Best Projectors For Classrooms

There are dozens of projectors that teachers can use in the classroom, but there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution when discussing the best projector for classrooms.

If we’re realistic, the days of the blackboard and whiteboard are numbered. Teachers need more innovative methods moving forward to help boost student attentiveness and learning. Using innovative technology is the modern teaching style, and smartboards and projectors prove highly effective in the teacher’s toolbox.

The latest projectors also offer the opportunity of bringing other technology into the classroom, such as laptops, tablets, smartphones, and desktop computers, all interconnected.

We have written this guide especially for you if you’re looking for the ideal projector for your classroom or office.

We’ve done the work assessing the best projectors for classrooms and offices. Take your lectures and presentations to the next level with one of the projectors on our list.

Let’s get things underway with the first review on our list of best projectors for classrooms.

Our Top 4 Best Projectors For Classrooms

1. Optoma EH412 Professional Projector

The Optoma EH412 is a professional projector specifically designed for the classroom or presentation room. There are 4,500 lumens of brightness that’s essential because it’s not typically convenient to draw blinds or curtains in a school or business environment. So, ambient light can become a primary factor when choosing the best classroom projector.

To help produce image clarity, there’s also a 50,000: 1 contrast ratio and sRGB color profile for rich, vivid color, meaning whiter whites and deeper black levels.

Image setup is pretty straightforward. A 1.3x zoom allows you to choose the best location in the room for the projector and a vertical keystone correction of +/- 40 degrees means the projector doesn’t need perfectly centering or elevated to project perfectly.

The throw range is fourteen feet, but the optimal range is ten to twelve feet to a 120-inch screen; with a screen that large, even the kids at the back of the class will comfortably see the screen.

Another major factor is the connectivity options, and the EH412 is excellent in this department, including 2 x HDMI, VGA, in and out audio, RS232, and USB-A. The projector has integrated 10-watt speakers, which are good enough for medium-sized classrooms; however, you can hook up a speaker system if you need something louder.

The EH412 offers full 3D 1080p support from most 3D sources; however, you need to buy the SD glasses separately. The correct glasses to use are Optoma DLP link active 3D glasses ZD302.

Why We Like It: The Optoma EH412 provides exceptionally bright and sharp images with vivid color and with high contrast ratio for deep blacks.

Key Features – Optoma EH412:

2. Optoma EH335 1080p DLP Professional Projector

This projector is another excellent example of an Optoma projector for the classroom or office environment. This projector is suitable for small to medium-sized classrooms; however, it will also suit office meeting rooms, church meetings, training labs, etc.

To begin with, the EH335 has 3,600 lumens of brightness and supports full HD at 1080p. But where the projector really shines (no pun intended) is with its sharp, clear, and ultra-vivid images. Even with some ambient light, the 20,000:1 contrast ratio does a great job.

Unlike other similarly-priced projectors, the Optoma produces vibrant blacks and bright whites that really make the images pop off the screen, which is one of the best ways to keep most kid’s attention firmly fixed on the lesson.

The projector supports sRGB and REC.709 color profiles, so you always feel the images you’re viewing represent an accurate color reproduction irrespective of the source.

The 1080p resolution is genuine full HD with no compression or downscaling.

The projector comes with an integrated speaker system that’s pretty powerful; however, if you want, you have the option of hooking up an external speaker source.

If you have excellent material on your smartphone or tablet that you want to share with the class, you can turn the projector into a smart display via a cable using MHL.

A beneficial feature of the Optoma is the Eco AV mute. When you’ve finished a section of your lesson and want the kid’s attention back on yourself, you can blank the image on the screen.

Why We Like It: The Optoma EH335 is a professional-level classroom projector that offers superior brightness and contrast ratio even in ambient lighting.

Key Features – Optoma EH335:

3. Epson EpiqVision Mini EF12 Smart Streaming Laser Projector

The Epson EpiqVision Mini EF12 is a serious contender for the best all-around projector, perfect for classroom presentations. Still, the projector is equally at home in the boardroom, presentation room, church meetings, and weighing less than 5lbs, an excellent buy for your RV or to take with you camping.

Your first question is, how easy is the setup? Because no one wants to faff around for hours getting the projector up and running, especially when lessons have a limited period.

Well, the good news is the Epson EF12 is as straightforward as any projector you can buy. The throw ratio is 1:1; what this means is, when you position the projector about seven feet from the screen or wall, you can enjoy 100-inch images. What’s more, it’s straightforward to get the correct alignment because the projector has digital and horizontal keystone correction. This can be super helpful if you’re in a confined space and cannot position the projector head-on to where you want the images.

Most people these days are comfortable with using apps like Netflix, Prime, and YouTube, so you’ll have no issues setting up the Android TV system and downloading content.

Picture quality is superb, which is what really counts, don’t you think? You’ll definitely enjoy the color and contrast on your new projector. The light source comes from a microlaser array and a 3LCD chip design. You get totally realistic images and accurate colors, and don’t forget the adaptive color correction because that will optimize colors for individual scenes.

There is one minor issue with ambient lighting: the lamp’s brightness is only 1000 ANSI lumens; the picture can appear to have a slightly dulled look. There are no hot spots on the screen, but the projector works much better in darkened areas. 

The two 5-watt speakers utilize Yamaha sound and Dolby support, so sound quality is good enough without external speakers in most circumstances, you will use the projector. However, there is always the option to hook up an external speaker source, which is an excellent idea if you primarily use the projector from one fixed location.

Why We Like It: The EF12 is a compact, straightforward to use, and portable projector that produces a brilliant picture, and the Android TV system means you can download entertainment without needing a streaming stick.

Key Features – Epson EpiqVision Mini EF12:

4. BenQ TH685i 1080p Gaming Projector

The BenQ TH685i 1080p has earned an excellent reputation as a gaming projector, but don’t let that sway you against using this projector for the classroom. It has all the features that make it one of the best projectors for the school.

The BenQ TH685i is user-friendly, compact, rugged enough to constantly move locations, take on vacation trips, move from classroom to classroom, and weighs less than 10lbs.

Installing the TH685i takes no time; the work is practically done for you with an automatic keystone. There’s also a 1.3x zoom and digital vertical lens shift for any final fine-tuning that is necessary.

Of course, the picture quality is paramount when you’re trying to occupy the minds of a classroom full of kids, and the BenQ has a native resolution of 1080p. The projector uses a DLP display, 10-bit color processing, and a 6-segment color wheel. It’s altogether producing a wonderfully vibrant and sharp picture quality.

There are 3,500 ANSI lumens of brightness and a 10,000:1 contrast ratio. The TH685i has no issue with washed-out colors if there’s some ambient light in the room. The projector is capable of throwing 100-inch images from 8.2 feet from the screen.

There’s no shortage of entertainment with this projector; you have Google-certified Android TV and Google Play Store, plus 5,000+ Android apps, movies, shows, etc.

You probably want to know if the projector will support an external sound system; the answer is yes, and it can either be wired or by using Bluetooth connectivity via the Android TV dongle.

Many teachers these days have a lot of content on their smartphones and tablets; if this is the case for you, you’ll be pleased to hear that the TH685i supports both Airplay for Apple and Chromecast for Android devices.

Why We Like It: The TH685i is a rugged, compact machine that supports content mirroring through Apple Airplay or Chromecast.

Key Features – BenQ TH685i:

Conclusion

Each of the projectors on our best projectors for the classroom guide has an excellent set of features and benefits that make every one of them a perfect choice for any educator or simply for use at home. 

You probably can only choose one, but rest assured, we’ve selected projectors that will offer a superior picture and sound quality while being straightforward and quick to set up.