Projector Throw Distance Calculator
The formula
Throw distance = throw ratio × image width. A 100" 16:9 screen is 87.2" wide, so a 1.2:1 projector goes 8 ft 9 in from the screen and a 1.5:1 projector 10 ft 11 in. Pick your projector below (we list the throw ratios of 52 in-stock models) or type in any throw ratio.
Throw ratios come from manufacturer spec sheets and are checked against independent spec listings; prices are live from Amazon. Results are lens-to-screen estimates (±3–5%). Confirm with the maker's chart before drilling a ceiling mount.
Result
For a 100" 16:9 image, place the lens 10 ft 11 in to 12 ft 0 in from the screen (3.32 m–3.65 m).
Image: 87.2" wide × 49" tall (7 ft 3 in × 4 ft 1 in). Throw ratio 1.5–1.65:1; the shorter distance is the zoom’s wide end.
Distance = throw ratio × image width = 1.5 × 87.2" = 130.7"
Projectors that fit your room
Enter where the projector will sit and the screen you want. We check every in-stock model with a published throw ratio.
BenQ TK700$1,199Standard throw 1.13–1.46:1 · lens at 10 ft 0 in (zoom: 8 ft 2 in–10 ft 7 in) · 4.0★ (671 ratings)
BenQ X3100i$1,799Standard throw 1.15–1.5:1 · lens at 10 ft 0 in (zoom: 8 ft 4 in–10 ft 11 in) · 3.6★ (578 ratings)
XGIMI Horizon 20 Max$2,249Standard throw 1.2–1.5:1 · lens at 10 ft 0 in (zoom: 8 ft 9 in–10 ft 11 in) · 4.3★ (347 ratings)
Nebula X1$2,499Short throw 0.9–1.5:1 · lens at 10 ft 0 in (zoom: 6 ft 6 in–10 ft 11 in) · 4.4★ (225 ratings)
Epson Home Cinema 3200$1,600Standard throw 1.32–2.15:1 · lens at 10 ft 0 in (zoom: 9 ft 7 in–15 ft 7 in) · 4.3★ (169 ratings)
XGIMI Horizon 20$1,559Standard throw 1.2–1.5:1 · lens at 10 ft 0 in (zoom: 8 ft 9 in–10 ft 11 in) · 4.4★ (142 ratings)
XGIMI Horizon 20 Pro$1,999Standard throw 1.2–1.5:1 · lens at 10 ft 0 in (zoom: 8 ft 9 in–10 ft 11 in) · 4.3★ (136 ratings)
Sony VPL-HW45ES$2,000Standard throw 1.36–2.16:1 · lens at 10 ft 0 in (zoom: 9 ft 11 in–15 ft 8 in) · 4.4★ (117 ratings)
Live Amazon prices; in-stock models only. Ranked by how closely each lens matches your distance, then by number of Amazon ratings. 16:9 (TV, streaming, games) image.
Not sure what screen size to get? Start with the projector screen size calculator, which works from your seating distance.
Throw Distance Chart (16:9)
Lens-to-screen distance for common screen sizes and typical throw ratios.
| Screen | 0.25:1Ultra short throw | 0.5:1Short throw | 1.2:1Portable / lifestyle | 1.5:1Standard home theater |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80"69.7" × 39.2" | 1 ft 5 in0.44 m | 2 ft 11 in0.89 m | 7 ft 0 in2.13 m | 8 ft 9 in2.66 m |
| 100"87.2" × 49" | 1 ft 10 in0.55 m | 3 ft 8 in1.11 m | 8 ft 9 in2.66 m | 10 ft 11 in3.32 m |
| 120"104.6" × 58.8" | 2 ft 2 in0.66 m | 4 ft 4 in1.33 m | 10 ft 6 in3.19 m | 13 ft 1 in3.98 m |
| 150"130.7" × 73.5" | 2 ft 9 in0.83 m | 5 ft 5 in1.66 m | 13 ft 1 in3.98 m | 16 ft 4 in4.98 m |
How the Calculation Works
Throw ratio is the distance from the lens to the screen divided by the width of the image. Two rearrangements cover every case:
- distance = throw ratio × image width
- image width = distance ÷ throw ratio
Screens are sold by diagonal, so convert first. For 16:9, width = diagonal × 0.872 and height = diagonal × 0.490. For 4:3, width = diagonal × 0.8. For 2.35:1, width = diagonal × 0.920.
Worked example: Epson-style zoom lens, 120" screen
A 120" 16:9 screen is 104.6" wide. With a 1.32–2.15:1 zoom lens the projector can sit anywhere from 1.32 × 104.6 = 138.1" (11 ft 6 in) to 2.15 × 104.6 = 224.9" (18 ft 9 in) from the screen. If your ceiling mount point is 14 feet back, it works; at 18 feet it doesn't, and you'd need a longer lens or a bigger screen.
Throw Types: Ultra Short, Short and Standard
Ultra short throw (below ~0.4:1)
Sits on a console a few inches from the wall; 100" from about 9–15 in. No shadows, no ceiling mount. Pairs best with an ALR screen made for UST.
Ultra short throw projectors →Short throw (~0.4–1.0:1)
100" from roughly 3.5–8 ft. Good for small rooms, gaming setups and golf simulators where you don't want to walk through the beam.
Short throw projectors →Standard throw (above ~1.0:1)
100" from about 8.5–13 ft. Most home theater projectors; often with zoom and lens shift for flexible ceiling or back-shelf mounting.
Home theater projectors →New to throw ratios? Our what is a short throw projector explainer covers the trade-offs, and BenQ TK710 vs TK710STi shows the same projector in standard and short throw versions.
Throw Ratios of 52 Projectors
Every in-stock model we track with a published throw ratio, shortest throw first. "100" from" is lens-to-screen distance for a 16:9 image (range = zoom).
Show the full table
| Projector | Throw ratio | Type | 100" from | Price today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Epson EpiqVision Ultra LS800 (UST) | 0.16:1 | Ultra short throw | 1 ft 2 in | $2,793 |
| Hisense PX3-PRO (UST) | 0.22:1 | Ultra short throw | 1 ft 7 in | $2,498 |
| Formovie Theater (UST) | 0.23:1 | Ultra short throw | 1 ft 8 in | $1,000 |
| AWOL Vision LTV-3000 Pro (UST) | 0.25:1 | Ultra short throw | 1 ft 10 in | $1,799 |
| Optoma GT1080HDR | 0.5:1 | Short throw | 3 ft 8 in | $799 |
| Optoma GT2000HDR | 0.5:1 | Short throw | 3 ft 8 in | $1,048 |
| Optoma UHD35STx | 0.5:1 | Short throw | 3 ft 8 in | $1,199 |
| BenQ TH671ST | 0.69–0.83:1 | Short throw | 5 ft 0 in – 6 ft 0 in | $849 |
| BenQ TK710STi | 0.69–0.83:1 | Short throw | 5 ft 0 in – 6 ft 0 in | $1,999 |
| BenQ X500i | 0.69–0.83:1 | Short throw | 5 ft 0 in – 6 ft 0 in | $1,499 |
| BenQ LK936ST | 0.81–0.89:1 | Short throw | 5 ft 11 in – 6 ft 6 in | $4,800 |
| BenQ TK700STi | 0.9–1.08:1 | Short throw | 6 ft 6 in – 7 ft 10 in | $1,679 |
| Nebula X1 | 0.9–1.5:1 | Short throw | 6 ft 6 in – 10 ft 11 in | $2,499 |
| BenQ TK705i | 1–1.3:1 | Standard throw | 7 ft 3 in – 9 ft 5 in | $1,399 |
| BenQ TK700 | 1.13–1.46:1 | Standard throw | 8 ft 2 in – 10 ft 7 in | $1,199 |
| BenQ TK710 | 1.15–1.5:1 | Standard throw | 8 ft 4 in – 10 ft 11 in | $1,830 |
| BenQ W4100i | 1.15–1.5:1 | Standard throw | 8 ft 4 in – 10 ft 11 in | $2,499 |
| BenQ X3100i | 1.15–1.5:1 | Standard throw | 8 ft 4 in – 10 ft 11 in | $1,799 |
| BenQ GV32 | 1.2:1 | Standard throw | 8 ft 9 in | $549 |
| BenQ GV50 | 1.2:1 | Standard throw | 8 ft 9 in | $649 |
| Epson Lifestudio Flex Plus | 1.2:1 | Standard throw | 8 ft 9 in | $950 |
| Epson Lifestudio Pop Plus | 1.2:1 | Standard throw | 8 ft 9 in | $600 |
| JMGO N1S 4K | 1.2:1 | Standard throw | 8 ft 9 in | $799 |
| Nebula Capsule 3 GTV | 1.2:1 | Standard throw | 8 ft 9 in | $400 |
| Nebula Capsule 3 Laser | 1.2:1 | Standard throw | 8 ft 9 in | $650 |
| Samsung Freestyle+ | 1.2:1 | Standard throw | 8 ft 9 in | $1,198 |
| XGIMI Elfin Flip Plus | 1.2:1 | Standard throw | 8 ft 9 in | $379 |
| XGIMI Halo+ | 1.2:1 | Standard throw | 8 ft 9 in | $499 |
| XGIMI Horizon 20 | 1.2–1.5:1 | Standard throw | 8 ft 9 in – 10 ft 11 in | $1,559 |
| XGIMI Horizon 20 Max | 1.2–1.5:1 | Standard throw | 8 ft 9 in – 10 ft 11 in | $2,249 |
| XGIMI Horizon 20 Pro | 1.2–1.5:1 | Standard throw | 8 ft 9 in – 10 ft 11 in | $1,999 |
| XGIMI MoGo 4 | 1.2:1 | Standard throw | 8 ft 9 in | $479 |
| XGIMI MoGo 4 Laser | 1.2:1 | Standard throw | 8 ft 9 in | $749 |
| JMGO PicoPlay | 1.21:1 | Standard throw | 8 ft 9 in | $349 |
| Nebula P1i | 1.25:1 | Standard throw | 9 ft 1 in | $319 |
| LG CineBeam HU810PW | 1.3–2.08:1 | Standard throw | 9 ft 5 in – 15 ft 1 in | $1,749 |
| Epson Home Cinema 2350 | 1.32–2.15:1 | Standard throw | 9 ft 7 in – 15 ft 7 in | $999 |
| Epson Home Cinema 3200 | 1.32–2.15:1 | Standard throw | 9 ft 7 in – 15 ft 7 in | $1,600 |
| Epson Home Cinema 3800 | 1.32–2.15:1 | Standard throw | 9 ft 7 in – 15 ft 7 in | $1,649 |
| Epson Home Cinema 4010 | 1.35–2.84:1 | Standard throw | 9 ft 10 in – 20 ft 8 in | $2,500 |
| Epson Home Cinema 5050UB | 1.35–2.84:1 | Standard throw | 9 ft 10 in – 20 ft 8 in | $2,789 |
| Epson LS11000 | 1.35–2.84:1 | Standard throw | 9 ft 10 in – 20 ft 8 in | $4,298 |
| Sony VPL-HW45ES | 1.36–2.16:1 | Standard throw | 9 ft 11 in – 15 ft 8 in | $2,000 |
| Sony VPL-HW65ES | 1.36–2.16:1 | Standard throw | 9 ft 11 in – 15 ft 8 in | $2,995 |
| Sony VPL-VW325ES | 1.38–2.83:1 | Standard throw | 10 ft 0 in – 20 ft 7 in | $5,194 |
| Sony VPL-XW5000ES | 1.38–2.21:1 | Standard throw | 10 ft 0 in – 16 ft 1 in | $5,998 |
| JVC DLA-NZ7 | 1.4–2.8:1 | Standard throw | 10 ft 2 in – 20 ft 4 in | $8,999 |
| Optoma HD146X | 1.47–1.62:1 | Standard throw | 10 ft 8 in – 11 ft 9 in | $599 |
| BenQ TH575i | 1.49–1.64:1 | Standard throw | 10 ft 10 in – 11 ft 11 in | $649 |
| BenQ TK800M | 1.5–1.65:1 | Standard throw | 10 ft 11 in – 12 ft 0 in | $1,185 |
| Optoma UHD38x | 1.5–1.66:1 | Standard throw | 10 ft 11 in – 12 ft 1 in | $999 |
| ViewSonic PX701-4K | 1.5–1.65:1 | Standard throw | 10 ft 11 in – 12 ft 0 in | $980 |
Getting Placement Right
How to measure
Measure from the screen surface (or wall) straight back to where the lens will be, not the back of the projector. For a ceiling mount, add the projector's depth and the mount's arm to confirm it clears the back wall. Measure twice: a few inches matter with fixed-lens projectors.
Lens offset and mounting height
Most projectors don't aim dead-center: the image is offset above the lens (table) or below it (ceiling, upside down). A 100% offset puts the image's bottom edge level with the lens. Check the offset or lens-shift spec so the screen lands at the right height without tilting the projector.
Zoom gives you room to move
A zoom lens (two numbers, like 1.35–2.84:1) lets the same screen work from a range of distances. Fixed-lens portables and most short throws have one ratio, so the screen size is set by where you put them. Some "zoom" on cheap projectors is digital and just shrinks the picture.
Keystone is a last resort
Digital keystone squares a tilted image by throwing away pixels, so the picture gets softer and dimmer and can add input lag. Square the projector to the screen first; use optical lens shift if you have it. If the image is soft, see why is my projector blurry.
Throw Distance FAQ
How do you calculate projector throw distance?
Multiply the throw ratio by the image width: distance = throw ratio × image width. A 100-inch 16:9 screen is 87.2 inches wide, so a 1.2:1 projector needs about 104.6 inches (8 ft 9 in) from lens to screen, and a 1.5:1 projector needs about 10 ft 11 in.
How far should a projector be from a 100-inch screen?
It depends on the lens. Ultra short throw models (about 0.25:1) sit roughly 1 ft 10 in from the screen, short throw models (0.5:1) about 3 ft 8 in, compact portables (1.2:1) about 8 ft 9 in, and standard home theater projectors (1.5:1) about 10 ft 11 in. Projectors with optical zoom can be placed anywhere inside their range.
What does a throw ratio of 1.2:1 mean?
For every 1 foot of image width, the projector has to be 1.2 feet away from the screen. A ratio with two numbers, like 1.32–2.15:1, means the lens has optical zoom: the smaller number is the closest placement for a given image and the larger is the farthest.
What is a short throw projector?
A short throw projector has a throw ratio of roughly 0.4 to 1.0, so it makes a 100-inch image from about 3 to 8 feet. Ultra short throw projectors (below about 0.4) sit inches from the wall. Standard throw projectors are above 1.0 and usually need 8 to 13 feet for 100 inches.
Does keystone correction change the throw distance?
Not the distance, but it shrinks the usable picture. Digital keystone squeezes the image into fewer pixels, which softens detail and reduces brightness. Position the projector square to the screen (or use lens shift if it has it) and treat keystone as a last resort.
Do I measure from the front of the projector or the lens?
Throw ratio is measured from the lens to the screen surface. For a ceiling mount, add the distance from the lens to the back of the projector and the mount when checking that it fits in the room. Ultra short throw makers usually quote distance from the screen to the back or front of the cabinet, so use their placement chart.
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