I could predict simply from reading the contents of my email inbox that CES 2025 was going to be a showcase for projectors, and that very much turned out to be the case. Big TV brands such as Hisense and TCL had new models on display in their sprawling CES booths and these were accompanied by projectors from many smaller, upstart brands, most hailing from China and some promoting their products on Kickstarter.

In contrast to the CEDIA trade show, which serves as a launching pad for higher-end examples of the best 4K projectors, many of the models at CES are affordable portable projectors and ultra short throw (UST) projectors. But even projectors at this lower-cost tier now benefit from tech developments such as laser light engines and the Google TV smart TV platform. They demand to be taken seriously, and I approached my task of snooping out the best projectors at CES with open eyes and an open mind.

Admittedly, the open halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center where CES is held isn’t the best environment to assess a projector’s picture quality. But with the caveat that not all models were viewed in a perfectly dark room, these are the best and most interesting projectors I encountered at the show.

The Hisense L9Q (shown at top) is a new addition to the company’s lineup of Laser TVs, which package an ultra short throw projector with an ambient light rejecting projection screen. Previous Laser TV offerings provided 100-inch or 120-inch screen options, but the L9Q will be available in 100-, 110-, 120-, 136-, and 150-inch screen sizes when it ships later in 20025.