HDTV Home Theater Projectors

The Bottom Line: The new chip in Samsung's SP-A900B helps it to outperform every projector in its class, including its step-down Joe Kane-designed brother, and to compete favorably against significantly more-expensive three-chip DLP projectors.

Specs: DLP projector, 1920 x 1080, 1000 ANSI lumens, 12000:1, HDTV, 21.6 lbs, 16.9 in x 18.4 in x 7.8 in

The Bottom Line: The Panasonic PT-AE2000U 1080p projector is a credible performer, especially when you consider its relatively low price.

Specs: LCD projector, 1920 x 1080, 1500 ANSI lumens, 16000:1, HDTV, 15.9 lbs, 18.1 in x 11.8 in x 5.1 in

Specs: DLP projector, 1920 x 1080, 1400 ANSI lumens, 10000:1, HDTV, 19.2 lbs, 16.0 in x 12.2 in x 4.6 in

The Bottom Line: The JVC DLA-RS1U projector does a lot of things very well at a reasonable price for a 1080p projector. If JVC were to improve color accuracy, it would be a world-class product.

Specs: 1920 x 1080, 700 ANSI lumens, 15000:1, HDTV, 25.6 lbs, 18.0 in x 17.6 in x 7.3 in

The Bottom Line: Although stylish and affordable for a 1080p projector, the Mitsubishi HC5000's black level failings prevent it from earning our recommendation.

Specs: LCD projector, 1920 x 1080, 1000 ANSI lumens, 10000:1, HDTV, 12.3 lbs, 13.1 in x 13.9 in x 4.9 in

The Bottom Line: The Sony VPL-VW100 produces big, beautiful 1080p images at a price-to-performance ratio that no current projector can match.

Specs: SXRD projector, 1920 x 1080, 800 ANSI lumens, 15000:1, HDTV, 41.9 lbs, 19.5 in x 22.6 in x 6.9 in

The Bottom Line: Able to match the brightness, image quality, and feature sets of much more expensive models, the Dell 2400MP resets the bar for what you can expect from a mainstream budget projector.

Specs: DLP projector, 1024 x 768, 3000 ANSI lumens, 2100:1, HDTV, 5.5 lbs, 10.8 in x 8.3 in x 4 in

The Bottom Line: The Toshiba TDP-T95U seems to define the midpoint of the XGA projector market. There are brighter, lighter, and cheaper models around, but none boast the same combination of price, brightness, and features.

Specs: DLP projector, 1024 x 768, 2200 ANSI lumens, 2000:1, HDTV, 6.4 lbs, 11.8 in x 8.6 in x 3.9 in

The Bottom Line: The best value in front projection in its class, the Optoma HD72 is a surprisingly good performer at a ridiculously low price.

Specs: DLP projector, 1280 x 768, 1300 ANSI lumens, 5000:1, EDTV, HDTV, 7.1 lbs, 13.5 in x 9.7 in x 3.7 in

The Bottom Line: The InFocus IN76 has an excellent feature package, and its solid performance makes it one of the top values among HD-resolution DLP projectors.

Specs: DLP projector, 1280 x 720, 1000 ANSI lumens, 3000:1, DTV, HDTV, 9.3 lbs, 14.2 in x 14.2 in x 4.7 in