Best laser projectors under $1,500 for home theater

Top pick: Optoma UHZ36 — a true 4K UHD laser DLP with 3,500 lumens, the brightest and most theater-ready of the bunch. Bright enough for a lit room, and the laser light source means no lamp swaps.

Who the others suit:

• JMGO N1S Ultimate — best all-rounder if you want a gimbal-style portable 4K with high brightness and strong owner ratings.
• JMGO N3 — a smaller, simpler 4K laser for a dark room on a tighter budget.
• Wemax Nova Pro — ultra short throw, so it sits inches from the wall; good for a living room where you can't ceiling-mount.
• BenQ GV50 — 1080p, not 4K, but the pick for casual movie nights and easy placement.
• Optoma ZH521 — full HD laser built for long, bright duty rather than pixel-perfect cinema.

Skip the no-name UST and the golf-simulator models: wrong tool for a home theater.