The projector industry has rapidly evolved, with gaming models now rivaling low-latency monitors used for gaming computers. Philips has entered the projector gaming arena with the GamePix 900, delivering a large display of up to 120 inches without compromising performance. With a 240 Hz refresh rate and ultra-low 6 ms latency, the GamePix 900 is a true gaming projector suitable for even the most competitive of gamers.

It has a list price of $999 but is available for pre-order at $599 (shipping mid-April 2025), making it an excellent value. The list price is competitive, and its pre-order discount gives it an edge over the competition. This compact portable projector boasts 1,000 ISO lumens, 4K resolution and HDR10 support for rich, vivid color. Whether setting it up in a dedicated gaming space, taking it on the go for a big-screen gaming experience, or watching films and TV shows, the GamePix 900 offers the versatility to meet a host of needs.

The Philips GamePix 900 faces fierce competition in its class from ViewSonic and Optoma. The ViewSonic PX701-4K, winner of ProjectorCentral's Best of the Year Award in 2021, is a $900 gaming projector featuring a 4.2 ms input lag rating at a refresh rate of 240 Hz. In our review, it measured 16.9 ms in 4K @ 60 Hz and 16.8 ms in 1080p @ 60 Hz—both excellent results. With 3,200 lumens, this 4K resolution ViewSonic performs well in bright rooms, whereas the GamePix 900 is better suited for controlled lighting environments. The PX701-4K includes a 10-watt mono speaker, a 1.1x manual zoom lens with manual focus, and HDR10 and 3D support.

Similarly, the Optoma UHD35x is a 4K gaming projector with a 4.2 ms input lag at 240 Hz, HDR10 and 3D support, a 10-watt mono speaker, and a 1.1x manual zoom lens with manual focus. With 3,600 lumens, it is another strong choice for gaming in bright rooms. However, both competing projectors use traditional lamps—the ViewSonic offers a lamp life of 6,000 hours (up to 20,000 in Eco mode), while the Optoma delivers 4,000 hours (up to 15,000 in Eco mode). By comparison, the GamePix 900's LED light engine provides up to 30,000 hours of use.

The Philips GamePix 900 includes a one-year warranty covering repairs, firmware upgrades, and replacements.

Insights into Our Reviewer's Process

Check out this interview with reviewer Nikki Kahl where we learn more about her background and projector review process and discuss her most recent review of the Philips GamePix 900.

Features

The Philips GamePix 900 is an LED projector that features the Texas Instruments 0.47-inch DMD DLP chipset, which takes a 1080p image and uses a four-phase pixel shift to achieve UHD 3840x2160 resolution. Like most lower-end and many mid-range home entertainment projectors, this is not a true 4K projector, but the GamePix 900 provides a crisp, clear UHD image with good color and contrast in multiple modes. At 1,000 ISO lumens, the projector is plenty bright for nighttime gaming or viewing, and can stand up against some ambient light, though it thrives in a room with good lighting control, such as with blackout curtains.

The GamePix 900 reproduces 95% of the Rec. 709 color gamut and delivers an image that is impressively sharp with good color. This 8.62 x 4.69 x 8.62-inch (WHD) projector weighs just 4.4 lbs., making it compact enough to move from room to room without much fuss. It has a fixed focal length with manual focus and a 1.5:1 throw ratio, so using ProjectorCentral's Throw Distance Calculator will be helpful in deciding where to place the projector in your space. Though it has geometric correction, to maintain the integrity of the projected image it is best to refrain from using it, and it will be disabled when the projector is in Game Mode anyway.

The projector is great for gamers not only because of its highly competitive latency rating of 6.3 ms at 240 Hz (8.2 ms at 120 Hz), but also because of its dedicated gaming modes that cater to specific categories of gaming. The first is Action Gaming, which optimizes dark scenes. The second is Adventure Gaming, which enhances contrast and HDR. The final is Sports Gaming, which delivers more vivid colors.

You can, of course, choose any of these modes that suit your preference, whether you are playing the type of game it's intended for or not, and still enjoy low latency as long as you turn on Game Mode (which disables keystone correction). I noticed that the color of Horizon: Zero Dawn looked best in Adventure Gaming, but I preferred Action Gaming when it was nighttime in the game because it was difficult to see things in the dark, shadowy distance and, as I was clearing a bandit camp with my sharpshooter bow, I needed to see if there were any bandits lurking in the shadows. I discuss several other games in the Gaming Performance section of this review.

The remote control is black and lightweight. The top seven buttons are laid out in three rows, the top and bottom consisting of two buttons each and three in the middle. In the top row are the Power and Source buttons, then the Back, Menu, and Keystone buttons below, and the Picture Mode and ECO/Blank button beneath. Under that are the navigation buttons, with the four directional arrows surrounding the OK button at the center. At the bottom of the remote are the volume controls, with the +/- buttons on either side of the Mute button.

I almost never use a remote's Blank button (used to temporarily turn off the picture), but my cat, Krishna, kept looking straight into the projector lens whenever I stopped playing Far Cry 6 to write something in this review. So, this time, its presence was much appreciated since she didn't deign to listen to my request to quit staring into the light. Cats...

The GamePix 900 has a simple connectivity panel. A single HDMI 2.0 input, a USB Type-A (5V/1.5A power out), and a 3.5mm audio jack make up the back panel. It features a 5-watt mono speaker with a built-in sound chamber. The sound is a bit thin on the bass side, which was a little disappointing, but it's decent enough and eventually I stopped noticing it. This certainly would not deter me from purchasing the projector, since it's an easy fix if you don't like the speakers. It's capable of surprisingly loud audio with those onboard speakers, and since it has a 3.5mm audio jack, I was able to hook up my studio speakers that I use for audio engineering.

There is no smart operating system—such as Google TV, which is a popular choice for home entertainment projectors at this price point, or even Android TV—so an external streaming device will be needed for watching movies, TV shows, and other content. I use my PlayStation 4 for streaming from Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Max, and Disney+. Those who game on a console like PlayStation and Xbox will be able to do the same. Nintendo Switch players will need a streaming device or dongle. If you are using the GamePix 900 with a gaming PC, watching content from your favorite streaming platforms can be done with your browser.

The projector doesn't have any automatic features (like auto-keystone or auto-focus), nor any wireless or Bluetooth connectivity, or casting ability (Google Cast, AirPlay, etc.), so what you're getting with this projector is mainly ultra-low input lag and a crisp, stunning 4K image. For some, that's all that's needed for a good time. I've been spoiled with smart projectors, so I'd want that, personally, but I can't say it's a dealbreaker.

Since it doesn't have smart TV functionality, having just a single HDMI port could be a deterrent for some, as well. Those who primarily game on one console or PC wouldn't have much of a problem when it comes to gaming or streaming, but in some cases (such as for gamers with non-4K consoles), not being able to hook up a player for 4K UHD Blu-ray content while also staying connected to their gaming system could be a bit of a drag.

An HDMI splitter is one option for adding extra inputs, but this could potentially affect input lag. For those who don't game competitively online, that wouldn't be an issue. Still, it's not enough of a reason for most to pass on this projector.

The Philips GamePix 900 projector includes a remote control (with AAA batteries), a power cable, a Quick Start Guide, and a warranty card.

Performance

Color Modes. The Philips GamePix 900 has seven color modes, several with good out-of-the-box color. The modes are: Brightest, Standard, Movie, Action Gaming, Adventure Gaming, Sports Gaming, and User. The modes are the same for both 1080p and 4K content and automatically shift when the projector detects 4K content, but the menu doesn't update the picture modes to indicate that they are HDR—they simply are.

The best mode for general gaming is Adventure Gaming mode, which measured 610 ANSI lumens in 1080p and 632 lumens in 4K. Action Gaming mode is ideal for games that require you to see detail within dark shadows and measured the same 610 ANSI lumens in 1080p and 632 lumens in 4K. Gaming picture modes require Game Mode to be activated to enjoy low latency.

For TV and movie viewing, both Standard and Movie modes are good choices, with Standard appearing brighter than Movie due to its cooler whites, even though Movie mode measured higher in brightness. Standard mode measured 610 ANSI lumens in 1080p and 632 lumens in 4K, while Movie mode measured 632 ANSI lumens in 1080p and 655 lumens in 4K.

The GamePix 900 has a decent color management system (CMS) that allows for RGBCMY calibration. This can be used in any mode to tweak colors to your liking, but User mode can also be utilized for this, and it will save your settings. User mode measured 610 ANSI lumens in 1080p and 632 lumens in 4K. You can also toggle the color temperature between Cool, Normal, and Warm in any mode.

The Brightest mode had an extreme green tint and was not one I would ever use, even with calibration. You can adjust it somewhat using the CMS, but it still struggles with clipping highlights. It measured 704 ANSI lumens in 1080p and 655 lumens in 4K, but I don't think a handful of extra lumens is worth sacrificing color accuracy. I didn't find much use for Sports Gaming mode, but it is available if you find one for it, and it measured 621 ANSI lumens in 1080p and 644 lumens in 4K.

Skin tones looked natural in both Standard and Movie modes, with Standard having a slight advantage. Movie mode's default color temperature is set to Normal, which may introduce a slight magenta hue in some cases. Changing the color temperature to Warm or Cool—depending on your preference—can help mitigate that. Some YouTube content exhibited minor highlight clipping, but not to the extent that it affected enjoyment.

The devices I used for reviewing content were a Sony UBP-X700 4K UHD player and a PlayStation 4.

1080p/SDR Viewing. The type of content you can watch during the day depends largely on the amount of ambient light, the vibrancy of the content, and the color and light modes you choose. Some cinematic TV shows remain relatively bright throughout, with only a few dark scenes that may be difficult to see. Sicario, streamed via Netflix in 1080p SDR, was one such example. While drawing the shades or dimming the lights would provide a better overall viewing experience, it was still watchable with the blinds open and a couple of lights on when projected in Standard mode with Normal light mode. That said, I wouldn't choose to watch it this way unless I was feeling lazy or needed to multitask—like when I am working on an illustration while watching. The projector isn't quite bright enough to prevent colors from washing out, and, of course, black levels and shadow detail suffer in ambient light. At night, however, these issues disappear, and the GamePix 900 delivers a beautifully vivid image with excellent color.

Switching over to Disney+, I tested a few animated films. Coco, a film well known for its vivid color, held up well against ambient light in both Standard and Movie mode. However, some of the sparse darker scenes had issues with shadow details and black levels. Not to the extent that it ruined daytime viewing—since there are so few dark scenes in the movie—but a darker film would be much harder to watch. For example, any of the Harry Potter films from The Prisoner of Azkaban onward would be entirely out of the question during the day. An animated film like Monsters, Inc. would also benefit from blackout curtains, as many scenes take place at night when the monsters are scaring children in their rooms.

Shall I say it again? If you plan on using this projector during the day, I strongly recommend installing blackout curtains. I found this sweet curtain rod that looks like an industrial pipe that I'm getting for mine. But I digress...

In all my streaming tests, there were no issues with compression artifacts, nor did I detect the rainbow effect that sometimes appears in DLP projectors.

I was eager to test Uncharted on the Philips GamePix 900, as this film tends to push projectors to their limits, especially with highlights. The opening cargo plane sequence was a great stress test—Nathan Drake scrambling up the swaying, sunlit crates made for a thrilling visual challenge. In Standard mode, there was some highlight clipping, particularly on the reflective surfaces of the metal cargo, Nathan's shirt, and the bright sky. Movie mode handled these highlights much better, preserving more detail in the brightest areas without sacrificing overall brightness.

The auction scene, however, proved more problematic. In Standard mode, highlights were noticeably clipped on the men's white collared shirts and the women's shoulders and necks, making some areas appear blown out. Switching to Movie mode significantly reduced this issue, balancing brightness while retaining detail. For this price point, contrast and black levels were solid, with decent shadow detail in the darker scenes, ensuring that even dimly lit backgrounds remained visible without excessive crush.

4K/HDR Viewing. Streaming 4K aerial drone videos from YouTube on the Philips GamePix 900 was a visually stunning experience, with crisp detail and vibrant colors that made landscapes feel nearly lifelike. The sharpness was particularly impressive, capturing the fine textures of forests, mountains, clouds, and cityscapes with remarkable clarity. However, I did notice some highlight clipping in scenes featuring waterfalls and snow, where the brightest areas lacked detail. This seemed to be partly due to the color correction of the source content, but the projector's Standard and Movie modes may have also contributed by pushing brightness at the expense of subtle highlight details. Despite this, the overall image quality remained highly immersive, making YouTube a viable option for enjoying 4K content.

Top Gun: Maverick looked better in Movie mode than Standard, especially with the color temperature set to Normal. The film's color grading leans "warm," particularly in the opening Mojave Desert sequence, where Maverick speeds across the sunlit landscape on his way to (predictably) defy orders. Movie mode preserved the film's natural warmth without overdoing it, maintaining a balanced, cinematic look. The image was beautifully sharp, with no noticeable highlight clipping—even in the brightest areas, plenty of detail remained in the whites, except for intentionally blurred bright lights.

Stepping up to 4K, the projector delivered even better black levels and shadow detail, adding depth to the darker cockpit interiors and sunset-lit skies. Highlights remained well-controlled, and all light sources—whether cockpit displays, runway lights, or sun reflections—looked as they should, maintaining realism without excessive bloom or clipping.

The vibrant animation and dynamic action sequences of Big Hero 6 were immersive, with rich colors in both Movie and Standard mode. The textures were excellently sharp and stood out to me. The GamePix 900 reproduced them well—whether it was the shine of metal, the matte finish of Baymax's soft exterior, or the intricate fabric details on sweaters and suit jackets. In Standard mode, the default color temperature is set to Cool, which washed out skin tones slightly. Adjusting it to Normal or Warm made a perceptible difference, enhancing the warmth of the city lights and making Baymax's soft white exterior look more natural. Overall, the film's bright, colorful aesthetic was well-reproduced, making for a vivid and engaging viewing experience.

Gaming. Input lag was measured using a Leo Bodnar 4K Lag Tester with Game Mode activated. The three gaming color modes had no effect on latency when compared to each other, but other color modes had higher lag times, even with Game Mode enabled. At 60Hz, both 1080p and 4K measured 16.9 ms, which is more than sufficient for most gamers. At 1080p and 120Hz, there was a significant decrease in latency, measuring 8.6 ms. Computer gamers running games at 240Hz can expect even lower lag times.

What you game on is just as important as the display when it comes to speed. In many cases, a console will get you 30Hz to 60Hz, while newer consoles or gaming PCs reach the faster speeds of 120Hz and 240Hz (no consoles currently support 240Hz). A PlayStation 4 can only output 1080p up to 60Hz, and the PlayStation Pro offers 60Hz in 4K. The PlayStation 5 outputs up to 120Hz in Performance mode for 1080p, 1440p, and 4K on compatible games. The Xbox One and Xbox One S both offer 1080p at 60Hz and the Xbox One X can output 4K at 60Hz. The Xbox Series X and Series S can go up to 120Hz on select titles, but only at 1080p or 1440p—no 4K.

So, what does this mean?

Console gamers can expect lag times between 16.9 ms and 8.6 ms, depending on the system. Whether computer gamers will enjoy a 6 ms lag time depends on several factors. Some games have a built-in frame rate cap, such as older games that may be locked at 60 fps. Competitive games like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Overwatch, Fortnite, and Valorant, as well as Esports games, are optimized for high frame rates and often support 240Hz. However, demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077 or Red Dead Redemption 2 may not reach 240Hz, even on a powerful PC. Lowering game settings can help boost FPS.

PC specs matter—as any PC gamer will tell you. You'll need enough RAM, preferably 32GB (16GB can work, but 32GB+ is best). A high-end graphics card, like the NVIDIA RTX 4080 or AMD RX 7900 XTX, is necessary. NVIDIA just released their RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 this January if you really want top-tier performance (twice as fast and better ray tracing). A powerful CPU is also essential for higher frame rates (Intel i9-13900K, AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, etc.).

Alright, enough nerding out about consoles and computers. I trust you know your gear or are well on your way to upgrading your gaming setup. I currently game on a PlayStation 4 (PlayStation 5 is next on my wish list) and have an Xbox Series S that I rarely use. As such, my games usually run at 60Hz and are staunchly 1080p. But that doesn't mean they don't look incredible (especially on a 4K projector), and it certainly doesn't mean the gaming experience isn't spectacularly immersive when gaming on the big screen.

Since I'm gaming at 60Hz, my input lag is 16.9 ms. That used to be as good as it got for gaming projectors and was considered the best of the best, even for competitive gamers. These days, we're spoiled with latency times ranging from 4.2 ms to 8 ms. In real-world gaming, the latency of the GamePix 900 matched what I've experienced on other models with the same input lag measurement. For most gamers, this won't be noticeable, especially if you're used to gaming on your current console or computer.

It should be a lateral move or improvement, and for many, it's comparable to a gaming monitor—only better, thanks to the massive size, making the gaming experience more immersive than ever. One thing to consider is when and where you game, as well as the environment. Will this be used primarily during the day? If so, you'll need to be okay with activating "cave mode" with—oh, what's that? That's right. Blackout curtains. You're catching on quick.

If you can't handle the dark, you will need a brighter projector.

There are three gaming picture modes on the GamePix 900: Action Gaming, Adventure Gaming, and Sports Gaming. Action Gaming optimizes dark scenes, Adventure Gaming enhances contrast and HDR, and Sports Gaming delivers more vivid colors. The first game I tested was Horizon: Zero Dawn in Adventure Mode at night. The color looked most accurate in Adventure Mode, with well-represented contrast and highlights during daytime scenes in the game. However, nighttime scenes made it difficult to see enemies at a distance due to decreased shadow detail. I excel at using a sharpshooter bow to pick off enemies stealthily, so this issue cramped my style. Switching to Action Gaming mode solved the problem, so while it wasn't ideal to switch back and forth, I did it to get the best of both worlds, and you certainly can, too.

The next game I tested was Far Cry 6, which I borrowed from the library specifically for this review to test a good first-person game. Both Action Gaming and Adventure Gaming modes worked well for this game, but I preferred Adventure Gaming. Of the three modes, it offers the best color and employs HDR beautifully. Before even starting the game, Far Cry 6 has you optimize HDR peak brightness to prevent visible highlight clipping. I didn't notice much clipping in Horizon, but there was absolutely none of that noise in Far Cry 6.

The cinematic intro of Far Cry 6 looked phenomenal when projected by the GamePix 900 in Adventure Gaming mode. The game begins at night, when military forces come to draft citizens for Yara's Viviro plantations. It was thrilling to sneak through buildings, across rooftops, and even through sewers as Dani fought for freedom. While Horizon: Zero Dawn required switching picture modes to see dark shadow detail, this wasn't necessary with Far Cry 6. The need for such adjustments will depend on the game, and you might achieve better results by tweaking your game's settings and the projector's color management system.

Vibrant games like Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy and Spyro Reignited Trilogy are good examples of games you can play during the day. I had the blinds wide open with ambient light directly on the screen and two lamps on for good measure, and I could still play the game without difficulty. I tested all three modes—Action, Adventure, and Sports—and Adventure consistently provided the best color. The HDR and contrast enhancement helped, but it also offered the most accurate color. If you're a Nintendo Switch gamer or have littles at home who game on the Switch, you'll find that most games for that console will be playable during the day. If the content is bright, it's probably safe to assume it'll hold up well in ambient light with this projector, whether gaming or watching animated or live-action TV shows and films.

Conclusion

The Philips GamePix 900 is a no-nonsense gaming projector that offers solid performance at a great price, especially if you snag it at the pre-order rate. While it delivers a strong gaming experience with low input lag and high refresh rate capabilities, its impressive picture quality in both 1080p and 4K also makes it a great option for home entertainment, including watching films and TV. The projector excels in dark environments but can also be used during the day for certain types of games and content.

The GamePix 900 is a viable alternative to a gaming monitor for serious players, provided steps are taken to darken the environment for games that require it (such as competitive games and single-player RPGs). It is well-suited for fast-paced competitive gaming, cinematic single-player experiences, couch co-op, and family gaming. While competitive gamers may benefit the most from this projector, as it is primarily geared toward gamers and lacks the smart features commonly found in home entertainment projectors, casual gamers and home theater enthusiasts who also game may find the Philips GamePix 900 meets all their needs. Overall, the Philips GamePix 900 proves itself as a powerful gaming projector that enhances the gaming experience and takes your gameplay to the next level.

For more detailed specifications and connections, check out our Philips GamePix 900 projector page.

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