Can a projector really replace your TV?

Getting the movie theater experience at home has always been the dream. As soon as flat screen, rectangular TVs gained popularity–burying clunky square TVs housed in armoire-sized cabinets in the tech graveyard–the idea that you could create an experience as good as (if not better than) a movie theater really took a foothold. The prices came down as the sizes went up, and screens ranging from 65” to 85” went from being an insane luxury to industry standard. Throw in economical sound bars and lighting effects, and your couch started to feel more and more like the inside of an AMC theater. 

But like intrepid mountain climbers, once cinephiles reach one peak, they start to look for an even taller one. The rapid technical improvement of portable projectors, their increasing affordability, and the fact that television viewing has evolved into its current wifi-driven streaming form provides home entertainment enthusiasts another possible option: Do you scrap the TV all together and just project your favorite shows and movies onto a huge screen or blank wall? 

The answer to the question “to TV or not TV” comes down to a few key factors, including the layout of your living (or viewing) space, your expectations and your other entertainment outlets. To help you decide, here are a few considerations to mull over before you fire up the popcorn maker. 

Size and price

The fact that there are quality 65” 4K QLED smart TVs available on the market for under $600 tells you a lot about how accessible this technology has become. However, there does seem to be a cap when it comes to size. For some reason, 65” seems to be something of a dividing line. There are affordable options for TVs 65” or under, but once you creep into 75” or 85”, the prices start to creep up as well, into the thousands. If you start looking into 95” and higher, things become prohibitively expensive for the average consumer. 

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