Top 7 Best Epson Projectors of 2024 – [Reviews & Buying Guide]
Epson is the largest projector manufacturer in the World. They provide jam-packed features in a compact body with fantastic picture quality at an affordable price tag. Models like 5050UB, 6050UB, 3800, and 4010 are some of the best Epson projectors that we are going to review in detail in this article.
In this article, all the Epson home cinema projectors offer fantastic black levels, sharpness, brightness, and overall picture quality at a budget-friendly price tag. Compare Epson projectors after reading the reviews.
Epson manufactures all types of projectors. From business unit with high lumen output so that it can display presentation in a room where ambient light is dominant, classroom projectors with similar features, to more complex home cinema projectors where black levels, color, and contrast is taken into consideration
The ultra-quality high-end home theater projector market is dominated by the SONY and JVC projectors, but as far as affordable units are concerned, Epson projectors should be the primary choice for every home cinema lover.
Before diving into the review, check out our top picks.
- Best 4K performance
- Excellent brightness
- Accurate colors
- Stunning cinematics
- Extremely compact
- Smooth motion for sports
- Best UST projector gaming
- 0.2m-0.6m Throw distance
- Excellent for gaming
- HDR content is top-notch
- HDR10 and HLG
- 120 Hz lag less display.
Best Epson Projectors of 2023
We have listed the following top 7 as the best Epson projectors for home cinema, gaming, business, and classroom purpose. Each model is unique in its own way.
- Epson Pro Cinema 6050UB
- Epson Home Cinema 5050UB
- Epson Epiqvision Ultra LS500 Ultra-Short
- Epson Home Cinema 3800
- Epson VS355 WXGA
- Epson Home Cinema 4010
- Epson Home cinema 3200
Comparison Table
IMAGE | PRODUCT | DETAILS | |
---|---|---|---|
EDITOR’S CHOICE
|
Epson Pro Cinema 6050UB |
|
CHECK PRICE |
BEST FOR GAMING
|
Epson Home Cinema 5050UB |
|
CHECK PRICE |
BEST UST
|
Epson Epiqvision Ultra LS500 |
|
CHECK PRICE |
BEST UNDER $2K
|
Epson Home Cinema 3800 4K |
|
CHECK PRICE |
BEST FOR BUSINESS
|
Epson VS355 WXGA?Ǭ |
|
CHECK PRICE |
BEST HDR
|
Epson Home Cinema 4010 |
|
CHECK PRICE |
BEST MID-RANGE
|
Epson Home Cinema 3200?Ǭ |
|
CHECK PRICE |
1. Epson Pro Cinema 6050UB 4K PR-UHD Projector Review
- 4K Pro-UHD1 projection technology
- Excellent brightness, color-accurate
- Lens shift: +/-96% vertical, +/-47% horizontal
- Power UHE bulb
- Full HD 3D supported
- 23ms input lag on 4k
- 1.27m-7.63m image size
- CFI technology for smooth motion
- Very good lighting control
- Supports hardcore gaming
- Item weight: 35 pounds
- Item dimensions: 19 x 522 x 45 cm
- Rated power: 100V-240V
- 3LCD Technology
- Rated Lumens: 2600
- Lamp life: 3500-5000 normal/eco
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080. 4K w/pixel shifting
- Contrast ratio: 1,200,000: 1
- Dynamic Iris
The successor to Epson 6040, Epson Pro Cinema 6050UB is the flagship of the Epson 6000 lineup. It is dedicated home theater friendly as it comes in a black casing.
These Epson projector models use a 3-chip projector design with advanced 3LCD technology that displays a 100% of RGB color signal for every signal.
An outstanding color gamut has been achieved while maintaining the brightness without any rainbow effect.
Overall, it eliminates the rainbow effect while maintaining excellent brightness.
It is a native 1080p projector but with the help of pixel shifting, it achieves a 4K display.
In a bat cave environment, the black housing will visually disappear compared to the white housing which reflects the light on the screen.
With a rated brightness of 2600 lumens, experts are claiming that 6050UB is the best bulb-based projector in the Epson series.
Most expensive home projectors like Sony projectors offer 1500-1600 lumens and they get expensive once the lumens get higher. Let’s be honest, you can never achieve a true home theater.
There is so much involvement of ambient light and understandably so because it is our home.
So a brighter projector is needed for the home theater setting. 2600 lumens from 6050UB is a gold mine considering the price tag.
Why choose Epson Pro Cinema 6050UB
- The motorized lens zoom, focus, and lens shift features are a lifesaver for clumsy guys like me.
- It allows you to fit the projector image onto the screen from your couch.
- The lens memory will memorize your settings so if you are using a scope screen with a constant image height setup, you can switch between aspect ratios with one touch of a button on your remote.
- Epson Pro Cinema 6050UB provides one of the brightest pictures you will ever see from a lamp-based projector. It works exceptionally well for a big-screen say 150inches or larger.
- It also provides full HD 3D resolution.
- Low input lag for gaming is another feature.
- The black levels will not be as good as Sony or JVC projectors, but considering the price point, it is better with punchier contrast than all DLP projectors including the incredible BenQ.
- HDR is the biggest challenge for all home theater projectors due to limited light output, but 6050UB did excellent thanks to its 2600 lumens.
- The dynamic iris is also there and you can manually clamp down the iris using the lens iris control to balance the light output and achieve deeper blacks.
- Epson Pro Cinema 6050UB also has a motion interpolation feature at native 1080p for smooth motion.
- An extra bulb is also included with the package rated at 3500/4000/500 high/normal/eco mode.
- They are giving a back panel cable cover with adjustable feet on the bottom. It is only exclusive to the 6000 series.
Design of Epson Pro Cinema 6050UB
It comes in a beautiful black housing that is home theater friendly because absorbs light. The finishing is smooth. It is not that difficult to carry.
There is a centrally mounted 15-element precision glass lens with a motorized lens shift. The air vents are at the left and right sides of the front panel.
Right under the removable vent cover, there are removable filters. Moving over to the side, there is a door containing manual buttons and navigation beside the power and source buttons.
I like that little door in Epson models. It keeps the dust away which can be a pain in the ass to clean from the crevices.
There are multiple mounting points at the bottom and adjustable feet if you are placing them on a flat surface.
Connection and connectivity
One of the biggest changes from the outgoing 6040UB is the full bandwidth HDMI 2.0 118 gig support. This allows the projector to accept 4K HDR at 60 hertz. Older models were limited to 4K at 24.
- A 12-volt trigger
- RS-232
- USB X 3
- HDMI (HDCP 2.2) X 2
- A service port,
- LAN Ethernet
- PC
Performance of Epson Pro Cinema 6050UB
After engaging auto-iris, it didn’t introduce as many pumping artifacts as we have seen on the Epson LS500 home projector, but it didn’t deepen the blacks in most scenes either, so leaving it off is a better choice.
The color accuracy is very good, but wasn’t better than JVC or Sony projectors, and understandably so considering the huge price difference.
Few yellow base colors exceeded the humanly perceptible threshold or delta error 3, but in real-world content, a normal user will never spot the color inaccuracies.
24HZ 3D video signal was achieved without judder, so slow panning shots in 3D Blu-ray would still look smooth.
For gaming, 27-28 milliseconds of input lag was measured regardless of whether image processing was set to fine or fast as long as all image and motion enhancements were OFF.
When interlacing set to film auto, the Epson Pro Cinema 6050UB correctly detected and processed 3-2 cadences in 480i and 1080i, but failed to do so for 2:2 cadence for 576i. It means if you are living in the UK and other European countries, always send a progressive video signal to the projector which should be by default.
- Vivid color
- CFI for Smooth images
- 4K after pixel-shifting
- Excellent HDR performance
- Bright even under an ambient light situation
- Stunning cinematic experience in a dedicated home theater
- Full HD 3D
- Excellent for gaming as well
- Deeper blacks and punchier image
- Budget-friendly
- You do lose a lot of light if you choose a white color gamut filter.
Final Verdict
Sony and JVC are only launching expensive native 4K projectors these days, Epson is dominating the budget-friendly projector market.
Epson Pro Cinema 6050UB delivers inkier blacks than similarly expensive DLP projectors, bright lumen output, punchy contrast, native 24p playback, full HD 3D, motorized lens control and memory, and low input lag at an affordable price.
Its overall picture quality is excellent. Epson Pro Cinema 6050UB is highly recommendedfor a home theater lover.
6050UB is the best Epson home theater projector. While we are talking about the best, read our blog post on the top-rated home theater projectors.
2. Epson Home Cinema 5050UB Review
- Powerful DLP chip to provide a real cinematic experience.
- Full HD 1080 with 4K UHD support.
- 6 segment (RYGCWB) wider color wheel to provide super accurate colors with SRBG and rec.709.
- HDR10 and HLG support.
- 3D compatible.
- 120 Hz lag less display.
- Various modes, like gaming, movie, HDR, ISF, etc.
- Built-in speakers.
- Dynamic black levels.
- Multiple buttons and remote control.
- Item dimensions: 17.7 x 20.4 x 7.5 inches
- Item weight:24.70 pounds
- Resolution: 4K PRO-UHD @60Hz compatible
- Dynamic contrast ratio:1,000,000: 1
- Technology: 3LCD
- 2600 Lumen
- Lifespan: 3500 hours
- 10-bit HDR and HLG support
- 100% DCI-P3 color space support
Epson Home Cinema 5050UB is a 1080p projector that uses pixel-shifting technology to enhance the resolution up to 4K. Trust me, you won’t even notice if it is native 4K or not.
5050UB is the latest model of Epson’s 12-year-old UB (ultra-black) series with some significant improvements in many areas.
Around that same time, Epson launched 5050Ube which is a couple of hundred expensive than Epson Home Cinema 5050UB.
Both are identical, but 5050Ube comes with a built-in wireless HDMI and HDMI transmitter that handles three HDMI inputs on the back.
After some time, Epson launched another variant of the 5050UB known as Epson Home Cinema 6050UB which is an updated version of its predecessor.
Epson Home Cinema 6050UB is round about $1000 more, for which you get a slight increase in the performance. Epson projector comparison is normal for users when it comes to 6050 and 5050.
But,
Epson 5050UB home theater projector is on the list because it can do everything at an affordable price tag. Both are these Epson projector models are excellent by the way.
It is a 2600-lumen projector which is great because it boosts 3D performance and it can perform well in the presence of ambient.
HDR performance is the main selling point of this piece. In a dedicated bat cave environment, the HDR content is truly appreciable considering the HDR performance of 5040UB which tends to get a bit muddy at times.
Why choose the Epson 5050UB home projector
- 5050UB has a 3LCD technology. It is brighter and presents accurate colors without a rainbow effect.
- The 3LCD technology also displays a 100% RGB color signal for every frame.
- Black levels are excellent. Considering the price tag, I am sure you won’t complain.
- It is way brighter than a 3000-lumen DLP projector.
- Most of the 3LCD projectors are silent while working, and they consume less energy compared to DLP projectors.
- The 15-element lens is good for crisp and sharp image quality. It also enhances the display to 4K.
- Horizontal and vertical lens shift is also great.
- Lens memory is helpful when you need to switch back from sports to cinemascope. It will create presets and will remember your settings automatically.
- It is 3D supported, covers 100% 709 color coverage, and 100% DCI-P3.
- It has an auto-iris too.
- Epson 5050UB is a gaming home theater projector with less than 30ms of input lag.
Design Epson 5050UB cinema projector
Epson 5050UB follows the same traditional design with a centrally mounted lens and IR sensors. Air vents are at the front plate.
The finishing is extremely smooth and beautiful. The motorized lens cover keeps the dust out of the sensitive parts. Quite a feature for a budget-friendly projector.
The basic manual buttons like power, menu, and navigation are at the right side of the projector behind a small door which keeps the dust out of the buttons.
The weight and dimensions of Epson 5050UB are identical to 5040UB.
Connections and connectivity
- 2 HDMI 2.0b ports, HDCP 2.2 compliant
- LAN Ethernet port
- USB type-A for power
- A service port
- RS-232c (D-Sub 9-pin)
- A VGA Port
- A 12-volt trigger
- Wireless HDMI 1.4a
Although the remote is not backlit, the navigation is awesome. It is beautifully designed with a lot of helpful features.
Performance of Epson 5050UB projector
Epson 5050UB uses pixel-shifting technology to produce 4K images just like any other DLP projector, but it uses 4 million pixels while other DLP machines use 8.3 million pixels.
Epson 5050UB is a very sharp machine, but the latest DLP machines are sharper.
HDR content is appreciable for the price tag. It is crisper and brighter. There are many options that you can play with the way HDR looks.
This machine is brightness and color accurate. Even in the ambient light, the brightness is way better than in other expensive models.
Color bands tend to separate when the image gets big, the 12-bit video processing technology used in Epson 5050UB prevents that from happening. The final product is smooth and crispier.
Epson 5050UB has one of the best implementations of HDMI-CEC.
Overall, the performance of the Epson 5050UB home cinema projector exceeds its price tag.
- Beautiful 4k performance once 1080p is enhanced.
- Low input lag. Excellent for gaming
- Supports 3D
- Black levels are also good
- Brightness and color accurate
- HDR content is top-notch
- Wide lens shift
- Huge vertical and horizontal lens shift
- Excellent value for money.
- DLP projectors are shaper
- Can be a bit noisy when the high power mode is ON.
Final Verdict
One of the best home theater projectors under $3k. Epson 5050UB projector is color and brightness accurate with stunning black levels.
Although the sharpness is not good as DLP projectors, the skin tones and are natural and realistic.
Epson 5050UB provides one of the best HDR performances considering the price tag.
Brightness and color levels are excellent due to the 3LCD Technology. It significantly improves the cinematic experience.
An excellent choice for 4K gaming. The low input is the reason hardcore gamers prefer this model over other expensive projectors.
9/10 from me.
3. Epson Epiqvision Ultra LS500 Ultra-Short Throw Laser Projector Review
- Streaming apps
- Google Assistant
- Resolution: 4K PRO-UHD
- Full 10-bit HDR support
- Superwide veiweing angle
- Full HD 3D support
- 0.2m-0.6m Throw distance
- Digital zoom
- Horizontal and Vertical Digital keystone
- Provides fantastic bright picture
- Loaded with connectivity
- Excellent color accuracy
- Item weight: 44.8 pounds
- Product Dimensions: 14.7 x 18 x 8.2 inches
- White brightness: 4000 ANSI lumens
- Color Brightness: 4000 Lumens
- Dynamic Contrast Ratio: 2,000,000: 1
- Refresh Rate: 60 hertz
- Input lag: 16.7ms for hardcore gaming
- Lamp life: 20,000+ hours
- Technology: Epson laser array technology
Epson Epiqvision Ultra LS500 is an excellent replacement for large living room TV.
It is a laser-powered projector having whopping 4000 lumens which is great for most home theaters because the penetration of ambient light is always there.
It is an advanced 3-chip 3LCD technology so won’t be seeing any rainbow effect, and it comes with either a 100 or 120 inch screen.
It is a native 1080p projector, but it can accept and display 4K resolution using pixel shiting. It is being called 4K PRO-UD.
The screen that comes with Epson Epiqvision Ultra LS500 is a special ambient light projection screen that can only be used for ultra-short-throw projectors.
It means it will completely visible even in a well-lit living room. Ultrashort throw Epson projector models are known for their unreal brightness.
The projector closest to the screen needs to be 15-16 inches away for a 100″screen size, and 22-23 inches away for a 120-inch screen.
Epson Epiqvision Ultra LS500 offers 4000 lumens in dynamic mode, 2500 lumens in cinema mode, and a regular cinema mode which is dimmer than bright cinema but ideal for dedicated home theater.
Overall, this model is one of the brightest home cinema projectors out there.
Why choose Epson Epiqvision Ultra LS500
- It is a 3LCD-based laser projector. There is no color wheel being used in a 3LCD projector like DLP, and that means the user will not experience rainbow effects.
- This model has an incredibly low input lag of 16.3ms which is a crucial metric for video gamers.
- It will retain the 4K resolution during gaming at a 60-hertz refresh
- Epson Epiqvision Ultra LS500 comes with pre-configured picture modes right out of the box.
- As much as 4000 lumens is achievable in dynamic mode. It is only ideal for casual viewing when the bright picture is more important than cinematic image quality.
- LS500 does have motion interpolation technology for smooth video when watching fast-paced sports like football. It doesn’t works for 4K enhancement though.
- In the cinema mode, you will get the least amount of lumens which is excellent for a dedicated home theater.
- The blacks will be deep, color accuracy and sharpness will be accurate and the cinema experience will be ultra in cinema mode only if you have a dedicated home cinema room.
- It also has a bright cinema mode which will release about 2500 lumens. My recommendation will be this mode if you need a brighter picture in cinema mode.
- Compared to other laser-based projectors, LS500 offers a flawless gaming experience by dropping the input lag to 7ms to provide the lowest latency between your controller and the image you see.
- This is one of the best Epson projector models which are known for their low input hardcore gaming.
- Color and skin tones look more realistic and natural in real-world content.
- Slow panning shots in 24 frames per second movies were smooth without any judder when we tested it. It is a welcome relief.
- The external Android OS media player comes with its own remote and is pre-loaded with Netflix, Youtube, and Google Play apps.
- Chrome cast is built in.
Desing of Epson Epiqvision Ultra LS500
Comparing to other USTs in its class, Epson Epiqvision Ultra LS500 has a unique design with a raised hood housing the circular periscope lens.
It comes in two colors, white and black and the overall finishing of the projector is smooth and beautiful.
Most of the connections can be found at the rear end. Beneath the detachable magnetic front cover, manual navigation, powered USB port, and a 3rd HDMI input is revealed.
Although, LS500 comes with a dual integrated 10-watt speaker, hooking this up to an external sound source is recommended by us.
Connections and connectivity
- 1x Audio out (mini jack)
- 3x HDMI 2.0 (18 Gbps)/HDCP 2.2.
- RS-232
- LAN Ethernet (RJ-45)
- 2X USB type-A
- The remote control is cute and easy to use, but it is not backlit.
Perforamacne of Epson Epiqvision Ultra LS500
Due to its huge lumen output, LS500 delivered the brightest HDR representation we have seen from a consumer projector with bright scenes that looked convincingly impactful as HDR gets on a projector.
Such a high light output will degrade the picture quality and it does especially in 3LCD technology.
The dark scenes appeared bluish and greyish with compressed shadow details.
The fan noise will increase as light output increases. Using dynamic contrast blacks become deeper.
Epson Epiqvision Ultra LS500 doesn’t feature any dynamic tone mapping, it doesn’t even adapt its tone curve to static HDR10 metadata.
The unique optical layering technology is used to produce deep blacks, vivid colors, and realistic skin tones for a bright, colorful, and sharp picture. Certainly a brighter picture than other UST projectors in its class.
Overall, Epson Epiqvision Ultra LS500’s performance is excellent and it provides great value for the money.
- An incredible 2,000,000: 1 dynamic contrast ratio
- Digital image processing
- Full HD 3D capable.
- Best UST projector for gaming
- Cinema and bright cinema modes depend on the ambient light
- Almost native 4K/w pixel shifting technology
- Extremely compact
- Smooth motion for sports
- Android OS and streaming apps
- 2-year limited warranty
- Built-in speakers are not good at all.
- Needs to be placed further away from the screen than most UST projectors in its class.
Final Verdict
What I like about Epson Epiqvision Ultra LS500 is 24p playback without judder, low input lag for flawless gaming, huge light output, cinema, and bright cinema mode for dedicated home theater, and incredible HDR content.
I would highly recommend getting this product for your home theater, it is good for a normal living room with ambient light too considering the 4000 lumens it can shoot.
Checkout our guide about the best laser projctors
4. Epson Home Cinema 3800 4K PRO-UHD 3-CHIP Projector Review
- 4k pro-UHD projection technology
- 10 Bit HDR color processing
- 12-bit analog-to-digital processing. Real-time.
- Epson precision lens
- Active 3D support
- 150″ projection
- 60 frames per second for gaming
- Built-in stereo speakers
- No rainbow effect. 3LCD technology displays 100% of the RGB color signal for every frame.
- Budget-friendly
- Item weight: 6 pounds
- Product dimensions: 12.99 x 16.14 x 6.46 inches
- Minimum throw: 2.15 meters
- Lumens: 3000 for both color and white brightness
- 100,000:1 contrast ration
- Lamp life: 30000-35000 normal/eco
- Resolution: Standard 1080p enhanced to 4K
Epson Home Cinema 3800 may be the best budget-friendly projector but it is utilizing the latest 3LCD display and 10-bit HDR processing to enhance the picture quality and color.
The 3-chip technology is providing 100% RGB color and brightness for every frame so that you would never experience the rainbow effect.
The 12-bit analog-to-digital video processing technology is for smooth tonal transitions; helps to eliminate the lagging if you are a gamer.
Why choose Epson Home Cinema 3800
- Although Epson 3800 is not a native 4K projector, a stunningly good 4K UHD experience is possible with pixel-shifting technology.
- The lag-free image quality with smooth transitions is now possible with the help of 12-bit analog-to-digital video processing technology.
- I am a gamer too, and lagging is a pain in the ass if you are talking about high-end games like Death Stranding and the Latest COD part.
- The hardcore gamers notice the tiniest of details. For the price tag, this model provides great help for gamers.
- The lamp life is 30000-35000 hours on normal/eco mode. The replacement cost is that expensive.
- Epson Home Cinema 3800 comes with a 100,000:1 contrast ratio, 3000 lumens for both color and brightness to create a crisp, bright, clear, and flawless image considering the price tag.
- 3000 lumens is more than enough for a cheap projector. Even the higher-end models like Sony Home Theater Projector VPL-VW295ES come with less lumen than this. So it is a very good choice for a home theater with high ambient light.
- This Epson projector model does come with a 10-watt built-in stereo speaker, but the sound quality is pretty much ordinary. However, you can connect your speakers via Bluetooth.
- It does offer a huge vertical and horizontal lens shift. Most projectors in this price tag don’t provide a great deal of lens shift.
- Epson series projectors are gamer-friendly with their low input lag. Epson Home Cinema 3800 is no different.
- Although it is not groundbreaking, 16ms on 1080p and a bit higher on 4K resolution is the best it can offer. Not bad for a budget projector.
Design of Epson Home Cinema 3800
The design is compact, slim, and smooth with an air vent at the front plate, a lens is mounted on the right side of the projector, and a couple of buttons and manual navigation at the top.
You can manipulate the zoom, focus, and axis through those buttons. It is both ceiling and table mountable.
Epson Home Cinema 3800 is a bit heavy but durable and compact unit. Overall, I am impressed by its design.
Connections and connectivity
- Remote control with a backlight is added to control the projector.
- On the top of the projector, two dials and a few buttons are added to control the axis shift, zoom, focus, etc.
- 2 HDMI (HDCP 2.2, 18Gbps) ports.
- Standard Audio output of 3.5mm.
- USB Type-A 2.0 for streaming etc.
- USB for a wireless system.
- 200 mAh trigger
- RS-232c
- Mini USB port for Service.
Performance of Epson Home Cinema 3800
You need to understand one thing, almost no one can afford a true 4K projector, so no, it doesn’t look as sharp as a 4K projector, but the pixel-shifting technology does give you a pseudo 4K quality which is not bad at all.
Most of the movies on Netflix will look sharp on an 80-inch screen with extra details.
The dark and gloomy scenes will be clear with amazing black-level details.
Shadow detailing is not that great but with the dynamic iris ON, Epson Home Cinema 3800 gets it done.
In a bat cave environment, cinematic performance is brilliant out of the box, but if you are watching in daylight, you need to visit the bright cinema setting
Its performance in ambient light is also good considering it is offering a whopping 3000 lumens for a budget projector.
To eliminate judder out of the pan on TV, there is a motion interpolation system for a smooth motion while watching sports or fast-paced content.
The stereo speakers in Epson Home Cinema 3800 don’t have the greatest audio, but it isn’t bad too. If you can afford the luxury of a home stereo system, I would suggest that.
The four preset color modes (natural, bright cinema, cinema, and dynamic) are by default. Newbies can get lost in the setting while adjusting it, so presets are always appreciable.
Epson Home Cinema 3800 doesn’t offer a dedicated 3D mode.
This model comes with a 10-bit HDR that accepts 100% HDR to provide awesome HDR content. For a unit that is under $2000, I am blown away by the HDR performance.
- 4 preset color modes
- Very good HDR content
- Impressive shadow details and black levels for a budget projector
- Huge vertical and horizontal lens shift
- Works in ambient light as well.
- A ton of connectivity
- Awesome in a bat cave home theater
- Low input lag for gamers
- Affordable
- No 3D.
- No true 4K.
Final Verdict
I will be honest, don’t expect a stunningly good picture quality from Epson Home Cinema 3800 as it is only a budget projector, but in the price range, you will get an excellent image quality with decent black levels and shadow details.
I am impressed. It does provide a lot of cool features with low input lag which is much needed for hardcore gamers like me.
5. Epson VS355 WXGA Home Theater Projector Review
- Excellent for classroom
- Wider color gamut
- 210W UHE bulb
- Lamp life: 6000-10000 normal/eco mode
- 1400 x 1050 MAX resolution
- Accurate vivid colors
- Built-in speakers
- Quick and easy setup
- Works with latest generation laptops and media players
- Item weight: 5.5 pounds
- Product Dimensions: 11.9 x 3.2 x 9.3 inches
- Lumens: 3300 for both color and white brightness
- Resolution: 1280 x 800
- Technology: 3-CHIP 3LCD
- HDMI
- Keystone correction: Auto vertical, manual easy slide correction for horizontal
- Contrast ratio: 15,000: 1
- Throw distance: 120cm-950cm
- Image size: 0.84m-8.13m
Epson VS355 WXGA Home Theater Projector is a business class budget-friendly model that is mostly used for outdoor activities and office purposes.
Whether you need to present your latest presentation or want to have a fun time with your pals, Epson VS355 is a recommended, and popular choice.
Epson VS355 is one of the most affordable projector portable projectors which is part of the Epson’s VS series which is their value lineup.
It is a 2D-only widescreen projector, WXGA that is 1280 x 800 resolution which matches most of the laptops that are being used in the offices.
Why choose Epson VS355
- It uses 3LCD technology which is known for eliminating the rainbow effect and silent operation. Most of Epson’s high-end projectors use this technology and it is way better than DLP in many departments.
- It provides 3300 lumens which are nuts for a budget projector. Even high-end extremely expensive Sony projectors have less lumen output than Epson VS355.
- It is great for business presentations and places where ambient light is dominant. The picture will be bright.
- Visuals will remain high quality and colors will be accurate considering the price point.
- The contrast ratio is 15,000: 1 which is not bad at all, and the aspect ratio is 16: 1.
- The 210-watt UHE lamp is highly durable and will last up to 6000-10000 hours in normal/eco mode.
- A lot of Epson VS355 users are claimed the presented text is high readable and the images are sharp and very well defined considering the price point of course.
- Its setup process is pretty straightforward. Epson VS355 is made for laptop users for business presentation purposes which is why the installation process is extremely easy.
- Its performance is in a pitch-black environment excellent. The highlights are brighter, good color rendition, and acceptable blacks in a bat cave environment.
- It also provides HDMI support.
- The design is compact, lightweight, and portable which is a must for a business projector.
Design of Epson VS355
I love its rectangular design with an offset lens. There are multiple vents on the front plate. Fans prevent the projector from overheating.
The specially designed lens prevents fingerprints and other smudges. The side door keeps the dust out.
Cleaning the dust particles from the crevices is a pain in the ass, and Epson projectors are good at providing small doors to keep the dust away from important parts.
The manual navigation is on the top. For optical zoom, focus, and keystone settings, there are rings on the top of the lens.
Overall, the design is compact, portable, smooth, and pretty. Nothing over the board, it’s all simple and easy to handle.
Connections and connectivity
- HDMI port
- Audio In
- USB x2
- VGA In
- Composite Video: 1x RCA (Yellow)
Can be connected to
- Laptop
- Tablet
- Smartphone
- Chromecast
- Gaming console
- Blu-ray/DVD player
- Digital camera
- Apple TV
- Roku
Nowadays, 4K projectors either native or enhanced through pixel shifting are dominating the market, you might wonder WXGA (1280 x 800) resolution wouldn’t be enough even for a budget projector.
You are wrong
Comparing the image quality with a native 1080p projector, you wouldn’t be able to differentiate.
In a bright room where ambient light is dominant, the picture quality is ideal for business presentation.
It is not going to provide a fantastic cinematic experience in that environment though.
Epson VS355’s picture will less be washed out in a normally lit environment.
In a completely pitch-black room, the blacks were decent, and color accuracy was not that bad too.
I don’t think you will notice great changes in resolution and quality unless you are comparing it with a 4K projector side-by-side.
Overall, its performance is excellent for business purposes, but as a home theater projector, Epson VS355 delivers normal performance despite its whopping 3300-lumen output.
- 3300-lumen output
- Excellent for outdoor business presentations
- Compact, lightweight, and easy to carry
- Durable lamp
- Easy installation
- Highly budget-friendly
- Good performance in a bat cave environment
- Optional wireless
- No 3D
- Not the greatest of resolutions
Final Verdict
Epson VS355 is a lightweight, compact, and portable outdoor projector that is commonly used for business presentations, and classrooms.
Its resolution is not that great, but considering the price tag, the picture quality is good with decent black levels, sharpness, and brightness.
Overall, it is a highly recommended business model which is also a budget-friendly price tag.
6. Epson Home Cinema 4010 4K PRO-UHD Projector Review
- 1920 x 1080 resolution. 4K/W pixel shifting
- No rainbow effect
- Full 10-bit HDR support
- Epson precision lens technology
- Advanced digital image processing
- Color accuracy: Delta level
- Crisp and smooth images
- The low input for 4K as well
- Full HD 3D support
- Powered zoom and focus
- Item weight: 24.3 pounds
- Product dimensions: 17.7 x 20.5 x 6.7 inches
- White brightness: 2400 lumens
- Color brightness: 2400 lumens
- Dynamic contrast ratio: 200,000: 1
- Lamp life: 3500-5000 normal/eco mode
- Image size: 0.76m-7.62m
- Color space: DCI-P3 100%
- True 3-chip 3LCD technology
- HDMI version 1.4
Epson Home Cinema 4010 is a 3LCD projector that uses pixel-shifting technology to enhance the resolution up to 4K. By doing so, it creates a sharper image and more vibrant color space.
Although this model will not give your native 4K, the Epson is properly using pixel-shifting technology to display a pseudo 4k display.
A normal user can never tell the difference and let’s be honest, even the most units out there on the market are not true 4K.
This version of the Epson is working on the latest algorithm for HDR10 tone-mapping, and full 10-bit color depth, 200,000: 1 contrast ratio, and the cutting-edge 3LCD technology to eliminate the rainbow effect.
The two major factors that separate Epson 4010 from its predecessor the Epson 4000 are the brightness, and improved contrast ratio.
The 2400 lumen output makes it a feasible option for a living room with abundant ambient light.
Why choose Epson Home Cinema 4010
- The Epson precision 15-element, the all-glass lens is being used for uniform edge-to-edge brightness.
- Epson 4010 has a huge 96% horizontal, and 47% vertical lens shift.
- After setting zoom, and focus, you can store settings on the lens memory presets. There are a total of 10 of them.
- Presets are lifesavers. Suppose you are now comfortable on your couch after setting the zoom, and focus, and making lens shift adjustments, you don’t need to set it again for the next time thanks to lens memory presets. Otherwise, it is a pain in the ass to set it again and again.
- The true 3LCD technology is one of Epson’s biggest selling points. The 100% of RGB color for every frame allows an excellent color gamut while maintaining fantastic brightness without any rainbow effect.
- It also has a frame interpolation feature which is great for judder-free, smooth motion while watching sports.
- With the high contrast ratio and auto-iris, you will get some silky blacks.
- The advanced digital image processing which is a 12-bit analog-to-digital video processing is used for smooth tonal transitions which help to eliminate banding, compression artifacts, and blocking from the final visual performance.
- The 10-bit HDR3 color processing accepts 100% of the HDR source information to produce flawless HDR content considering the price tag.
- As I have mentioned above, it is not a true 4K projector, but the color accuracy is really good.
- For movies, Epson Home Cinema 4010’s performance is good. The performance can significantly increase in a dedicated bat cave environment.
Design of Epson Home Cinema 4010
Epson 4010 is massive in design. The curved round chassis is pretty much identical to its upper model (Epson 5050UB).
The look is softer and smoother with a centrally mounted lens, and air vents at the front panel.
Like most Epson projectors, there is a sliding door on the right that has manual control buttons underneath right beside the power and source.
The sliding doors and lens covers keep the dust and suspended particles out of the sensitive parts. I have mentioned many times that it is a bit of a hassle to clean the dust from the crevices, so these tiny details do count.
Overall, the design is eye-pleasing.
Connections and connectivity
- Optical HDMI port
- 1x HDMI (HDCP 2.2 compliant)
- 1x HDMI (HDCP 1.4)
- USB type A for an optical HDMI cable. 300 mA maximum power supply
- 1x USB for wireless and firmware
- 1x Mini USB for service
- LAN Ethernet port
- 12-volt trigger out
- A port for computer D-SUB 25 pin
- RS-232c
Performance of Epson Home Cinema 4010
It has a dedicated homepage panel that provides very easy source and color modes to choose from.
The motion frame interpolation system is cool when you are watching fast-paced content like sports, but we notice a bit of flashing around which is minor. A normal user won’t detect it.
The middle (normal) setting is the only watchable setting out of three (low, normal, and high).
The low and high settings are not good at all, especially the high which is practically unwatchable.
In a bat cave environment, Epson 4010’s performance is very good considering the price tag.
The blacks were decent, sharpness and color accuracy were also good, and the picture was bright which is a big deal for a budget projector.
Epson 4010 is an extremely silent projector. 20db-30db in eco mode and 30db-44db in high brightness mode is the most it can generate. It won’t bother your ears.
The calibration results in SDR natural were pinpoint accurate. The skin tones were natural and realistic. Although the blacks were not that deep, it was fine.
The HDR content is also fantastic in a home theater condition. I will not go into the details and explain the science behind it, but Epson 4010 is worth every single penny as far as HDR performance is concerned.
- Highly affordable
- Stunning resolution
- Accurate colors and natural skin tones
- Huge lens shift
- Silent at work
- Decent black levels
- Crisp and smooth images
- No rainbow effect
- Fantastic cinema experience in a dark room
- Frame interpolation technology
- Massive in size
- Not true 4K
Final Verdict
Epson 4010 does provide a very compelling 4K PRO-UHD resolution by applying pixel-shifting technology. Trust me, you wouldn’t be able to differentiate whether it is a true 4K or not.
Most people cannot afford a 4K projector and that is where Epson is dominating the market with their budget models by offering quality HDR content, DCI-PR wide color gamut, 4K resolution, HDR10, and much more.
My take is that Epson 4010 is a much have home theater projector if are can’t afford a unit beyond $2000.
7. Epson Home Cinema 3200 4K PRO-UHD Projector Review
- 150″ projection
- 4K after pixel-shifting
- Full 10-bit HDR and HLG support
- Digital video processing
- Full 18Gbps HDMI 2.0 support
- Epson all-glass precision lens
- 3D supported
- 60 frames per second gaming
- 60% Vertical, 45% horizontal lens shift
- Item weight: 19.21 pounds
- Product dimensions: 12.99 x 16.14 x 6.46 inches
- Lumens: 2900
- Image brightness: 900 lumens
- Contrast ratio: 40,000: 1
- HDMI: 1.4 version
- Min: throw: 2.15m.
- Max: throw: 1.32m.
- Display technology: 3LCD
The slightly less expensive than its sibling the Epson 3800, Epson 3200 is a 4K PRO-UDH projector that uses pixel shifting to enhance the image quality.
It is based on 3LCD display technology like most Epson projectors, it is 4K HDR-compatible, and offers a 2900 lumen output which is great for an affordable model.
Although Epson Home cinema 3200 doesn’t provide the high-end features that we find in most expensive models, it does offer 3D, Bluetooth, wireless networking, and 60 frames per second gaming.
Epson Home cinema 3200 might look like a compact projector but it is a beast in terms of weight.
Why choose Epson Home cinema 3200
- Just like other high-end Epson models, 3800 is a true 3-CHIP projection that is using liquid crystal shutter projection or a 3LCD panel that displays 100% of the RGB color for every frame without any rainbow effect
- Epson Home cinema 3200 is using a 250-watt lamp which will easily provide 5000 hours in eco mode.
- Epson 3800 delivers 100% balanced white brightness and color offering a 10-bit wide color range of smooth tonal transitions.
- It also supports high dynamic range function with HDR10 support. It also has 3D support. Able to convert 2D into 3D for a more immersive movie experience.
- Setting up the projector is extremely easy. Plugin your power source, power cord, media sources, and Chromecast. Press the power button and you are good to go.
- Color reproduction and contrast are surprisingly good. Epson Home cinema 3200 will perform well in the daylight, but in a completely dark room, you will be able to get its maximum performance.
- There are a total of 5 presets to adjust the image output. The natural preset is the best one.
- Epson Home cinema 3200 is silent at work. not more than 32db-33db in normal mode. Only 24db in eco mode.
- Placement and flexibility are the main selling point of this unit. You can place it anywhere you want, but I would prefer ceiling mounting.
- As far as HDR content is concerned, let’s be honest, it is never going to beat a 4K TV of similar size, but considering the price point, HDR content is spot on. No complaints from my side.
Design of Epson Home cinema 3200
I have already mentioned that it is an absolute beast of a projector. It weighs about 14+ pounds which is huge. It is a long throw projector.
Epson precision glass lens is sitting at the right side of the front panel that can produce 2900 lumens in 4K ultra HD resolution. Air vents are on the left side of the front panel.
The frame is made of plastic and metal. It has not the greatest of the frames, but it is durable.
There are two dials on the top that adjust the vertical and horizontal lens shift. Just behind the dials, there is a whole panel of manual navigation including a D-panel selection array.
The remote control is huge and clean. All the buttons are well organized. It is pretty easy to navigate through the remote control.
Connections and connectivity
- Some buttons and dials on the top control the whole unite
- Audio out: mini-jack port
- Wireless networking
- HDMI (HDCP 2.2 compliant) x2
- x2 USB
Performance of The Epson Home cinema 3200
Epson Home cinema 3200 is HDR10 and HLG compatible with full 10-bit color processing. The HDR content is really good, especially in a bat cave environment.
Home theater projectors can never deliver close to perfect HDR content like a TV, but these Epson models do squeeze out every drop of HDR content as much as they can.
Although it is not a native 4K projector, the pseudo 4K content was stunning with amazing black levels, sharpness, and shadow details.
When you watch 4k HDR content, you will notice a lot of dynamic colors and bright highlight details, but you will also notice a lack of native contrast during gloomy scenes and that is when blacks begin to turn a bit greyish.
Considering the price point and picture quality, it is nothing so don’t worry about it.
The frame interpolation technology is used to get rid of motion blur and judder. It works best during sports content.
Overall, the performance of Epson Home cinema 3200 is fantastic in a bat cave environment. With 2900 lumen output, it works well during daylight as well.
- Affordable
- 4K HDR
- Bright during daylight
- Excellent performance in a bat cave
- HDR10 & HLG support
- 3D support
- Motion interpolation
- True 3-CHIP design
- Geometric correction
- 60 fps gaming
- Normal contrast
- Normal blacks
Final Verdict
Epson Home cinema 3200 is a well-rounded home theater projector with just a bit of everything installed in it.
It is a 4K HDR machine capable of providing an excellent cinema picture in a dark room as well as in a well-lit room.
Overall, the Epson Home cinema 3200 is a fine affordable unit that is also excellent for 60 fps gaming. Highly recommended under a $2000 budget.
Should I buy an Epson Projector?
Yes. If you are planning to purchase a projector with all the latest features like a ton of connectivity, 4K resolution, bright lumen output, and low input lag for gaming but at an affordable price, Epson projectors should be your primary choice.
The best Epson projectors use 3LCD technology. This technology produces 100% of RGB color signals for each frame to eliminate the rainbow effect.
The construction and design are highly sophisticated and durable. The built quality of Epson home projectors is excellent.
Almost all of the Epson projectors have full control over lens shift, zoom, and focus.
Best Epson Projectors For gaming:
- Epson 5050UB is a gaming home theater projector with less than 30ms of input lag.
- The 12-bit analog-to-digital video processing technology of Epson 3800 is used for smooth tonal transitions; helps to eliminate the lagging if you are a gamer.
- Epson 6050UB For gaming, 27-28 milliseconds of input lag was measured regardless of whether image processing was set to fine or fast as long as all image and motion enhancements were OFF.
I have already written these details in individual projector reviews, but for a reminder, Epson projectors are flawless when it comes to hardcore gaming.
My say
I have only reviewed some of the best Epson projectors that are currently popular in the market.
Each unit is unique in its way, but built quality, picture quality, HDR performance, black levels, brightness, and gaming performance is the same for all.
Whether 1080p or 4K, Epson home theater projectors have gained popularity due to their affordable units. I love Epson projectors. They last for a long time without ever malfunctioning.
If you are new to the home theater world, start your journey with Epson home cinema projectors instead of spending thousands of bucks on Sony or JVC.