Native panel, pixel shift, or upscaling — three different things
Three very different machines are sold as 4K. A native 4K panel addresses 8.3 million pixels; a pixel-shifting design flashes a 1080p or 1440p panel four or two times per frame to place them; an accepting projector takes a 4K signal and shows it at 1080p. All three are legally described as 4K, and only the first two change what you see. The second thing to read is the unit on the brightness figure: ANSI lumens are measured to a standard, plain "lumens" and "LED lumens" are not, and the gap between the two can be a factor of ten on the same box. Then comes placement — throw ratio, zoom range and whether there is real lens shift rather than digital keystone, which crops and softens the image to square it up. We compare how the 4K is produced, stated brightness with its unit, stated contrast and whether it is native or dynamic, throw ratio and zoom, lens shift, and HDMI version with refresh rate.
4K UHD 3 840 × 2 160 · 4 000 ANSI lumens · 10 000:1 stated contrast · keystone · 3 W speaker
A 4K UHD DLP projector that states its brightness in ANSI lumens at a price where most of the shelf stops doing so — and a specification sheet that reads like a data table rather than a sales page.
Best for: A first 4K projector in a room where the light can be controlled and the machine can sit where the throw ratio wants it.
≈ $1179 / 710 €
4K PRO-UHD · 3 000 lumens white AND colour brightness · 40 000:1 stated contrast · 3LCD · optional Wi-Fi
A 3LCD projector that publishes white and colour brightness as the same figure — a distinction single-chip machines rarely make, and one that decides how a saturated image actually looks.
Best for: A viewer who notices colour rather than pixel count, and anyone bothered by the rainbow effect single-chip projectors can produce.
≈ £959 / 937 €
4K HDR · 3 000 ANSI lumens · Google TV built in
A 4K HDR projector with Google TV on board and a stated 3 000 ANSI lumens — the built-in system is the reason to choose it, and the reason to check licensing before buying.
Best for: Someone who wants one object rather than a projector plus a streaming stick, in a room where the light can be controlled.
≈ £1195 / 1225 €
