Increasingly, people who want to develop their own movie theater experience at home are choosing to go with an ultra-short throw (UST) projector. These projectors work just as well in a dedicated home theater environment as they do in a well-lit living room, especially when you pair them with an ambient light-rejecting UST screen. Offering a smaller footprint, easier installation, and close placement to the screen, it truly is the next generation of image projection.
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Combining a UST with a high-quality ambient light-rejecting (ALR) screen creates the perfect viewing solution for rooms and home theater spaces with large amounts of light. This makes your theater even more versatile and enjoyable over time.
You may have also heard of a “Laser TV.” This is simply a quicker and easier name for the 4K ultra short throw smart projector. They offer cutting-edge imaging, smart features, and improved sound and are super easy to install and maintain. The laser TV may also be your home theater answer if you’re trying to maximize the area of your viewing space. With a throw ratio of less than 0.4, you can screen movies confidently, knowing that no one’s bathroom break or need for a soda will block out the movie.
Many projector manufacturers have thrown their hat into the ring, releasing their own ultra short throws, so there are quite a number of options to choose from. With Christmas deals coming up quickly, deciding which projector is right for you can be tough. We’ve assembled a list of some of the best ultra short throw projectors to buy for Christmas.
Ten Ultra Short Throw Projectors To Buy
Formovie Theater
- Price:
$3,499 - Sale Price: $2,999
If you are looking for high quality at a lower price, the Formovie Theater is definitely where you want to start. This upgraded American version of the Fengmi T1 boasts incredible specs as a 2800-lumen laser projector with ALPD 4.0 RGB+ tech. This gives you some of the deepest and richest black tones of any home projector. This advanced laser TV can cover an impressive 107% of the BT 2020 color space with crystal clear imagery, vivid colors, and fuller saturation. On top of all of this, it also has an outstanding built-in soundbar from Bowers & Wilkins. Need some more convincing to get this ultra short throw? In 2022, a panel of industry experts chose the Formovie Theater as the overall best UST projector.
Hisense L9G
- Price:
$5,498 100” Screen Bundle|$5,998 120” Screen Bundle - Sale Price: $3,798 100” Screen Bundle | $4,798 120” Screen Bundle
The top line of Hisense is that this high-quality UST comes bundled with a 100 or 120-inch ambient light-rejecting screen. This alone makes the Hisense L9G a terrific bargain. Mega bright 3000-lumen projection and triple laser technology combine to give you a detailed and vivid image that will make the absolute most of whatever movie, sporting event, binge-worthy TV show, or video game you are viewing. With the capability of offering over 1 billion potential colors and with 107% coverage of BT 2020 color space, your home theater experiences have never been this lifelike and immersive. And the soundbar that is built in will give the robust music and other audio to really round out a remarkable home theater.
LG HU915QE
- Price:
$5,996 - Sale Price: $4,996
This is LG’s newest addition to their ultra short throw line, and it is really making a name for itself with the second brightest available display (a whopping 3700 lumen) and 2707: 1 contrast ratio. Terrifically deep black tones and Crystal clear image thanks to the .66″ DLP chip. There is a case to be made that this is the best UST in its class, but it will cost you a little more than some others. LG’s HU915QB can easily be substituted, but it will not be quite as bright. But the LG HU915QB will give you a much-improved contrast ratio.
Epson LS800
Just like other Epson projectors, the LS800 is impressively bright. It will project an unbeatable 4000 lumens from a distance closer than all other laser TVs. With audio provided by an always excellent-sounding Yamaha soundbar and deep and vivid contrast levels, this may very well be the UST of your dreams! And to make it even better, it can be bundled with a 100 or 120-inch ALR screen. Unlike the other projectors on this list that use a DLP chipset, the Epson LS800 utilizes 3LCD technology so you can avoid the “rainbow effect.” The LS800 is also one of the best gaming projectors with a super low 16.7ms lag time.
BenQ V7050i
If the range of color is your main concern, this high-quality UST has the widest color gamut on the market and is placed first in the single laser category of this year’s laser TV showdown. Perhaps its most novel standout feature is the dust-reducing automatic sunroof. This keeps pesky dust and animal hair off the lens, giving you a cleaner and worry-free image.
Hisense PX1-Pro
- Price:
$3,500 - Sale Price: $2,998
This is a noteworthy selection for any movie lover, as it is the first on our list to be designed specifically for a home theater and its typically dimmer lights. You can pair it with an ALR screen for more general television usage in a living room, for example, but the absolutely breathtaking cinematic images the PX1-Pro is capable of generating will have you rewatching all of your old favorites in a brand new way. This is easily the best selection if you already have a cinema screen.
Samsung LSP9T
This crowd-pleasing UST is considered by some to be the best in the game. Amazing picture quality and motion handling, deep black levels and competent handling of HDR content allows this triple laser projector to give you some of the best rendered images you’ve ever seen! You will also be enjoying a comfortingly close placement to the screen, with the LSP9T’s 0.19:1 throw ratio. It will set you back a little more than your average UST projector, but with a quality manufacturer like Samsung, you know you are getting cutting edge tech.
LG HU715Q
- Price:
$2,999 - Sale Price: $2,496
For its lower price, you would not expect the kind of quality that this newer entry is capable of providing, but it is definitely here to play with the big boys. Robust built-in speakers, brightness optimizer and other awesome features will help you make your content look the absolute best it can no matter your lighting situation. With the LG brand behind it, you know you’re getting a phenomenal product.
XGIMI Aura
A great entry level 4K UST, this one has an appealing price point, but understandably will not offer the ridiculously high quality of picture available with some of our other selections. It still offers several of the features of those in a higher class, like deep black levels and an excellent built-in sound bar, making this a good solid selection for a UST projector at a low price.
Optoma CinemaX D2
Optoma has been known for producing well-made low priced ultra short throw projectors and the Optoma D2 is no exception. This 3000 lumen 4K laser tv gives you everything you’re looking for from an UST at a very reasonable price. It’s available in both a black and white casing giving you options to match the surrounding room.
Optoma was able to offer this projector at such a great low price by not including a built-in media player, so you will need an external device like an Amazon Firestick, Apple TV or Roku. You can also get the upgraded Optoma D2+ which comes with the Hako Mini 4K Media Player. The D2 is also one of the best gaming ultra short throws with a 16ms response time in 4K at 60Hz and 4ms in 1080P at 240Hz for a competitive gaming advantage.
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Last Updated on December 3, 2022.
