Epson - Home Cinema 980 3LCD 1080p Projector

I just got the 980 a few weeks ago and love it. Very bright, great picture, easy setup, compatible with my PS5. A few things I don’t love is no image shift, no way to dim the brightness (there is a setting to take the brightness down but it is only for the pictures brightness, not the actual brightness of the projector) and the hdmi ports are very sensitive but that could just be mine. Overall though very worth it and very happy with it

Also want to add, Best Buy had a deal on these for around $100 off in store. Not sure if it’s still active but worth a look

Putting the projector into ECO mode should lower the bulb brightness a bit.

Good call on the Epson HC 980; that's a solid pick for your use case. If you want slightly better contrast and a touch of lens shift for easier placement, the BenQ HT2050A or HT2060 are great alternatives, but for simple nighttime streaming the HC 980 is a solid pick.

with cheap 100" 4k LED's available (walmart has a 98" Samsung for 1997 right now, costco has 98" TCL for 1599), maybe look at those before spending over $2k for a projector. Unless your screen is bigger than that, then a projector still the way to go since budget TV's max out at 100" right now (another couple years and you'll probably see 120" for $2k). Redoing my basement this is my dilemma - will stick with my 1080p Epson until the price comes down for 120"

I second this. Check Facebook marketplace for used name brand. Whatever you find research the model to avoid the conference room and multimedia model fluff. Literally Google the model number or check projector central website. You want to look for 720p or 1080p home theater models. You won't find anything more than that in your budget. Saw a Marantz VP-12S4 720p projector for $110. Here's an Epson 1080p that retails for $800 for $150. Make sure they test it for you. Ask if the bulb has been replaced. Unfortunately some people know how to reset lamp hours but check that anyways as well in case they haven't. Disregard the 4k advertising from Knock off models, it's a sham. Those are paperweights and just know they won't last long at all. https://preview.redd.it/e2orfdenxwbf1.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=307cee1847275b626efaf631982de2e8ca291c5a

Yes it is. Got mine open box in 500$. For anime it's a no brainer.

For $800 you’re looking at 1080p not even pixel shift. You’ll have to do the math on throw distance but an Epson 1080 or Benq 585 are decent machines

If that's the case, see if you can look at an Epson 1080, maybe refurbished or open-box. It will be a good starting point and its retail price is around $500 US. The Epson 8350 (my first ever projector) is also a good option. They have been out of production for awhile but they can be had for $250 or less. Only down side is they are larger than that Optoma or the 1080.

I have the Epson 880 and 1080.  They're both fantastic projector and some of the best values you can possibly get, especially in the 200 - $250 range, which is phenomenal value.  1060 is, as I understand it, similar to between the 880 and 1080 so I would absolutely recommend it.

I love my 1080 Epson projector. Quality seems plenty good for me, and I strongly prefer the experience of watching it over my 4k TV. Not sure of the purpose of OP's post, but my enjoyment factor is in no way influenced by your opinions.