Gaming on a Big Screen: How to Choose a Projector for Immersive Gameplay?

Written by Marcello TBL

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Gaming Projector

Forget games as you are used to knowing them – you have to experience the gameplay all over again. Have you ever dreamed of playing your favorite shooter on a huge screen with maximum detail and feeling the dynamics of movement? And what about driving at full speed, seeing the hot asphalt under the melting rubber of your car and every scratch after another unsuccessful drift? Or maybe you would like to play football, scoring your best goals accompanied by the screams of the fans? Modern projectors promise you an immersive gaming experience!

The main dream of most gamers is the opportunity to feel the full range of emotions from playing their favorite game on the big screen. But since a system consisting of multiple monitors is quite expensive, the only budget option for making your dream come true is a projector. If you want to choose such a device for personal use, consider important nuances to keep in mind. 

Benefits of using a projector for gaming sessions 

Using a projector for computer games is like renting a car for drivers under 21 for a road trip – you get a top-class experience in both cases. For example, you can find an underage car rental in Canada and other countries at Rental24h.com. At the same time, a large selection of projectors is available at any specialized electronics store. The main thing is to know the criteria by which to choose. However, before we begin, let’s look at the main advantages of these devices. These are: 

  • Big screen 
  • Full immersion in the process 
  • Comfortable play space 
  • Better graphics 
  • Multiple connection options 

How to decide on a suitable projector? 

When it comes to gaming, no other type of display matches the immersion and entertainment that projection technology can offer. The market provides a wide variety of models, but it’s difficult for an unprepared person to opt for the right one. Here are a few key factors to consider when choosing such equipment. 

Screen resolution 

Screen resolution is one of the main criteria that affects the clarity and quality of the image. The more pixels, the better picture you get. Check out the most popular options below. 

  • HD 720 (1280×720 pixels) – this resolution is designed for 16:9 screens. Projectors with this resolution are perfect for connecting to the XBOX 360 console
  • W VGA (864×480 pixels) – typical resolution for PCs and widescreen smartphones. 
  • Full HD (1920×1080 pixels) – an ideal solution for XBOX one and PS4. 
  • 4k (3840×2160) – an ultra-high resolution that is four times clearer than Full HD. 

In addition, a projector can have a screen resolution of either 600×800 or 3840×2160. You should choose based on preference and budget. Today, the most advantageous option is a device with Full HD resolution (1920×1080 pixels).

Gaming Projector

Luminous power 

Gaming projectors can be ranked by the brightness of the picture they produce. However, this factor depends on external factors, so a more accurate definition of this parameter would be the luminous power of the device. It’s measured in lumens and allows you to determine the real strength of the luminous flux. Most models offer three modes for displaying the brightness of the projected image: 

  • “Dynamic” mode – you get maximum light power with possible losses in color rendering quality. 
  • “Viewing” mode – designed for watching movies in dark rooms. 
  • “Display” mode – a special mode for displaying presentations, under which the device produces maximum color rendition and 60-70% of the total light power. 

We recommend choosing projectors with a brightness of 3,000 lumens or higher for perfect images in any lighting. Still, consider not only power but screen size and lighting. So, 1,400 lumens will be enough for you for a 130-inch diagonal and 700 lumens for an 80-inch picture if you are going to play in a dark room.

Image contrast 

Image contrast refers to the ratio of the brightness of white to the brightness of black. Due to the specificity of each individual room, it will be challenging for you to relate the declared and real contrast of the resulting image. 

The higher a projector’s contrast ratio, the deeper blacks and more saturated colors it can produce. A contrast ratio of 10,000:1 or higher will provide an amazing experience. To get the maximum effect from playing your favorite games, we recommend paying great attention to choosing projectors according to this criterion. A bigger part of mid-priced models have special diaphragms in their systems that reduce the overall brightness in dark scenes, which makes it possible to further emphasize the depth of blacks.

Input lag 

Input lag is an extremely important parameter for connecting the projector to any device. It’s responsible for changing frames when connecting a game from a PC or console. If the frame refresh rate is low, the game will freeze. 

The lower the input delay, the faster the parameters you set will appear on the screen. The optimal input lag value for games is less than 30 ms, but we recommend considering models that show 16 ms according to this criterion. For example, if you are playing PS4, a projector with a 20ms draw speed will provide gamers with a high-quality image with little lag. However, such devices are more expensive.

So, gaming on a large screen is worth a try. Having darkened the room and turned on the projector, you fall into another world – a world of bright colors and breakneck speeds. By the way, a huge plus of a gaming video projector is the almost complete absence of impact on the eyes. You no longer have to worry about time spent in the game world affecting your eyesight. And if you still get tired of playing on a PC or console, book a rental car through the Rental24h app and brighten up your life with an adventurous road trip!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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Marcello TBL

Italian Dad in love with Turn-Based RPGs and Indie Games. In 2018 he started Turn Based Lovers and now he can't live without it.