Projection Screens Price Comparison
Compare 498 projection screens from Sapphire AV, Da-Lite, Elite Screens and more — find the best price across leading UK retailers.
Projection Screens price comparison UK
Projection screens occupy a surprisingly wide price spectrum — from a basic tripod model for the occasional presentation to a ceiling-recessed motorised frame that anchors a dedicated home cinema. Our catalogue of 498 products spans everything in between, with prices running from 73 £ up to 73 £, which tells you something important: this is not a commodity category where any screen will do.
Sapphire AV dominates the listings with over 200 references, and for good reason — their range covers virtually every mounting type and screen size at prices that sit comfortably around the market average. Da-Lite, by contrast, positions itself firmly at the professional end, with an average price roughly 50% higher than Sapphire AV's. If you're equipping a boardroom or a permanent home theatre, that premium buys you tighter tolerances, better surface flatness, and longer warranties. For a school hall or a portable conference setup, it's hard to justify. Elite Screens fills the middle ground well, offering motorised and fixed-frame options that regularly appear on shortlists from Which? and TechRadar.
The aspect ratio question is often where buyers go wrong first. A 16:9 screen paired with a 4:3 projector — or vice versa — means black bars, wasted surface area, and a nagging sense that something isn't quite right. Most modern projectors output 16:9 or 16:10, so the Nobo and Celexon wall-mounted screens in those ratios make sense for offices and classrooms. Home cinema setups increasingly favour 16:9 or even 2.35:1 for a true widescreen experience. Check your projector's native aspect ratio before anything else.
Screen gain is the other variable that catches people out. A matte white surface (gain around 0.8–1.0) spreads light evenly across a wide viewing angle — ideal when the audience is spread across a room. High-gain surfaces (1.3–2.0) concentrate reflected light towards the centre, boosting perceived brightness in rooms that can't be fully darkened. The trade-off is a narrower sweet spot and potential hotspotting. If you're comparing screens for a bright living room, look specifically at ALR (Ambient Light Rejection) materials rather than simply chasing higher gain figures.
For portable use, the Nobo tripod range and Celexon's pull-down models offer a sensible balance of portability and image quality. Permanent installations — whether wall-mounted fixed frames or motorised ceiling-recessed units — reward a bit more investment, since you'll be living with the screen for years. Browse our related categories for everything else your setup needs: projector mounts, replacement projector lamps, and projection screen materials if you're considering a DIY surface upgrade.
How to Choose the Right Projection Screen
With prices ranging from 73 £ to 73 £, picking the wrong screen is an easy mistake to make — and an expensive one to undo once it's mounted on your wall. The key decisions aren't about brand loyalty; they're about matching the screen to your room, your projector, and how you actually use it.
Aspect ratio — match your projector first
This is the single most important specification, and it's non-negotiable. A 16:9 screen with a 4:3 projector wastes roughly 25% of your screen area and produces black bars that no amount of keystone correction will fix. Most projectors sold in the UK since 2010 output 16:9 natively — so that's the safe default for home cinema and general AV use. The 16:10 format is common in business environments (Nobo's wall-mounted range uses it), as it suits widescreen laptop content better than 16:9. If you're running legacy equipment or a dedicated presentation setup, 4:3 or 1:1 may still be appropriate. Check your projector's native resolution before ordering.
Screen size relative to viewing distance
A common rule of thumb: the ideal viewing distance is roughly 1.5 to 2.5 times the screen's diagonal measurement. A 100" screen (about 2.5m diagonal) works well in a room where viewers sit 3.5–6m away. Go too large and front-row viewers strain their necks; go too small and the image loses impact. For a typical UK living room, 80"–100" is the practical sweet spot. Boardrooms and classrooms often need 100"–120" to remain legible from the back row. Extra-large screens (150"+) are the territory of dedicated home cinemas and auditoriums — and the price reflects it.
Mounting type — portable vs. permanent
Tripod screens (like the Nobo range) are the right call if the screen moves between venues or gets stored between uses. They set up in under a minute and require no tools. The trade-off is stability — in draughty halls or with a heavy screen fabric, they can wobble. Wall-mounted fixed-frame screens deliver the flattest, most cinema-like surface but commit you to a single location. Motorised screens — either wall-mounted or ceiling-recessed — add convenience and a clean aesthetic, but they introduce a mechanism that can fail. Budget accordingly: motorised models typically start well above 73 £ and can reach 73 £ for premium ceiling-recessed units.
Gain and surface material for your room's lighting
Gain is a multiplier: a gain of 1.0 reflects the same amount of light as a standard white surface; 1.5 reflects 50% more towards the viewer. High-gain screens (1.3–2.0) look impressive in demos but narrow the viewing angle and can create a hotspot — a bright patch in the centre that's distracting during films. For a darkened home cinema, matte white (0.8–1.0 gain) is almost always the better choice. For a bright office or living room where you can't draw the blinds, look for ALR (Ambient Light Rejection) materials that actively reject off-axis light sources. These cost more but make a genuine difference in rooms with windows.
Motorisation — when the convenience is worth it
A motorised screen is a genuine quality-of-life upgrade if the screen is used daily or if it needs to disappear when not in use (a living room doubling as a cinema, for instance). Wired motorised screens are more reliable than wireless remote models — fewer batteries to replace, fewer interference issues. That said, wireless remote control is worth having if the screen is ceiling-recessed and the wall switch position is inconvenient. Expect to pay a meaningful premium over manual equivalents: the motorised segment of this catalogue sits predominantly above 73 £, with premium units from Da-Lite and Euroscreen pushing well past 73 £.
Build quality and warranty for long-term value
A projection screen is not a consumable — it should last a decade or more. Aluminium housings resist corrosion and stay lightweight; steel is more rigid but heavier; plastic housings on budget models can warp over time, causing the screen fabric to hang unevenly. Check the warranty: reputable brands like Da-Lite and Elite Screens offer 3–5 year coverage as standard, which matters when you're spending above 73 £. At the budget end of the market (below 73 £), warranties are often limited to 12 months, and replacement parts can be hard to source. For a permanent installation, the extra spend on a well-warranted screen is almost always justified.
- Entry-level and portable (From 73 £ to 73 £) : Tripod screens from Nobo, Celexon, and Bi-Office dominate this bracket. You get a functional, portable screen — fine for occasional presentations or a casual movie night. Don't expect premium surface flatness or wide viewing angles. Suitable for classrooms, small offices, and anyone who needs a screen they can fold away and forget about.
- The practical middle ground (From 73 £ to 73 £) : This is where the market opens up considerably. Wall-mounted manual pull-down screens from Elite Screens and Optoma appear here, alongside larger tripod models. Surface quality improves noticeably — better flatness, more consistent gain. A sensible choice for a dedicated home office setup or a small meeting room that sees daily use.
- Semi-professional and motorised (From 73 £ to 73 £) : Motorised screens enter the picture properly at this level, including wall-mounted and ceiling-drop models from Sapphire AV and Elite Screens. Fixed-frame screens for home cinema also appear here. Build quality is noticeably better — aluminium housings, tighter fabric tensioning, and longer warranties. The right bracket for a permanent home cinema or a well-equipped boardroom.
- Professional and premium (Over 73 £) : Da-Lite, Euroscreen, and the upper Sapphire AV range occupy this territory. Ceiling-recessed motorised screens, large-format fixed frames, and specialist ALR surfaces. Euroscreen's average price in our catalogue is the highest of any brand — these are screens for permanent professional installations where image quality is non-negotiable. Not for the casual buyer.
Top products
- Nobo 16:10 Wall Mounted Projection Screen 2000x1350mm (Nobo) : The most practical wall-mounted option in the sub-73 £ bracket — the 16:10 ratio suits office and classroom use well. Not the choice for home cinema, but for a meeting room it's hard to fault at this price.
- Celexon 1091741 projection screen 16:9 (Celexon) : A solid 16:9 pull-down screen at a competitive price point — good surface flatness for the money. Celexon's build quality is a step above the no-name alternatives, though the housing feels plasticky up close. A sensible buy if you need 16:9 without the Nobo premium.
- Bi-Office 9D006030 projection screen 1:1 (Bi-Office) : The 1:1 square format limits this to legacy presentation use — it's not a home cinema screen. That said, for schools and training rooms still running older projectors, it does the job reliably and the price is fair. Avoid if your projector outputs 16:9.
- Optoma DS-3100PMG+ projection screen 2.54 m (100") 4:3 (Optoma) : A 100" 4:3 screen from a projector brand that knows its audience — the surface quality and housing finish are noticeably better than the Nobo and Celexon equivalents. The 4:3 ratio is a genuine limitation for modern content, but for a boardroom paired with an Optoma projector it's a coherent, well-built package.
- Optoma DE-1109EGA projection screen 2.77 m (109") 16:10 (Optoma) : At 109" in 16:10, this is the most capable screen in the top-15 list — large enough for a proper home cinema or a large meeting room, with a surface quality that justifies the price above 73 £. The 16:10 ratio won't suit everyone, but for professional AV environments it's an excellent choice.
Related categories
Frequently Asked Questions
What aspect ratio projection screen should I buy for a home cinema?
For a home cinema, 16:9 is the correct choice for the vast majority of setups. It matches the native output of virtually all modern projectors and suits HD and 4K content perfectly. If you watch a lot of widescreen films (2.35:1 or 2.40:1), a 2.35:1 screen eliminates the black bars entirely, but you'll need a projector with an anamorphic lens or zoom memory function to use it properly. Avoid 4:3 unless you're specifically running legacy equipment — it wastes screen area with modern content.
Is a higher gain screen always better for image quality?
No — higher gain is not universally better, and this is one of the most common mistakes buyers make. A high-gain screen (above 1.3) concentrates reflected light towards the centre of the viewing area, which boosts brightness but narrows the viewing angle and can create a distracting hotspot in the middle of the image. For a darkened home cinema with viewers seated directly in front, matte white (0.8–1.0 gain) produces more even, accurate images. High-gain surfaces are best reserved for bright rooms where you genuinely cannot control ambient light.
Are motorised projection screens reliable enough for daily use?
Yes, provided you buy from a reputable brand with a proper warranty. Motorised screens from Elite Screens, Sapphire AV, and Da-Lite are designed for frequent cycling and typically carry 3–5 year warranties that cover the motor mechanism. The weak point on cheaper motorised screens is the limit switch — the component that stops the motor at the top and bottom of travel. On budget models this can fail within a year of daily use. If the screen will be used multiple times per day, spend above 73 £ and choose a brand with accessible UK after-sales support.
Can I use a projection screen outdoors?
Most indoor projection screens are not suitable for outdoor use — the fabric materials and housing are not weatherproofed, and direct sunlight will wash out even the brightest projector. If you need an outdoor screen for a garden cinema or event, look specifically for screens marketed as outdoor or portable event screens, with vinyl or polyester fabrics that can handle moisture. Tripod screens from the Nobo and Celexon ranges can work in sheltered outdoor conditions, but should not be left exposed to rain or direct sun for extended periods.
What's the difference between a fixed-frame screen and a pull-down screen?
A fixed-frame screen is permanently stretched over a rigid aluminium frame — the fabric is always under tension, which produces the flattest possible surface and the best image quality. A pull-down screen (manual or motorised) rolls up into a housing when not in use, which is tidier but means the fabric can develop slight waves or creases over time, particularly on cheaper models. For a dedicated home cinema where the screen is always in use, fixed-frame is the better choice. For a living room or meeting room where the screen needs to disappear, pull-down makes more practical sense.
Are budget projection screens from lesser-known brands worth buying?
With caution. Brands like HKS (average price around 73 £ in our catalogue) offer screens at prices that seem compelling, but the surface flatness, gain consistency, and housing durability are typically well below what established brands deliver. For a one-off presentation or a temporary setup, a budget screen is perfectly adequate. For anything permanent — a home cinema, a boardroom, a classroom — the image quality difference between a budget screen and a mid-range Elite Screens or Sapphire AV model is immediately visible, and the long-term reliability gap is wider still. It's one of those categories where buying cheap often means buying twice.
How do I know what screen size to buy for my room?
The standard formula is to measure the distance from the screen to the furthest viewer, then divide by 2 to get the minimum recommended screen diagonal in inches. So a 5-metre viewing distance suggests a minimum 100" screen. The maximum comfortable size is roughly the same distance divided by 1.5. Beyond screen size, check your projector's throw ratio — a short-throw projector can fill a 100" screen from 1.5m away, while a standard-throw model may need 3–4m. Getting the throw ratio wrong is the most common reason a newly purchased screen ends up being the wrong size for the room.