QLED/OLED aside, are projectors a good option for playing games at home?

[Cyan]

When it comes to gaming at home, the debate often revolves around choosing between OLED and QLED displays. However, there's another contender that's frequently overlooked: projectors. Could projectors actually be the best option for gaming at home? Just curious....

I have a QLED 50" 4K TV and it looks fine but I wonder if a projector would suit my needs for gaming and other stuff as good or even better than my TV. Does anyone here have a projector and use it for gaming?

There might be some advantages, and drawbacks to gaming in a projector. But if you can create a huge screen from a projector, or connect 2 projectors to your PC or Mini PC for productivity...

The advantages of a projector are the immersive experience, the versatility, the space efficiency, and the cost effectiveness. And I wonder if they translate well to games or if you can play at high framerates on a projector.

Any interesting projectors for gaming?

 

[Cyan]

this one for instance looks pretty cool for the price (50€). The guy shows how he games on his laptop using it.

Temu $46 HY300 M 4k Projector Full Indepth Review With HD PC​

edit: watched this video after that and it says the input lag is 200ms, which means no gaming, but still good for other uses and one of the best in this review of multiple cheap projectors too. It also has just 40W of power consumption.

 

[arandomguy]

I believe if you're looking for 4k120hz though they are expensive and input lag is higher than what is available on TVs. I'm guessing you're also going to be limited to basically a dark theatre room type setup.

There's other niche options available for home gaming as well such as a HMD. But for the vast majority a conventional LCD or OLED display (whether TV or monitor) is going to be the best fit.

 

[Cyan]

I believe if you're looking for 4k120hz though they are expensive and input lag is higher than what is available on TVs. I'm guessing you're also going to be limited to basically a dark theatre room type setup.

There's other niche options available for home gaming as well such as a HMD. But for the vast majority a conventional LCD or OLED display (whether TV or monitor) is going to be the best fit.

thanks for the reply. I could actually do with something less expensive, meaning 1080p 200Hz (if that exists) or something like that. You can send a 4K signal to the projector as the internal resolution of your console or PC, and from the reviews above it just downscales to 1080p or 720p with great results.

I'd do with something like that -I haven't checked the price of 4K 120Hz projectors for now tbh-.

As for lighting, the guy in the video of the HY300M plays in a lit room during the day. It's not like being under the summer's sun but it's not super dark when he reviews the device -he can play the games just fine but I don't find the picture enticing though, 'cos of the light-.

Gotta say that I use my computer in the dark normally.

 

[Cyan]

I believe if you're looking for 4k120hz though they are expensive and input lag is higher than what is available on TVs. I'm guessing you're also going to be limited to basically a dark theatre room type setup.

There's other niche options available for home gaming as well such as a HMD. But for the vast majority a conventional LCD or OLED display (whether TV or monitor) is going to be the best fit.

found this one that supports 1080p 240Hz with 4ms of input lag. More than 1000€l 3000 ANSI lumens of brightness and HDR.

One of the advantages I see of a projector is the size and weight. My bedroom isn't that big and plus my 50" measures almost exactly my desktop from side to side -almost 120cm width-.

TK700STi | 4K HDR 3000lm Short Throw Console Gaming Projector

TK700STi, the console gaming projector offering RPG, FPS, SPG game modes without sacrificing true 4K UHD graphics with lightning-quick 16ms input lag.

www.benq.com

I found it in this channel.

Too expensive for me but pretty nice to know this exists.

 

[Cyan]

have been searching for info and watching reviews everywhere, and since I have no experience with projectors, plus I want to experiment with a dual projector for my room -cos of lack of space for actual screens-, I found quite a few reviews of a projector called iZeeker IPL320 and the conclusions on all reviews I watched are positive, even for gaming.

It costs 89€ and it has built-in sound, it's native 1080p, apparently the lens can last 100000 hours. built-in speakers, and the screen size can reach 250".

For anyone interested, use english subtitles -I didn't find a review of the device in english but those I found in other languages were all positive-.

​

 

[T2098]

have been searching for info and watching reviews everywhere, and since I have no experience with projectors, plus I want to experiment with a dual projector for my room -cos of lack of space for actual screens-, I found quite a few reviews of a projector called iZeeker IPL320 and the conclusions on all reviews I watched are positive, even for gaming.

It costs 89€ and it has built-in sound, it's native 1080p, apparently the lens can last 100000 hours. built-in speakers, and the screen size can reach 250".

For anyone interested, use english subtitles -I didn't find a review of the device in english but those I found in other languages were all positive-.

​

I'm surprised it's actually 1080p internally for that. I have some friends with kids who tried to go down this route and bought ~$100 '1080p, 3000 lumens' projectors from Amazon, Temu, AliExpress, etc.

One of them said '1080p' right on the box, and everywhere in the manual and documentation, along with the marketing literature. It was actually a 320x240 LCD internally (no, really!) and just happened to support a 1080p input signal over HDMI.

I'm not a big fan of them personally, mostly because of fan noise, heat, and the horrifically low lumen output, but if you do all your gaming in a 100% dark room with the lights off then they can be okay, if you get a decent one.

 

[Cyan]

I'm surprised it's actually 1080p internally for that. I have some friends with kids who tried to go down this route and bought ~$100 '1080p, 3000 lumens' projectors from Amazon, Temu, AliExpress, etc.

One of them said '1080p' right on the box, and everywhere in the manual and documentation, along with the marketing literature. It was actually a 320x240 LCD internally (no, really!) and just happened to support a 1080p input signal over HDMI.

I'm not a big fan of them personally, mostly because of fan noise, heat, and the horrifically low lumen output, but if you do all your gaming in a 100% dark room with the lights off then they can be okay, if you get a decent one.

gosh, while I never had a projector myself, playing at 320x240 can be motion sickness inducing in some cases. I experienced that with a few games back in the very late 90s on my CRT monitor when paying some games.

That being said, the projector I talked about earlier is actually a 720p projector internally but the box says it accepts 4K 'cos it does, downsampling the signal sent from your console, PC.... I guess you can't deceive people, and stores let you return stuff if something is wrong.

These seem to be the actual specs of the iZeeker projector, in english.

https://www.projektoren-datenbank.com/pdf/izeekeripl320-hc-en.pdf

I am not in a hurry to get a projector, but I am very curious tbh. I have a 4K display, a 1440p display and a 1080p display, so I wonder how good a projector can be for productivity stuff (using 2 projectors) by comparison, and also for gaming on a huge screen.

This is a picture of a guy doing a review of the iZeeker and playing God of War (PS5). Dunno how tall he is but the screen seems huge.

 

[Pressure]

Cheap is cheap for a reason.

Any decent projector is going to cost you. It might make more sense to buy a reasonable sized TV instead or upgrade to OLED for minimal input lag.

 

[Karamazov]

with a Quest 3 you would have a giant virtual screen in your room running up to 120hz.

or this

 

[Jupiter]

The projector is good for games and it has a great picture quality too. Input lag at 4K 60 Hz stands at 21 ms.

https://pro.sony/en_IN/products/4k-home-cinema-projectors/vpl-xw5000es

The JVC DLA-NZ500 4K is probably even better for it's price if the input lag is not higher.

 

[Cyan]

Cheap is cheap for a reason.

Any decent projector is going to cost you. It might make more sense to buy a reasonable sized TV instead or upgrade to OLED for minimal input lag.

There are several important factors I need to consider. First, my budget is limited, which makes me cautious about making a significant purchase. Second, I’m unsure if a projector is the right choice for me, as I’ve never owned one before and don’t have prior experience with them. Additionally, I am not into competitive gaming.

If I like the experience after getting a budget but well reviewed projector I'm considering getting a 240Hz projector or so, but not for now.

with a Quest 3 you would have a giant virtual screen in your room running up to 120hz.

or this

1080p 600 nits, not bad at all for such a small screen. I use glasses myself when I use the computer -aside from contact lenses, but I prefer to use those when I go out-.

I am not into AR/VR stuff tbh, though I prefer AR.

 

[arandomguy]

It's also not just the projector cost to consider here. Even with a "perfect" wall my understanding is that quality is still impacted by having a projector screen versus not. If you don't have that perfect wall well...

You might want to research into projectors vs. TVs in general. My general understanding is that you should not look at a projector as TV replacement or alterantive. If you actually want to build a home theatre (as in movie theatre) setup that is what they are for, not to replace a conventional TV in a living room (or bedroom, or etc.)

 

[Cyan]

The projector is good for games and it has a great picture quality too. Input lag at 4K 60 Hz stands at 21 ms.

https://pro.sony/en_IN/products/4k-home-cinema-projectors/vpl-xw5000es

The JVC DLA-NZ500 4K is probably even better for it's price if the input lag is not higher.

contrast ∞ to 1. Gosh, that's so out of this world words can't even describe. Never heard of a SXRD panel until I clicked on the link. That must be incredible to watch, like going to the cinema but even better.

The Sony's model and the one from JVC are too expensive for me. I quite liked the VPL-XW5000ES from Sony though, they make great electronic devices.

 

[Cyan]

It's also not just the projector cost to consider here. Even with a "perfect" wall my understanding is that quality is still impacted by having a projector screen versus not. If you don't have that perfect wall well...

You might want to research into projectors vs. TVs in general. My general understanding is that you should not look at a projector as TV replacement or alterantive. If you actually want to build a home theatre (as in movie theatre) setup that is what they are for, not to replace a conventional TV in a living room (or bedroom, or etc.)

Thanks for pointing out the projector screen idea, I had forgotten about it tbh.

The main reason I’m curious about having a projector at home is that I’ve started prioritizing distance from screens in my daily life. In the past, I found I learned a LOT more the closer I was to the screen or the chalkboard (when in class), since childhood.

I had a whole system: I would take detailed notes directly on my PC screen, compile those notes into a PDF, and then study them on my mobile phone for exams. It was incredibly efficient and worked like a charm for me. I also recompiled what I had compiled already and I learnt a lot doing so, I used to create super efficient PDFs that summarized an entire subject for an exam.

However, over time, I noticed a downside—spending so much time so close to screens began affecting my vision. I started experiencing double vision, specially while driving, which was concerning. Since then, I’ve made it a point to use screens at a more comfortable and prudent distance, and thankfully, those issues have resolved.

That’s also why my dream of having a handheld hybrid device might not be as feasible as I once thought, even though I’ve played on laptops for years without any issues. It’s made me curious about projectors as a potential alternative. The idea of being able to project a large screen onto a wall while staying far away sounds ideal for both productivity and gaming. Plus, there’s a unique appeal to the experience of using a projector—it feels like an exciting way to rethink how I interact with screens in my daily life.

So, for me, testing out a projector isn’t just about curiosity; it’s about seeing if it can offer a healthier and more immersive way to enjoy games and get work done. And also to see everything so clear as if the image was in front of my eyes.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

I've played HD games on a 720p and 1080p projectors. It is awesome, but also very floored. They all use the 3 colour strobe technique, so rainbow artefacts can be present when you move your eyes around the image. Colours aren't great. Projection on a wall is 'okay' but you do see the surface texture. Pixels are chunky/blurry and you need 4K native for a decent size, or sit miles away. Modern short throw is also versatile, but you still have a projector just in the middle of the room, a few feet from the wall.

However, it feels amazing.

 

[Cyan]

I've played HD games on a 720p and 1080p projectors. It is awesome, but also very floored. They all use the 3 colour strobe technique, so rainbow artefacts can be present when you move your eyes around the image. Colours aren't great. Projection on a wall is 'okay' but you do see the surface texture. Pixels are chunky/blurry and you need 4K native for a decent size, or sit miles away. Modern short throw is also versatile, but you still have a projector just in the middle of the room, a few feet from the wall.

However, it feels amazing.

thanks Shifty, that's very interesting. How many feet is the distance you mention? -to know the exact distance translate it to meters-. That's another thing, there seem to be different throw ratios when you consider buying a projector.

I've read that's important but dunno how. I have no space for more screen in my bedroom -which is where I use my PC most of the time- so that's why I am considering one big screen at a certain distance, placing the projector 2m to 3,20m away from where I'll be using the computer.

That would be a long throw I guess.... But I dunno what you mean by modern short throw.

 

[Malo]

But I dunno what you mean by modern short throw.

A regular projector requires a significant distance from the target surface. A short throw is designed to be close to the surface and project at a much tighter angle up.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Short throw casts the image wide. Modern projectors can be place 1m from the wall and create an image maybe 3 metres wide. A long throw needs be more like 3m away from the wall for a 3m screen.

The throw ratio is the ratio of the distance from the wall to the length of the screen, I think on the diagonal. A projector that gets a 200cm diagonal from a 50cm distance to wall would be 50:200 or 1:4.

We fairly recently played coop on a projector maybe 1m from the wall and perhaps 2m across. We were sat 1m from the wall; the projector was between us. We were squeezed in an office while the living room was being renovated.

 

[Jupiter]

contrast ∞ to 1. Gosh, that's so out of this world words can't even describe. Never heard of a SXRD panel until I clicked on the link. That must be incredible to watch, like going to the cinema but even better.

The Sony's model and the one from JVC are too expensive for me. I quite liked the VPL-XW5000ES from Sony though, they make great electronic devices.

This is dynamic contrast but the Sony can already produce very good blacks if the screen is right. With the JVS you get a black where you can hardly see any film bars in a dark room.

Yes, but they cost a lot of money. I have only mentioned them as examples of very good projectors. With them you get great picture quality and a huge picture. An 83-inch LG G series also costs quite a bit.