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Willie Greer - July 24, 2021
Most projectors under 200 will be small and portable, but that won’t impact the screen size. What about the contrast ratio and picture quality on a mini projector? Will you end up with a small and blurry screen? Our media techs are here to review the best projectors under 200 to show you that you can get a great deal for a lot less.
- Native full HD
- Great for indoors and out
- 80% brighter
- Various applications
- 2000:1 contrast ratio
- Low noise
- Long lamp life
- Portable
- Affordable price
- Full HD
- Multiple interfaces
- 100% satisfaction guarantee
Reviews of the Best Projectors Under $200
AuKing Mini Projector
The AuKing Mini Projector has all the latest upgrades from the brand and features a 2000:1 contrast ratio. The tiny and portable projector operates at full HD and brings images that are 35% brighter than before to the screen.
As our tech experts mentioned, the size of the projector won’t impact the screen size if you know which one to purchase. The AuKing unit can deliver pictures from 32 – 170 inches at a 1 to 5-meter distance.
You won’t be bothered by the fan noise, and the lamp life is very impressive, giving users up to 55,000 hours of playtime – the equivalent of about 15 years!
What We Like
- Brighter images
- Full HD resolution
- 2000:1 contrast ratio
- Has built-in speakers for superior sound quality
- 100% satisfaction guarantee
- 2-year warranty
- Connects to an array of devices
- Upgraded display technology
- Extra HDMI port
- Can connect to external speakers
What We Don’t Like
- No 3D function
- May not be compatible with Office Suite programs
GooDee HD Video Projector
Not only does the GooDee HD Video Projector have a luxurious appearance, the sharp images it produces and the versatility it offers also compound its standing.
The native 1920×1080 resolution makes this an amazing projector to watch movies and give presentations. One built-in speaker delivers excellent audio quality for indoor and outdoor venues. There are many connection interfaces, including HDMI, USB, and VGA, for a variety of uses.
The low noise projector is easy to set up with different installation options for brighter images with a 5000:1 contrast ratio. To top it all off, GooDee offers a 5-year service guarantee.
What We Like
- Impressive contrast ratio
- One of the best mini projectors for image quality
- 5-year service guarantee
- Multimedia applications
- Multiple connection interfaces
- Great for indoors and outdoors
- Brighter images
What We Don’t Like
- Only one-directional keystone adjustment
- Weak remote control
PVO Portable Projector
For a budget-friendly projector, the PVO Portable Projector can produce vivid image quality without exceeding 100. It’s small and easy to take with you wherever you go if you want to project images up to 150 inches. The projection technology has been upgraded to support full HD pictures.
Additionally, you can connect the compact projector via many different ports, including HDMI, USB, and AV. The USB port can also be used to charge the small home theater projector. You can also adjust the projection size for the best clarity and set up the mini projector anywhere.
What We Like
- Many connection ports
- Adjustable screen size
- Full HD quality
- Very small projector under 200
- Affordable option
- Improved brightness and saturation
- Can connect to external speakers
What We Don’t Like
- Works better in a dark room
- Only one color
Q K K Mini Projector
The Q K K Mini Projector is another model with a long lamp life and large projector screen size. However, our team recommends keeping it at 120-inches or 3.5 meters for the best picture quality.
The upgraded projector works best in dark spaces both indoors and out. The tiny LED projector works well for various applications offering multiple connection ports. Plus, the improved contrast and upgraded native resolution will deliver more colorful pictures.
The 5W built-in speaker adds amazing sound quality to your viewing experience, but you can choose to hook up your small HD projector to an external speaker.
What We Like
- Long LED lamp life
- Has a built-in speaker
- Innovative cooling system
- Works with your TV stick
- Multimedia functions
- Easy setup
- Comes with a tripod and remote control
- Upgraded video quality
What We Don’t Like
- Not the best for ppt presentations
- Adjustments required for better picture and video quality
CiBest Video Projector
For bright pictures and video quality, the CiBest Video Projector offers the best brightness and contrast. It is 80% brighter than other projectors, but you won’t have to worry about visual fatigue thanks to the diffuse reflection technology.
Connect the small video projector to your TV stick to enjoy a big screen with high contrast range and quality sound from built-in stereo speakers.
As a highly portable projector, the small projector is built to provide high-resolution pictures with an easy setup. The efficient cooling system will decrease fan noise by half so you can enjoy movies without distraction.
What We Like
- Connect to multiple devices, including TV stick and Android devices
- Excellent picture quality
- Dual stereo speakers
- 80% brighter than other projectors
- Portable design
- Lifetime warranty
- 2-month money-back guarantee
What We Don’t Like
- Not compatible with all streaming services
- Not recommended for ppt
Elephas Mini Projector for iPhone
What sets the Elephas Mini Projector apart from the rest is the Wi-Fi connection that makes it compatible with your iPhone, Android, and Windows phones. It also comes with a cable if you prefer a wired connection.
The mini movie projector delivers brilliant pictures, full HD resolution, and 24-bit true color support. These features come together to bring excellent image quality.
The small projector has an advanced cooling system to reduce fan noise and a built-in speaker to improve the sound when you watch movies. The Elephas projector is certified and highly portable with a 5-year factory support warranty.
What We Like
- Wireless Wi-Fi connection
- Can be cabled
- Works with phones with various operating systems
- Miniature and portable
- Built-in speaker for better sound
- Large screen size
- Certified model
- 5-year factory support warranty
- Noise reduction technology
What We Don’t Like
- Needs a casting device for Netflix
- Not great with ambient light
DBPOWER WiFi Mini Projector
The DBPOWER RD821 is another phone-compatible model that allows you to mirror your phone content. The specs are impressive, even for our team of experts, as it features a high lumens contrast, contrast ratio, and brightness.
What really impressed our team was the large screen size of up to 200 inches! The projection distance will need to be around 19 feet, so make sure you have the space to accommodate it.
The Wi-Fi mini projector comes with its own carrying case and has lifetime support from the brand. You are also protected by a 6-month money-back guarantee and a 3-year service warranty.
What We Like
- 3-year service warranty
- 6-month money-back guarantee
- Lifetime support
- Large screen size
- Long projector lamp life
- Built-in speakers
- Small and portable with its own carrying case
- A great option to watch movies
What We Don’t Like
- Long projection distance for large screen size
- Has unclear picture with ambient lighting
Groview Projector
The Groview Projector features the latest display technology and USB and Wi-Fi connection [1]. There is no need to purchase an expensive HDMI adapter when you can do everything wirelessly.
A zoom function can allow you to expand the screen up to 75% of its original size. The screen size can get up to 240 inches maximum but be prepared for a further projection distance.
As a product that made it to our best projector under 200 list, the Groview model also has built-in speakers and a cooling system to limit fan noise.
(For more options, we also recommend top-quality RCA home theater projectors we listed here)
What We Like
- No need for an HDMI adapter
- Has a zoom function
- Has a cooling system
- Built-in speakers
- Noise reduction technology
- Upgraded LED light source
- Brighter projection
What We Don’t Like
- Not recommended for office productions
- It may work better with Firestick
WISELAZER Home Movie Projector
The WISELAZER Projector is one of the best projectors under 200 for large screen sizes. You can get video and picture up to 300 inches! The innovative optical system gives better image uniformity without the need for manual focus.
You also get a 4K input with a very high color gamut and lumens contrast. The HDMI connects the movie projector to various devices, and the mini projector also supports WiFi.
For extra features, you get an electronic keystone correction and a zoom function. The brand also offers extended repair and lifetime warranties to protect your purchase.
What We Like
- True full HD
- Advanced display technology
- Best projector for large screen size
- Electronic keystone correction
- Zoom function
- Long lamp life
- More vivid color gamut
- An innovative optical lens system
What We Don’t Like
- Sound will be better with external speakers
- The remote control is not intuitive
Mooka WiFi Projector
The last option on our best projector under 200 list is the Mooka Wi-Fi Projector. This device is great for watching movies in full HD without the need for an HDMI adapter.
It’s portable and comes with its own carrying case. The SRS sound system works with the dual Hi-Fi stereo speakers to accompany the picture with accurate sounds.
The long lamp life will give you years of playtime and compatibility with your smartphone devices no matter where you are. The LCD display technology and the digital zoom will increase the versatility of the LCD projectors.
(For an excellent viewing experience, you can check out some of the best projector stands we recommend here)
What We Like
- Works with a tripod
- Comes with its own carrying case
- No need for an HDMI adapter
- High contrast ratio
- Full HD
- 30% more brightness than other models
- Wi-Fi connection
- LCD display technology
What We Don’t Like
- Manual keystone
- Might not be compatible with Macs
Projector Under $200 Buyer’s Guide
The best projectors under 200 need to provide certain features that won’t compromise their performance. According to our media experts, below are some of the most important items to look for when buying DLP projectors or an LCD and LED projector.
Size and Portability
At this price range, most of the models you will get are miniature and highly portable. Their small size makes placement easier and offers more utility in a variety of settings. Look for ones that come with a bonus carrying case to lower the chances of damaging your mini projector during transport.
There are plenty of benefits to a mini portable projector. Not only do they work within many environments, but they are easily mounted on tripods or even on the ceiling.
Aside from the physical size and portability of your little projector, you also need to consider the screen size. The screen size will factor into the throw distance, but our professional team will cover that in a bit.
You need first to decide how large of a screen you need for your purpose. If you are purchasing a projector solely for work presentations, you won’t need a 300-inch screen. For those who want to host movie nights for the neighborhood, the larger the screen, the better.
Decent movie projectors will have various screen size settings. You won’t be locked into one measurement, but you should make sure the device can be adjusted to your needs. Look for the manufacturer’s specs for minimum and maximum screen size.
Resolution
The most important contributor to the picture quality is the resolution. No one wants pixelated images, so look for the highest resolution possible. It doesn’t matter if your projector is under 200 or over 500. It should be able to support full HD at the very least. Full HD is the equivalent of 1080P.
Our media team suggests going for 4K if you want the best movie portrayal and gaming experience. For projectors within this price range, you will find that most of them feature a fixed resolution system. This means the projector will only perform up to a certain limit regardless of input resolution. You can bypass this limitation if you look for a projector with various resolution options to accommodate your content.
(Broken TV? Worry not as you can use your projector to watch TV using these steps here)
Brightness
Brightness is essential for any type of media viewing, but how bright the content is will have a different impact on projectors. Since these devices are meant to be used in low-light or completely dark environments, brightness that is off-the-charts can lead to discomfort for your eyes.
The brightness is measured in lumens or ANSI lumens. ANSI is just a type of grading standard that offers more accurate results. Our tech engineers suggest considering the placement and room environment to decide on the right level of brightness. If you have a dedicated entertainment room at home, you may be free of all ambient lighting. Environments such as this can do well with just 1000 lumens.
However, if your setup is in your living room and your only method of light filtering is with curtains or blinds, then we suggest going for a lumens rating of 3000 or higher.
Don’t worry about the price for your brightness needs because there are plenty of affordable models within the 200 price range that feature high lumens ratings.
Color Accuracy
You want the most realistic display of images possible, and that will depend on the color accuracy of your projector.
One of the factors that will impact color accuracy is contrast. The contrast refers to the portrayal of light and dark. A projector with a high contrast rating will have a more noticeable discrepancy between light and dark images on the screen. In general, a high contrast rating is better, especially in places with some ambient lighting. Contrast also helps with picture clarity.
The color saturation and gamut provided by your small projector will also have a hand in producing the most life-like images possible. Look for one billion color saturation and the most advanced digital light processing.
Keystone Settings
You may come across this word a lot when looking into any type of projector within any price range. The keystone settings allow the user to adjust the projector’s images. There are vertical and horizontal keystone settings that will make sure your image is clear and properly angled no matter where you place your projector.
Keystone settings on different devices will allow for various adjustments. Some have this feature embedded, but these projectors need you to adjust the keystone manually. Other models have automatic keystone correction, which means the LCD or LED projector can determine the angle and adjust itself for the best picture clarity.
Our media team always suggests automatic functions as it makes the device much effortless to use.
Throw Distance
Our experts mentioned the throw distance above briefly during the size discussion. It’s important to talk about it in more detail as it impacts the screen size and the placement options.
In short, the throw distance is the space between the projection screen and the projector itself. Ideally, you want this distance to be short so that the device won’t take up any unnecessary space. This is why projectors are separated into long throw, short throw, and ultra-short throw categories.
A long throw projector has a throw distance of 8 feet and more, while anything within 8 feet to 1 foot is considered a short throw. Ultra-short throw projectors may only require a few inches of throw distance.
The size of the projector and the cost will impact the throw distance. This is why you may have noticed that many of the models our experts have on the list have a long throw distance. You won’t get a very short length for the throw if you opt for cheap devices.
Our team suggests looking at ultra-short-throw projectors if you don’t have a ton of space to work with. It’s not only about the space; it’s also about the function. For example, a long throw distance wouldn’t matter if you have the room, but you may also need one that has a long throw if you’re hosting movie nights outdoors. Our techs suggest considering the purpose and the size of the venue to find the best throw distance.
(Want to understand throw distasnce better? Well, we compare short throw against long throw projectors here)
Bulb
The bulb life or lamp life of your projector is in direct correlation with its longevity. You want the bulb to last for as long as possible, not only because it means less maintenance but also because it’s the most expensive part of the projector. Find a model with at least 10,000 hours of lamp life, but there are units on our list that can offer up to 50,000. If you can find more hours of lamp life, our team advises going for those models.
The bulbs are not usually a part of the warranty protection, and they can cost more upfront. You will notice projectors with a long bulb life will cost noticeably more than one that doesn’t. However, the cost-per-use of a device with an extended lamp life will make it worth it in the long run.
Connectivity
There is no point in an amazing projector if it doesn’t work with your media device. You have to make sure the connections it offers are compatible. You will find USB ports, HDMI ports, and more for cabled options. Like with most media equipment, our technicians always suggest using HDMI. It offers support for high-res video and audio and is a plug-and-play design.
Wired and wireless projectors are not mutually exclusive, so our tech experts suggest looking for models that can support both. The more connection options a projector features, the higher the compatibility rate it will have with devices.
You will be able to use your TV sticks, computers and laptops, phones, and gaming consoles with projectors that have HDMI, USB, VGA, or RCA connections.
Make sure your media devices support wireless options if you plan on going cableless. Without the limitation wires, you will have more setup and placement choices. Some units work very well with tripods, others can be set on a coffee table, and others work best mounted on a ceiling.
Keep in mind that you may need to charge the rechargeable battery before using models that are rechargeable, so you should look for an indicator light that displays low battery life. Another consideration for wireless models is distance. You shouldn’t place the projector too far away from the media device as Bluetooth can show spotty connection if it exceeds 30 feet.
(Failed to project an image using a laptop? Then, you know the step-by-step guide about connecting an Epson projector to a laptop here)
Extra Features and Accessories
One of the most important extra features to want in a projector of any price is a cooling system. Much like your computers, your projector can overheat under a heavy load, contributing to very loud fan noise.
The fan noise can drown out the audio and make your movies virtually unwatchable. Is there a way around this? Yes, with the right cooling capability. A cooling feature will have a positive side effect of preventing a noisy fan as well while keeping your device performing at maximum efficiency.
Does your projector come with speakers? Internal speakers are a great addition to your home movie experience because it saves you the hassle of connecting external ones. Keep in mind that a mini projector has limited internal space, which means the speaker won’t be as large or powerful as external ones.
You may find the outfitted speakers in your home projector to be enough for a small room, but for additional audio support, our team members suggest looking for ones with external speaker hookups.
Other additional features can include advanced technologies such as innovative optical lenses, DLPs, and a zoom function.
As for accessories, it’s always useful to have a projector that comes with a remote. There should be control buttons on the device itself, but having a remote means you won’t need to get up to input the settings.
Small and portable units should come with a carrying case for ease, and our team members stress the importance of a money-back guarantee and extensive warranty.
FAQ
What projectors are compatible with an Xbox Console?
Projectors compatible with an Xbox Console include gaming projectors from such as Vava, BenQ, Optoma, Samsung and LG. These brands have specific projectors that can hook up to your Xbox and project very accurate and vivid pictures.
What projectors can be used for backyard and outdoor viewing?
Long throw projectors can be used for outdoor and large venue viewing. A long throw projector will create a greater distance between itself and the screen. Because it gives more space, it can also produce a much larger screen than UST projectors.
Our Top Pick For a Projector Under $200:
AuKing Mini Projector
The best projector under 200 title goes to the AuKing Mini Projector. It’s a small and portable design that still provides viewers with exceptional picture quality. The fan cooling technology keeps it quiet, and you can easily set your preferences with the included remote control. The device is highly compatible with various media devices, and the built-in speakers will match the high-quality images with great sound.
To better enjoy your newly purchased projector, these quick guides can be useful for you:
