Bargain-hungry shoppers had to wait for the 2020 Prime Day deals as Amazon’s big Prime member-exclusive sale was postponed in the summer, but it’s finally coming in mid-October. Along with Black Friday, Prime Day is easily the best time of the year to grab premium tech at deep discounts, and with cinemas closed across the country, these Prime Day projector deals could be the perfect chance to build your own home theater setup. Here’s everything we expect to see this Prime Day, a guide on how to shop the sale, and a few early projector deals you can score today.
Today’s best Prime Day projector deals
Prime Day is coming on October 13 and 14 this year so, unfortunately, those Lightning Deals haven’t landed just yet. However, you don’t have to wait for the 2020 Prime Day projector deals if you don’t want to (or if you’re not a Prime member and can’t take advantage of them anyway); with so many projectors on the market, there are always bargains to be found if you know where to hunt. To help you with that, we’ve rounded up the best cheap projector deals you can grab right now:
- Apeman Mini Projector — $69 with coupon on page, was $130
- ViewSonic PA503S Projector — $300, was $459
- Epson VS250 Projector — $330, was $370
- Epson EX3260 Projector — $413, was $500
- Optoma HD146X Projector — $549, was $949
- BenQ TK800M 4K Projector — $1,299, was $1450
- GooDee HD Video Projector — $180 with coupon on page, was $300
When are the best Prime Day projector deals?
After being postponed and pushed back from its usual summer scheduling, Prime Day is now going to take place from October 13 through October 14. This 48-hour sale is your best chance to shop for some great Prime Day projector deals.
It’s only natural that the bulk of the Prime Day projector deals will drop during the official calendar days of the sale, but this is a fairly wide product niche covering a huge range of features and price brackets, so expect to see at least a few of these among the early Lightning Deals that amazon likes to throw out in the week leading up to Prime Day.
These early Prime Day projector deals are almost certain to be as good as the ones you’ll get during the sale, so don’t sleep on them if you see one you like. You might not find a better deal come Prime Day; even if you do, you can always return the one you bought and grab the cheaper one instead. We also don’t suggest holding out until Black Friday as, similarly, there is no guarantee you’ll see the projector you want available again at the same low price.
What Prime Day projector deals to expect
There are a ton of brands making projectors today, but those we recommend looking for come Prime Day (and the ones that we expect will feature the biggest discounts since they’re going to be the most expensive and feature-rich models) are from the big makers like BenQ, ViewSonic, LG, Optoma, AAXA, Sony, and Epson. These brand-name manufacturers are the ones pumping out the top-tier projectors for serious home theater enthusiasts, particularly ones capable of true 4K Ultra HD output.
A few of the best discounts on 4K projectors that we’ve seen this year include the LG HU80KA projector for around $2,000 ($400 off), the Sony VPLVW285ES projector for as low as $4,000 ($1,000 off), and the BenQ TK800M projector for $1,000 (roughly $300-$400 off), to name only a few of our top-tier favorites. Don’t think you have to spend that much and ignore cheaper ones from lesser-known makers like Anker and Vankyo, however, which make some very solid budget-friendly projectors in the sub-$300 bracket if your needs are more modest.
Finally, although Amazon’s official Prime Day discounts are reserved for Prime members, there are tons of third-party sellers on the site who also offer great bargains during the sale that are open to all and sundry. Many brands (including the aforementioned Anker and Vankyo) sell directly on Amazon and will be offering their own Prime Day projector deals. Don’t sit this sale out thinking that because you’re not a Prime member, there won’t be anything for you. There almost certainly will be, and other people might unwittingly overlook those deals precisely because they’re not being sold by Amazon.
Should you shop on Prime Day or wait until Black Friday?
Prime Day and Black Friday are only placed a month apart from each other this year. Though this makes it seem like fall is going to be jam-packed with sales there’s a few things to keep in mind. There’s always a possibility that if the projector you want runs out of stock during Prime Day, there won’t be a sufficient restock in time for Black Friday — and by extension Cyber Monday. Demand is also higher during Black Friday season so big retail giants like Amazon might see significant delays on all their orders and you might not get your products by Christmas. We also don’t expect discounts to vary much between these two events so don’t let that hold you back from shopping these Prime Day projector deals in advance.
Are any Prime Day projector deals too good to be true?
There are going to be a lot of sales during Prime Day on big brands, and even on brands that offer low-quality products. When buying a new projector, always be sure to do your research in advance and do a thorough check of the ratings and reviews of your chosen product on Amazon. You might be tempted to purchase a heavily discounted projector from a brand you’ve never heard of, but we’re here to tell you that’s a bad idea. Always stick to well-known brands and know what you’re looking for before you add an item to your cart come Prime Day. Trust us, it will save you a lot of disappointment.
How to choose a projector
These devices run the gamut from portable projectors (even ones that can fit in your pocket) to full-featured home theater projectors that are capable of delivering a truly cinematic home theater experience. As a result, it’s no surprise that projectors span a huge range of features and prices, from cheap sub-$100 models to professional-grade ones that will set you back thousands of dollars.
Your first step when choosing a home theater projector is establishing your budget based on your needs and then set your expectations accordingly. You’re not likely to find a 4K-capable projector for a couple hundred bucks, let alone one that can be considered easily portable. Expect to pay at least $500 for the best 1080p projectors and $1,200 or more for ones truly capable of 4K output, although Prime Day projector deals should offer a good chance to save on these higher-end units.
That said, if your needs are modest — maybe you just need a basic portable projector for sleepovers, presentations, a small dorm room, and so on — you can find some decent ones on the cheap. Just be sure to pay attention specs like brightness (measured in lumens), throw distance, and picture size; also, don’t forget details like input device compatibility, wireless connectivity for streaming if you need it, and true output resolution. Don’t take the manufacturer’s listed specs at face value, either. Read customer reviews to suss out the realistic capabilities of the projector you’re looking at before you hand over your cash.
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