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Head-to-head · Best Ultra Short Throw Laser Projectors

Epson QS100 3LCD Ultra Short Throw Laser Projector vs Hisense L9Q 4K Triple Laser UST Projector

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

Epson QS100 3LCD Ultra Short Throw Laser Projector comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.5 vs 4.3). The gap is mostly about Professional installers seeking high brightness and HDR — read the strengths below before deciding.

Epson QS100 3LCD Ultra Short Throw Laser Projector
Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Ultra Short Throw Laser Projectors
Epson QS100 3LCD Ultra Short Throw Laser Projector
4 sources3 derived$2,799.99as of Jul 31

The Epson QS100 is a premium 4K PRO-UHD ultra-short-throw laser projector built for custom installations and high-end home theaters. Reviewers rated its 4,500-lumen brightness and dynamic HDR tone mapping highly, while pointing out that native 1080P 3LCD panels mean it isn't true 4K. Picture adjustment options run deep enough for professional calibration, and native contrast lands at good rather than great. It assumes you already have a sophisticated audio setup or plan to build one; casual buyers who want an all-in-one solution should look elsewhere.

Strengths
  • — Excellent brightness with 4,500 lumens output
  • — Dynamic HDR tone mapping enabled by 32-bit QZX Picture Processor
  • — Good color reproduction with native 1080P 3LCD panels
Watch-outs
  • — Native resolution is 1080P, not true 4K
  • — Lower than ideal native contrast ratio
$2,799.99 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →
Hisense L9Q 4K Triple Laser UST Projector
Ranked #2 in Best Ultra Short Throw Laser Projectors
Hisense L9Q 4K Triple Laser UST Projector
4 sources$4,997.97as of Jul 31

The Hisense L9Q 4K Triple Laser UST Projector puts out 5,000 lumens, with RGB triple laser technology behind its vibrant color. Projector Reviews Home described it as a flagship with a luxury design and professional AI processing that refines the image. It handles all major HDR formats and carries IMAX Enhanced certification. Users did report color shifts with Scenario Enhancement and a minor rainbow effect. Home theater enthusiasts after premium performance are the audience; anyone who needs perfect black levels or zero visual artifacts isn't.

Strengths
  • — 5,000 lumens of brightness for clear images in well-lit rooms
  • — RGB triple laser light source covering 110% of BT.2020 color space
  • — Supports Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, and HLG formats
Watch-outs
  • — Brightness and color shift when using Scenario Enhancement setting
  • — Some users report a rainbow effect
  • — Blacks appear as DLP gray rather than true black
$4,997.97 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →

Derived means the reviewer published no score, so one was inferred from their written verdict. Everything else is a number the publisher printed. How we rank.

How they stack up

Epson QS100 3LCD Ultra Short Throw Laser Projector

The Epson QS100 delivers excellent brightness at 4,500 lumens and dynamic HDR tone mapping, outperforming the Hisense L9Q and JMGO O2S Ultra in this regard. However, it falls short of true 4K resolution compared to the Hisense PT1 and NexiGo Aurora Pro MKII, and lacks Dolby Vision support unlike the Hisense L9Q.

Hisense L9Q 4K Triple Laser UST Projector

The Hisense L9Q stands out with its 5,000 lumens brightness and RGB triple laser technology, making it superior in well-lit environments compared to the JMGO O2S Ultra and Epson QS100 models. While the NexiGo Aurora Pro MKII offers better gaming input lag, the L9Q provides more vibrant colors and HDR support, though it suffers from color shifts with Scenario Enhancement that the Hisense PX3-PRO avoids.

Specs side-by-side

SpecEpson QS100 3LCD Ultra Short Throw Laser ProjectorHisense L9Q 4K Triple Laser UST Projector
Brightness4,500 lumens5000 lumens
Resolution1080P4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160p)
Contrast Ratio5,000,000:15000:1
Light SourceBlue laser phosphorRGB triple laser
Color Gamut100% BT.2020110% BT.2020
Laser Life20,000 hours25,000-plus hours
Throw Ratio0.160.18
Smart OS—Google TV
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