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

Epson QS100 3LCD Ultra Short Throw Laser Projector vs NexiGo Aurora Pro MKII 4K UST Hybrid RGB 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 4.2). 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
NexiGo Aurora Pro MKII 4K UST Hybrid RGB Projector
Ranked #4 in Best Ultra Short Throw Laser Projectors
NexiGo Aurora Pro MKII 4K UST Hybrid RGB Projector
3 sources2 derived$2,999as of Jul 31

An ALPD 5.0 hybrid laser engine drives the NexiGo Aurora Pro MKII, a high-end UST projector with strong 4K performance. Reviewers cited 2400 ANSI lumens of brightness, a 4000:1 native contrast ratio, and gaming input lag down at 4.2 ms. All major HDR formats are supported, and Dolby Atmos sound is built in. Missing: USB 3.0 ports and Google TV OS support. Home theater enthusiasts and gamers who want premium performance will be happy; anyone counting on smart TV functionality won't.

Strengths
  • ALPD 5.0 hybrid laser engine delivers excellent color and brightness with 2400 ANSI lumens
  • Ultra-low input lag for gaming with 4.2 ms latency at 1080p 240 Hz
  • Dynamic iris combined with laser dimming provides exceptional blacks and dark area details
Watch-outs
  • No USB 3.0 high-speed ports for fast data transfer
  • Does not support Google TV OS, Google Play Store, or Google Search

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.

NexiGo Aurora Pro MKII 4K UST Hybrid RGB Projector

The NexiGo Aurora Pro MKII delivers ultra-low gaming input lag of 4.2 ms, a significant advantage over the Hisense L9Q and JMGO O2S Ultra, which don't emphasize gaming performance. While it lacks Google TV OS support, it provides better contrast and dynamic iris features compared to the Epson QS100, which has a lower native contrast ratio and no dynamic iris.

Specs side-by-side

SpecEpson QS100 3LCD Ultra Short Throw Laser ProjectorNexiGo Aurora Pro MKII 4K UST Hybrid RGB Projector
Brightness4,500 lumens2400 ANSI Lumens
Resolution1080P3840×2160 (4K UHD)
Contrast Ratio5,000,000:14000:1 native, 30,000:1 dynamic
Light SourceBlue laser phosphorTri-color laser
Color Gamut100% BT.2020107% BT.2020
Laser Life20,000 hours30,000 hours
Throw Ratio0.160.21
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