Are Projectors Good for Gaming?

Can I Use a Projector for PC and Console Gaming? Here’s What You Need to Know

Last Edited: 2024/09/28

Yes, projectors are good for gaming given you choose the right ones. New gen gaming projectors deliver dedicated, rich gaming experiences on displays twice bigger than anything TVs manage without sacrificing response and while offering 120Hz, 4K, and more.

Here’s a topic we’ve touched upon in different ways before, but now it’s time to really get into it. Projector versus TV for gaming. Sure, you know TVs are the mainstream for gaming on consoles, but you want something different. Notably, you want a big screen. A very big screen. Doing that with a TV would be almost ridiculously expensive, not to mention finding a TV that manages a 120” view is essentially impossible. But new gaming projectors easily showcase your gaming on displays in that form factor. And thanks to recent developments, they’re on equal footing with TVs in terms of resolution, input lag, latency, refresh rate, HDR, and color depth, all while having an edge in important image quality specs like contrast. Modern gaming projectors have left issues such as ghosting and lag in the past, and match TVs with regards to gaming performance. Let’s get into this.

In This Article We Cover:

Are Projectors Good for Gaming?
What Are Advantages and Disadvantages of Gaming on a Projector?
Can I connect a gaming system to a projector?
Can I connect a PC to a gaming projector?
Do projectors have input lag for gaming? How do I get rid of input delay on a projector?

What are the advantages of ultrawide curved monitors? We take a close look at gaming and more

Are Projectors Good for Gaming?

Budget TVs are notorious for bad input lag in the area of 30ms or more, which may affect gaming for a lot of people. Certainly good TVs with dedicated gaming modes have low input lag, but so do new gaming projectors. They’re at parity for the most part, and the old myth of projectors being sluggish is now just that, an old myth. Furthermore, good gaming TVs cost proportionally a lot more than projectors with the same performance once we figure screen size in.

To illustrate, the BenQ Gaming projectors offer 1080p 120Hz with input lag of around 8ms and true 4K 60Hz at 16ms including X3100i, X500i, X300G and TK Series. Those are very impressive numbers that create smooth and responsive gaming on massive screens, unlike the limited and rigid form factors of TVs, which also weigh a lot more than projectors and therefore aren’t meant for repositioning. Your average gaming TV weighs around 45 lbs. The BenQ TK700STi weighs a mere six pounds. That’s an added extra we’d like to highlight before we forget. New generation projectors are far more compact and lighter than big screen TVs, whose screens aren’t all that big when compared to projectors yet the end result with them is a large, heavy device you’ll never want to move until you get a new one. By comparison, a fully fledged gaming projector is practically portable.

In any case, if you’re on a good gaming projector you get to enjoy large format viewing of your favorite titles regardless of genre, be it first person shooter or story-rich action RPG or anything else. And with the advantage of better mobility, you’re not locked in to a specific location for the entire lifespan of the product.

If you would like to understand more details and see comparison tables among TV, projector and monitor, please refer to this article.

What Are Advantages and Disadvantages of Gaming on a Projector?

Cost Per Inch of Projector vs TV

If you want the biggest screen possible, only projectors do that. We don’t want to downplay TVs or say anything bad about them, we love TVs and BenQ even makes them for select markets. We just don’t want to maintain any illusion here. Realistically, TVs are capped at 75” for most people, and under 100” if you’re very well off and money isn’t a thing for you. For a lot less money you easily get a great gaming projector that’ll gladly do up to 180” displays if you have the space for a screen. Definitely 100”-120” is effortless, and the relative cost of the projector leaves TVs far behind. The wow factor of games on screens in that size class can’t be denied, nor can it be done by anything other than projectors tuned for gaming from the drawing board onwards.

Projectors Offer High Refresh Rates and Low Input Lag

Thanks to recent developments, there are projectors that are on equal footing with TVs in terms of resolution, input lag, latency, refresh rate, HDR, and color depth, all while having an edge in terms of important image quality specs like contrast. Modern gaming projectors have left issues such as ghosting and lag in the past, and match TVs in terms of gaming performance.

Dedicated Game Modes for an Optimized Experience

Sounds like a fancy tagline but it’s true. In the past, projectors were either for cinephiles on the top of the line or simple light throwers with little refinement. None of that with modern gaming projectors. Just like their TV peers (but again, better because of the much bigger screens), new models for gamers feature modes carefully designed and tested by engineers for specific game styles. BenQ gaming projectors have the sub-menu in the on screen display, which opens up Fast Mode for the absolute minimal latency, Detail Adjustment for sharper, cleaner visuals if desired, and three main game-genre modes. That’s sports, first person shooter, and role playing. All told, you get a sophisticated experience that matches TVs easily in terms of features and implementation.

What About Sound Performance?

You probably noticed that lots of higher priced TVs these days ship with soundbars. That’s because the integrated speakers on flat screen televisions tend to be very underwhelming, and by design. First off, TVs are now expected to be very thin, so there’s little room for speakers. More importantly, with everything packed into one slender design, powerful speakers could easily rattle pixel transistors, distort screen layers, and cause other problems. Good thing gaming projectors aren’t designed like they’re fragile museum pieces, despite their lighter and more compact form factor.

They come along with very capable internal speakers, meaning you don’t need to invest in external audio hardware unless you really want to.

Is Projector Lifespan Good?

Perhaps due to their direct lineage from movie theater projectors, today’s gaming projectors are built like tanks compared to TVs. None of that “clean gently and don’t apply pressure” thing lest a pixel get stuck or something. Projectors not only don’t need to be coddled, they’re built for longer product lifespans than TVs and there’s no expectation to change them every two years, again unless you really want to.

Projectors use robust technologies and components and aren’t prone to issues like dead/stuck pixels, light bleed, dirty screen effect, and so forth. With the 4LED technology used on modern gaming projectors, light sources don’t diminish and colors don’t fade for very, very long periods of time. These aren’t the projectors of old where you needed to change the lamp every couple of years.

Short Throw Saves Space

Having said all that, after choosing a gaming projector, setting it up may prove a little more challenging than what you're used to with TVs. You have to take room size into consideration and find an empty wall to project onto or free space for a large dedicated screen. You also need to make sure ambient lighting in the room is as close to optimal. While projectors don't suffer from the issue of reflections that often manifests with TVs, their picture quality is best in dim settings without overly bright lights.

Advances in technology have brought us true short throw projectors that don’t need big rooms to shine. The BenQ TK700STi offers true 4K on a 100” screen from just two meters away, which is really not much. Three meters will give you 120”, five will bring that up to 180”. Do the math and realize TVs have nothing on this.

Can I connect a gaming system to a projector?

Absolutely! Connecting your gaming system like PS5, Xbox and Switch to a projector is straightforward. Most modern gaming projectors come equipped with HDMI ports, which are compatible with popular gaming consoles. Simply connect your console to the projector using an HDMI cable, and you’re ready to enjoy a larger-than-life gaming experience. For older consoles, you might need additional adapters or cables, but the process remains relatively straightforward.

Here we explain in more detail what makes an excellent gaming projector for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S

Can I connect a PC to a gaming projector?

Yes, you can play PC games on a projector, and it's a great way to enjoy a larger-than-life gaming experience. You can connect your PC to a projector using several methods. The most common is an HDMI cable, which ensures high-quality video and audio. HDMI is widely supported by both PCs and projectors, making it the go-to choice for a seamless setup.Many projectors also support wireless connections via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, allowing you to use screen mirroring or casting technologies like Miracast, Chromecast, or AirPlay. However, be aware that wireless connections might cause lag issues. Adapters, such as a USB-C to HDMI adapter, can bridge different ports. Once connected, adjust your PC’s display settings to match the projector’s resolution and refresh rate for the best experience. This setup provides an immersive gaming experience with an expansive screen size.

Do projectors have input lag for gaming?
How do I get rid of input delay on a projector?

Yes and No, projectors can have input lag, which is the delay between your actions (like pressing a button) and the corresponding response on the screen. However, many modern gaming projectors are engineered to minimize this lag to ensure a smooth gaming experience. BenQ gaming projectors, for instance, are designed with low input lag, often as low as 8ms, which is comparable to many high-end gaming monitors.

To get rid of input delay on a projector, consider the following tips:

Enable Game Mode: Most gaming projectors come with a Game Mode setting that optimizes the projector's performance for gaming by reducing input lag.
Use Direct HDMI Connections: Connect your gaming console or PC directly to the projector using a high-quality HDMI cable to ensure the fastest signal transmission.
Update Firmware: Keep your projector's firmware up-to-date to benefit from the latest performance enhancements and bug fixes.
Optimize Settings: Adjust the projector’s settings to prioritize performance over image processing features that might add to the lag. This includes turning off unnecessary image enhancement features.
Check Refresh Rate: Ensure your projector and gaming system are set to compatible refresh rates to avoid any synchronization issues that could cause delay.
Understand more details about input lag