While there are plenty of great projectors available today, the world of truly elite gaming projectors is far smaller. Finding one that can genuinely compete with the best high refresh rate gaming monitors is no easy task—that is, until Philips introduced the GamePix 800 Smart Gaming Projector.
I’ve had the chance to get hands-on with this promising device and put it through its paces. And while the gaming projector market may be small, the GamePix 800 Smart still faces a few solid competitors. So, how does it stack up? All of that and more in this comprehensive Philips GamePix 800 Smart review.
Note: Available in April 2025
Design & Build Quality
The Philips GamePix 800 Smart projector sports a clean, minimalist aesthetic with a sleek matte black finish, accented only by a subtle red ring around the output lens. It’s simple and modern, in my opinion, and the overall design will likely blend well with most gaming setups without drawing undue attention with flashy RGB lighting.
Unfortunately, the mostly plastic construction doesn’t feel premium, but the projector, on the whole, does feel sturdy. A metal build, or a few more metal elements, might’ve added a more premium feel, but adding metal would almost definitely add weight and sacrifice some of its portability.
Speaking of portability, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. Though not excessively heavy at around 2.9kg (from my own test, due to conflicting spec sheets claiming both 2.7kg (press release) and 4.3kg (online specs)), and measuring 302 x 218 x 99 mm, it’s not compact enough to be considered truly portable. Though I didn't test this, I know its size would take up significant space in a bag, and with all the cables and remotes too, it's definitely designed to stay at home, ready for your next cinematic gaming sessions.
Adjustability is also one of this projector's drawbacks. Its foot to raise it is just a basic screw, offering limited height adjustment and just feels a bit flimsy overall. This turned out to be one of its biggest issues during my testing, as I had to use stacks of paper to get it to project nicely against the wall in my living room.
As for connectivity, the GamePix 800 Smart offers a solid port selection—two HDMI, one USB, and an RS232 port. All are positioned conveniently at the rear and higher up the body, making them easy to access and good for keeping cable management, well, manageable. Their position, though not evaluated by me, should be ideal for setups that may include ceiling mounting, too.
Setup & User Interface
Setting up the projector was a smooth and straightforward process, all thanks to its integration with Google TV.
With the Google Home app and a Google account, I was quickly connected to my Wi-Fi and was ready to access a wide range of smart features and streaming services. Apps like YouTube work seamlessly once you're signed in via Google, while others, like Netflix and Disney+, require the usual sign-in steps.
Navigation is simple and intuitive, too, aided by a responsive remote control, which looks and feels similar in many ways to an Amazon Fire Stick remote. One exception to what you can control remotely is the manual lens focus, which I had to adjust directly on the projector. However, that's not too much of an issue if you end up finding a long-term place for the projector. And, as the remote control features a built-in microphone, you can easily use voice commands in supported apps—great for quick searches on platforms like YouTube.
Display Performance
Visually, the GamePix 800 Smart performs well. It features a Full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution, which I thought looked sharp, especially when gaming.
That said, at this price point, 4K support would’ve been a welcome addition, particularly given that a couple of competing projectors offer it for less money. Still, Philips has packed in a few nice compensations.
According to Philips, the projector uses advanced DLP tech from Texas Instruments, paired with HDR10 support and a wide 98% Rec.709 color gamut. That all sounds great, but it's just a string of words, letters, and characters at the end of the day. In practice, though, I found it to deliver vibrant, punchy colors and deep contrast that really shine when watching high-quality content.
Brightness is rated at 2500 ANSI lumens, and while there are projectors out there which offer higher max. brightness, I found it to be more than capable, especially on the brightest setting. However, you’ll want to tweak contrast and color when at max. brightness to avoid things looking overly “white” or washed out in certain scenes.
The contrast ratio sits at 1500:1. That's not groundbreaking, but enough to give some decent depth in darker scenes, especially in a dimly lit room. Also, you can project images from 70 inches all the way up to 150 inches, which gives you plenty of flexibility depending on your space. Meanwhile, the LED light source is said to last up to 30,000 hours and consume less energy than traditional lamp-based models, though I haven’t used it long enough to verify either claim firsthand.
Ultimately, while there are technically more powerful 4K options out there, the GamePix 800 Smart holds its own with a bright, colorful, and adjustable display. I could only test what I had in front of me, and what I saw was, overall, pretty good.
Gaming Features
For a projector, the Philips GamePix 800 Smart delivers an impressive gaming experience, especially if you're aiming for smooth performance over ultra-high resolution.
It supports 1080p at 120Hz with an input lag of around 8ms, which is seriously respectable in the projector space. While that delay won’t cut it for esports-level competitive shooters, it’s fine for the kind of cinematic or casual gaming experience most users will be after with a setup like this.
In practice, the projector handled fast motion really well. Forza Horizon 5 ran smoothly, with no noticeable stutter or blur, and the overall visual quality in motion held up well. Playing FC 25 on a bright day, projected onto a textured wallpaper, still gave me a clear and vibrant image, though certain UI elements, like the player indicator, could get a little washed out in bright areas. Fortnite also played smoothly at 1080p/120Hz, though dialing in the right contrast and color settings took a bit of tweaking. The "Adventure Game" mode hit the sweet spot, especially in terms of enemy visibility and maintaining Fortnite’s bright, stylized look.
The Game Modes really do deserve a shoutout. They make adjusting visual settings easier, with handy labels based on the game type (Action, Sports, Adventure). That said, I found I kept going back to Movie mode for its color tone, even while gaming (the exception being Fortnite).
Of course, this isn’t a replacement for a high-end gaming monitor. I’ve got an AOC 180Hz monitor with 1ms response time for reference, and while the GamePix 800 Smart isn’t as lightning-fast, the difference isn’t as drastic as you might think, especially if you're not pushing your PC or console to the absolute limit. I did notice some very occasional blurring during FC 25, but I’m not sure whether to blame the projector or my laptop’s performance at the time.
Smart Features & Connectivity
With Google TV integration, accessing streaming services like Netflix, Prime, and Disney is easy straight out of the box. I primarily used Netflix and was glad to see it pre-installed and ready to go. Combined with the solid image quality, I enjoyed using the projector for a movie night—I kicked things off with The Electric State and it looked great.
Connectivity is solid, too. As mentioned already, you get two HDMI ports, a USB input, and it offers Wi-Fi compatibility. There’s no Bluetooth, which is a bit of a miss if you’re hoping to connect wireless headphones or speakers, but everything else works smoothly.
Console compatibility is no issue either. I plugged in my PS5, and it worked instantly, just like hooking up to a regular TV. Just be sure to dive into your settings and set the output to 1080p/120Hz to get the best performance
Audio Quality
The Philips GamePix 800 Smart projector comes with a built-in 5W speaker and a dedicated sound chamber, and honestly, it performs better than expected.
Watching movies, I found the audio clear and surprisingly full-bodied. I'm used to a Sonos soundbar on my TV, and while the GamePix obviously doesn’t match that level, the difference wasn’t as noticeable as I thought it would be, especially for casual viewing.
The bass was actually pretty punchy, sometimes a little too much, which could make dialogue a bit harder to pick out in certain scenes. That’s not an uncommon issue with built-in speakers, but it’s something to be aware of. I wouldn't say there's much surround sound effects to speak of, though, so if you’re after that cinema-style audio immersion, you’ll want to hook up external speakers or a soundbar via the audio jack or USB.
Gaming-wise, a headset would definitely give a more immersive and directional experience, but the built-in audio is still decent for general gameplay. There’s no real echo or distortion, and for a projector speaker, it’s actually pretty solid.
Portability & Versatility
While I touched on this earlier in the design section, it’s worth expanding on just how versatile the Philips GamePix 800 Smart is.
With a throw ratio of 1.49:1 and support for screen sizes from 70 all the way up to 150 inches (380cm), it works well across a range of room sizes. I used it in both my living room and kitchen without issue, and it handled both spaces comfortably. The ability to adjust image size easily adds to its flexibility, which is ideal if you’re moving it between rooms, like I was.
It’s not a short-throw projector, so you’ll need a bit of distance for larger images, but even when projecting from closer, you can scale things down with no problem. I haven’t tested it outdoors yet, but I’m hoping to give it a go for summer sports events—light levels will be the key factor there (more on this above and later in this review).
In terms of portability, though, it's not the most transportable thing in the world. As touched on before, it measured in at around 2.9kg when I weighed it, which makes it light enough to carry between rooms, but not truly travel-friendly. It’s not particularly compact either, as its size would take up a decent chunk of space in a bag. Still, for home use, it’s flexible and easy to work with.
Performance in Different Lighting Conditions
I’ve already touched on a lot of this in the display performance section, but it’s worth highlighting again just how well the Philips GamePix 800 Smart handles different lighting conditions.
With a 2500 ANSI lumens rating, it performs surprisingly well in brighter rooms, enough to comfortably play games or watch content during the day. I used it in well-lit spaces like my kitchen, and while the image obviously doesn’t pop quite as much as in darker environments, it was still very watchable.
That said, like most projectors, it truly shines in low light or complete darkness, where the picture becomes far more cinematic and immersive. Thankfully, the projector includes a solid range of adjustments—contrast, color temperature, and different picture modes—so you can tweak the visuals to get the most out of it depending on your environment. With the right settings, it holds up impressively well, even at full brightness.
Price & Value for Money
At £999, the Philips GamePix 800 Smart sits on the premium end of the projector spectrum, but when you compare it to similar models, it’s actually priced quite reasonably.
Competitors like the BenQ X3100i and X500i offer 4K output alongside 120Hz support, but come in at £1,400–£2,000+, which puts the GamePix in a more accessible tier. It may not offer 4K, but with solid 1080p/120Hz performance, HDR10 support, and great color, it definitely gives a good account of itself, especially for gaming.
You could stretch slightly further for something like the BenQ TK700STi, which offers 1080p at 240Hz and an ultra-low response time, but at the cost of a smaller maximum projection size.
So, while £999 feels steep for a non-4K projector, Philips has priced it relatively fairly in context. In terms of value, it’s probably a solid 3.5 out of 5—good, not groundbreaking, but justified if you're after strong gaming and streaming performance in one.
Final Verdict: Should You Buy the Philips GamePix 800?
Ultimately, the Philips GamePix 800 Smart is a solid entry into the niche world of gaming projectors. If you're after a smooth 1080p/120Hz experience with vibrant colors, relatively low input lag (8ms) for a projector, and built-in Google TV smarts, it delivers. Plus, the built-in speaker performs better than expected if you don't want to add in any extras.
However, it’s not perfect. At £999, the lack of 4K feels like a miss. Portability is limited, too, despite it being a decent weight, and the lack of Bluetooth connectivity means it lacks complete versatility. Adjustability is also an issue, especially with the basic screw foot intended to be used to change the projection height. The range is limited, which meant I had to resort to paper to prop it up. That being said...
Buy it if:
- You want a cinematic gaming/movie experience in Full HD
- You need smooth 120Hz performance
- You value built-in streaming apps and easy setup
Skip it if:
- You’re chasing top-tier competitive gaming performance
- You want true 4K resolution
- You need a truly portable or short-throw solution
