How much light output should a projector have?

You can compare the lamp of a beamer with a light bulb. The higher the light output, the brighter the lamp. This leads to a higher amount of ANSI lumen, for an extra clear projection. In turn, this ensures that images are also clear in bright rooms. If the projector has a low light output, you need to darken the room. When you expand the projection, the projector spreads the light across a larger surface. In this case, you also need more ANSI lumen.

Inside offices or classrooms, it isn't very convenient if you continuously need to darken the room. That's why, in theory, a higher light output is always better. The only disadvantage is that a higher light output is also more expensive. That's why you should choose for the lowest amount of light output needed to project a clear image. For meeting rooms or classrooms, we advise at least 2,000 ANSI lumen. If you're looking for a projector for large conference or lecture halls, go with at least 4,000 lumen.

A movie night with a projector almost always takes place in the dark. Since the room is already dark, you don't need a high light output. On the contrary, a high number of ANSI lumen can even be detrimental to your movie experience. A high brightness leads to a reduced contrast between dark and bright images. Black images might appear dark gray, leading to less realistic images. That's why you should choose for a light output of at least 1,000 and at most 3,000 ANSI lumen.

Games are played both in daylight and the dark. For this reason, you should choose a projector with an average light output. At least 2,000 and at most 3,000 ANSI lumen would be best. This ensures clearly visible images when gaming in the dark. At the same time, the lamp won't be bright enough to to negatively affect the contrast ratio.