Top 5 Best Projectors Under $400 in 2023 (Reviews & Buying Guide)

If you’ve got only $400 to spend on a projector, you’ve come to the right place. While it may not seem like much, you’ll be surprised by the number of projectors that are available on the current market at that price point.

To help you save time, I spent hours scouring the internet to come up with the top five best projectors under $400. Read on as we look at what they are, what they bring to the table and the factors you should consider before getting yourself a projector for under $400.

The Best Projectors Under $400: My Top Picks

My hours of research yielded these five projectors that will set you back less than $400:

DB Power Projector – Best Overall

If you’ve ever searched for a 4K projector on a small budget, you know how challenging the process can be. Well, the DB Power projector is one such model but not really. Let me explain.

It’s one of those projectors that can project 4K content but the displayed images will match the native resolution, in this case 1080p. Although it’s not truly 4K, it’s as close as you can get on a budget of $400.

There are also other features I like about this projector. It’s light and small and can be mounted on a ceiling, table or tripod. Regardless of where you mount it, you’ll have access to a 4-point keystone correction feature that will be handy when aligning images.

Connectivity-wise, you’ll have a wide range of options: Wireless (5G & 2.4G WI-FI & Bluetooth), USB, VGA and HDMI. You really can’t complain about this one.

Now, the sound from the built-in dual 5W speakers is of okay quality. But you can significantly improve it by hooking up external speakers via the available audio out port or wirelessly.

Pros

• Quiet, thanks to an innovative cooling system
• Range of connectivity options
• 3-year warranty
• Bright enough for use indoors and outdoors (450 ANSI lumens)
• 1080p resolution; supports 4K

Cons

• Remote is slow to respond to commands

ARTlii Energon 2 Projector: Runner Up

The ARTlii Energon 2 projector fits perfectly in the second position on my list. It has an impressive set of features that were it not for its slightly lower lumen rating would have made it in the first place.

It’s light, weighing around five pounds and is small enough to fit on a table (and that’s what is recommended). Traveling with it will also be an easy task.

Something that will certainly pull your attention is its support for 4K content. You’ll get to watch any kind of 4K video or movie but at a resolution of 1080p.

The brightness is also good enough for indoor and outdoor movie nights. Plus you view images as large as 200 inches at around 27 feet from the screen.

Note: ARTlii recommends watching images measuring 70 inches diagonally from around 8 feet from the screen for the best experience.

Unlike many other projectors selling for under $40, you’re not limited to wired connections. You’ll have WI-FI and Bluetooth at your disposal.

Now my favorite feature is that it supports Dolby sound.

Pros

• Supports Dolby sound
• 1080p resolution; supports 4K
• Portable
• Wireless connectivity
• Okay brightness

Cons

• Speakers don’t sound great
• Quick glitch that is visible at random intervals during movie marathons

Nexigo PJ20 Projector – Best Value for Money

The features you get with the Nexigo PJ20 projector for under $250 at the time of writing this post is amazing.

What really caught my eye though is its support for Dolby sound and the different options it offers for connecting various devices. You get to connect content sources via Bluetooth, 5G WI-FI or HDMI, USB or audio out port.

I also like that it offers HD resolution with a brightness (350 ANSI lumens) that will work well in dark rooms as well as those with a bit of light.

When it comes to installation, you’ll get a 100-inch image from a distance of 9 feet from the screen. And if you’re not happy with how the image looks, you have digital zoom and vertical keystone correction to help with that.

Pros

• 1080p resolution
• Portable
• Supports Dolby sound
• Several connectivity options
• Easy to set up
• Long lamp life (30,000 hours)

Cons

• Decent sound from built-in 5W speaker

Yaber V10 Projector – Best for Outdoor Use

Spending time in the outdoors is a good way of bonding with family and friends as well relieving any work-related stress. And the main thing that deters lots of people from doing it more often is the work involved in moving stuff to and from the outdoors.

The good news is that the Yaber V10 is perfectly suited for the outdoors. It’s super light and can be mounted on a tripod. You’ll also get a 4-corner keystone correction feature to ensure the displayed images are properly aligned anytime.

This projector also supports wired and wireless connections, which is great for outdoor use.

Pros

• Comes with a carrying case
• Sufficiently bright for outdoor movie nights (400 ANSI lumens)
• Portable
• Supports wireless connections
• Quiet, thanks to advanced cooling technology

Cons

• Sound from the onboard 5W speaker is not great

Yaber Y30 Projector– Also Great

If you’re looking for a generally good projector for watching movies, sports, videos and the like but aren’t too keen on connectivity options then this is the one you should buy.

It comes with HDMI, USB, VGA and audio out ports only but those are sufficient for casual use in my experience.

Setting up this projector is pretty straight forward as just have to mount it on a tripod, align images with the keystone correction feature and sit back.

The native resolution is 1920 by 1080p which is good by today’s standards. You’ll also get the flexibility to use it in different places, thanks to an impressive brightness (380 ANSI lumens).

Best of all, you’ll get dual internal stereo speakers equipped with SRS sound system. That is to say, you’ll get solid sound from it that you may opt not to hook up external audio devices.

Pros

• Solid sound from the built-in speakers
• Relatively quiet
• 3-year warranty
• 1080p resolution
• Long lamp life (100,000 hours)

Cons

• No wireless connectivity

Choosing the Best Projectors Under $400: Buying Guide

While there are many factors to consider before buying a projector for under $400, the following are the most important based on my experience and hours of research.

Resolution

Most projectors have a resolution of 1080p, which is today’s standard for modern projectors. But only a few can support content with a resolution of up to 4K. If you want a projector for presentations, this factor may not be as important. However, if you want one for videos, movies and the like, support for 4K content gives you a bit more flexibility.

Connectivity

If your goal is to connect several peripheral devices at the same time, then you want to look for a projector with as many connectivity options as possible. Otherwise, the HDMI, USB and VGA ports will be sufficient.

Ease of setup

I’ve read many accounts of buyers of who’ve spend days and sometimes weeks just to properly set up their new projector. And the common culprit is a vague manual or setup guide.

You want to look for a projector whose setup is straightforward and that doesn’t even require you to read through the setup guide or manual like the ones we’ve reviewed in this post.   

Sound

Some projectors support Dolby sound whereas others do not. In either case, it shouldn’t be a deal breaker when deciding on projector to buy for under $400. What really matters is the quality of the sound from the internal speakers. Projectors like Yaber Y30 produce solid sound whereas others aren’t as good. In that case, ensure the projector you purchase has an audio out port to connect an external soundbar or speaker to boost quality and volume.