Best 4K Short Throw Projector (October 2026)

Quick answer

The BenQ TK710STi ($1,999 today) is the best 4K short throw projector for most rooms: 3,200 ANSI lumens, laser light, and a 100" image from 5 ft 0 in – 6 ft 0 in away. Gamers should look at the BenQ X500i; the tightest rooms suit the 0.5:1 Optoma UHD35STx.

Only a handful of 4K projectors are true short throw (a 100" image from about 3.5 to 8 feet), and all of them reach 4K through DLP pixel shifting, labeled 4K UHD below. These are the ones we track, ranked by what they do best. Projectors that sit against the wall are a different category: see ultra short throw projectors.

Prices are live from Amazon and refresh throughout the day; in-stock models only. Throw ratios, lumens and input lag are manufacturer ratings checked against official spec sheets and ProjectorCentral. We don't do hands-on testing.

#1 · Best Overall

BenQ TK710STi

$1,999on Amazon today

The best all-rounder: 3,200 ANSI lumens from a laser rated for 20,000 hours, 4K UHD (DLP pixel shift), and a 1.2x zoom (0.69–0.83:1) that makes 100" from about 5–6 feet. BenQ rates lag at 16.7 ms at 4K/60 and 4.2 ms at 1080p/240, and an Android TV dongle is included.

4K UHD (DLP pixel shift) · 3,200 ANSI lumens · Laser light source · Throw 0.69–0.83:1 (100" from 5 ft 0 in – 6 ft 0 in) · Lag 4.2 ms at 1080p/240 · Android TV dongle included · 4.3★ (95 Amazon ratings)

#2 · Best for Gaming

BenQ X500i

$1,499on Amazon today

Designed around consoles: BenQ rates it at 16.7 ms at 4K/60, 8.3 ms at 1080p/120 and 4.2 ms at 1080p/240, with dedicated game picture modes. The 4LED light source has no lamp to replace. Best in a dim room at 2,200 ANSI lumens.

4K UHD (DLP pixel shift) · 2,200 ANSI lumens · 4LED light source · Throw 0.69–0.83:1 (100" from 5 ft 0 in – 6 ft 0 in) · Lag 4.2 ms at 1080p/240 · Android TV dongle included · 4.1★ (20 Amazon ratings)

#3 · Best Budget 4K Short Throw

Optoma UHD35STx

$1,199$1,55023% offon Amazon today

Usually the least expensive 4K short throw we track. 3,600 ANSI lumens, a 0.5:1 lens (100" from under 4 feet) and 4.2 ms at 1080p/240. The trade-offs: a lamp light source and no optical zoom.

4K UHD (DLP pixel shift) · 3,600 ANSI lumens · Lamp light source · Throw 0.5:1 (100" from 3 ft 8 in) · Lag 4.2 ms at 1080p/240 · 3.2★ (47 Amazon ratings)

#4 · Brightest (Laser, Big Screens & Golf)

BenQ LK936ST

$4,800on Amazon today

5,100 ANSI lumens from a laser rated for 20,000 hours, 4K UHD, and a 0.81–0.89:1 lens. BenQ sells it for golf simulators and large rooms: the brightness to fill 120–150" or light a garage bay. Priced like the professional projector it is.

4K UHD (DLP pixel shift) · 5,100 ANSI lumens · Laser light source · Throw 0.81–0.89:1 (100" from 5 ft 11 in – 6 ft 6 in) · 5.0★ (4 Amazon ratings)

#5 · Best If You Have 6.5–8 Feet

BenQ TK700STi

$1,679on Amazon today

BenQ’s 4K lamp short throw with Android TV. Its 0.9–1.08:1 zoom needs about 6 ft 6 in to 7 ft 10 in for 100", more than the TK710STi, but it suits rooms where the projector sits behind a sofa or on a golf-bay ceiling mount farther back.

4K UHD (DLP pixel shift) · 3,000 ANSI lumens · Lamp light source · Throw 0.9–1.08:1 (100" from 6 ft 6 in – 7 ft 10 in) · Lag 4.2 ms at 1080p/240 · Android TV dongle included

4K Short Throw Projectors Compared

Every 4K standard short throw model we track that is in stock now, with the manufacturer's rated input lag at 4K/60 and in its fastest gaming mode.

Projector	Price today	Brightness*	Light	Throw ratio	Lag 4K/60*	Fastest mode*
Optoma UHD35STx4K UHD (DLP pixel shift)	$1,199	3,600 ANSI	Lamp	0.5:1	16.9 ms	4.2 ms at 1080p/240
BenQ X500i4K UHD (DLP pixel shift)	$1,499	2,200 ANSI	4LED	0.69–0.83:1	16.7 ms	4.2 ms at 1080p/240
BenQ TK710STi4K UHD (DLP pixel shift)	$1,999	3,200 ANSI	Laser	0.69–0.83:1	16.7 ms	4.2 ms at 1080p/240
BenQ LK936ST4K UHD (DLP pixel shift)	$4,800	5,100 ANSI	Laser	0.81–0.89:1	—	—
BenQ TK700STi4K UHD (DLP pixel shift)	$1,679	3,000 ANSI	Lamp	0.9–1.08:1	16.7 ms	4.2 ms at 1080p/240

*Manufacturer ratings (BenQ, Optoma; ProjectorCentral cross-check). A dash means no published figure; BenQ does not publish input lag for the LK936ST. Compare more models in the projector input lag database.

4K Short Throw Distance Chart

Lens-to-screen distance for a 16:9 image, from each manufacturer's throw ratio. Zoom lenses show a range; the shorter figure is the widest zoom setting.

Projector (throw ratio)	80" image	100" image	120" image	Price today
Optoma UHD35STx0.5:1 · 4K UHD (DLP pixel shift)	2 ft 11 in	3 ft 8 in	4 ft 4 in	$1,199
BenQ X500i0.69–0.83:1 · 4K UHD (DLP pixel shift)	4 ft 0 in – 4 ft 10 in	5 ft 0 in – 6 ft 0 in	6 ft 0 in – 7 ft 3 in	$1,499
BenQ TK710STi0.69–0.83:1 · 4K UHD (DLP pixel shift)	4 ft 0 in – 4 ft 10 in	5 ft 0 in – 6 ft 0 in	6 ft 0 in – 7 ft 3 in	$1,999
BenQ LK936ST0.81–0.89:1 · 4K UHD (DLP pixel shift)	4 ft 8 in – 5 ft 2 in	5 ft 11 in – 6 ft 6 in	7 ft 1 in – 7 ft 9 in	$4,800
BenQ TK700STi0.9–1.08:1 · 4K UHD (DLP pixel shift)	5 ft 3 in – 6 ft 3 in	6 ft 6 in – 7 ft 10 in	7 ft 10 in – 9 ft 5 in	$1,679

Most 4K short throws have no optical lens shift (ProjectorCentral lists none for the X500i, UHD35STx and TK700STi), so the lens should line up with the bottom edge of the screen on a table, or the top edge when ceiling mounted. Avoid heavy digital keystone: it throws away some of the 4K detail you paid for. More placement detail in our short throw projector guide.

What to Know Before Buying a 4K Short Throw

"4K" means 4K UHD pixel shift

Every 4K short throw uses DLP XPR pixel shifting to put 3840×2160 pixels on screen. It looks sharp at normal seating distances, but it is not native 4K; native 4K projectors start around $5,000 and are standard throw. Ignore listings that say "true 4K" or "native 4K" at these prices.

Gaming

All of the BenQ and Optoma gaming models here are rated around 17 ms at 4K/60, which is fine for console games, and 4.2 ms at 1080p/240 for competitive PC play. See best projector for PS5 and gaming projectors.

Standard or short throw version?

BenQ sells the same 4K engines in both lens types. If the projector can sit 9+ feet back, the standard model usually costs less: compare TK710 vs TK710STi and X500i vs X3100i.

Lamp vs laser

The UHD35STx and TK700STi use lamps (cheaper up front, replacements later). The TK710STi and LK936ST use lasers rated for 20,000 hours, and the X500i uses 4LED. Compare the BenQ pair in TK700STi vs TK710STi.

Golf simulators

A golf bay needs the throw ratio to land the projector in front of or above the golfer, plus brightness for a large impact screen. See the best golf simulator projectors.

Tighter budget?

1080p short throw models cost less and are often brighter: see short throw projectors under $1,000. If the room allows a standard throw, budget 4K projectors start lower still.

4K Short Throw Projector FAQ

What is the best 4K short throw projector?

Our top pick is the BenQ TK710STi. The BenQ TK710STi is the best all-rounder (3,200 ANSI-lumen laser, 0.69–0.83:1 zoom, 4.2 ms at 1080p/240). The BenQ X500i is the gaming pick, the Optoma UHD35STx has the shortest throw (0.5:1) for the least money, and the BenQ LK936ST is the bright laser for big screens and golf simulators.

Are 4K short throw projectors true 4K?

They show a 3840×2160 image using DLP XPR pixel shifting: a lower-resolution chip shifts each frame rapidly to place every 4K pixel on screen. That is marketed as 4K UHD and looks very sharp, but it is not native 4K. Native 4K projectors (Sony SXRD, JVC D-ILA) start around $5,000 and are standard-throw home theater models.

How far from the wall does a 4K short throw projector go?

For a 100-inch 16:9 image: about 3 ft 8 in for the Optoma UHD35STx (0.5:1), about 5–6 feet for the BenQ TK710STi and X500i (0.69–0.83:1), about 5 ft 11 in to 6 ft 6 in for the BenQ LK936ST (0.81–0.89:1) and about 6 ft 6 in to 7 ft 10 in for the BenQ TK700STi (0.9–1.08:1).

Which 4K short throw projector is best for PS5 or Xbox?

The BenQ X500i: BenQ rates it at 16.7 ms at 4K/60 and 4.2 ms at 1080p/240, with console-specific picture modes. The TK710STi and Optoma UHD35STx have similar ratings (16.7 and 16.9 ms at 4K/60, 4.2 ms at 1080p/240) and are brighter. All three are fine for 4K/60 console games.

Is 4K worth it on a short throw projector?

Usually yes for movies and console games, because short throw setups put you close to a big image where extra detail is visible. If your budget stops below the 4K models, a 1080p short throw like the Optoma GT1080HDR or BenQ TH671ST is brighter for the money.

What is the best 4K short throw projector for a golf simulator?

The BenQ LK936ST (5,100 ANSI lumens, laser, 0.81–0.89:1) is built for it. For a smaller budget, the BenQ TK710STi (3,200 ANSI-lumen laser) is the common 4K choice. Match the throw ratio to where the mount can go so the golfer never stands in the beam.

Should I get a 4K short throw or a 4K ultra short throw projector?

Short throw sits a few feet in front of the screen (coffee table, shelf or ceiling) and works with any matte white screen. Ultra short throw sits inches from the wall on a media console like a TV and works best with a special CLR screen. If you want the projector against the wall, see our ultra short throw guide.