Maybe it’s a little “new age” from me, and I admit that I’m part of the younger generation, but I don’t see the point in having a TV. Of course I still watch TV, but unless you still have cable (in 2024…) I don’t understand why everyone wouldn’t just have a projector.

I benefit from some technical influences in my life, but even the simplest projectors and installations blow TVs out of the water. Here are just some of the reasons why I believe projectors are superior to TVs and why I will probably never own a TV in my lifetime.

No empty space

Aesthetically speaking, televisions have always confused me. When they’re not on, they’re just a big black hole of wasted potential. If they’re on, you’re limited to what your console of choice considers a nice background: dolphins, aerial mountain views, and scenic blobs. Or, you have the daunting task of finding both the music order and their corresponding videos that are both appropriate and complementary to the set.

With a projector, you can decorate your wall exactly to your taste and still have a screen for entertainment.

In addition, owning a projector allows you to display chic images, videos or aesthetic colors on an already trendy wall decor while playing music. By using your computer as the primary mind, the projector is only as powerful as the computer behind it, and they are quite powerful these days.

Want more design inspiration? Sign up for our free daily newsletter for the latest decorating ideas, design tips and more!

Versatility

If you want to watch TV in the living room, you’re in luck. If you want to watch it in your bedroom, backyard, ceiling, or anywhere else, get ready to invest. With a projector, you don’t have to choose just one place to watch movies: you can watch them all everywhere.

Before I “invested” (less than $50 in my choice) in a projector, I was a laptop user. This was nice because I could take it anywhere, but it wasn’t suitable for more than one or two people at a time.

Now, not only do I have options for the room I’ll be watching in, but also for the wall. And, as someone who likes to lie in bed or on the couch, nothing feels more luxurious than displaying my current show on the ceiling and letting myself be entertained all night.

An alternative suitable for renting

As part of the younger generation, I am constantly moving from one apartment to another. Between two apartments in college, to my new place in New York, I need to have renter-friendly decorating options, which means I won’t be leaving my security deposit (along with the holes in the wall).

If you’re going to mount anything to the wall, it would be the stand or bracket for the projector (one to two screws) and the screen you’re going to display it on (two to four screws). Both of these, it is important to note, are optional.

These are a great alternative to the huge and numerous screws needed to mount the TV, or the console it rests on that you weren’t so sure you wanted to buy.

An affordable replacement

As I briefly mentioned earlier, projectors can be quite cheap if everything you’re looking for is affordable. But even the highest quality projectors won’t cost you more than a few hundred dollars, or maybe a thousand if you’re looking for the shiniest new thing.

You don’t need to worry about a bracket (any flat shelf or even a tall enough stack of books will do the trick), and the display is DIY, optional, affordable, and easily replaceable with a clean sheet.

Endless streaming options

With TV, you are limited to the apps or channels your TV can handle. Or, if you’re a little more tech-savvy, you might be able to port your computer or hook it up with a series of cables and adapters.

But projectors are specifically designed to use a computer as their master mind, and that makes them infinitely easier to connect.

This means you can not only stream your shows and movies, but also home movies, random videos, and even just a slideshow or pictures if you’re recapping friends on a long vacation.