It's been a really eventful year for projectors. New releases from practically all of the major players – including but not limited to Sony, JVC, Epson, BenQ, Xgimi and Hisense – have kept us busy in our AV testing room: we've gone twelve rounds with plenty of them to see if they can truly deliver a compelling home cinema experience.
And you know what, some of them really can, which has resulted in some pretty major changes to last year's projectors Awards list. Frankly, we're delighted to see a raft of new models enter the fray, particularly as the 2023 best projectors list saw just one new model join existing winners. While there are still plenty of fan favourites on this list, such as the BenQ W1800, Epson EH-TW7100, Sony VPL-XW5000ES and Hisense PL1, they're joined by three brand-new models: the BenQ X3100i, JVC DLA-NZ800 and Hisense PX3-PRO.
The What Hi-Fi? Awards 2024 projector winners
So, we do have some returning models, including one celebrating its fifth year on this revered list. The Epson EH-TW7100 remains a fantastic affordable entry, although now without its equally impressive EH-TW7400 counterpart (more on that in a moment) which has finally departed the list after being a serial winner itself.
The BenQ W1800 returns for a third year in a row, too, remaining a brilliant entry point into 4K projectors for newcomers thanks to its approachable price and excellent picture quality. At the higher end of the scale, we have the Sony VPL-XW5000ES which is also enjoying its third year as an Award winner thanks to its stellar contrast, excellent picture depth and overall captivating image. The Hisense PL1 also remains our choice for the best ultra-short-throw model courtesy of its vibrant colours and slick user interface, though it now comes with a reduced tag attached.
'Why the discount?" you ask. Well, it's because it has been joined by its more expensive and technically capable cousin, the PX3-PRO, a fresh model in Hisense's Laser Cinema series that emphasises gaming. With support for 4K/120Hz gaming via two HDMI 2.1 sockets, it plays nice with the Xbox Series X and PS5 alike, while streaming fans can lean on the useful built-in Vidaa smart system. It also goes the extra mile where black depths are concerned, with excellent shadow details and a compelling HDR performance. At £2499 / $3499 / AU$4499, it's a considerable step up over the PL1, but its picture performance and gaming chops make it a worthwhile one.
Surprisingly, the PX3-PRO isn't the only model tailored to gamers on this list. The BenQ X3100i is also primarily geared towards gamers, but under that edgy black and red chassis is a talented and mature beamer that's equally adept at movies. For a gaming projector, we're a touch disappointed that, unlike the Hisense, it doesn't support 4K/120Hz, but we can forgive that due to its charming cubic design, expert handling of HDR content, consistently good black levels and vibrant (yet well-balanced) colours. At £2099 / $2399 / AU$3599, it takes the place once held by the aforementioned Epson EH-TW74000, which sadly seems to have reached the end of its shelf life. RIP.
Finally, we have a new member of projector royalty stepping into the premium (read: very high-end) bracket. The JVC DLA-NZ800 is a masterclass in projection, delivering a crisp, natural and deeply engaging image. Its extensive settings menus allow you to dial the image in exactly as you'd like, and its enhanced D-ILA chipset allows for truly convincing blacks, wonderfully balanced and natural colours, and oodles of three-dimensional depth. There's no smart system or middling built-in speakers here, just pure cinematic picture brilliance, and we have to shout out the 8K e-shift mode which feels like pure magic. It works wonders in digging out subtle details to create a mesmerisingly realistic image... as you might hope for from a £15,999 / $16,000 / AU$24,999 beamer. Some outlay, huh?
This revitalised projectors list should excite any home cinema enthusiast looking to begin, or upgrade, a projector-based system. Our hopes are high for what's to come in 2025, too; we have a new Sony model already en route and announcements from BenQ and Epson already stirring up intrigue. For now, though, these are the projectors for your demo or shopping list.
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Find the full list of What Hi-Fi? Award 2024 winners here
Check out our full list of the best projectors
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