A new kind of projector

Low heat output ; compact ; easy controls

Noisy fan ; separate power supply ; low brightness requires low light

An interesting attempt at a miniature projector, but a flawed one

Project from your pocket

Silent in operation ; well designed

Underwhelming colour reproduction ; VGA cable too short

An entertaining gadget but it left us wanting more

A high-performance, high-definition projector at a great price

The H5350 DLP projector from Acer offers 720p HD images in a fairly small, neat package.

An impressive projector with a split personality

If you're expecting to pay just a few hundred pounds for a projector then the almost £1,000 ex Vat price tag attached to the Benq SP831 could come as a bit of a shock.

An all-in-one home cinema projector at an excellent price

Extremely easy to set up ; Good pictures up to 335in ; Built-in DVD and speakers

Slightly noisy ; DLP colour flashing ; Not HD-ready

Once the preserve of the well-heeled movie enthusiast, home cinema projectors are now surprisingly affordable.

A cheap and quiet unit that also looks good

After a surprisingly long absence, InFocus returns to the projector fray with a vengeance

Picture quality ; price ; ease of use

Occasional colour striping ; black levels bettered by some costlier models ; quite large

Once upon a time, InFocus ruled the home projection market with its extensive and oft-updated Screenplay range. But then it all went a bit quiet. Until now.

A distinctive-looking DLP projector for home theatre environments

Waterproof to a depth of 1.5m ; Low-light shooting up to ISO 800 ; Macro close-ups to 1cm from your subject

Plastic look and feel ; Waterproofing aside, the Optio's features are nothing out of the ordinary

Finished in a slick high-gloss black, there are no straight edges on the Infocus IN76.

A compact and powerful projector with plenty of contrast and good colour reproduction

Forget flat-panel TVs - try this flat-panel projector instead

Can save you money ; Save you having to switch individual components off ; Works with other household items, not just computers

More expensive than standard surge protector ; Slight delay in switching power sockets off

Many people buy projectors as an alternative to a large-screen television or monitor, but they're not the most attractive-looking devices and getting them set up in your front room or office can be a bit of a chore.