The Lowest-Input-Lag Projectors for Gaming
Input lag on a projector is quoted per signal mode, and the headline number is almost always the 1080p high-refresh one. A projector that does 4.2 ms at 1080p/240 may be 17 ms at 4K/60, and both are true. This list ranks on the fastest published figure and prints the mode beside it, so the comparison is honest about what was measured.
How this list is ordered: Ranked by the lowest published input-lag figure, whichever signal mode produced it. 25 of the catalog’s projectors qualify. 4 of them are no longer sold by their makers — Optoma UHZ66, AWOL Vision LTV-3500 Pro, Epson EpiqVision Ultra LS800, BenQ HT4550i — and are listed after the models still on sale, kept for comparison.
1ViewSonic
~$1,599ViewSonic X2-4K
A short-throw 4K LED gaming projector that accepts 1440p at 120 Hz — a signal mode most projectors ignore and most PCs and current consoles can output.
- Brightness
- 2,150lumensANSI
- Screen at 10 ft
- 168–200 in
- Input lag
- 5 ms
- Light source
- LED
2BenQ
~$2,799BenQ X3100i
The gaming version of BenQ's 4LED platform: 4.2 ms at 1080p/240, 8.3 ms at 1080p/120, and three game modes tuned per genre.
- Brightness
- 3,300lumensANSI
- Screen at 10 ft
- 92–120 in
- Input lag
- 8 ms
- Light source
- LED
3BenQ
~$1,999BenQ X500i
A short-throw gaming projector that puts a 100-inch image up from about six feet, which is what makes it work in an apartment.
- Brightness
- 2,200lumensANSI
- Screen at 10 ft
- 166–200 in
- Input lag
- 8 ms
- Light source
- LED
4BenQ
~$2,199BenQ TK710STi
The laser answer to the X500i: the same 0.69 short throw and the same 4.2 ms gaming path, but with a 20,000-hour laser-phosphor engine pushing 3,200 ANSI lumens instead of 2,200.
- Brightness
- 3,200lumensANSI
- Screen at 10 ft
- 166–200 in
- Input lag
- 8 ms
- Light source
- Laser-phosphor
5Optoma
~$999Optoma UHD35x
The cheapest way to get 4.2 ms of input lag and 3,600 ANSI lumens into a room.
- Brightness
- 3,600lumensANSI
- Screen at 10 ft
- 83–92 in
- Input lag
- 8 ms
- Light source
- Lamp
6Optoma
~$1,199Optoma UHD38x
The UHD35x with the brightness turned up: 4,000 ANSI lumens from the same chassis, lamp and gaming path.
- Brightness
- 4,000lumensANSI
- Screen at 10 ft
- 83–92 in
- Input lag
- 8 ms
- Light source
- Lamp
7Optoma
~$2,199Optoma UHZ35ST
A 0.50 throw ratio puts a 100-inch picture on the wall from about three and a half feet, which is closer than anything here except the true ultra-short-throws.
- Brightness
- 3,500lumensANSI
- Screen at 10 ft
- 275 in
- Input lag
- 8 ms
- Light source
- Laser-phosphor
8AWOL Vision
~$2,499AWOL Vision LTV-3000 Pro
The gaming ultra-short-throw: 15 ms at 4K/60 and 8 ms at 1080p/120, which is unheard of in a category where 30 to 50 ms is normal.
- Brightness
- 2,000lumensISO 21118
- 100-inch screen at
- 22 in
- Input lag
- 8 ms
- Light source
- Tri-laser
9Valerion
~$2,999Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2
An RGB tri-laser projector that behaves like a home-theater model: a 1.67x optical zoom, Dolby Vision, and 15 ms input lag at 4K/60.
- Brightness
- 3,000lumensISO 21118
- Screen at 10 ft
- 92–153 in
- Input lag
- 8 ms
- Light source
- Tri-laser
10Valerion
~$3,399Valerion VisionMaster Max
The brightest ISO-rated lifestyle projector in this catalog at 3,500 ISO lumens, with ±55% motorized vertical lens shift, a 1.67x zoom and a published 5,000:1 native contrast figure..
- Brightness
- 3,500lumensISO 21118
- Screen at 10 ft
- 92–153 in
- Input lag
- 8 ms
- Light source
- Tri-laser
11Optoma
~$1,599Optoma UHZ55
Optoma's mainstream laser home-theater projector: 3,000 ANSI lumens, a 30,000-hour laser, a 1.3x zoom with a little vertical shift, and 20 W of built-in audio.
- Brightness
- 3,000lumensANSI
- Screen at 10 ft
- 87–114 in
- Input lag
- 17 ms
- Light source
- Laser-phosphor
12ViewSonic
~$1,300ViewSonic LX700-4K
3,500 ANSI lumens from a 20,000-hour laser in a 7.3 lb body, with a 1.36x zoom and a short 1.06 minimum throw.
- Brightness
- 3,500lumensANSI
- Screen at 10 ft
- 95–130 in
- Input lag
- 17 ms
- Light source
- Laser-phosphor
13Epson
~$1,499Epson Home Cinema 2350
A three-chip 3LCD lamp projector with Epson's 4K PRO-UHD pixel shifting and Android TV baked in, aimed at a bright family room rather than a blacked-out theater.
- Brightness
- 2,800lumensISO 21118
- Screen at 10 ft
- 63–103 in
- Input lag
- 18 ms
- Light source
- Lamp
14BenQ
~$1,199BenQ GP520
A 4K Google TV lifestyle projector with 2x12 W of audio, auto keystone and auto focus, designed to be carried to a wall and switched on.
- Brightness
- 2,600lumensANSI
- Screen at 10 ft
- 115 in
- Input lag
- 18 ms
- Light source
- LED
15XGIMI
~$1,699XGIMI Horizon Ultra
The first consumer projector to combine a laser and an LED source in one engine, and still one of the few lifestyle boxes with a powered optical zoom.
- Brightness
- 2,300lumensISO 21118
- Screen at 10 ft
- 92–115 in
- Input lag
- 18 ms
- Light source
- Hybrid
16Epson
~$5,999Epson Pro Cinema LS12000
The projector that made 4K/120 gaming normal in a home theater.
- Brightness
- 2,700lumensISO 21118
- Screen at 10 ft
- 48–102 in
- Input lag
- 20 ms
- Light source
- Laser-phosphor
17Epson
~$8,499Epson Home Cinema QB1000
Epson's Q series replaced the LS12000 at the top of the 3LCD line with a multi-array laser, the QZX processor and a new UltraBlack treatment.
- Brightness
- 3,300lumensISO 21118
- Screen at 10 ft
- 48–102 in
- Input lag
- 20 ms
- Light source
- Laser-phosphor
18Epson
~$1,399Epson Home Cinema 3800
The long-running 4K PRO-UHD lamp Epson, still on Epson's US price list seven years after launch.
- Brightness
- 3,000lumensISO 21118
- Screen at 10 ft
- 64–104 in
- Input lag
- 21 ms
- Light source
- Lamp
19Sony
~$5,999Sony VPL-XW5000ES
Three native 4K SXRD panels driven by the X1 Ultimate processor from Sony's televisions, in the smallest and lightest chassis Sony has ever used for a native 4K projector.
- Brightness
- 2,000lumensISO 21118
- Screen at 10 ft
- 62–100 in
- Input lag
- 21 ms
- Light source
- Laser-phosphor
20Sony
~$9,999Sony BRAVIA Projector 7
Sony's renamed successor to the XW5000ES, and the fix for its two biggest limitations: 4K/120 now works, and input lag drops to 12 ms.
- Brightness
- 2,200lumensANSI
- Screen at 10 ft
- 62–100 in
- Input lag
- 21 ms
- Light source
- Laser-phosphor
21Epson
~$2,299Epson Home Cinema 5050UB
The UB stands for Ultra Black: a dynamic iris and Epson's best 3LCD panels aimed squarely at a dark room.
- Brightness
- 2,600lumensISO 21118
- Screen at 10 ft
- 48–102 in
- Input lag
- 23 ms
- Light source
- Lamp
22Optoma
~$1,895Optoma UHZ66No longer sold by Optoma
4,000 ANSI lumens from a 30,000-hour laser with a 1.6x zoom.
- Brightness
- 4,000lumensANSI
- Screen at 10 ft
- 61–98 in
- Input lag
- 9 ms
- Light source
- Laser-phosphor
23AWOL Vision
~$5,499AWOL Vision LTV-3500 ProNo longer sold by AWOL Vision
AWOL's brightest laser TV: 3,000 ISO lumens of tri-laser output with Dolby Vision and 3D, aimed at screens up to 150 inches.
- Brightness
- 3,000lumensISO 21118
- 100-inch screen at
- 22 in
- Input lag
- 15 ms
- Light source
- Tri-laser
24Epson
~$3,499Epson EpiqVision Ultra LS800No longer sold by Epson
The brightest three-chip ultra-short-throw in the catalog, and the one with the shortest throw of any of them: a 0.16 throw ratio puts a 100-inch image on the wall with the cabinet almost touching it.
- Brightness
- 4,000lumensISO 21118
- 100-inch screen at
- 14 in–15 in
- Input lag
- 17 ms
- Light source
- Laser-phosphor
25BenQ
~$2,999BenQ HT4550iNo longer sold by BenQ
BenQ's 4LED flagship: 3,200 ANSI lumens, 100% DCI-P3 coverage, and — unusually for DLP at this price — real horizontal and vertical lens shift.
- Brightness
- 3,200lumensANSI
- Screen at 10 ft
- 92–120 in
- Input lag
- 18 ms
- Light source
- LED