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.
In brief
We compare three 4K home theater projectors on what each listing publishes. Two had an Amazon.com offer on October 25, 2026, from $1,399 to $1,600. On this shelf the unit decides what you can compare, the panel count decides how bright color looks, and the built-in system decides how many boxes you need. In the United States the choice is between the BenQ TK705i, the one-object machine with Google TV, and the Epson Home Cinema 3200, whose color holds up as brightly as its white.
4K PRO-UHD · 3,000 lumens white AND color brightness · 40,000:1 stated contrast · 3LCD · optional Wi-Fi
A 3LCD projector that publishes white and color 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 color rather than pixel count, and anyone bothered by the rainbow effect single-chip projectors can produce.
≈ $1,600
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.
≈ $1,399
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.
No Amazon.com offer on Oct 25, 2026
With the lights down, yes, at the image sizes these machines are sold for. Ambient light lands on the screen and becomes the black level of the picture, so the same projector looks excellent with the curtains closed and washed out with them open. In a room that stays bright, an ambient light rejecting screen does more than another 1,000 lumens.
Because a 3LCD projector sends red, green and blue through three panels at once, so its color output equals its white output, and Epson states both: 3,000 and 3,000. A single-chip DLP projector creates color in sequence and is often brighter in white than in color; a white figure alone hides that gap.
It cannot be judged as written. The Acer's listing does not say whether 10,000:1 is native — the panel on its own — or dynamic, measured with the light source dimming between scenes. A dynamic figure is usually far higher than the native one, so two contrast numbers compare only when both say which they are.
None of the three listings states optical lens shift. The Acer states keystone correction, which squares a tilted image digitally by discarding pixels. Without lens shift, the projector has to sit at the height and distance its throw ratio expects, so measure the room first.
The review describes the EH-TW7000, the European name, and Epson sells the same design in the United States as the Home Cinema 3200, the listing the Amazon button opens. Check the US listing's specifications before buying: a regional version can differ in its accessories or wireless options.
On October 25, 2026, Amazon.com had offers for the BenQ TK705i at $1,399 and the Epson Home Cinema 3200 — the US name of the EH-TW7000 — at $1,600. The Acer H6815BD is a European model with no Amazon.com listing.
Yes. The Acer states a 3 W speaker, a fallback rather than sound for a film, and the others state none. Budget for a soundbar or a receiver, and check that the projector, or the source, sends audio to it over HDMI or an audio output.
On this shelf the unit decides what you can compare, the panel count decides how bright color looks, and the built-in system decides how many boxes you need. In the United States the choice is between the BenQ TK705i, the one-object machine with Google TV, and the Epson Home Cinema 3200, whose color holds up as brightly as its white.
Only figures stated by four devices in five open a column. A half-filled column sets nothing against anything.
| Model | Price | Brightness | Resolution |
|---|---|---|---|
| BenQ TK705I | $1399 | 3,000 ANSI lumens — stated in a measured unit | 4K — stated |
| Epson V11H961040 | $1600 | 3,000 lumens white brightness and 3,000 lumens color brightness — both stated | 4K PRO-UHD — pixel-shifting, stated by the maker as 4K PRO-UHD rather than native 4K |
| Acer MR.JTA11.001 | — | 4,000 ANSI lumens — stated in a measured unit | 4K UHD, 3,840 × 2,160 — stated |
Specifications: manufacturer sheets for home theater gear and the matching Amazon product pages. Prices and availability: Keepa. Every figure in this table names its source.
Most recent revision in this category: October 25, 2026.
Prices quoted in these summaries are dated readings. The live price is shown next to each product.
