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If you don’t have time to read the article, then the overall cheapest model is the Optoma GT5600, although this is an older design, while the Epson EpiqVision LS300 is my recommended model due to its far superior price/performance ratio.
Ultra short throw projectors are a relatively new phenomenon, with several LG and Samsung bringing several laser-powered UST projectors to the market in the last year or two, all of which are capable of producing 100-inch+ images at a distance of only around 10 to 12-inches from your screen, meaning that they have a throw ratio of around 0.33 or less.
This means that there is very little reliable information about not only which is the cheapest ultra short throw projector, but more importantly which offers the best value for money for those looking for an ultra short throw projector on a budget.
This article covers both the cheapest 4K ultra short throw projector, along with the cheapest 1080p ultra short throw projector, and gives you a rundown of the strengths and weaknesses of each.
Don’t forget to check out my full reviews of the best 4K ultra short throw projectors.
The Cheapest Ultra Short Throw Laser Projector
The Best Cheap Ultra Short Throw Projector
- Projects a 1080p picture with a 100-inch diagonal at 10-inches from the wall
- Fantastic picture quality with 3600 Lumens brightness, and with lovely, saturated colors
- 3 LCD lasers, which are offer far superior optical quality than LED lamps
- No rainbow effect or other optical distortions
- Built-in Android TV, letting you stream Netflix, Disney+, Prime & more
- 2.1 Yamaha speaker system within the projector
Alternative 4K Short Throw Projector:
If you want a 4K projector, but don’t want to pay UST prices, then consider the XGIMI Horizon Pro 4K Projector, which is the cheapest 4K short throw projector, with a longer throw ratio, but at quite a cost saving.
An Alternative to Ultra Short Throw Projectors
Although ultra short projectors are the pinnacle of home projection technology, there’s no doubt that they are very expensive.
If you want a fantastic projector, but don’t want to empty your bank account, then I highly recommend the Xgimi Elfin, a portable, budget-friendly, cheap short throw projector.
Portable and Powerful
- Fantastic 1080p image quality for such a small projector
- Loud speakers outperform their 3W rating
- Bright enough to use in indirect daylight (at under 50-inches picture size)
- Auto-keystoning and focus plus object avoidance work perfectly
- Streams Netflix, Prime and Disney+ direct through the in-built Android TV with no issues
- Lack of bass in the speakers
- No battery
Compare the Top Cheap Ultra Short Throw Projectors
Projector | Throw Distance & Max Image Size | Resolution & Brightness | Native Netflix Streaming? | Check Price | |
 | [The Best Budget UST Projector] | 150" image at 15.2 inches | Full HD (1080p) & 3600 ANSI Lumens | Yes | |
 | 120" image at 8 inches | Full HD (1080p) & 1500 ANSI Lumens | No - with separate streaming stick | ||
 | 120" image at 11.7 inches | Pixel-shifting 4K & 2400 ANSI Lumens | Yes for Disney+ & Prime - Netflix currently with separate streaming stick due to newness of this model |
What Should You Care About in an Ultra Short Throw Projector?
There are a handful of key points that you need to keep in mind when researching ultra short throw projectors. I’ve listed all of these key points below, along with an explanation of each.
How you order this list is up to you, but I have scored each projector reviewed here according to the current order below. Remember that a projector must have passed at least most, if not all, of these points in order to be included here.
Feel free to use this list for your own research if you don’t find any models in this article that meet your criteria
- Image Quality. There are a number of ways to measure image quality, including:
- Depth of Colors. How vivid are the colors? Are skin tones accurate?
- Black Level. Many projectors have a more gray black tone than TVs.
- Brightness. Laser projectors are much brighter than lamp projectors. Do you need a projector bright enough to use in daylight? Then look for > 2000 ANSI Lumens.
- Sharpness & Clarity. Does the image appear sharp, with a high (> 60 Hz) refresh rate?
- Resolution. Do you need 4K, or are you happy with 1080p? The larger that you project your image (> 100-inches) the more that having 4K makes sense,
- Issues. Chromatic aberration, dispersion, rainbow effect
- Throw Ratio: Ultra Short Throw vs Short Throw. Ultra short throw projectors typically have a throw ratio under about 0.3, while short throw projectors are between 0.3 and 1.5. This translates to a 100-inch image needing the projector placed between one and fifteen feet from the wall.
- Apps and Smart Features. Many of the older projectors do not support native Netflix streaming, meaning that you need a separate streaming stick and remote.
- Ease of Setup. Ideally, you want a projector with auto-setup, as you will need to re-do the setup every time you move the projector.
- Connectivity. Bluetooth audio connection is very valuable, as is WiFi for streaming and screen casting.
- Value for Money. Ultimately, these criteria boil down to whether they make the projector value for money. It’s a good idea to determine your budget before looking, but remember that a good projector should last for years, so it makes sense to mentally spread the cost over time, rather than considering it as a one-off purchase.
Reviews of the Cheapest Ultra Short Throw Projectors
1. Epson EpiqVision
Specifications:
- Max. Image Size: 150″ @ 15.2-inches
- Laser or Lamp? 3 Lasers
- Brightness: 3600 Lumens
- Resolution: Full HD (1080p)
- Throw Ratio: 0.27
- Netflix, etc Streaming? Yes
- Ease of Setup / Use: Easy
Although not the absolute cheapest UST projector, the Epson EpiqVision offers the best value for money, with 3 lasers, a high max brightness, and an all-round quality package.
Picture Quality
Pictures are particularly bright and clear thanks to the 3 LCD lasers, which are vastly superior to the DLP chips found in cheaper projectors. The use of 3 separate lasers for RGB colors means that no color wheel is needed, so there is no possibility of the rainbow effect, which many find very distracting.
Brightness is excellent, with the 3600 Lumens meaning that this is usable in daylight or brighter rooms, although as always, this projector will benefit from being used in a darker space.
There are no obvious issues with the image quality, although you should note that this is 1080p only – there is no 4K projection in this unit – which accounts for the lower price tag.
Setup
Setup is easy if you have an Android phone, as you can perform all setup options directly from it, otherwise you must use the included remote which takes a little bit more work.
There is a wall mapping feature to help you avoid distortions when projecting against a wall rather than a dedicated screen.
Overall
Without a doubt, the Epson LS300 is the best UST projector if you don’t care about 4K, with its excellent integrated 2.1 sound system, easy setup and sleek look.
The unit looks great in a room, projects a 150-inch image at 15.2-inches from your wall, and is a joy to use, with bright, saturated colors from the lasers.
It’s still fairly expensive, but is significantly cheaper than 4K UST projectors, and offers the best value for money out of any of the projectors in this article.
- Pros:
- Max 150-inch image at 15.2-inches from your wall
- 3 LCD Lasers offer sharp, colorful images with no rainbow effect
- Usable in brighter rooms thanks to the 3600 Lumens rating
- Easy setup with Android phone integration
- Netflix and Disney+ streaming with Android TV
- Cons:
- Fairly loud fan noise, although that is common with these kinds of projectors
- Not the absolute cheapest 1080p UST projector
2. XGIMI Aura 4K
Specifications:
- Max. Image Size: 150″ @ 17.3-inches
- Laser or Lamp? 1 Laser
- Brightness: 2400 Lumens
- Resolution: Pixel Shift 4K
- Throw Ratio: 0.233
- Netflix, etc Streaming? Yes, except Netflix which is currently with streaming stick – see review
- Ease of Setup / Use: Medium
The XGIMI Aura 4K is a brand new UST projector that offers many of the benefits of the more expensive Samsung models, but at a fraction of the price.
Picture Quality
For a pixel-shifted 4K device, the picture quality is actually very good, offering vivid, bright colors, although blacks are more gray than they would appear on an OLED TV, though this is not unexpected for a projector.
With a throw ratio of 0.233, the projector only needs to be 11.7-inches from the wall to deliver a 120 inch image. This short throw distance combines well with the brightness of 2400 lumens, which is good for normal daytime viewing and works even with sunlight coming into the room.
Setup
Setup must be performed manually, unlike on some of the real high-end models, with an eight-point keystone correction input via the remote and a projected test image. There is autofocus to help you.
The remote is a strong point, as with other XGIMI projectors, offering a well designed device that supports voice controls, and lets you connect to the built-in Android TV, Chromecast and Google Assistant.
With a 12 second boot time, you can quickly get into watching your shows on Disney+ and Prime, although the Netflix app does not currently work, but will once Netflix have verified this model. This means that you need a separate streaming stick at the moment for Netflix viewing.
Overall
If you want a more high-end projector, with excellent smart feature integration, then the XGIMI Aura does a fine job of making it very easy to stream and watch movies, particularly in the near future once it is certified for Netflix.
- Pros:
- Surprisingly good picture for a pixel shifted 4K device, with bright, vivid colors
- 12 second boot time and Android TV with excellent voice controlled remote
- Easy streaming of Disney+ and Prime
- Low lag, which is better suited to gaming than other projectors
- Cons:
- Not yet verified for Netflix streaming – use a separate streaming stick until then
- Longer lead time for shipping as this is a brand new device
3. LG HF85LA
Specifications:
- Max. Image Size: 120″ @ 8-inches
- Laser or Lamp? 1 Laser
- Brightness: 1500 Lumens
- Resolution: Full HD (1080p)
- Throw Ratio: 0.233
- Netflix, etc Streaming? No, use a separate streaming stick
- Ease of Setup / Use: Medium
The LG HF85LA is an older model of ultra short throw projector that has a few flaws, but is also one of the cheapest laser projectors around.
Picture Quality
As with any laser projector, image quality is top notch, with the light source seeming brighter than its 1500 ANSI Lumens would suggest. Colors are good, and the image is sharp and clear.
Setup
Setup takes longer to perform than on more recent projectors, as it must be done entirely manually, including physically moving the projector if you need to adjust the overall positioning of the image. There is also an eight-point manual keystone correction.
One large flaw with the LG is that the native app store does not contain either Netflix or Prime apps, meaning that you must use a separate streaming stick to access these services. This is a small price to pay though for the much lower price tag.
Overall
The HF85LA is definitely showing its age now, as one of the first UST projectors on the market, but it still manages to deliver an excellent picture quality, and is very good value for money if you are willing to overlook its one or two flaws.
- Pros:
- Delivers a 120-inch image at 8-inches from the wall
- Compatible with HDR10 for great contrast and vivid colors
- LG designed internal menu system works very well and is easy to use
- The option to connect to a sound system via Bluetooth
- Cons:
- Only 1500 Lumens of brightness, although this is offset by the laser light source
- No Netflix native streaming – use a separate streaming stick
Conclusion: Which UST Projector is Right for You?
Choosing an ultra short throw projector is a big decision due to the cost involved. You want to be sure that the model you pick will serve you well for years to come, and will be something that doesn’t cause you undue stress or hassle, and that works right off the bat.
If this resonates with you, then the best ultra short throw projector remains the Epson EpiqVision LS300, which gives one of the best projection quality images out of any non-4K device. The three laser sources are a massive part of this, and means that it rivals the much more expensive 4K Samsung UST projectors.
The Best Cheap Ultra Short Throw Projector
- Projects a 1080p picture with a 100-inch diagonal at 10-inches from the wall
- Fantastic picture quality with 3600 Lumens brightness, and with lovely, saturated colors
- 3 LCD lasers, which are offer far superior optical quality than lamps
- No rainbow effect or other optical distortions
- Built-in Android TV, letting you stream Netflix, Disney+, Prime & more
- 2.1 Yamaha speaker system within the projector
Read More:
See the top 4K ultra short throw projectors
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