The best projector under 200 isn’t an easy choice. When you’re on a budget, it’s important to choose a projector that doesn’t add a lot of impractical and non-essential features.
You want something that delivers quality where it matters most. Almost all budget products make sacrifices in some areas, and this is true here too – there’s no avoiding it.
The good news is that it’s possible to find projectors that don’t cut corners and make sacrifices in the important areas.
There’re a number of things that a good projector needs to do well. Value is super important; otherwise, most people would probably just go for a large TV.
Projectors should be durable, portable, produce high-quality projections and more. I’ve brought together all the models that tick the right boxes into one place for you.
You’ll learn about my 10 favorite picks that do what needs to be done. The hard work has already been done for you. All you need to do is know your needs and planned uses – this guide will take care of the rest.
We’ll take a look at the good and bad on each model, what’s unique about it, and what kind of user it best suits.
By the end, you’ll have a good idea of exactly what you need, where to find it, and how it’s going to perform in the real world.
Let’s get into it!
Comparison of 10 Best Projector under $200 in 2020
| Image | Product Name | Features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Vankyo Leisure 3 Mini Projector |
| |
 | Meer Portable Pico Mini Projector |
| |
 | Auking 2019 Upgraded Mini Projector |
| |
 | Elephas 2020 Mini Movie Projector |
| |
 | Hompow Mini Projector |
| |
 | TopVision Mini Projector |
| |
 | QKK 2020 Mini Projector (Upgraded Version) |
| |
 | Yaber Native 1080p Projector |
| |
 | Crosstour Home Theatre Mini Projector |
| |
 | DBPower L21 Video Projector |
|
Our Breakdown of the 10 Best Projectors under 200
1. Vankyo Leisure 3 Mini Projector – Best Home Projector Under 200
- Resolution: 800*480
- Screen Size: 32” – 170”
- Fan Noise Reduction: Yes
- LED Brightness: 3600LUX
- Keystone: ±15
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3/16:9/Auto
The screen can be adjusted up to 170”. That’s more than big enough for home uses and even a lot of business/office use.
You’re getting a good dose of brightness too. At 3600LUX, it’s plenty bright to watch movies one and do a presentation in a decently-lit office.
It’s a top pick for best home projector under $200, despite not having an in-built battery. The cables are long enough to reach across a room in your house with ease – you won’t struggle to find a place to plug it in.
The manual control over the settings such as the keystone and focus is very intuitive. Half the hassle of setting up a projector is trying to get the projection just right. It can take forever.
That won’t an issue with this model. The buttons are tactile and the controls are smooth and even.
The resolution is better suited to movie viewing and home use. It may be a little blurry when the screen is blown up to the maximum size. You’ll struggle to read smaller writing on slides and presentations.
- Intuitive controls and tactile buttons
- The unit feels solid and will take its fair share of hard knocks
- The picture quality is excellent when the screen is kept to smaller sizes – accurate colors
- The carry bag is the perfect size for the unit – your gear will all be safe
- Built-in speaker doesn’t have a great audio quality
- Not bright enough to use in a bright or well-lit room
2. Meer Portable Pico Mini Projector – Best Portable Projector Under $200
- Resolution: 1080p
- Screen Size: 24-80”
- Fan Noise Reduction: No
- LED Brightness: 400LUX
- Keystone: Vertical correction
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3/16:9/1.6:1
This projector is ultra-portable. It’s really lightweight coming in it at under 300g. You’ll have no problem lugging this around the place.
It’s designed for home use in a darkened area. You won’t be able to use it in an office setting or for presentations. The screen doesn’t get big enough for that and the brightness is only 400LUX.
This is probably the best HD projector under $200 for the price. It’s cheap and effective for home use. You’ll be able to watch movies in 1080p, giving you tons of details on a larger screen than most TVs.
You’ll need an MHL to HDMI adaptor if you want to connect to your smartphone. It’s a great way to project your screen too. There’s a short delay, but it’s generally very useful.
If you travel around a lot and don’t always have access to a computer or flat-screen TV, this might be the best option for you.
- Ultra-lightweight and compact design
- Capable of putting out 1080p resolution for a super-low price
- Screen size is perfect for home use
- Audio quality surprisingly good for such a compact unit
- The room needs to be dark as 400LUX isn’t much at all
- The contrast of 1:800 isn’t great
3. Auking 2019 Upgraded Mini Projector
- Resolution: 1080p
- Screen Size: 32-170”
- Fan Noise Reduction: Yes
- LED Brightness: 2600LUX
- Keystone: Vertical correction
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3/16:9/Auto
You’re getting crazy value for your money with this projector. Its specs blow more expensive models right out the water.
It’s bright at 2600LUX. You might still struggle with readability in a brightly lit room – but other than that, it’s more than enough.
It’s got a versatile range of connections via the HDMI port. You can connect to a TV, smartphone, laptop, Xbox, PS3 and more. You’ll find it perfect for home use and light business use.
The 1080p resolution is enough to give you really high readability and visibility. This combined with the accurate focusing controls makes it an excellent all-rounder. It’s capable of producing a sharp and clear projection with almost all types of content.
It’s a top choice for best gaming projector under $200 if you’re looking for something that’s easy to set up quickly and is high quality.
The stereo speakers perform excellently and make your gaming experience even better. The price makes it an even better pick for the best HD projector under $200.
- Value for money makes this option very hard to ignore
- It’s a super all-rounder that performs well in most situations
- Sharp display and ease-of-use make it excellent for gaming
- 55 000 hour lamp lifetime and durable design
- Could do with a little more brightness
- The remote control isn’t the greatest
Read Also: Best Rechargeable Spotlight – Top Reviewed Buying Guide in 2020
4. Elephas 2020 Mini Movie Projector – Best Movie Projector Under 200
- Resolution: 1920*1080p
- Screen Size: 30-200”
- Fan Noise Reduction: Yes
- LED Brightness: 5000LUX
- Keystone: Full manual control
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3/16:9/Auto
If you’re looking for the best home theatre projector under $200 then consider this.
With a maximum screen size of 200” and a supported resolution up to 1920*1080, you’re getting huge value for your money. These are specs usually found on far more expensive projectors.
The 3000:1 contrast ratio gives you beautifully deep and full blacks. The movie experience feels very immersive, especially when you watch at the max screen size.
The unit is surprisingly compact and light for such a powerhouse. You’ll be able to carry it around easily in its well-fitted carry bag.
The projection is almost twice as bright as the standard model. This lends well to the versatility of the unit, as it’ll be bright and big enough to use for presentations – even in a bright room.
You really can’t go wrong with this. Of course, it’s not perfect, but it’s probably the best movie projector under $200 you’ll find with this performance and price.
- 5000LUX projection is double the standard brightness
- Great sound from the stereo speakers
- 3000:1 contrast ratio gives it a stunning visual element
- 50% fan noise reduction adds more to the movie experience
- Be careful not to drop it – it feels slightly less robust than some models
- Keystone feature is a little difficult to get perfect – make sure your projector is the right height
5. Hompow Mini Projector – Best Video Projector Under 200
- Resolution: 1080p native
- Screen Size: Up to 176”
- Fan Noise Reduction: Yes
- LED Brightness: 3600LUX
- Keystone: ±15 correction control
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3/16:9/Auto
You won’t be delivering scientific presentations to large audiences with this projector – but you’ll certainly get awesome performance at an even more awesome price!
The 1080p native resolution is true 1080p. Many units use software tricks to make it appear that way – but it’s just not the same. The image is crisp and sharp. It actually appears higher quality than my higher-end projector (though this is subjective).
The speakers are loud enough to not need to use external ones. It blares a little at max volume and with some higher-pitched sounds, but it isn’t really noticeable.
You’re getting a top option for the best video projector under 200, especially if resolution and display quality are important to you.
You’ll find it excellent for home use and limited office use. The projection is slightly larger than most models, but not by much.
- High-quality display with true 1080p
- Supports a wide range of multimedia devices
- Keystone adjustments are easy and frustration-free
- Remote control responds well (this is seldom the case with budget models)
- Speakers distort a little at higher volumes – though they’re really loud
- Brightness doesn’t really feel like 3600LUX
6. TopVision Mini Projector – Best Gaming Projector Under 200
- Resolution: 1080p
- Screen Size: 50-176”
- Fan Noise Reduction: Yes
- LED Brightness: 2800LUX
- Keystone: ±15
- Aspect Ratio: 16:10/Auto
If you often use your smartphone or laptop with your projector, this might be the perfect fit for you. It’s the best mini projector under 200 for its super-simple connection process.
You’ll be able to simply connect your smartphone or laptop via USB cable. This means you don’t need to carry around a horde of HDMI cables and adaptors.
This functional feature also makes this a versatile projector for home and office use. It’s better suited to movies than it is to gaming and office use.
The 16:10 aspect ratio means you may have to deal with small black bars on the sides of the image. This isn’t always the case, and it quickly becomes unnoticeable.
You’ll be able to project from up to 5.2 meters away. It’s not the best home projector under 200, but it performs well where it matters most.
The image is sharp and the keystone is easy to get right. It could do with a little extra brightness (depending on how you’ll use it) and could use a little more contrast.
Other than these two minor complaints, it’s an excellent and affordable home-use projector.
- Beautiful and wide aspect ratio is refreshing
- Very compact and easy to carry around
- Ability to connect to your phone or laptop via USB is fantastic
- A simple two-step process to get the image perfectly sharp
- Not great for gaming as the contrast isn’t too high, and there’s a decent amount of delay
- The image loses quite a bit of sharpness as you increase the projection distance
7. QKK 2020 Mini Projector (Upgraded Version)
- Resolution: 1920*1080p
- Screen Size: 32-176”
- Fan Noise Reduction: Yes
- LED Brightness: 4200LUX
- Keystone: ±15
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9/Auto
This is one of my favorite picks for best outdoor projector under 200.
The unit has a built-in 5W speaker that’s loud and proud. It’s able to carry sound well, without distorting at the upper ends of its volume range.
This combined with the 4200LUX bright display will give you great viewing experience.
You’ll be able to set the projector up to five meters away from the display surface. It’s perfect for watching an outdoor movie in the evening.
You can easily mount the unit on the projector tripod that comes with the kit – making it even easier to set up quickly.
Connectivity with a huge range of devices is supported. You can connect to a smartphone just as easily as you can to a Chromebook or TV.
Beware that when you connect via TV stick, some Netflix shows might not have audio. This is because of the coding preventing unauthorized reproduction of copyrighted material – you gear isn’t broken.
- Can connect with most devices very quickly
- The in-build speaker is very loud and decent quality
- The projector tripod stand is sturdy and easy to set up
- Advanced cooling keeps the projector cool where most others would get really hot
- Many cheaper models can do more for less
- The remote control can get a little frustrating as it often doesn’t respond
8. Yaber Native 1080p Projector – Best Outdoor Projector Under 200
- Resolution: 1920*1080
- Screen Size: 45-200”
- Fan Noise Reduction: Yes
- LED Brightness: 6500LUX
- Keystone: ±50 (4D)
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9/4:3/Auto
If you’re looking for a powerhouse that can be used in some professional situations, then this is among the best.
Its display is ultra-bright at 6500LUX. It’s more than enough for presentations and screenings in bright rooms – and even outdoors. It’s among my favorites for best outdoor projector under 200.
You’re getting high-level connectivity with 2 HDMI ports, 2 USB ports, a VGA port, and an AV port. This gives you peace of mind and flexibility knowing that you’ll be fine in almost all situations.
The sound is full and beefy, despite only having a dual 3W in-built speaker setup. You’ll have no trouble screening a movie in a medium-sized room; though you may struggle to get loud enough to fill a large room.
The design is smart and well thought out. Overheating isn’t a problem, and you’ll be able to run it for hours without needing to give it a rest.
You’re getting double the lifespan of the LEDs (100 000+ hours) that you’d get in similarly priced models. You won’t need frequent repairs and the unit is capable of taking a beating.
This is the best projector under 200 for its specs and performance. You’re paying a little more, but you get every dollar’s worth.
- The screen in very bright and large
- Excellent cooling and overall design
- Native 1080p is very sharp and clear
- 8000:1 contrast is visually stunning and the experience is immersive
- Speakers could use louder volume considering the price
- The unit is pretty heavy and a little bulky
Also Read: Best Camcorder for YouTube Vlogging – Put Out High Quality Content
9. Crosstour Home Theatre Mini Projector
- Resolution: 1920*1080p
- Screen Size: 32-176”
- Fan Noise Reduction: Yes
- LED Brightness: 2000LUX
- Keystone: ±15
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9/4:3/Auto
Here’s a great home theatre projector at a low price. This projector boasts 20% reduced noise and 70% increased brightness. 2000LUX may not seem like much, but the 2000:1 contrast makes it seem brighter than it actually is.
The screen size is what you’d expect from a home theatre projector. 3-3.5m is the optimal distance for the projector to be set up – and the display is better than usual here. It’s detailed and the colors are well-balanced and accurate.
While it’s not the most compact projector, it’s solid and strong.
If you want to get the sharpest image, place the unit about 74” back and raise the front anchor. This process is made even easier as the keystone is simple to get right.
The sound is spot on for a single speaker and more than good enough for media consumption.
This unit will get a little warm with extended use, so give it a rest once in a while. This shouldn’t be a big issue unless you’re planning on binging through 2 seasons in one sitting.
This is definitely one of the best home theatre projectors under 200 if you’re looking for value.
- Great sound considering it’s a single speaker
- Excellent sharpness at 73” away from the display surface
- The fan is really quiet
- Keystone and focus are really simple to set perfectly
- Zoom scale isn’t consistent – this can probably be fixed with a firmware update though
- Buttons on the unit can be a little hard to press and cause you to move the unit by mistake
10. DBPower L21 Video Projector
- Resolution: 1920*1080p
- Screen Size: Up to 200”
- Fan Noise Reduction: Yes
- LED Brightness: 5000LUX
- Keystone: ±15
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9/4:3/Auto
You’ll realize how lightweight and portable the L21 is when you first take it out of the box. It’s easy to quickly slip into a case and get moving.
It comes with all the necessary multimedia connections, adapters and cables; and a lens cap to keep it clean and out of harm’s way.
The controls are conveniently placed on the top and in easy to reach places. Navigating without using the remote control isn’t as frustrating as you’d expect it to be.
The display is sharp and bright, despite the small size of the unit. It packs quite a bit of power into the compact body.
The sound is probably the star of the show in this unit. You’ll rarely need to turn it up beyond 80 and you’ll get a rich, full experience.
It’s easily a top pick for best projector under 200 if you consume media and love screen sharing from your smaller devices.
- Excellent audio that beats much more expensive units
- Display and brightness are well suited to media playback and light gaming
- Compact and lightweight – yet powerful
- Seems to be compatible with almost anything
- Crackling noise when connecting the AV cable for gaming
- Getting the keystone right can be a headache
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Final Thoughts
So we’ve looked at the 10 best projectors out there that tick all the right boxes.
There are heaps of choices out there that can make this process complicated and chew through your time. The best projector under 200 can give you more than you need in most situations.
Many of these models are bright and big enough to use for business presentations and office use (even outdoors). You’ll find that each model offers something unique that many others don’t have.
Taking the time to go through this buying guide is a great first step.
By now you should feel ready to make a choice. We’ve looked at what’s important in a projector.
I know how that nobody uses them in the same way, so I’ve added projectors that focus on different needs or are versatile enough to cover more than one focus.
You’re not going to get fancy, professional-grade projector under 200. With our guide though, you’ll be able to find the best ones in your budget.
It’s all about making trade-offs and deciding what’s more important to you personally.
All that’s left for you is to make the choice and go ahead and order it. There’s no perfect projector, so don’t get too caught up in it.
You’ll have the best projector under 200 that does what you need it to – and delivers quality where it matters most!
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