Projector vs TV (2026): The Real Cost of a 100-Inch Screen

In the projector vs TV debate, a TV wins on brightness, sharpness and black levels, but a projector wins on size, according to Paul Hibbert, a smart home YouTuber who set a 4K laser projector beside one of the best OLED TVs he could borrow and said that once the TV was off, “I’ve forgotten the TV exists.”

On price, 100 inches is now close either way. On Amazon on October 16, 2026, a Hisense 100-inch TV cost $1,384.97, while a 1080p Epson projector plus a 100-inch pull-down screen came to $921.58.

Projector vs TV: cost of a 100-inch screen

Prices from Amazon at time of writing. I may earn a commission from links, at no cost to you.

Projector vs TV: what the math leaves out

• Bigger is free on a projector. Hisense lists the M2 Pro at 65 to 200 inches; going past 100 inches on a TV costs much more.
• Light control. Paul Hibbert says a white screen needs a dark room. An ALR screen for UST projectors lets him watch with curtains open.
• Streaming and sound. The Epson 980 has no built-in smart OS, so add a streaming stick. The AURA 2 and M2 Pro list built-in smart platforms.
• Gaming. Check input lag: Epson lists under 20 ms for the Home Cinema 2350 and XGIMI lists 20 ms for the AURA 2.

Projector vs TV: which should you buy?

Buy a TV for daytime sports, bright rooms and the sharpest picture. Buy a projector for movie nights, if you can darken the room, and if size matters more than perfect blacks. Paul Hibbert’s view is that your eyes adjust and you stop noticing the projector’s weaker blacks, the same way you never compared a cinema screen to an OLED.

Picks for each budget are in Best Projector Under $1,000.

What Paul Hibbert Found Putting a Projector Beside a TV

Hibbert compared an AWOL Aethelred Max, a 4K triple-laser projector AWOL lists at 3,300 ISO lumens and up to 200 inches, with his brother’s 74-inch LG G4 OLED. AWOL sponsored the video and sent the projector, which he says at the start (Paul Hibbert, “Projector Destroys TV”). These points are paraphrased from the transcript and are his findings and opinions, not mine.

• The TV “obliterated” the projector on bright white signage, black levels and shadow detail in dark scenes.
• The projector’s scale made the TV look small as soon as the screen rolled down.
• A UST-specific ALR screen rejects light from above and reflects the projector’s light from below.
• Fresnel ALR screens can show a darker edge and a hot spot where the projector sits.

Projector vs TV: Picture Quality Side by Side

Hibbert’s verdict was blunt: the OLED beat the projector on sharpness, detail, black levels and white levels, “basically every other regard except for scale” (Paul Hibbert, “Projector Destroys TV”). He thought the projector was probably better at color, pointing to its Rec. 2020 coverage in reds and blues. With the room lights on he could see an orange tint on the projected image; with the lights off he said he had already forgotten what the TV looked like.

His argument is that you never watch the two side by side. Your eyes adjust to whatever you’re watching, and the immersion comes from size, not from perfect blacks. He compares it to leaving a cinema: nobody leaves wishing the black levels weren’t deep enough.

The Hook Up, a channel that measures projectors itself and says it runs no sponsored reviews, reaches a similar point from the other direction (The Hook Up, “Best Ultra Short Throw Projectors 2026 – Don’t Miss This One”). After testing nine UST projectors, it says no projector has OLED-level blacks, “and if anybody tells you that, they’re lying.” But with 200 W of overhead lighting on and a Fresnel ALR screen, its top UST pick looked bright, vibrant and accurate, without the glare a TV gets in the same light.

Projector vs TV in a Bright Room

This is where a TV still has the edge. Hibbert says an OLED will beat a projector in ambient light (Paul Hibbert, “Projector Destroys TV”). With a UST-specific ALR screen, though, he calls his projector “perfectly capable” in a room with some daylight for normal viewing, and he notes shiny OLED screens reflect lamps and windows in a way projector screens don’t. You’ll still want the curtains shut for a movie.

• White screen: best for enthusiasts, but needs a fully dark room or the blacks suffer, per Hibbert.
• UST ALR screen: rejects light from above (ceiling lights) and reflects the projector’s light from below. Hibbert calls it one of the best options for a normal living room.
• Fresnel ALR screen: also rejects some side light, such as one open window, but can show darker edges and a hot spot on bright color blocks. He couldn’t see it in a real movie scene.

Gaming, Fan Noise and Boot Time

Common objections to projectors are fading, according to Hibbert (Paul Hibbert, “Projector Destroys TV”). The AWOL he tested runs 240 Hz at 1080p, with HDMI 2.1, VRR and ALLM, and had one of the lowest input lags of any projector he’d tried. At full brightness he said the fan was audible up close but not from his seat, and that modern projectors boot almost instantly. On our cheaper picks, Epson lists under 20 ms input lag for the Home Cinema 2350 and XGIMI lists 20 ms for the AURA 2.

Smart TV Features on a Projector

Built-in software matters if you want one remote. Hibbert says the Google TV OS with full Netflix support is what made him switch projectors, letting him get rid of his Fire TV Stick (Paul Hibbert, “Projector Destroys TV”). He also uses the laser luminance setting nightly to dim the picture without losing detail. Not every projector is certified for Netflix, so check before you buy or plan on a streaming stick; the Epson 980 in our cost table has no built-in smart OS at all.

Hidden Costs in the Projector vs TV Math

• The screen: Hibbert notes buyers often find a projector plus a good ALR screen costs more than an OLED; ALR screens are expensive. Our table uses a $399 NothingProjector ALR screen for the UST setup.
• Calibration: his AWOL arrived far too red and pink and needed adjusting; he says it took a few minutes in the settings and changed the picture dramatically.
• Brightness modes: The Hook Up’s measurements show advertised lumens and accurate movie-mode lumens can differ a lot, so compare reviewers’ measured numbers where you can.

Video: The Hook Up, “Best Ultra Short Throw Projectors 2026 – Don’t Miss This One”. Embedded with credit.

Projector vs TV: Frequently Asked Questions

Is a projector cheaper than a TV?

At 100 inches, a 1080p projector and screen came to $921.58 on Amazon on October 16, 2026, versus $1,384.97 for a 100-inch TV. A 4K UST setup cost about the same as the TV.

Is a projector good for everyday TV watching?

Paul Hibbert watches his every night, but TVs remain better in bright rooms.

Do projectors look good in daylight?

Only with a bright projector and an ALR screen, per Paul Hibbert.

Is a projector or TV better for gaming?

A TV is still sharper, but Paul Hibbert found low input lag, 240 Hz at 1080p and VRR on the projector he tested.

Do projectors have blacks as deep as OLED TVs?

No. The Hook Up says no projector has OLED-level blacks.

What size screen should I get?

100 inches is a common starting point; projectors like the Hisense M2 Pro list up to 200 inches.

Sources

• Amazon product listings for the products linked above, from Amazon at time of writing
• Paul Hibbert: “Projector Destroys TV”
• The Hook Up: “Best Ultra Short Throw Projectors 2026 – Don’t Miss This One”

Related: Best Projector Under $1,000 | XGIMI AURA 2 vs Formovie Theater | Outdoor Movie Projector