Top 5 Best Ultra Short Throw Projectors In 2023

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Ultra Short Throw projectors (UST) are slowly becoming the norm and the latest innovations take it a step further; excellent picture quality, unrivaled performance, and powerful audio. 

We’ve picked out a selection of the latest and greatest ultra-short throw projectors. From cinematic picture quality, affordable price tags, high-end gaming performance, and everyday TV replacements, there’s one for every kind of user.

These are the latest models released in 2021-2022. They feature the latest hardware so it won’t be outdated for the next couple of years. They’re all feature-packed for a wide variety of uses. 

That being said, let’s get straight into the list. 

Before you buy a projector make sure you check this detailed and ultra helpful guide to help you decide according the best projector for you according to your personal needs: How to Choose the Right Projector for Different Room Sizes & Uses

Our Top Three Best UST Projectors

1. Editor’s Choice – BenQ v7050i
2. Best Premium (Best Seller) – Epson EpiqVision Ultra LS800
3. Best Budget – LG CineBeam HU715QW

1. BenQ V7050i – Editor’s Choice

The BenQ V7050i is our Editor’s Choice for outstanding brightness, clarity, and color contrast at an affordable price. Compared to many other UST projectors, the V7050i has a considerable discount. 

Besides the price, it performs remarkably well in brightly lit conditions. The 2500 ANSI Lumens brightness works great in bright rooms and even better in dim lighting conditions. 

Color accuracy is constant and doesn’t fade even in daylight. If you need a TV replacement for both day and nighttime viewing, this projector is one of the best UST options available. 

It also supports a sharp native 4K resolution with 8.3 million pixels. Videos and images look sharp and crystal clear without the need to adjust settings out of the box. This is in part thanks to BenQ’s DLP technology which also helps its longevity. 

There’s also the 2,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio and HDR-Pro, HDR10, & HLG support to enhance black/white contrast. HDR-Pro enables tone mapping resulting in punchy, detailed, and balanced images. 

Additionally, the 98% DCI-P3 wide color gamut projects beautifully vibrant and colorful images. There’s also a built-in Filmmaker mode that uses a preset to accurately project the movie as the director intended.

Compared to a similarly priced UST projector, the ViewSonic X2000B, the BenQ V7050i has a higher 2500L brightness, advanced DMD ECD projection technology, and a vibrant 98% DCI-P3 color gamut without a substantial price increase.

Another great feature is Android TV support. You have access to Google’s library of apps, movies, shows, and games all from your projector. 

Android TV is another missing feature on the ViewSonic X2000B, making the BenQ V7050i our pick of the two as it has more value, added performance, and overall quality. 

But one area that leaves more to be desired is the audio. This model features a dual 5W speaker setup that doesn’t get very loud or has much bass. You’ll need to pair it with a soundbar for a desirable audio experience. 

Another downside is the gaming performance. The projector cannot keep up in terms of frame rate or refresh rate. If you were planning on gaming with a UST projector, the BenQ V7050i is not the best choice. 

To be fair, BenQ doesn’t claim to have any built-in gaming features, but it’s important to know in case you needed a projector with a low input lag or high refresh rate. 

Other notable features include 3D support, up to 123” screen size, and a motorized lens cover. The motorized lens cover is great for keeping the lens free of dust and for protection.

3D support ensures you can watch 3D movies while up to 123” screen size truly transforms your projector into a home theater. 

Overall, there’s a lot the BenQ V7050i has to offer at a competitive price point. It does have some downsides, but the picture quality, color vibrancy, and excellent brightness settings more than make up for its shortcomings. 

Rating

• Value for Money -10 /10
• Final Picture – 10/10
• Build Quality – 9/10
• Connectivity – 8/10
• Overall Score – 9.25/10

2. Epson EpiqVision Ultra LS800 – Best Premium Ultra Short Throw Projector

The Epson EpiqVision Ultra LS800 is our pick as the Best Premium UST projector. It’s Epson’s latest model and while it costs a pretty penny, it has a varied feature set like high brightness, sharp & clear images, and a punchy sound system.

First off, it uses Epson’s 3LCD display technology which helps project consistent colors without rainbow effects or uneven color brightness. It also has a stunning 4000 ANSI Lumens brightness for both color and whites. 

The 3LCD technology is also used for pixel-shifting. 

This controls the 3 individual chips to project a native 4K Pro-UHD resolution. We noticed improved sharpness and clarity without losing brightness. With the high 4000 Lumens brightness, you can use it confidently even in bright rooms. 

Of all the UST projectors we’ve seen, the LS800 has one of the highest brightness settings.

Additionally, the projector supports a fantastic 2,500,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio. Blacks and whites are nicely contrasted, resulting in detailed shadowing and images. It also supports HDR10 & HLG to further enhance contrast and color vibrancy. 

The projector can project images up to 150” which is one of the largest sizes for UST projectors. So far, the LS800 excels in both brightness and screen size. These two features make it an extremely capable TV replacement. 

Compared to its predecessor, the Epson EpiqVision LS500, the LS800 improves with a native 4K resolution, a higher contrast ratio, a faster 120Hz refresh rate, and a larger max 150” screen size. 

The LS800 is a significant improvement over the older LS500. Plus it’s currently cheaper than the older LS500, so you’re not missing out on price either. 

You also get Android OS with Android TV 11 built-in. It doesn’t require a dongle to operate like on the LS500. You get Google’s extensive library of content as well as Google Assistant voice control. 

In terms of audio, there’s a 2.1ch Yamaha sound system with dual 5W speakers and a 10W sub-woofer. It also utilizes Yamaha’s DSP technology, Audio Engine, to automatically tune and enhance audio. 

Audio is good enough for everyday streaming, but you might want a dedicated soundbar for movie nights. The audio is above average but is still a big improvement over the LS500’s speakers. 

For the upgraded internal features without a price increase, the Epson EpiqVision LS800 is a clear winner. 

But unfortunately, it does not support 3D. Many projectors in recent years have done away with the feature. It also doesn’t have an HDMI eARC port which isn’t ideal since you don’t get the full audio resolution.

Overall though, the Epson EpiqVision Ultra LS800 has everything you need out of a modern, feature-packed UST projector. It can handle the latest games at a speedy 120Hz refresh rate, powerful brightness, sharp image quality, and vibrant color accuracy.

The few downsides like missing 3D support and eARC port are substantial. But it isn’t a deal breaker for everything else you get in the package.

Rating

• Value for Money – 8/10
• Final Picture – 10/10
• Build Quality – 9/10
• Connectivity – 9/10
• Overall Score – 9/10

3. LG CineBeam HU715QW – Best Budget Ultra Short Throw Projector

If you don’t have that much money to spend on a UST projector, the LG CineBeam HU715QW is our Best Budget UST projector. This model is significantly cheaper than other UST projectors which is one of its biggest selling points.

But even for the lower price tag, it doesn’t compromise features. 

The projector features an admirable 2500 ANSI Lumens brightness. This is more suited for a proper home theater setup with dim/no lights on. It does suffer slightly in brightly lit rooms as the image on-screen fades. 

But it does have a native 4K resolution so images look sharp and crystal clear. Another standout feature is the automatic Brightness Optimizer. This automatically adjusts the brightness depending on the surrounding lighting conditions.

It makes adjusting brightness very convenient as it ensures you’re getting the most optimized experience in any lighting environment. 

Color contrast is rated at 2,000,000:1 for deep blacks and bright whites. Colors pop on-screen and are vivid thanks to an 85% DCI-P3 color gamut. It also supports both HDR10 & HLG to help boost color contrast and richness.

The HU715QW can also project images up to 120”. This is a fairly big size that is comparable to other UST projectors like the BenQ V7050i. It isn’t the biggest, but it’s still impressive considering the price tag. 

Compared to its predecessor, the LG CineBeam HU85LA, the HU715QW has Super Upscaling, Adaptive Contrast, the latest WebOS 6.0, and an improved sound system. 

Super Upscaling and Adaptive Contrast help lower-resolution content look sharper, clearer, and more vibrant. This is a new addition to the CineBeam UST series that’s missing on the HU85LA. 

Where the projector truly shines is the audio. It has an impressive sound system with dual 20W stereo speakers and a 2.2ch Quad-Woofer. The audio is deep and immersive and the bass is punchy enough to watch action movies.

It’s one of the better audio systems on the list which is fantastic considering the price tag. Plus it’s considerably better than the HU85LA’s lacking dual 5W speaker setup. And lastly, WebOS 6.0 is a big step up over its predecessor’s dated Web OS 4.5. 

It’s more convenient to use and snappier than earlier versions. It’s disappointing that LG doesn’t feature Google’s Android OS, but it’ll get the job done for most people. 

With all these upgrades, the HU715QW is our pick of the two CineBeam projectors. The best part is you don’t have to pay extra for the upgrades. The latest model is significantly cheaper than the HU85LA, so it’s a steal for everything you get. 

Overall, the LG CineBeam HU715QW is a feature-packed ultra-short throw projector at a fantastic price. It’s got the bases covered with an impressive audio setup, crystal clear resolution, impressive upscaling, and color accuracy. 

It does take a hit in brightly lit conditions so it can’t compare to the BenQ V7050i or Epson EpiqVision Ultra LS800, but it’s good enough. We’d recommend placing it in a room with little to no ambient light for the best viewing experience. 

Rating

• Value for Money – 9/10
• Final Picture – 9/10
• Build Quality – 8/10
• Connectivity – 8/10
• Overall Score – 8.5/10

4. Optoma CinemaX D2 Smart – Best Gaming Ultra Short Throw Projector

The Optoma CinemaX D2 Smart is our pick as the Best Gaming UST projector. It’s a sensational performer for gaming but it still performs well when streaming or casting.

The projector supports a native 4K UHD resolution so images are clear and detailed. It also supports PureMotion frame interpolation which smoothens fast-moving objects, while processing them to look sharper. 

In terms of color, it features a decent 1,800,000:1 contrast ratio and supports a six-segment RGBRGB color wheel. The colors look vibrant but it’s slightly lacking compared to other UST projectors. 

It only covers the entire Rec.709 color gamut so it’s slightly less vivid compared to DCI-P3 color gamut projectors like the BenQ V7050i. 

But you also get HDR10 & HLG support to boost color and richness. It helps balance the lacking contrast ratio and color gamut. It’s still vibrant enough for daily use, but it could be better in bright rooms. 

With the default settings, colors can appear slightly off so you need to calibrate to get the best viewing experience. 

But the CinemaX D2 Smart makes up for it with a bright 3000 ANSI Lumens brightness. It performs well in both dark & bright environments so it can be a capable TV replacement. 

It can also project images up to 120” which is the standard screen size for UST projectors. It isn’t as impressive as the Epson EpiqVision Ultra LS800’s 150” but it gets the job done. 

The projector utilizes a laser light source with a 30,000-hour lamp life. It will last a long time without dimming brightness over time.  

And when compared to its predecessor, the Optoma CinemaX P2, the CinemaX D2 Smart features a longer 30,000-hour lamp life, Full HD 3D support, PureMotion, and much better game performance. 

The latest model has a substantially better game performance with a 240Hz refresh rate and 4ms input lag in 1080p. This is the fastest refresh rate support we’ve seen thus far.

A mere 4ms input lag is excellent for intense gaming in FPS or fighting games where every second counts. You don’t need to worry about missing a shot because the projector can’t keep up. 

These are worthy upgrades especially if you’re looking for a UST projector for gaming. If that’s the case, the CinemaX D2 Smart is the better option. 

However, a major downside is Android TV is not built-in. You’ll need to connect the included dongle to access Wi-Fi and streaming capabilities. It’s not ideal since that’s one more device plugged into an HDMI port. 

For the audio setup, this model includes dual 10W speakers. The speakers are good enough for videos but don’t expect too much bass. It sounds a little lackluster and isn’t as full sounding compared to projectors with a dedicated soundbar. 

But all in all, the Optoma CinemaX D2 Smart is a capable performer. It excels in gaming performance which is where you’ll get your money’s worth. It’s also relatively affordable for an ultra-short throw projector. 

It does lack slightly in terms of color and sharpness but is otherwise a powerful projector for most users. 

Rating

• Value for Money – 9/10
• Final Picture – 8/10
• Build Quality – 8/10
• Connectivity – 7/10
• Overall Score – 8/10

5. Formovie Theater – Honorable Mention

The Formovie Theater ultra-short throw projector is our Honorable Mention on the list. It’s got fantastic performance for a brand that isn’t as well known as BenQ, Optoma, and Epson. 

But it’s not to be trifled with, especially in terms of picture quality and color vibrancy. 

The Formovie Theater features a native 4K UHD resolution for detailed and pixel-dense images. What’s most impressive though is the 107% Rec.2020 color gamut which allows a wide selection of vibrant colors. 

It’s much more vivid than typical Rec.709 color gamut projectors like the Optoma CinemaX D2 Smart. This is thanks to the projector’s triple laser light source which accurately projects colors without distortion.

The triple laser light source also helps dispel rainbow artifacts and maintains a consistent color brightness, resulting in impressive vivid imagery. However, the contrast ratio is only rated at 3,000:1 which usually means images aren’t as vibrant.

To make up for it, the projector supports HDR10+, HDR10, and Dolby Vision so shadow detailing and color contrast are still excellent. 

The Formovie Theater also has a 2800 Lumens brightness. This is brighter than usual UST projectors like the BenQ V7050i and LG CineBeam HU715QW. But it’s slightly lacking compared to Epson’s and Optoma’s offerings. 

It still performs admirably in bright rooms but it’s best kept in a dim room with little to no ambient light. But the triple laser light source keeps color brightness consistent so you don’t have to worry as much. 

Compared to another triple laser projector, the Samsung LSP9T, the Formovie Theater uses a more advanced ALPD 4.0 technology, a slightly richer 107% color gamut, a fully-fledged audio setup, and is significantly cheaper. 

Even though both use triple laser light sources, the Formovie Theater utilizes the advanced ALPD 4.0 light source which is more powerful and consistent. This also allows colors to look brighter and more vivid. 

But the biggest difference is in the sound system. The Formovie Theater has dual 15W speakers including 2 full-range speakers with titanium tweeters. Plus it supports Dolby Atmos for cinema-like audio and is tuned by Bowers & Wilkins.

It’s a properly equipped soundbar that’s very hard to beat. 

And not to mention the price. 

You can get identical brightness and colors with improved internals for considerably cheaper than the Samsung LSP9T. That’s reason enough to recommend the Formovie Theater over the Samsung LSP9T.

The projector also features Android TV 11 built-in. You don’t need an extra dongle to access Google’s apps and streaming. You also get Google Assistant voice control which can be very handy. 

It also supports Auto Low Latency Mode and MEMC frame interpolation for smooth gaming and motion. However, we’d advise against getting it for gaming since it does not have a dedicated refresh rate or input lag features. 

Overall though, the Formovie Theater is a fully-fledged ultra-short throw projector with incredible visual fidelity and vibrancy. Its sound system is impressive and Android TV 11 built-in is the icing on the cake. 

While it’s not cheap by any means, it’s a dependable and proper TV replacement. 

Rating

• Value for Money – 8/10
• Final Picture – 9/10
• Build Quality – 8/10
• Connectivity – 8/10
• Overall Score – 8.25/10