If you want one of the best projectors of the bunch (one that also looks great whether it's on or off), the Sony VPL-CS5 SuperLite is a good choice. But be prepared to pay a premium for it (it's $800 more than the NEC VT460).

The unit has a sleek metal case, with a hatch over the cable connectors and an integral lens cover that automatically retracts when you turn on the power. You can control the motorized tilt feature with the remote—a nice touch. The on-screen menus are easy to use, and in testing, image quality was excellent, with some of the best brightness and brightness variance scores here. Colors were smooth, and focus was sharp—even in the corners.

The projector's remote has mouse functions but no volume control. The biggest drawback of the Sony projector, however, is that the control panel is crammed next to the cable connectors, making the buttons difficult to see and awkward to use. It's also one of the three highest-priced models we tested.