Want to check “build a home theater” off your bucket list? It’s not that hard. All you need is a comfortable sofa, some space, and a projector.
Most of us delay the plan thinking the projectors are expensive. It’s because we look for a well-established brand and end up thinking owning a projector is not cheap.
There are some least-known brands that manufacture the most reliable projectors and sell them at a fair price.
My recent projector hunt made me realize that if you have got $500, a superior-grade projector can be obtained.
Do not expect to get an Optoma, Epson, Viewsonic, or any other big brand under $500. You have to pick and search for a reliable projector from some least-known options. Here are a few projectors under $500 that I found worthy of your consideration.
Best Projector Under 500
Best Overal: Mooka Mini Home Theater Projector
Handy: Bigasuo HD Mini Bluetooth Projector
4K supported: Etoe FHD 4K Supported Netflix Certified Projector
Bright and vivid: Sovboi 4K Supported 5G Projector
Portable: Wewatch 1080p Movie Projector
Unique: Pokitter 4K Supported Android TV Movie Projector
User-friendly: Ussunny 5G Wifi Bluetooth Projector
Ultra-compact: Kilable Portable 1920 x 1080p Movie LED Projector
1. Mooka Mini Home Theater Projector
Mooka is a brand that brings us projectors at the most affordable prices. What makes me admire Mooka is that the projectors are cheap yet of good quality. The brand does not make you choose between price and quality.
Brightness
The Mooka mini home theater projector is breathtakingly bright. It is because this Mooka projector uses a LED lamp to light up a screen. Therefore, expect the Mooka projector to be 50% more bright than the regular 8000 lumens projectors.
Hi-Fi stereo speaker
The projector gives the aspiring home theater owners a lot of reasons to be considered, Hi-Fi stereo speakers are one of them.
These Hi-Fi stereo speakers produce booming sound with crystal clear audio quality. Therefore, you would not be required to get additional speakers to fetch a powerful sound.
Less overheating
Besides the German LED lamp and the Hi-Fi speakers, the projector features advanced cooling technology.
If you have a habit of watching your favorite movies back to back, this is one reliable option. Like all projectors, it does get overheated, however, not as frequently and severely as the other projectors.
Pros
- Extended lamp life; 50,000 hours
- Quietest
- Comes with a free carry bag
- Does not hurt your eyes
- Equally suitable for indoors and outdoors
- Supports projection sizes from 45″ to 200″
- Produces bright and rich picture quality
- Highly compatible with smartphone, TV Box, TV Stick, Chromecast, PC, Laptop, Tablet, External Speaker, Playstation, DVD Player, Card Reader, U Disk, Media Player
- Supports wired and wireless connections
Cons
- Can only serve as a home theater projector
2. Bigasuo HD Mini Bluetooth Projector
Bigasuo is a well-trusted Chinese company that won our hearts with DVD players. The company has recently shifted it’s focus to projectors. It is doing well in this field as well. Therefore, this Bigasuo truly deserves to be included in this list.
A projector and a DVD player at the same time
The best part of this Bigasuo deal is that it is not made to serve as a projector but as a DVD player as well at the same time.
You are paying for a projector but receiving two things; a projector and a DVD player. Can any other deal be as good as this one? If you need a DVD player as well, I don’t think any deal would be as amazing as this one.
Supports TV stick
The projector comes with all necessities but a tv stick. However, it supports the TV stick and allows you to stream YouTube, Hotstar, Hulu, Amazon Music, Alacarta rtve, M+, Gaana, Netflix, Alphabet Google, Mitele, Ditto, Disney+, NBA, TED, HBO Now and a lot more without any hassle.
Brightest, longer lamp life
Just like most projectors on the list, this Bigasou mini projector happens to be the brightest. Whether it’s a light-controlled environment or not, the projector would instantly light up the screen.
Moreover, the lamp life is said to be 65000 hours. So, if we rely on the manufacturer, the projector would not demand replacement for up to 10 years.
Pros
- Comes with an auto-sleep function
- Does not hurt the eyes; highly suitable for children
- Supports big screen projection
- Comes with a Bluetooth function
- Has several sound modes; movie, sports, music mode etc.
- Can be used as a projector and a DVD player at the same time
- Comes with a storage bag and a tripod stand
Cons
- Does not support wireless smartphone connection
3. Etoe FHD 4K Supported Netflix Certified Projector
Etoe is an Amazon seller who brought us hundreds of the best projectors at the most affordable prices. Since our concern at the moment is to look for something under $500, therefore I had to introduce an economical yet mighty projector. This Etoe FHD projector meets the criteria of best projectors, therefore here it is.
4K supported
If you are not new to the projector world, you might already know how hard it is to find a 4K projector for under $500.
The 4K projectors are usually expensive because they are superior in terms of quality, sharpness, and all other aspects. Therefore, it can be said that the company is offering a diamond at a coal price.
Can light up the screen in an unfavorable environment effortlessly
The projector is noticeably brighter than the other similar options therefore, it is capable of lighting up the screen in an unfavorable environment. Besides focusing on details, the projector pays great attention to detail as well.
Immersive sound
The 4K Netflix-certified Bluetooth movie projector comes equipped with powerful speakers.
These speakers are mighty enough to produce a room-filling immersive sound. However, if your needs are bigger, you can add a speaker as well.
A true home theater projector
The best part of this Etoe deal is that it does not require you to invest in a TV stick or anything to watch movies and shows.
It is Netflix certified and comes equipped with built-in Google Play and Chromecast. Would you find that in any other such economical home theater projector? Probably Not!
Pros
- Netflix certified; does not need a TV stick to play movies and shows
- Equipped with built-in Google Play, Chromecast, and powerful speakers
- Supports 40″ to 200″ projection size
- Remarkable brightness and clarity
- Economical, bright, and vivid
- Produces room-filling immersive sound
- Highly recommended
4. Sovboi 4K Supported 5G Projector
Sovboi is a projector manufacturer that chose to not spend on advertising and add up the expense to the projector’s cost. Therefore, Sovboi’s projectors are quite affordable and still manage to have amazing specs.
Impressive image quality
9800L 400ASIN, 12000:1 contrast ratio, and 18 million colour reproduction all together give the Sovboi projector’s image quality a good boost. Therefore, you can expect vivid colours and lifelike image quality from this least-advertised brand.
Tons of wallpapers
The Sovboi projector is forgiving in all senses. Tons of wallpapers and themes are one of the few answers to why it is being said so. To be more specific, it provides 24 stunning wallpapers to choose from. Moreover, it supports custom wallpapers imported from USB. So, whenever you get bored of wallpaper, you can switch without any hassle.
Bidirectional Bluetooth
Most Sovboi projector adopts a 5.1 Bluetooth chip and Bidirectional Bluetooth technology, this 4K Supported 5G Outdoor Bluetooth Movie Projector is one of them.
If you are convinced to get this projector, be prepared to connect the projector to multiple devices at the moment without any hassle.
Pros
- Can be used for work-from-home purposes
- Can be connected to multiple devices at a time
- Show truer colours
- Bright and vivid
- Consumes less power
- No clumsy and laggy operations
- Can light up screen up to 120,000 hours without any issue
5. Wewatch 1080p Movie Projector
There are several reasons to give this projector a place on this list, one is the company specializes in manufacturing home theater projectors. Since the company is working only on home theater projectors, continuous experiments have improved the projectors a lot.
Equipped with Hi-Fi speakers
The Wewatch projector comes equipped with Hi-Fi speakers. The speakers are powerful enough that you do not need an additional speaker to get a satisfactory sound.
Improved image quality
The Wewatch projector projects a crystal clear and bright picture to give movie lovers an unparalleled cinematic experience. All thanks to 1920*1080P resolution & 1500:1 contrast Ratio and 320 ANSI lumens.
Portable
This WeWatch projector is made to be highly portable. It is wireless, lightweight, and of a small size. All the qualities make the Wewatch projector easy to use, store, and transport. You would not have to install it in a place and be forced to watch movies there.
Pros
- 20,000 lumens, 1500:1 contrast ratio, 50,000 hours of light source life
- Supports front, side, and rear projection.
- Image clarity, outstanding colour accuracy and incredibly sharp detailed images
- Equipped with two cooling fans
- Comes with all necessities
- Wireless
- Portable
Cons
- Not that quite
6. Pokitter 4K Supported Android TV Movie Projector
Pokitter projectors are insanely being sold on Amazon, eBay, Aliexpress, and some other big platforms.
The projector has gathered hundreds of positive reviews and upon testing, I find all of the claims true.
Unique design, Impressive contrast ratio
The Pokitter projector is “very” thoughtfully designed. The projector does not just have amazing specs but a unique design as well. I must admit here that this is the cutest projector I have ever seen.
The Pokitter projector’s contrast ratio is worth-admiring; that’s 5000:1. As per the experts, the contrast ratio above 3000:1 is of good value for a projector. Since the Pokitter projector’s contrast ratio is 5000:1, the image quality of this projector will be better than most of the projectors recommended on the list.
Remote and button controlled
This Pokitter projector is not only the cutest but the handiest as well. It can be remote and button controlled. You can choose whatever is feasible for you and get entertained.
Advanced cooling system
The projector features advanced cooling systems, the advanced cooling system ensures less overheating as compared to the regular projector. Moreover, the advanced cooling system makes the projector a bit less noisy as well.
The Hi-Fi speakers and noiseless cooling system make the projector more desirable.
Pros
- Comes with built-in speakers
- Ultra-bright
- Supports wireless connection
- The package includes a projector, remote control, user manual, and an adapter
- Has all the qualities to be considered
- Economical and reliable
Cons
- Does not support Android TV
7. Ussunny 5G Wifi Bluetooth Projector
Ussunny projector is not only the economical option but has all the qualities to be considered. Therefore, it truly deserves to be included and introduced as one reliable option.
Supports multiple wireless connections
The projector supports Bluetooth, therefore, it can be connected to all needed devices without any wireless dongle, adapter, or cable. Play your favorite games, or watch TV series and movies without having to play with wires.
User-friendly
The most promising thing about the Ussunny projectors is that they are made to be user-friendly.
It is easy to use and ensures a stable Wifi/Bluetooth connection. For a more practical and pleasant experience, say yes to the Ussunny 5G Wifi Bluetooth Projector for Outdoor Movies.
Works well outdoors
The projector is specifically designed to remain unaffected by the unfavorable environment and light up the screen outdoors. What’s more convincing is that being made to serve in an unfavorable environment does not mean it can not serve indoors.
You can bring it on whenever it is needed and enjoy watching your favorite movies without any hassle.
Pros
- Ensures the content is super bright, clear, and rich
- Equipped with bidirectional Bluetooth technology for a stable connection
- Supports front-Desktop, Rear-Desktop, Front-Ceiling, and Rear-Ceiling projection modes
- 100%-50% zoom function
- Economical and user-friendly
- Incredible customer service
8. Kilable Portable 1920 x 1080p Movie LED Projector
The last on this recommendation list is the Kilable portable 1920x1080p movie projector. This projector might be the last but it is just as worth considering as any other projector on the list.
Portable
Like every other projector on the list, this projector happens to be portable as well. You are not bound to install it to place, it rather gives you the freedom to place and use it anywhere without any hassle.
LED
The Kilable projector is a LED projector. LED is the latest technology that eliminates the hassle of replacing the projector lamp and produces a bright and more vivid image than LCD projectors.
Remote controlled
The Kilable projector comes with a remote. You can control the projector while sitting on the couch using a remote control. Isn’t it amazing?
Pros
- Supports manual and digital screen correction
- Delivers a premium home cinema experience
- Highly compatible with Apple/Android phones
- Economical, durable, and user-friendly
- Made for a simplified and pleasant experience
- Cons
- Least-known brand
How to Find the Right Projector for Under $500?
If you are low on budget and have to find a projector under $500, there are a few things you need to be careful with;
Price
Since you are low on budget and have got $500 to spend on a projector, the first thing that needs your undivided attention should be the price. While collecting the reliable options, make sure these projectors are under $500.
Brightness, contrast ratio
Once you are satisfied with the price, try judging the projector’s picture quality. Since you can not see how the projector performs on screen before the purchase, try judging the picture quality with the number of lumens and contrast ratio.
An acceptably fair projector would have 3000 to 8000 lumens and the contrast ratio somewhere between 1000:1 to 5000:1.
Lamp life
Lamp life is just as important as the price, brightness, and contrast ratio. Usually, the projectors are sold for under $500 and have a lamp life of 30,000 to 60,000 hours. Choose a projector with better lamp life otherwise, you would be replacing the lamp every other day.
Supported screen size
Whether you already own a screen size or planning to get a certain screen, go through the details to find out what screen size a projector supports.
Most buyers look for a projector that supports a 100″ to 200″ screen size. Pick an option that can support a full-sized screen as even if you have to light up a full-sized screen anytime in future, you would not have to hire a new projector for the job.
Speakers
The projector comes with or without inbuilt speakers. If the projector does not come equipped with an inbuilt speaker, you have to invest in an additional speaker and an adapter or wire etc. However, if the projectors come with an inbuilt speaker, you would not have to worry about finding a speaker or the right adapter or a connector.
Compatibility
Compatibility should also be checked. Try finding a projector that is compatible with smartphones, tablets, laptops, and other frequently connected devices.
Read also: Cinemark Vs AMC
