The expensive screen requirement for best possible ALR performance. In reality, you lose a fair bit of quality when you start turning lights on in a theater, but it's not like you are watching something unusable. It's TOTALLY fine to turn lights on in the room and you still have a very enjoyable image, with some lights on, especially for sports viewing. I took some photos of my old W1070 from BenQ on a 161" screen with some lights on in the room. The light closest to the screen I had pulled out, but other lights were on in the basement at the time... [W1070 With The Lights On - 161" Screen | AVS Forum](https://www.avsforum.com/threads/w1070-with-the-lights-on-161-screen.1720730/) If you are okay with a hit in image quality with the lights on and not having the same headaches that go with UST projectors, then I'd go with the XGimi. But, UST projectors do perform better in lit rooms.

I love my JVC, but on a budget, they are a tough purchase. Replacement lamps can cost as much as the projector is even worth. Also, their older models are super dim. I'd typically get a BenQ W1070 or HT2050 model instead. It will be brighter, and have a nice balance between quality and cost that makes more sense. But, if someone lucks into a RS46 or newer, with low lamp hours, at that price, it may be a good buy if they know the costs of lamps and if it breaks, there is no cheap way to send it in for repair.

I think you end up with a lot of used/refurb models at this price point which can be very good as a first projector. My pricing pretty much stops at $500 as the low point which can get you the JMGO N1S brand new, or the Nexigo Nova Mini. Which are both models that have won on The Hook Up (YouTube) as top shelf portable projectors. If I were spending $400 on something that 'may be okay, but uses a lamp', I think I'd find $100 more to get a projector that is twice as bright as the other new $400 models if at all possible. That said, there are some good lamp projectors that can be had used for that price and they are definitely worth consideration if you intend to install it in a fairly permanent solution with proper projector placement. Models that u/PlayStationPepe in the used/refurb section are far brighter than anything in the 'new' section that he listed. But, the used models are traditional projectors. No built in smart operating system. No built in streaming. Lousy built in speakers (generally speaking). But, relatively bright. Plenty of light for a 150" diagonal if you want to go that big in a dark room. Or, 120" with some ambient light in the room and still a super usable image. Add your own Firestick or PC for streaming Netflix.

The BenQ is a solid choice, but should be well under $500 if used. Keep in mind, you are fighting ambient light every step of the way. You will need to control light if you aren't happy with things. Simple as that. Adding a lot more light is not a substitute for better curtains.

The + version is not worth the extra price. I would hope you could find the W1070 for under $300, preferably under $250, but it is getting harder to find them at a reasonable price, which is ridiculous. I bought a W1070 new, sold it for $250, then wished I had it back, so I got a used one for $230. I could probably sell it today for $300. That's kinda crazy. In Europe, pricing tends to be higher, so I can't say what a reasonable price is. Look at the price of a brand new Optoma HD146x, then go down from there.

The w1070 is a great value and a really good price in my opinion. You will want to check for a HIGH QUALITY replacement lamp and buy one right away to ensure you get as much life as possible from the w1070. The BenQ is a better looking projector than the Optoma 146x, so that's a clear win for the BenQ. Especially at that price point. Be aware that $50 lamps are likely really shit quality. Look for a reputable seller. Something like this... [https://www.myprojectorlamps.eu/projector-lamps/Benq/W1070.html](https://www.myprojectorlamps.eu/projector-lamps/Benq/W1070.html) Cheap eBay and Amazon crap is just not worth the headache.

The + version is not worth the extra price. I would hope you could find the W1070 for under $300, preferably under $250, but it is getting harder to find them at a reasonable price, which is ridiculous. I bought a W1070 new, sold it for $250, then wished I had it back, so I got a used one for $230. I could probably sell it today for $300. That's kinda crazy. In Europe, pricing tends to be higher, so I can't say what a reasonable price is. Look at the price of a brand new Optoma HD146x, then go down from there.

The w1070 is a great value and a really good price in my opinion. You will want to check for a HIGH QUALITY replacement lamp and buy one right away to ensure you get as much life as possible from the w1070. The BenQ is a better looking projector than the Optoma 146x, so that's a clear win for the BenQ. Especially at that price point. Be aware that $50 lamps are likely really shit quality. Look for a reputable seller. Something like this... [https://www.myprojectorlamps.eu/projector-lamps/Benq/W1070.html](https://www.myprojectorlamps.eu/projector-lamps/Benq/W1070.html) Cheap eBay and Amazon crap is just not worth the headache.

Yeah, HT2150ST. Typically there are letters left off to make typing it a bit easier. But, feel free to ask. Like the Epson 5050UB is their Home Cinema 5050UB. Anyway, get to know the throw distance calculator at Projector Central. Understand it completely. It will go a long way to help you understand what you will need to deal with. Also understand not only throw distance/screen size, but what the lens offset is and where you must physically place the projector for best results. The BenQ 2150ST, is a lamp-based projector. Not a huge deal if buying used and getting a good deal, but remember, you will have to replace the lamp at some point and a quality replacement lamp (not from eBay/Amazon) from a place like Pureland Supply will cost a bit of money every few years or so, depending on usage. Some people run their lamps to 10,000 hours, so that's a (long) movie a day for around 10 years. Pretty freakin' solid. I'm a huge fan of the older BenQ 1080p projectors. From their w1070 to their HT2050a and HT2060. They all have been REALLY strong models in their home theater lineup. The HT2050a had been out for several years when it was replaced with the HT2060, but up until then it was considered the best value 1080p projector on the market without any real competition.

Yes, and no. I can't stand projector noise. The audio should not have to be cranked way up to drown out fan noise, but decent projectors have fairly silent fans. My Happrun H1 ($60) compared to my JVC DLA-X590R ($4K+) is about 10:1 noise. I run the JVC in low lamp mode and the fans are very quiet. But, the noise is still there, and when the movie gets quiet, I hear them. The XGimi Titan Noir? Damn near silent. I need to be a few inches away from the projector to hear it at all. The same 10:1 audio level I heard between the Happrun and the JVC is repeated with the JVC to the XGimi. I am truly blown away that modern laser projectors can be so damn quiet for the money. I expect that the general electronics noise of a TV may be barely more quiet than the XGimi. I haven't compared UST projectors and likely won't get the chance to do so anytime soon.

I’ve had my JVC for several years and it hasn’t been an issue for me either, but the JVC is very quiet. Quieter than my previous w1070, but the XGimi is nearly silent. Crazy quiet.

I wouldn't say that at all. UST projectors still require a bulky screen, move the ceiling mount to a TV stand in the front of the room that is ALWAYS there. For the price difference between a UST and a long throw projector, I can hire someone to install the cabling inside my walls (not kidding). A floor rising UST/ALR screen is no different than a floor rising long throw screen. It's the exact same screen with a different material. UST doesn't solve the screen problem, and it is far worse because any screen defects are massively obvious with UST projectors. I walk a 100" TV through my front door. I hang it on my wall. I enjoy it day or night for the next 10 years. Total expenditure? Under $1,600, including the wall mount. That doesn't mean I don't love my 161" front projection setup in my basement. It just isn't the setup I could or would want to use in my family room.

I don't know who is paying $3K for a 100" TV when there are well reviewed models at $1,500. If you're comparing like to like, then that's more like a $5,000 UST projector to the $3,000 100" TV. Most people don't move around every couple of years. Most people have a family room with windows. This is why 100" televisions make a ton of sense. They are designed for bright room use. You hang them once, then you are good for the entire time you live in the home. If you bump it, then it doesn't knock everything out of alignment. If the wall is warped, the TV doesn't care. If there are big windows in the room, the TV cares, but looks 100 times better than the UST projector could hope to look. A TV doesn't require a $1,000 screen to make it look it's best in a bright room. A projector is a projector is a projector. Even with good UST/ALR screens, at $1,000 or more, you aren't getting nearly the brightness, punch, or contrast that a $1,500 television delivers. On the other hand, in a room that is always kind of dim, and dark at night, and a screen size of 120" or more, there is simply no television that can match the size for the money. You also don't get that reflected projector look and vibe from any television. But, there are real reasons to not get a projector for your family room, and that is mostly about it being a far better image from the television for WAY less money.

Your big issue with be that most projectors just aren't bright enough to give you much performance prior to complete darkness. That's just a reality of front projection. I have a demo of this using a 5,000 lumen projector on my channel (not much else on it)... [https://www.youtube.com/@paulvail7926](https://www.youtube.com/@paulvail7926) You can also see how poor the black levels are in the 30' wide image demo. Similar projector. A Panasonic 3 LCD model with 5,000 rated ANSI lumens. So, I'd go with DLP. Maybe the XGimi Horizon 20. If you want to save some money, then the 1080p Optoma HD146x is an excellent purchase. It gives you plenty of leftover budget for a streaming device (which you will need), a outdoor screen of some kind (if you need it), and audio (which you absolutely will need). I would hit up Facebook Marketplace and look for used screens. People move and sell their screens all the time. You can get $300+ screens for $100 or less all the time. Great way to save some cash. For streaming, the Amazon Fire TV Stick is a decent solution. I like it for the built in Bluetooth audio. It allows connecting a speaker to be easier. Bluetooth isn't the best audio, but it is convenient. Finally, for audio, you can use any Bluetooth speaker and connect it to the Firestick using Bluetooth. Make sure it is a speaker with enough ooomph to sound good outside. I use one of those 15" tall black box Bluetooth speakers with a battery inside of it that you often see at Costco/Sam's Club for around $100-$150. It works well for my needs. Not high fidelity, but clear and loud enough for the needs I've had for it. If you can provide a plug and don't want/need a battery inside, then there are likely more cost effective options. This whole setup, will run you under $1,000 with the Optoma projector. The Horizon 20 from XGimi is about $1,500 by itself. If you want something in that 'lifestyle 4k' category for a projector, then the Nexigo Trivision Ultra is well reviewed and is about $1,100 as a refurb, $1,300 new. [https://www.amazon.com/NexiGo-TriVision-Tri-LED-Laser-Portable-Projector/dp/B0F6MKD9PN/ref=sr\_1\_3](https://www.amazon.com/NexiGo-TriVision-Tri-LED-Laser-Portable-Projector/dp/B0F6MKD9PN/ref=sr_1_3) I like the Horizon 20 more overall, but the Nexigo is a solid product and saves some cash which can give you some breathing room for other things you may need for your setup.

You need to figure out your screen size. But, after dark, even cheap $100 projectors tend to look good. Those models are horrendously unreliable though so not worth anyone's time of day. But, I'd say anything that advertises 2,000+ lumens would be more than enough for a screen up to about 135" diagonal. At really large sizes, you do want more lumens, and those will cost you $$. The black levels (real contrast) on DLP projectors is significantly better than that of LCD projectors at similar price points. Business class LCD projectors, like the one I used in my demo above, really can't deliver great contrast no matter what their marketing claims. I will see if I can add a video of my DLP business projector to my channel so people get a better idea of what they might expect between DLP and LCD on the used market. New is pretty similar. At your budget though, adding in movie viewing at times, I'd get the Nexigo Trivision Ultra and I'd expect to be very happy with things. Definitely watch some videos over at [www.youtube.com/thehookup](http://www.youtube.com/thehookup) though. His stuff is very informative.

The BenQ TH575 is in the same category as the Optoma HD146x. Very similar overall. Small, not big differences between them. I do prefer BenQ over Optoma, but I believe the Optoma is a bit less money. Getting 16' diagonal out of these models will work only after complete darkness. I'm not sure I have any example that would be exactly like them, but my W1070 may be close enough. The math needs to math though. A 192" diagonal is only 60% more than a 120" diagonal, but it is over twice the square footage. That means a projector which is typically fine, in a dark room, at 120" diagonal, will struggle at that size. This ignores any ambient lighting which may be in play. That's why I linked a model which should perform well at that size and look perfectly fine. Note that there is nothing about the Vivitek I linked which is really significantly worse than the BenQ or Optoma. It should be able to deliver the same image, but with more light output, and is a very reasonable price.