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Once you have an outdoor movie projector, you can throw a watch party using the garage door or a wall as a screen. But to really cultivate an outdoor movie theater feel, you need an outdoor projector screen. While you can also use these screens indoors, the best outdoor movie projector and screen will have a weather-resistance rating specific to outdoor use.
You are watching: The Best Outdoor Projector Screens of 2023
Not all of the best projector screens for home theaters are created equal. It’s important to educate yourself on the types of setups—from permanent to portable—and the different traits of screen quality with this guide. Then you’ll be equipped to choose the best outdoor projector screen for your outdoor life.
- BEST OVERALL: Elite Screens Yard Master 2 Outdoor Projector Screen
- BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Mdbebbron 120-Inch Portable Projector Screen
- BEST INDOOR/OUTDOOR: Vamvo 100-Inch Indoor/Outdoor Projection Screen
- BEST PORTABLE: Khomo Gear 100-Inch Portable Projector Screen
- BEST INFLATABLE: Vivohome Inflatable Mega Outdoor Projector Screen
- BEST LARGE-FORMAT: Sewinfla 24-Foot Inflatable Projector Screen
- BEST MOUNTED: Elite Screens Yard Master Electric Tension Screen
- BEST COMPACT: Pyle 40-Inch Projector Viewing Display Screen
How We Chose the Best Outdoor Projectors Screens
This buying guide is the result of extensive research on outdoor projector screens, which considered expert and consumer reviews, brand reputation, and the products’ merits based on their features. We considered the robustness of the projector screens’ build quality and materials, weatherproofing, ease of setup and takedown, value, and image quality. Our top picks feature mid-size screens that are great for indoor and outdoor use, giant inflatable screens, a permanently installed deluxe option, and a travel-oriented screen likely to fit almost any budget.
Our Top Picks
The best outdoor projector screen usually comes with a weatherproof rating and has earned a positive reputation through expert and consumer reviews. Our list of top picks includes projector screens in a range of sizes, with several types of frames, stands, and mounts.
Jump to Our Top Picks
What to Consider When Choosing an Outdoor Projector Screen
There may be some overlap between the best outdoor movie screens and the best projector screens, but be careful, because not all screens are made for outdoor use. When thinking about screening movies, shows, or sports outside, consider the difficulty of setup, how reflective the screen is (gain rating), the weather resistance of the materials, and standard factors like screen size and budget.
Size and Weight
If you’re looking forward to group gatherings in a large backyard, you may want the largest screen you can find. But if your main goal is a screen that’s good for movie nights when camping, you probably want something more portable and compact. Since projector screens range in size from smaller than most TVs to colossal 24-foot inflatable screens, there’s certainly a size suited to every preference.
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The weight of the screen (plus any necessary frame) may also matter if you plan to move it between indoors and out or take it with you on ventures outside the home. Most projector screen frames are made of metal or plastic, so while they’re all typically rather lightweight, their actual poundage will vary. Since they require a lot of durable cloth, big screens with inflatable cloth frames may weigh more than you expect. Some of the heaviest screens are encased in a metal housing and have electronics that lower and raise the screen, but those are typically intended for permanent or semipermanent installation rather than being moved from place to place.
Ease of Assembly and Portability
It’s easy for backyard movie theater ambitions to get out of control when you have your sights set on planning the perfect party, but when the day comes, friends are arriving in an hour, and you still haven’t unboxed the screen, you may wish you’d opted for an easy setup. The good news is those options exist, so take time to consider what’s best for your personality and skill set.
Also, remember that ease of assembly can affect the screen’s portability, so you might have to prioritize one over the other. For example, many inflatable and collapsible-stand projector screens are easy to set up and include a carrying bag for transport—but those bags can get pretty big and heavy, depending on the screen. The most easily portable projector screens might be self-contained in a case that pulls out into a screen and attached stand.
Fabric and Stand Materials
An outdoor projector screen’s material and its stand’s material matter, but rather than declaring which specific materials to look for, consider characteristics like washability and weather resistance. Some screens are machine washable, while others can be hand-washed with soap and water. Stands should be rust-resistant if you intend for them to withstand even small amounts of water.
In general, look for outdoor projector screens with an IP rating, which rates a product for its ingress protection against solid foreign objects and water. IP ratings have two numbers, like “IP54,” where the first number refers to foreign objects and the second refers to water. Higher numbers indicate more protection. For example, an IP66 product is dust-tight and protects against powerful water jets, while an IP33 product is protected against foreign objects 2.5 millimeters or greater and sprays of water.
Image Quality
You may think of the image quality as the province of the projector itself, not the projector screen, and that’s partially true. For instance, the best outdoor movie projector with 4K ultra-HD resolution will probably look better on any screen than a basic 1080p projector will on the best screen. However, the screen does impact image quality to a degree, and the measurement used to describe it is gain score.
A projector screen’s gain score rates its reflectivity. The standard gain is 1.0, and some projector screens score above or below that. The higher the gain score, the more you can get out of the available brightness of your projector. So, for example, a screen with a high gain rating will help your projector perform better in bright light. In low light, it will allow you to back up the projector to throw a larger image. A screen’s viewing angle is also important. If its picture stays consistent within a viewing angle of 150 degrees, for example, guests can sit spread out in front of the screen while still enjoying a great picture.
FAQs
Here you’ll find answers to some of the most frequently asked questions regarding the best outdoor movie screens.
Q. How big of an outdoor movie screen should I get?
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Some of the best outdoor movie screens are 120 inches. Perhaps this is because some of the best outdoor projectors are made for portability and aren’t powerful enough to maintain excellent image quality on a screen much bigger than that. If you do have a powerful projector that can throw larger images at high quality (and a large enough yard to accommodate a bigger screen), there are many high-quality inflatable projector screens on the market.
Q. How do I assemble an outdoor movie screen?
Assembling an outdoor movie screen will depend on the type of screen and frame you own. It might entail putting together a frame, strapping the screen to the frame, and staking it down into the ground. If it’s an inflatable screen, it will require inflation with the included blower. The easiest screens to set up simply need to be pulled out of their base. In general, all screens included in this guide are easier to set up than DIY outdoor movie screens, but they might not be as satisfying to show your friends.
Q. Can I leave an outdoor projector screen outside, or will I have to pack it up after each use?
While the best outdoor projector screens include some level of weather resistance, most manufacturers recommend you take them inside or store them away after use. While some are OK permanently installed, leaving most projector screens outdoors in the long term means you’re risking shortening their life.
Q. Can I use an outdoor projector screen during the day?
Yes, you can use an outdoor projector screen during the day, but look for a screen with at least a gain rating of 1.0 or higher. A higher gain rating means a more reflective screen, which will be more effective in daylight. A gain rating below 1.0 may only be appropriate for nighttime.
Q. Can I use an outdoor projector screen indoors?
Almost all outdoor projector screens are perfectly fine to use indoors if you have the room. However, the large inflatable screens may be too big to use inside many homes, and some screens are bolted in place, making them impractical to move between spaces.
Q. How much does an outdoor movie screen cost?
Even the best outdoor movie screens range widely in cost. The screens on this list start at under $100, with most in the $100 to $200 range. Only one screen on this list is priced in the thousands, and that’s the Elite Screens Yard Master Electric Tension outdoor projector screen, which is meant for a more permanent outdoor installation.
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Categories: Outdoor
