Best Projector Under $1000 in 2026
Four projectors under $1,000 compared on listed brightness, resolution and price: BenQ TH685P, Epson Home Cinema 980, Optoma GT1080HDR and Epson Lifestudio Pop Plus.
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Epson Home Cinema 980
Epson lists 4,000 lumens of color and white brightness for the Home Cinema 980 at $799.99, with 4.6 stars from 58 ratings. The Optoma GT1080HDR ($799) lists 3,800 lumens and a short-throw lens, with 695 ratings. The BenQ TH685P ($979) lists 3,500 ANSI lumens and 120Hz. The Epson Lifestudio Pop Plus ($599.99) is the smart one, with Google TV and a 4K PRO-UHD label. Prices and stock were read on Amazon.com on 4 October 2026 and change often. We have not tested these projectors.
Check Price on AmazonAt a Glance
| Feature | BenQ TH685P | Epson Home Cinema 980 | Optoma GT1080HDR | Epson Lifestudio Pop Plus 4K PRO-UHD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $979 | $799.99 | $799 | $599.99 |
| Resolution | 1080p, 4K-supported inputs | 1080p 3LCD | 1080p, 4K HDR compatible | 4K PRO-UHD (Epson label) |
| Brightness (listed) | 3,500 ANSI lumens | 4,000 lumens (color and white) | 3,800 lumens | 700 lumens (3LCD color and white) |
| Smart OS | None listed | None listed (USB powers a streaming stick) | None listed | Google TV |
| Throw / Picture Size | 100 in from 8.2 ft (per BenQ) | Not stated in the listing text we read | 100 in from just over 3 ft | Not stated in the listing text we read |
Quick Comparison
Our Top Picks
BenQ TH685P
BenQ lists 3,500 ANSI lumens, 1080p at 120Hz, 8.3 ms latency, a 5W speaker and a 3-year warranty, at $979.
- 3,500 ANSI lumens, per BenQ
- 8.3 ms low latency at 1080p/120Hz, per BenQ
- 95% Rec. 709 and HDR10, per BenQ
- 100-inch image from 8.2 feet, per BenQ
- 3-year warranty, per BenQ
- $979, three times the price of the NexiGo PJ40 Pro
- A single 5W speaker, per the listing
- No built-in smart OS listed; it needs a streaming device
- Only 82 Amazon ratings
Epson Home Cinema 980
Epson lists a 3LCD 1080p projector with 4,000 lumens of color and white brightness, two HDMI ports and a built-in speaker, at $799.99.
- 4,000 lumens of color and white brightness, per Epson
- 3-chip 3LCD, with 100% of the RGB signal shown for every frame, per Epson
- Two HDMI ports and a USB port that powers a streaming stick, per Epson
- A built-in speaker, per Epson
- 4.6 stars on Amazon
- $799.99
- Only 58 Amazon ratings
- No built-in smart OS listed; the USB port is for powering a streaming stick
Optoma GT1080HDR
Optoma lists a Full HD short-throw projector with 3,800 lumens, 4K HDR compatibility and low input lag, at $799.
- 3,800 lumens for lights-on viewing, per Optoma
- A short-throw lens for a 100-inch image from just over 3 feet, per Optoma
- Low input lag for gaming, per Optoma
- 4K HDR compatibility, per Optoma
- Lamp life of up to 15,000 hours in Eco+ mode, per Optoma
- $799
- A lamp, not a laser or LED light source
- No built-in smart OS listed; it needs a streaming device
Epson Lifestudio Pop Plus 4K PRO-UHD
Epson lists a 4K PRO-UHD 3LCD projector with 700 lumens, Bose-tuned sound and Google TV, at $599.99.
- 3-chip 3LCD with 700 lumens of color and white brightness, per Epson
- Sound by Bose technology, per Epson
- Google TV with streaming apps, per Epson
- EpiqSense 2.0 auto setup for focus, color and alignment, per Epson
- A 4K PRO-UHD label (Epson states a footnote to this claim)
- 4K PRO-UHD is Epson's label and carries a footnote; it is not stated as native 4K in the text we read
- 700 lumens is modest next to lamp-based home-theater projectors
- 56 Amazon ratings at 4.0 stars
How This Was Researched
We compare what each maker and Amazon listing states (resolution, brightness, smart OS, throw and price) for four projectors on Amazon.com on 4 October 2026. Where a listing does not state a figure we say so rather than guess. We have not tested these projectors, and where a seller is an unfamiliar brand its own brightness and lifespan claims are unverified.
Frequently Asked Questions
Their Amazon pages no longer exist, so we replaced them with listings that are live.
It is Epson's label for its pixel-shifting technology and it carries a footnote on the listing. The listing text we read does not state native 4K, so we call it a label rather than a resolution.
Epson Home Cinema 980
Epson lists a 3LCD 1080p projector with 4,000 lumens of color and white brightness, two HDMI ports and a built-in speaker, at $799.99.
Check Price on Amazon