Picked for one job
Top pick
If your living room keeps some lamps on, buy the XGIMI HORIZON 20 Max. Its claim of 5,700 ISO lumens is only 100 ISO lumens short of the highest figure in that same group, and it brings Google TV, optical zoom and lens shift as well. The highest ISO claim belongs to the JMGO N3 Ultimate, and the highest ANSI claim to the Hisense XR10. ANSI and ISO figures are kept apart below.
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Today’s brightest home projectors are compared within separate ANSI and ISO groups, and a practical winner is named for living rooms that have some ambient light.
Brightness, like for like
Brightness is rated under separate standards. The Hisense XR10 tops the ANSI list and the JMGO N3 Ultimate tops the ISO list. The HORIZON 20 Max is our everyday pick for a bright room.
Best for a bright living room
Its 5,700 ISO-lumen rating sits just 100 ISO lumens below the top ISO figure here. Google TV, optical zoom and lens shift make it easier to live with day to day.
The catchIn the tested mode that gets rid of film judder, the picture drops to 1080p.
See price & reviews on AmazonBrightest ISO rating
5,800 ISO lumens is the highest claim of the 44 ISO-rated models. Its wide zoom and four-way lens shift help most with a big screen or an awkward mounting spot.
The catchMovie motion at 24 fps can look choppy, according to independent testing.
See price & reviews on AmazonBrightest ANSI rating
6,000 ANSI lumens is the highest claim of the 37 ANSI-rated models. It is a premium install projector made for very large rooms and screens.
The catchBetween the large body and the real throw distance it needs, this is an installation project rather than a lifestyle projector.
See price & reviews on AmazonANSI and ISO measure brightness in different ways, so we keep their figures in separate tables. A CVIA figure would get its own table too, but none of the current US models here uses CVIA. Six of the 74 models give a lumen figure without naming a standard, so those six are left out of the rankings.
ISO ratings
44 current models are rated to this standard. Here are the five highest claims.
| Projector | Rated brightness | Best for | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| JMGO N3 Ultimate | 5,800 ISO lumens | Big screens and rooms that are awkward to set up | Movie motion at 24 fps can look choppy, according to independent testing. |
| XGIMI HORIZON 20 Max | 5,700 ISO lumens | Bright, all-purpose rooms | In the tested mode that gets rid of film judder, the picture drops to 1080p. |
| XGIMI TITAN | 5,000 ISO lumens | Peak brightness and installation range | Streaming needs an external device because no smart OS is built in. |
| Optoma GT2400HDR | 4,200 ISO lumens | Good-value bright short-throw golf and gaming | HDR signals are accepted, but the image shown is 1080p, not 4K. |
| XGIMI HORIZON 20 Pro | 4,100 ISO lumens | The sensible middle of the HORIZON 20 lineup | With a 4100 ISO-lumen claim, it advertises less brightness headroom than the Max for larger images or rooms with some lights on. |
ANSI ratings
37 current models are rated to this standard. Here are the five highest claims.
| Projector | Rated brightness | Best for | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hisense XR10 | 6,000 ANSI lumens | Top light output and installation range for large screens | Between the large body and the real throw distance it needs, this is an installation project rather than a lifestyle projector. |
| ViewSonic LS740HD | 5,500 ANSI lumens | Simulator bays and multi-use rooms needing brightness | Don't expect a 4K cinema projector. This is a 1080p installation model. |
| ViewSonic LS901-4K | 5,500 ANSI lumens | Simulator bays and large rooms that stay bright | Only vertical lens shift is available, which means a horizontal position that's off-center needs correction or remounting. |
| Hisense L9Q | 5,000 ANSI lumens | The largest screen among premium USTs | Only the projector is sold under this Amazon ASIN, so you still have to pick a suitable UST screen. |
| ViewSonic LS741HD | 5,000 ANSI lumens | Flexible installation with a longer throw | Resolution tops out at 1080p, and the design favors installation flexibility over cinema refinement. |
25 of the 90 models suit a bright room and have verified Netflix. Only 12 also give you useful lens flexibility for placement. The HORIZON 20 Max is one of them, and it sits near the top of the ISO list.
A 120-inch 16:9 picture has 44% more area than a 100-inch one, and the same light has to cover it. Closing the curtains or going smaller can help more than a few hundred extra lumens.
Every row uses the brightness figure and standard on record for the exact current US model. Models are ranked only against others rated to the same standard, with no ANSI-to-ISO conversion. The 120-inch area comparison squares the diagonal because both screens share the same 16:9 shape: 120 squared divided by 100 squared equals 1.44.
Rated brightness is a good way to build a shortlist. Room light, screen material, picture size, contrast and picture mode still change what you see. Direct sunlight on the screen is a poor setup for any home projector.
By the numbers
What we found across the home projectors we compare, plus the checked facts behind each finding.
Only 23 of the 90 models checked meet every need here: “I will keep some lights on while I watch”, “I want Netflix working from day one”, and “I am after a picture of 120 inches or larger”.
23 models fit, out of 90 checkedXGIMI HORIZON 20 Max lists 5,700 ISO lm for listed ISO brightness, 119% above the 2,600 ISO lm median.
How we countedThe count uses each product's current fit ratings for “I will keep some lights on while I watch”, “I want Netflix working from day one”, and “I am after a picture of 120 inches or larger”. A need with no documented match is not counted.
How we calculatedThis median counts ISO-lumen figures alone. ANSI ratings and lumen labels used only by the maker stay out. The median draws on the 44 of 90 models that publish comparable figures.
| Product | Needs it meets | Facts we checked | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| XGIMI HORIZON 20 Max |
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| JMGO N3 Ultimate |
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| XGIMI TITAN |
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| Hisense C2 Ultra |
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4 options
XGIMI, XR16A
A triple-laser lifestyle projector that is exceptionally bright, runs Google TV, has wide-ranging optical placement controls and includes fast gaming modes.
Top pick ifBright, all-purpose rooms
In the tested mode that gets rid of film judder, the picture drops to 1080p.
JMGO, N3 Ultimate
Built for large screens, this very bright triple-laser projector has an unusually wide optical zoom range and four-way lens shift.
Pick this instead ifChoose it if a difficult large-screen room calls for its wider zoom, four-way lens shift and the highest ISO claim in the group.
Movie motion at 24 fps can look choppy, according to independent testing.
XGIMI, TITAN
Built for very large images, this 5,000-lumen dual-laser projector has powered optical zoom and extensive four-way lens shift.
Pick this instead ifChoose it for a permanent installation, where powered optics count for more than streaming built in.
Streaming needs an external device because no smart OS is built in.
Hisense, C2 Ultra
High brightness, optical zoom, Dolby Vision and high-refresh gaming come together in this gimbal-mounted triple-laser projector.
Pick this instead ifChoose it if you want a movable gimbal design and fast gaming, within the separately ranked ANSI group.
It has no battery, so even with the gimbal's help moving it around, you still need an outlet.
Ready to buy
Top pick for this job
Usable brightness and color output at a high level
See price & reviews on AmazonPick this instead if
Choose it if a difficult large-screen room calls for its wider zoom, four-way lens shift and the highest ISO claim in the group.
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