The best projectors of CES 2026: brighter portables, big-screen gaming, and a Dolby Atmos home theater on wheels
New projector launches typically take place at industry shows such as CEDIA and IFA which take place in September, but the presence of projectors at CES has increased in recent years. Several projectors were announced at CES 2026, and some were even seen in action, delivering images to the best of their abilities under the bright show lighting.
Many of these projectors are portable, lifestyle models designed to be taken apart and installed on-demand when the need for a big-screen image arises. But others are sophisticated home theater models designed to rival the best projectors and deliver the real deal for watching movies or playing games. Below are the six best projectors I saw at CES.
Samsung Le Freestyle+
- Samsung has doubled the brightness to 430 ISO lumens
- Automatic wall calibration compensates for uneven wall surfaces
The first two generations of Samsung’s The Freestyle portable projector impressed us with their ultra-compact design and flexible installation features. This is an easy projector to set up anywhere and start streaming movies or playing games, and it automatically configures itself for the best picture quality once turned on.
Samsung’s new Freestyle+ takes image quality and auto-calibration to the next level, doubling brightness to 430 ISO lumens and adding an auto-wall calibration feature that digitally compensates for uneven wall surfaces. Bottom line: You don’t have to worry about finding a perfectly smooth, white surface to project on with this new version of Samsung’s portable projector.
Samsung says the Freestyle+’s new AI features make it easier to adjust keystone and focus, so you’ll get a sharp rectangular image wherever you point the projector. It also now supports the same Samsung Q-Symphony feature found on Samsung TVs to improve sound, although we’ll have to see how effective it is on such a small projector.
Hisense PX4-Pro
- Brightness increased from 3,000 to 3,500 ANSI lumens compared to PX3-Pro
- New IRIS system adjusts lens aperture and exposure based on ambient lighting conditions to maximize contrast
The Hisense PX3-Pro currently ranks at the top of TechRadar’s best ultra short throw projectors guide. But as good as it is, the new Hisense PX4-Pro seems to be an even better offering from the company.
The PX4-Pro speeds things up with a brightness increase from 3,000 to 3,500 ANSI lumens. It features a new IRIS system that adjusts lens aperture and exposure based on ambient lighting conditions to maximize contrast and, like its predecessor, uses a tri-color laser light engine to provide full coverage of the BT.2020 color space.
Gaming is also a strong point of the PX4-Pro, which supports 1080p gaming at 240Hz with ultra-low input lag, according to the company. We can’t wait to play this brighter and overall better Hisense UST projector as soon as it becomes available.
Hisense XR10
- Long focal length model with 6,000 ANSI lumens brightness
- Impressive optical zoom range of 0.84 to 2.0x
Hisense is best known for its ultra short throw projectors, which the company calls “laser TV” when paired with an included separate display. It also launched a line of powerful portable projectors. The new Hisense
According to Hisense, the Like the PX4-Pro UST model above, it uses Hisense’s new IRIS system to optimize contrast and has an optical zoom range of 0.84 to 2.0x for easy installation for screen sizes up to 300 inches.
Xgimi Titan Black Max
- Dynamic iris system increases contrast to 10,000:1
- 1.0-2.0:1 optical zoom and 130% vertical and 50% horizontal lens shift
Xgimi launched its Titan projector, a “professional-grade” 4K DLP model offering 5,000 lumens of brightness, along with a dynamic iris and flexible installation features, at IFA 2025.
At CES 2026, the company introduced the Titan Noir Max, a new model designed for home theater setups that appears to be a mashup between the Titan and the Xgimi Horizon 20 Max, a portable gimbal-style projector with even higher brightness than the Titan.
Xgimi hasn’t provided a full set of specifications for its new projector, but it does feature the company’s “most advanced dynamic iris system to date,” increasing the contrast to 10,000:1. It also has an extended optical range, with a 1.0 to 2.0:1 zoom and 130% vertical and 50% horizontal lens shift. Like other Xgimi projectors, it will feature automatic keystone and focus adjustments.
The company was demoing the Titan Noir Max at CES in a bright room that prevented any evaluation of its image performance. The environment nevertheless allowed me to appreciate the careful design of the projector, which distinguishes it from the typical industrial look of home cinema projectors.
The Titan Noir Max will be available for pre-order in the first quarter of 2026.
AWOL Vision Aetherion Max
- PixelLock technology ensures precise focus at the edges of the screen and eliminates color fringing
- Anti-RBE (Rainbow Effect) technology eliminates up to 99.99% of DLP rainbow effects
AWOL Vision, sister company to Valerion, maker of the Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 projector, was at CES to introduce the new AWOL Vision Aetherion Max, an ultra short throw projector that it says will fill some of the traditional gaps in the UST projector category.
Specifically, the Aetherion Max features the company’s PixelLock technology, which reportedly uses optical and mechanical means to ensure precise focus at the edges of the screen. It also eliminates color fringing and features Anti-RBE (Rainbow Effect) technology, which AWOL Vision says “eliminates up to 99.99% of rainbow effects,” typical of DLP projectors.
Beyond these features, the Aetherion Max supports screen sizes up to 200 inches and offers 3,300 lumens of brightness and 6,000:1 native contrast. Gaming features include VRR, ALLM, and Dolby Vision Gaming, and Google TV is built-in for streaming, with Wi-Fi 7 support.
The Aetherion Max will be available in March 2026 for $4,499.
Soundcore Nebula X1 Pro
- All-in-one mobile theater system
- 7.1.4-channel Dolby Atmos audio using wireless surround speakers
If you’ve ever dreamed of owning a home theater on wheels, the Soundcore Nebula X1 Pro has arrived to make that dream a reality.
Introduced at CES, the Nebula X1 Pro is an all-in-one mobile theater system based on the company’s Nebula X1 projector. The Nebula
Soundcore’s design encases the projector in a tower case with wheels for easy portability, and it includes slide-out front speakers and detachable wireless speakers to create a 7.1.4-channel Dolby Atmos speaker system. There are even two wireless microphones included, allowing you to use the system for karaoke.
Nebula’s portable cinema is perfect for outdoor movie nights, but it’s also a good option for parties or even business presentations.
The Nebula X1 Pro will cost $4,999 and launch in late January.
The best projectors for every budget
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