All Of The Lights: The 5 Best HD Projectors Under $1,000

An abridged version of this feature appears in Complex's June/July 2011 issue.

If you go to a store today, you can cop a 42'' LCD TV for the price of an iPad 2. We get that. But if you plan on dropping less than $1,000 on a TV, you might want to consider ditching the whole TV- as-living-room-centerpiece paradigm and look into getting a home-theater projector. One of our favorite models, the Epson MovieMate 85HD (seen above), is about the size of the original Xbox 360, but can project a screen image up to 318 inches.

Purchasing a home projector is a bit different from buying a TV. Instead of going for the biggest size you can afford, you need to keep three key factors in mind: resolution, contrast, and brightness. Of course, 1080p is the ultimate, but you’ll be paying a premium for that level of resolution. For our money, we recommend saving a couple Gs and going with 720p. Your eyes won’t know the difference. But they will know the difference between contrast ratios: the difference between the lightest and darkest parts of the video. Set your sights toward models with ratios of 2,000:1 and up.

With its handle and built-in DVD player, projectors like the MovieMate get props for being portable: It gives you the movie theater experience while you kick it in the summer heat. And thanks to its 2,500 lumens of light (you want to aim for 2,000 lumens and up), it’s more than bright enough to project outside. It also has an HDMI input, USB slot, and component and composite connections in case you want to connect an iPad or mobile phone to the projector. When you’re done, bring it back to your apartment and enjoy all the space your TV used to occupy.

Need more options? We got you. Keep reading to see the 5 Best HD Projectors Under $1,000

Price: $850, Available from Amazon.com

Features: 720p resolution, 2500 lumens color output, HDMI input, Built-in DVD player, 200 W lamp, two built-in 10 W Dolby Digital speakers with Digital DTS Surround Sound

Don't spend the best nights of the summer cooped up in your apartment, take the party—er, movie—outside with Epson's MovieMate 85HD. Thanks to its built-in handle, it's super easy to tote around the HD projector. There's no need to bring along the DVD player because there's one built-in; but if you're more of a digital dramatist, you can hook up your iPhone or iPad via the HDMI port and watch your flicks in bright (here's where the 2500 lumens come into play) 720p HD. When the movie's done, pack up and carry the MovieMate back to your crib and enjoy all the space your TV used to occupy.

Price: $579, Available from B&H

Features: Dual HDMI ports, 4000:1 contrast ratio, 3D capable, 720p resolution,

BenQ knows how to stretch a dollar. One of its most inexpensive models boast enough features to keep the average cinephile happy. There's the 4000:1 contrast ratio which will ensure your colors pop on screen, the dual HDMI ports so you can have your TV and your Xbox hooked up at the same time, and finally there's the built-in 3D Projection technology. Oh, there's one more eye-catching feature: the price. You can get all of that for $579. And if you order from B&H, you'll get a free projector screen. Deals on deals on deals.

Price: $550, Available from Amazon

Features: 720p resolution, 24 fps, 3D ready, HDMMI connectivity, remote control, 3200:1 contrast ratio, Acer EcoProjection technology

Acer comes through with a well-priced projector package with excellent brightness and color reproduction. Sporting a 2,500 lumens rating, the H5 has an EcoProjection mode that cuts the lumens to 2,000 to save energy. And with a few add-ons you can watch full HD 3D in the comfort of your living room, if you're into that sort of thing. We dig the compact, low profile design as well as Acer's Color-Boost II+ technology that can, well, boost the color of your movies if you feel they're too weak.

Price: $902, Available from B&H

Features: 1080p resolution, 5000:1 contrast ratio, 2,000 lumens, 3 HDMI ports

Here we have another projector right under the $1,000 price limit with features only found outsides of its weight class. Besides the native 1080p resolution, and the 5000:1 contrast ratio, the H1081 features the same chip--Texas Instruments' BrilliantColor DMD DLP DarkChip 2--found in more expensive models, meaning your image is going to be super-crisp. Also cool is the built-in Close Captioning feature. If you're hosting a big Super Bowl or NBA Finals party, everyone can follow along without you having to cut the music.

Price: $900, Available from Amazon

Features: 1080p resolution, 4000:1 contrast ratio, 1700 lumens, 300" screen size limit

Optoma's HD20 projector shouldn't be on this list as its price is listed at $1,300, but if you're currently in the market for a project, you can hit up a retailer, such as Amazon, and get one for a bargain $900. Seems like a lot, right? Well, considering this is one of the only native 1080p projectors on this list, it's actually a hell of a deal. With decent brightness (1700 lumens), excellent contrast ratio (4000:1), and the ability to display video at 300 ft, you would need to drop a few more Benjamins to get these same specs elsewhere. No, it's not 3D compatible, it does come with two HDMI ports and a back-lit remote. Which do you want more?