8 Best Budget Projectors for Gaming

At GravaStar we know that everyone has different preferences when it comes to playing games. While many gamers will use a monitor or play on a TV, others prefer to use a projector. Unfortunately, these can often cost thousands of dollars, which may be out of your budget.

Thankfully, there are budget-friendly protectors that are much more affordable. Choosing the best budget projector ensures you get a quality gaming experience and great visuals, without spending a fortune. Choosing the wrong one, you could end up with laggy gameplay, a lackluster visual experience, and other issues that hardly make it worth the cost savings.

To learn more about the various options, we searched through user comments, reviews, and looked at the internal specs. Combined with our gaming industry experience, we found Optoma HD146X to be the best budget projector for gaming.

How We Picked

If you're in the market for a budget projector for gaming, there are some important things to keep in mind as you search. Here are a few of them, and why they're so crucial to consider.

Resolution

The higher the resolution, the more crisp, clear, and sharp the image being projected will be. Look for 4k or 1080p resolution to ensure your game always looks great. Poor resolution can result in less detailed visuals and blurriness, which is sure to impact your performance in-game.

Input Delay

Gaming requires quick controller, mouse, or keyboard inputs to achieve the best results. Generally, competitive gamers want a delay of 15 ms or less, and many casual gamers begin to find lag unacceptable once it reaches 50 ms. Look for as low a delay as possible.

Brightness

You want a projector that shines bright and has a high lumens rating. A lower brightness can make it more difficult to see certain details in your game, especially if you're projecting in an area that's relatively bright. 

Look for around 3000 lumens or higher, though this won't always be possible on budget projectors.

Other Factors

Things like the color a projector outputs and ease of setup are also crucial to consider. You want to choose a projector that shows an accurate and colorful image, as opposed to one that is dim or dull. The easier a projector is to set up and focus, the sooner you'll be able to hop into your favorite game.

Top Choice: Optoma HD146X High Performance Projector

• Resolution: 1080p
• Max screen size: 300"
• Features: 16ms response time, 3600 lumens, and vivid color even in bright rooms

Our top choice is the Optoma HD146X High Performance Projector. It has a bright and vivid display with radiant colors and 3600 lumens. It's great for gaming as it features a rapid 16ms response time to ensure you don't have a laggy experience.

In fact, when YouTuber Tech with Geoff reviewed the projector, he highlighted how smooth it ran and how clear it was while gaming.

It's easy to set up, and can support screens up to 300" so it'll feel like you're gaming on the big screen at the theater! The projector also has a long lamp life of 15,000 hours, so you can feel confident that the projector will work for years and years.

We like how the projector is also relatively quiet while operating, which ensures you aren't distracted by any outside noise while playing your favorite game.

A downside of this projector, in our opinion, is that it's at the higher-end of the budget options, so it comes with a relatively high price point compared to others.

Runner-Up: ViewSonic PX701HDH

• Resolution: 1080p
• Max screen size: 300"
• Features: Remote image adjustment, 3500 lumens, and 16ms response time

Another solid choice is the ViewSonic PX701HDH. This projector lets you adjust the image remotely and boasts 3500 lumens for an incredibly bright and detailed image.

Setting the projector up only takes a short time thanks to the ability to remotely adjust the projector, so you can get into your game as quickly as possible.

Once you're in the game, it'll feel great in our opinion thanks to the low latency of only 16ms. The projector works with most gaming consoles and computers alike, so you'll be able to easily connect your game, no matter what you like to play.

It has solid resolution, works on a screen or a wall, and an extended lamp life of 20,000 hours. We like how the projector is small enough to move when you need, but can also be mounted to your ceiling if you have a dedicated place where you always play games.

A drawback to be aware of is that the colors are a little disappointing and not as vivid as they could be.

Also Good: AuKing Projector with WiFi and Bluetooth

• Resolution: 1080p
• Max screen size: 200"
• Features: Dual fan cooling, quality audio, and simple to use and operate

The AuKing Projector with WiFi and Bluetooth is another solid choice for gamers looking for a quality budget projector. We like that this projector has solid audio on its own, but also has a Bluetooth 5.1 chip so it can wirelessly connect to speakers and a variety of other devices you want to use as you play games.

It can project up to a screen size of 200", and the zoom function makes it incredibly easy to adjust the view and image size, without having to physically move the projector around to find the perfect spot so your game looks great.

The projector features dual fan cooling, which helps reduce the fan noise dramatically in our opinion. In fact, YouTuber FishBee Productions reviewed this projector and was impressed with how quiet the fan noise was, as well as the overall value of the projector as a whole.

A downside of this projector is that it's not as bright as some other options, which can lead to problems if you're trying to play games during the day or in a bright space.

Best Portable: Vamvo Mini Projector

• Resolution: 1080p
• Max screen size: 200"
• Features: Lightweight and portable, with multiple connectivity options

If you want a budget projector for gaming that's also incredibly portable, consider the Vamvo Portable Mini Projector. It is lightweight, is compatible with many phones, devices and consoles, and can be set up in minutes.

The connectivity options it has are plentiful, thanks to HDMI, USB, and audio inputs. Despite the small size of this projector, it's capable of projecting your game of choice up to 200". The speakers on this are also loud and will ensure you can hear everything as you play.

YouTuber At Home with Lucas unboxed and reviewed this projector and was immediately impressed with the quality carrying case it comes in.

We agree with his statement, and like how the company includes a protective carrying case, especially at such a lower price point. This makes it very convenient to move around and carry securely. The case also has space for easy transport of the remote and cables.

A drawback of this projector in our opinion is that the fan is relatively noisy and the picture quality isn't the best, but these are to be expected when it's so inexpensive.

The Competition

Here are a few other budget-friendly gaming projectors worth considering:

BenQ TH575: This projector has essentially everything gamers want with low latency, bright images, and a dedicated "game mode" that fine-tunes the image and precision. However, it's quite expensive and the sound is questionable in some cases.

TMY Native 1080P Projector: While it offers gamers a display up to 300", a 1080p resolution, and booming sound, it's not as durable as some other projectors. That being said, it is much more affordable than many other available options.

GooDee 4K Projector: Gamers like this projector as it supports up to 4k resolution, and has immersive audio. It also has stable Bluetooth and Wifi connection. Unfortunately, the colors can appear washed-out at times. 

Epson EpiqVision Flex: This projector has great color, solid brightness, and offers a full HD 1080p display. It has a simple to use remote and interface, and gamers will love the vibrant colors. However, it's a pricey option and there's no manual zoom included.

Frequently Asked Questions

Let's take a look at some other common questions you might have.

What image size is best for gaming with a projector?

This depends entirely on your preferences and how much space you have, as many projectors can project images up to 300". For competitive games like Fornite or Valorant, you generally want to keep it reasonably small so it's easy to scan your surroundings and notice enemies quickly.

On the other hand, single-player games with beautiful graphics and a stunning world can be played on a much larger screen to increase your immersion and overall experience.

Do projectors have lag while gaming?

All types of displays have an input delay of some kind, even high-end monitors. The amount of lag depends on the quality of the internal components of the projector. Some provide a nearly lag-free experience, while others may have a larger delay than gamers are comfortable with.

Why are some gaming projectors so expensive?

While there are certainly cheaper options as we've outlined here, many projectors cost thousands of dollars due to the various components inside them. This includes lenses, sensors, imaging chips, internal cooling and light sources.

Final Tips

Because these projectors can often be relatively small and light, you need to treat them gently during use and while moving. A single drop or bump into the wall has the potential to render it unusable. Make sure to store it safely, too. If anything were to fall on it in storage, it could damage it beyond repair.

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.