Nebula Cosmos 4K SE
An all-in-one 4K projector with Google TV and Netflix built in, so it works out of the box with no stick.
Check Price on Amazon Read the full reviewThe 10 Best Projectors of 2026, Ranked
Our verdict: The best projector in 2026 is the Nebula Cosmos 4K SE. It tops our ranking with 8.3 out of 10.
Our projector picks
Fewer picks than usual: no other model in the top half is better value.
BenQ TK700STi
The short-throw option: it fills a 100-inch picture from about 2 metres, which suits smaller UK living rooms.
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Epson CO-FH02
A genuine 1080p 3LCD projector at a budget price, with an Android TV dongle in the box.
Check Price on Amazon Read the full reviewAll 10 projectors, compared
We compared 26 projectors sold in the UK, then ranked ten of them by how happy owners are. These ten are mains-powered home cinema and gaming models, from budget 1080p lamp projectors to 4K triple-laser machines, with throw ratios from short throw to standard. Every product links to its full review below.
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1
Nebula Cosmos 4K SEBest Choice
8.3 out of 10
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2
BenQ TK700STiBest Premium
8.3 out of 10
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3
Epson CO-FH02Best Budget
8.2 out of 10
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- 4 Hisense M2TUK Pro 8.1 out of 10 Check Price
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5
XGIMI Horizon Ultra
8.1 out of 10
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6
BenQ TK710
8.1 out of 10
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7
Epson EH-TW7100
8.0 out of 10
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8
XGIMI Horizon 20 Max
8.0 out of 10
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9
Optoma HD146X
7.9 out of 10
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- 10 Optoma UHD38x 7.9 out of 10 Check Price
No. 1 and No. 2 are level
The Nebula Cosmos 4K SE and the BenQ TK700STi score the same, so either is a safe pick. The Nebula Cosmos 4K SE goes first because it is the newer design. No. 2 leaves owners a little happier. It takes our Best Premium badge.
The full projector reviews
1.Nebula Cosmos 4K SE
An all-in-one 4K projector with Google TV and Netflix built in, so it works out of the box with no stick. Owners like how quiet and simple it is.
What makes up the score
- How happy owners are4th of 10
- How many rated it4th of 10
- How new it is2nd of 10
Each bar shows its place in this guide, so a full bar is 1st of 10. How happy owners are counts for most of the score.
Why it's here
- Google TV with 4K Netflix and no external dongle
- Two HDMI 2.1 ports, one with eARC
- Quiet at under 28dB, with two 15W speakers
- Autofocus and keystone correction handle setup
Keep in mind
- 1800 ANSI lumens is limiting in a bright room
- No lens shift listed, so placement is less flexible
- Speakers are modest, so a soundbar helps for films
2.BenQ TK700STi
The short-throw option: it fills a 100-inch picture from about 2 metres, which suits smaller UK living rooms. A popular gaming pick with Android TV and eARC.
What makes up the score
- How happy owners are1st of 10
- How many rated it1st of 10
- How new it is8th of 10
Each bar shows its place in this guide, so a full bar is 1st of 10. How happy owners are counts for most of the score.
Why it's here
- Throw ratio of 0.9 to 1.08 gives 100 inches from roughly 2 metres
- 3000 ANSI lumens with FPS, RPG and sports game modes
- Two HDMI 2.0b ports with eARC and Android TV
- Around 4ms input lag at 1080p 240Hz
Keep in mind
- Uses a lamp, so budget for a replacement eventually
- 2D keystone only, and no lens shift
- The 5W speaker is weak, so you will want a soundbar
3.Epson CO-FH02
A genuine 1080p 3LCD projector at a budget price, with an Android TV dongle in the box. It is bright enough for evening use with the lights down low.
What makes up the score
- How happy owners are2nd of 10
- How many rated it3rd of 10
- How new it is6th of 10
Each bar shows its place in this guide, so a full bar is 1st of 10. How happy owners are counts for most of the score.
Why it's here
- Native Full HD with 3000 lumens colour and white brightness
- Android TV dongle included, so no extra streaming stick
- Automatic vertical keystone correction for quick setup
- Lamp rated at 6,000 hours, or 12,000 in eco mode
Keep in mind
- One HDMI input only
- Fan noise reaches 37dB in normal mode, and the 5W speaker is basic
- No lens shift, so placement is less flexible
4.Hisense M2TUK Pro
A compact triple-laser 4K projector with Dolby Vision and HDMI 2.1. It is small enough for a shelf and throws 65 to 200 inches.
What makes up the score
- How happy owners are7th of 10
- How many rated it7th of 10
- How new it is4th of 10
Each bar shows its place in this guide, so a full bar is 1st of 10. How happy owners are counts for most of the score.
Why it's here
- Triple-laser engine with Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and HLG support
- 1.0 to 1.3x optical zoom keeps the picture at full resolution when you resize
- Low input lag, around 12ms, and HDMI 2.1 for a console
- Small body and 20W of built-in sound suit a living room without extra kit
Keep in mind
- 4K comes from pixel shifting, not a native 4K chip
- 1300 lumens means curtains drawn for the best picture
- Runs Hisense's VIDAA platform, so the app list is narrower than Google TV
5.XGIMI Horizon Ultra
A Dolby Vision 4K projector with optical zoom, now priced like a mid-ranger. A LED and laser light source and two Harman Kardon speakers give it a better built-in sound than most.
What makes up the score
- How happy owners are5th of 10
- How many rated it5th of 10
- How new it is5th of 10
Each bar shows its place in this guide, so a full bar is 1st of 10. How happy owners are counts for most of the score.
Why it's here
- 4K with Dolby Vision and HDR10 support
- LED and laser light source rated for around 25,000 hours
- Two 12W Harman Kardon speakers
- Optical zoom with a 1.2 to 1.5 throw ratio for flexible placement
Keep in mind
- 2300 ISO lumens is modest for a bright room
- 4K comes from pixel shifting, not a native 4K chip
- No built-in stand, so you need a shelf, tripod or ceiling mount
6.BenQ TK710
A laser 4K projector aimed at console players who also watch films. It pairs 3200 lumens with low input lag and eARC.
What makes up the score
- How happy owners are8th of 10
- How many rated it9th of 10
- How new it is3rd of 10
Each bar shows its place in this guide, so a full bar is 1st of 10. How happy owners are counts for most of the score.
Why it's here
- Laser light source rated for up to 20,000 hours
- 16ms input lag at 4K 60Hz and about 4ms at 1080p 240Hz
- Two HDMI 2.0b ports, with eARC for a soundbar
- Vertical lens shift, 1.3x zoom and 3D keystone correction
Keep in mind
- HDMI 2.0 only, so no 4K at 120Hz
- No built-in streaming, so plan on a stick
- Lens shift is vertical only, and 3200 lumens still wants a dim room
7.Epson EH-TW7100
The long-running 3LCD choice for a dedicated room. It is bright at 3000 lumens, has generous manual lens shift, and 3LCD avoids the rainbow effect some people see on DLP.
What makes up the score
- How happy owners are3rd of 10
- How many rated it2nd of 10
- How new it is10th of 10
Each bar shows its place in this guide, so a full bar is 1st of 10. How happy owners are counts for most of the score.
Why it's here
- 3000 lumens in both colour and white output
- Manual lens shift of 60% vertical and 24% horizontal plus optical zoom
- Quiet: 32dB in normal mode and 24dB in eco
- 24-month unit warranty and lamp cover of 36 months or 3,000 hours
Keep in mind
- 4K PRO-UHD is pixel shifting from a 1080p panel
- Lamp rated at 3,500 hours normal and 5,000 eco, so it will need replacing
- No smart platform, and focus, zoom and shift are all manual
8.XGIMI Horizon 20 Max
The bright, flexible flagship here. A triple-laser engine rated at 5700 ISO lumens copes with a lit living room, and wide lens shift makes placement forgiving.
What makes up the score
- How happy owners are10th of 10
- How many rated it10th of 10
- How new it is1st of 10
Each bar shows its place in this guide, so a full bar is 1st of 10. How happy owners are counts for most of the score.
Why it's here
- 5700 ISO lumens from an RGB triple-laser source, the brightest in this list
- Lens shift of 120% vertical and 45% horizontal plus a 1.25x optical zoom
- Google TV with licensed Netflix, and automatic focus and keystone
- 1ms input lag at 1080p 240Hz, eARC on one HDMI port, 24-month warranty
Keep in mind
- The most expensive projector here by a wide margin
- Only two HDMI ports
- Around 5.4kg and bulky, so it needs a sturdy shelf or a ceiling mount
9.Optoma HD146X
A bright 1080p lamp projector at a budget price. At 3600 lumens it copes with ambient light better than most projectors of its cost, and it is light enough to move between rooms.
What makes up the score
- How happy owners are5th of 10
- How many rated it5th of 10
- How new it is9th of 10
Each bar shows its place in this guide, so a full bar is 1st of 10. How happy owners are counts for most of the score.
Why it's here
- 3600 ANSI lumens in a 1080p model at a budget price
- Lamp rated at 4,000 hours, or 10,000 in eco mode
- Weighs about 2.8kg, so it moves easily between rooms
- Good for sport and daytime TV as well as films
Keep in mind
- No lens shift, only a 1.1x zoom
- One HDMI input only
- Lamp-based, with no built-in streaming apps
10.Optoma UHD38x
A bright 4K gaming and film projector at a mid-range price. Four thousand lumens makes it one of the better choices for rooms that cannot go fully dark.
What makes up the score
- How happy owners are9th of 10
- How many rated it8th of 10
- How new it is7th of 10
Each bar shows its place in this guide, so a full bar is 1st of 10. How happy owners are counts for most of the score.
Why it's here
- 4000 lumens, the brightest lamp model here
- Input lag as low as 4.2ms at 1080p 240Hz
- HDR10 and HLG support, with dual HDMI inputs
- Handles images up to 300 inches
Keep in mind
- Lamp-based, so the bulb needs replacing over time
- No built-in smart platform and a basic speaker, so budget for a stick and soundbar
Before you buy a projector
What is the best projector for home use in the UK?
It depends on the room and your budget. A bright 4K model such as the XGIMI Horizon 20 Max suits a lit living room, a compact one such as the Hisense M2TUK Pro suits a shelf, and a 1080p model such as the Epson CO-FH02 or Optoma HD146X suits a tight budget. We compared 26 models and ranked these ten from owner ratings, so the order reflects what buyers report.
How bright should a projector be for a living room with the lights on?
Look for ISO or ANSI lumens, not the inflated 'lumens' on cheap listings. Around 3000 to 4000 ANSI lumens handles a room with some daylight, such as the Optoma UHD38x or the Epson EH-TW7100. Models near 1300 to 1800 lumens, such as the Hisense M2TUK Pro or the Nebula Cosmos 4K SE, want curtains drawn for the best picture. Dark rooms matter for contrast and black levels on every projector.
Is a 4K projector worth it over 1080p?
On a 100-inch image, yes, if you sit close and watch 4K films or play on a console. Most 4K projectors here use pixel shifting, which builds a 4K image from a smaller chip. It looks sharper than 1080p but is not the same as a native 4K panel. A good 1080p projector with higher brightness often beats a dim 4K one in a room with some light.
How far from the wall or screen do I need to put a projector?
Multiply the throw ratio by the image width. A 100-inch 16:9 image is about 2.2m wide, so a 1.2 to 1.5 ratio like the XGIMI Horizon Ultra needs roughly 2.7m to 3.3m. A short-throw model such as the BenQ TK700STi reaches 100 inches from about 2m. Lens shift lets you place the projector off-centre without distorting the image; keystone correction fixes shape in software and can soften the picture.
Do I need a projector screen or can I use a white wall?
A smooth, matt white wall works in a dark room. A screen gives a flatter, more even surface, and ambient light rejecting screens help in a lit room, though they suit short-throw and bright models best. Rough or textured paint, and colours other than white, reduce contrast and shift colours. Several models here, such as the XGIMI range, offer wall-colour adjustment.
How long do projector lamps and lasers last?
Lamps are rated in the low thousands of hours: 3,500 hours normal for the Epson EH-TW7100 and 6,000 for the Epson CO-FH02, with longer in eco mode. Laser and hybrid sources last longer, for example about 20,000 hours on the BenQ TK710. Replacement lamps cost real money and third-party ones can void the warranty, so check before you buy. UK models use a standard three-pin plug, and the listings show warranties from one to two years.
How we ranked these ten projectors
Every score here comes from our ranking model; no editor sets the order. We haven't read the review sites for this guide yet, so for now it is led by owners. It ranks products by how happy owners are, holding back any product few owners have rated until more agree. How many rated it and how new it is only settle close calls, and value for money earns its own badge rather than a higher place. We compared 26 models for this guide before settling on these ten.
Brands can't pay to be included or to move up. We last checked these picks in November 2026.
How we rank, in fullOur No. 1 projector
Nebula Cosmos 4K SE
An all-in-one 4K projector with Google TV and Netflix built in, so it works out of the box with no stick. 8.3 out of 10.