If you are now in the market for a new projector, you are in the right place. Before placing your order, knowing which projector’s screen size best suits your home space is essential. With that in mind, we have crafted a projector screen size guide to help you get started.
Table of Contents
- What Aspect Ratio Do You Need?
- Convert Projector Dimensions: Inches to Cm
- How to Choose the Right Projector Screen Size
What Aspect Ratio Do You Need?
Figuring out which aspect ratio you need is important when it comes to buying a projector. The aspect ratio is the screen’s shape based on the width-to-height ratio. Here are the most video projector aspect ratios you should know about.
| Ratio | Value |
| 1:1 | Still used in research and educational facilities. Best suited for overhead projectors. |
| 4:3 (NTSC) | An original TV format. Commonly used in commercial and educational facilities |
| 16:9 (HDTV) | The most common aspect ratio in use today. It’s the standard aspect ratio for most TV panels and projectors |
| 2.39:1 (Cinemascope or Widescreen) | The typical format used in movie theaters and based on the original 35mm format |
Note that most 16:9 aspect ratio projectors can display 4:3 aspect ratio content without any issues. However, you will see black bars on your image’s top, bottom, or sides.
Convert Projector Dimensions: Inches to Cm
4:3
| Image Diagonal | Image Height | Image Width |
|---|---|---|
| 100’’ | 60’’ 152 cm | 80’’ 203 cm |
| 120’’ | 72’’ 183 cm | 96’’ 244 cm |
| 150’’ | 87’’ 221 cm | 116’’ 295 cm |
| 200’’ | 118’’ 300 cm | 158’’ 401 cm |
16:9
| Image Diagonal | Image Height | Image Width |
|---|---|---|
| 100’’ | 49’’ 125 cm | 87’’ 221 cm |
| 120’’ | 59’’ 149 cm | 105’’ 266 cm |
| 150’’ | 74’’ 187 cm | 131’’ 332 cm |
| 200’’ | 98’’ 249 cm | 174’’ 443 cm |
2.39:1
| Image Diagonal | Image Height | Image Width |
|---|---|---|
| 100’’ | 39’’ 98 cn | 92’’ 234 cm |
| 120’’ | 46’’ 118 cm | 111’’ 281 cm |
| 150’’ | 58’’ 147 cm | 138’’ 352 cm |
| 200’’ | 77’’ 196 cm | 185’’ 469 cm |
How to Choose the Right Projector Screen Size
There are many factors to consider when choosing the projector screen size that best fits your home space.
Screen Material
Projectors require a separate screen to cast the content onto them. So, getting the right screen material is the key to choosing the best projector screen. When choosing screen material, you should consider two things: gain and viewing angle.
Gain can be defined as the amount of light a screen reflects back at you. For those who may not know, a screen with a gain of 1 should reflect 100% of the light back at viewers without compromising the brightness. Any screen with a gain of under 1 means darker.
If your room has lots of ambient light, it’s best to go for a screen with a higher gain. However, most home theaters are darker, so a gray screen with a gain of 1 is the better option as it produces improved dark tones and contrast.
Resolution
Higher resolution means more pixels, which means better image quality. Most 1080p screens are 1920×1080, meaning 1920 pixels on the horizontal axis and 1080 on the vertical axis. 4K is 4 times the resolution of 1080p screens, which means it sports 3840 x 2160 pixels and offers a much-improved image quality.
1080p is an affordable option if you want to save some money. However, if you want to go for a bigger screen, then 4K is a better option.Â
Also read: Can You Use a Projector as a Computer Monitor?
