The VPL-XW5000ES combines Sony’s 4K SXRD panel and a 2000 Lumens laser phosphor light source, which, along with wide dynamic range optics and its Triluminos Pro colour processing, gives a 4K image so crisp and colour-rich that you could soon forget about the price tag. Throw in the X1 Ultimate Processor, with HDR Remaster and Dynamic HDR Enhancer processing, and you get the kind of picture quality that wouldn’t disgrace your local cinema. Lens shift: Occasionally, you’ll need to adjust your projector’s image to make sure the picture isn’t crooked or change the height of the picture. Lens shift is a feature that allows you to adjust the lens and screen placement without physically adjusting the projector. This is a huge convenience because manual lens adjustments can be clunky and imprecise. With multiple styles and high quality upgrades in each, it's simply unbeatable. Here are the best mini projectors you can buy today, you can read why you should choose each of them : When viewed from a normal viewing distance, it is difficult to differentiate between a 4K pixel shift image and an image projected on a native 4K projector. It is only when you do a side-by-side comparison between a true 4K projector versus a pixel-shifting projector using test patterns that the resolution difference is truly noticeable. Sony is taking no prisoners with its native 4K laser projectors, with the VPL-XW7000ES being the higher-end of the two models.

If you want the most cinematic image in your home, then a quality projector is a must. Providing you have the right setup, you can recreate the movie magic of the cinema at home, just don't forget to factor in appropriate home theatre speakers for your setup and, of course, a lot of popcorn.

If you're not convinced by any of the 4K projectors in this list, it may be worth weighing up the pros and cons of competing technologies. LEDs tend to be a little brighter and a lot more accurate, and they don't generate the same amount of heat so they last much longer – typically 20,000 hours of viewing. LED projectors can be made much smaller than lamp-powered ones.

Key specs – Brightness: 400 ISO lumens; Native resolution: 1,920 x 1,080; Speakers: 2 x 8W stereo speakers; Throw ratio: 1.2:1; Max recommended image: 200in; Inputs and outputs: USB-C, HDMI 2.0, 3.5mm audio; Wireless: 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.0; Lamp life: 25,000hrs; Dimensions: 119 x 108 x 161mm; Weight: 1.1kg There are three kinds of light source. Bulbs, LEDs and lasers. Bulbs are the oldest and cheapest technology, but they can generate a lot of heat and bulbs will need to be replaced fairly often.

Manage your expectations. You can’t expect the kind of experience you’d get from a good, dedicated home cinema projector. For one thing, most of these models use a low-resolution DLP chip to create the picture that’s beamed to the screen. In many cases, this is a standard-definition chip, giving you the same 848 x 480 resolution as a movie on DVD.

To the untrained eye, one projector usually looks much like another. However, there’s a whole world of technology inside these often plain-looking boxes. The NZ8 is undoubtedly expensive, but the pricing of JVC’s new line-up is intended to reflect the comparative cost of 4K laser projectors from Sony. Interestingly the NZ8 currently has no direct competitor, so if you want uncompromising performance, peerless HDR tone mapping, comprehensive features and a high degree of future-proofing performance, this remarkable projector is in a class of its own.

However, the compact form and flexibility that a projector affords does make it a better choice in a lot of cases, and the ultra-large, cinematic image they can provide makes them well worth the investment for die-hard movie fans. How important is ultra short throw? Nearly all projectors have some form of correction to sort this out. The best portable projectors do it automatically, so you can spend less time setting up your screen and projector and more time enjoying what you want to watch. The same goes for auto-focus features, although most models have a manual slider or wheel. What about sound? There’s no denying the breathtaking quality of the Hisense L9G, but it’s a projector that takes a commitment to make sense for would-be buyers. It’s definitely less of a commitment than a 100-inch TV, though, as even the affordable models are multiple times the price of the L9G. Thanks to the innovative design of the projector, the throw ratio reaches an astonishing 0.26:1. There is a giant screen available to you 45cm from the wall. Setting up your viewing area for a projector will require a few essential add-ons, so make sure to look for these when shopping for a 4K projector. Projector screen or projector screen paint

Resolution is limited to 854 x 480, and the brightness is a low-ish 150 lumens, so you’ll need a dark room to enjoy the projected image; nevertheless, the colour performance isn’t bad at all. Its speaker does a decent job of providing emergency audio that isn’t too thin and tinny, plus, if you want to boost audio output, you can hook up a Bluetooth speaker. The Sony VPL-XW7000ES takes everything up a notch, pushing brightness up to 11 and featuring a more comprehensive set of motorised lens controls. Its native 4K resolution and notably high lumen count should catch the eyes of those looking for a flashy projector that will have people talking about the device as much as the content that's being watched on it.

The best portable projectors you can buy in 2023

Keystone correction is another must-have. Projectors are best positioned with the lens facing directly at the centre of the screen, but in practice this isn’t usually practical, so the projector has to be placed above or below – or even to one side – and angled up, down, left or right. This distorts the picture so that the rectangular image looks like a trapezoid (or worse) – an effect known as keystoning. First, resolution. If you’re looking for a projector to watch movies, then make sure the model you buy is Full HD (with a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080). You will come across plenty of cheaper office or portable projectors, but they’ll have limited resolutions of 800 x 600, 800 x 480, 1,280 x 720 or 1,024 x 768. As such, they might be fine for showing PowerPoint slides or streaming Netflix in the garden, but for sports, games and home cinema use, you really need to be able to watch 1080p content at the native resolution. Make Full HD your minimum spec. We test using a wide range of content from 4K Blu-rays, to streaming services, video games and standard definition DVDs to make sure all kinds of content are put through these projectors. This helps us find the strengths and weaknesses of each projector. This big, brassy projector is as good as you'll get before forking out for the beauty of native 4K projection. The detail may not be as stunning as its brethren in those upper echelons but for colour accuracy, subtlety of contrast and HDR handling, it's a real corker.