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Projector Screens

The screen is half the projector's picture. Gain, color, and ambient light rejection change what you see more than a step up in projector price.

Bright living room with an ultra-short-throw projector on a low console lighting a large screen with a mountain lake scene

Which one is for you

  • Dark dedicated room with a standard-throw projector: the Silver Ticket STR-169120 120-inch 16:9 Fixed Frame (White 1.1 gain), or the Elite Screens Sable Frame B2 120-inch 16:9 Fixed Frame (SB120WH2) for a wider bezel and a touch more gain.
  • Speakers behind the picture in a dedicated room: the Silver Ticket STR-169120-WAB 120-inch Acoustically Transparent Fixed Frame.
  • Ultra-short-throw projector in a living room with the lights on: the Elite Screens Aeon CLR 3 123-inch UST ALR Fixed Frame (AR123H-CLR3).
  • Screen that has to disappear when the movie ends: the Elite Screens Starling Tab-Tension 3 120-inch 16:9 Motorized (STT120XWH3).

The picks

4 picks, budget to premium · prices as of October 2026 · affiliate links

1. Budget · Dark rooms, standard-throw projectors

Silver Ticket STR-169120 120-inch 16:9 Fixed Frame (White 1.1 gain)

$279
  • 120-inch 16:9
  • Matte white, 1.1 gain
  • Fixed frame, 2.4-inch velvet bezel
  • 160-degree viewing cone

Wirecutter has recommended this line for years because the surface measures color-neutral with no hotspotting and the frame goes together with a tension-rod system rather than springs. It costs a fraction of a premium fixed frame and gives up almost nothing in a dark room.

Pros

  • Flat, neutral surface at a low price
  • Simple tension-rod assembly
  • Many sizes and materials in the same line

Cons

  • No ambient light rejection
  • Not for UST projectors
  • Thin velvet bezel can show frame edges

Watch out: A 1.1-gain white screen has no ambient light rejection, so it needs a dark or dimmed room.

2. Mid-range · Speakers behind the screen, dedicated theaters

Silver Ticket STR-169120-WAB 120-inch Acoustically Transparent Fixed Frame

$459
  • 120-inch 16:9
  • Woven acoustic, 1.1 gain
  • Black backing (light block)
  • Fixed frame, 3.15-inch bezel

Putting the center speaker behind the picture is the single biggest dialogue-intelligibility upgrade in a dedicated room, and this is the least expensive woven screen with a black backing that stops light bleeding through the weave. AVSForum owners compare it favorably to Elite and Elunevision weaves at two to three times the price.

Pros

  • Speakers behind the screen with little loss
  • Black backing controls light bleed
  • Low price for an AT screen

Cons

  • Possible moire with some projectors
  • Slight brightness loss versus solid vinyl
  • Coarser weave than Silver Ticket WVS

Watch out: Woven screens can show moire with 4K pixel-shift projectors at close seating; sit at least 1.5 screen widths back.

3. Mid-range · Dark rooms where a wider bezel and a slightly brighter image are wanted

Elite Screens Sable Frame B2 120-inch 16:9 Fixed Frame (SB120WH2)

$299
  • 120-inch 16:9
  • CineWhite UHD-B, 1.3 gain
  • Fixed frame, 2.75-inch velvet bezel
  • Black backed, 180-degree viewing

CineWhite UHD-B is ISF certified for color neutrality and its 1.3 gain gives a lamp or LED projector roughly 20 percent more brightness than a 1.1 surface without a visible hotspot. The frame is wider and deeper than the Silver Ticket STR, which hides projector overscan better, and the black backing stops wall color bleeding through.

Pros

  • ISF-certified surface with a little extra gain
  • Wide 2.75-inch velvet bezel hides overscan
  • Rated for UST, short and standard throw

Cons

  • Spring tensioning is fiddlier than tension rods
  • No ambient light rejection
  • Slightly pricier than the Silver Ticket STR

Watch out: Spring tensioning takes two people and patience, and a 1.3-gain vinyl can show mild hotspotting with a UST mounted very low.

4. Premium · UST projectors in living rooms with ambient light

Elite Screens Aeon CLR 3 123-inch UST ALR Fixed Frame (AR123H-CLR3)

$1,293
  • 123-inch 16:9
  • Ceiling light rejecting, 0.8 gain
  • Edge-free fixed frame
  • 180-degree viewing angle

The Hook Up's eight-screen UST comparison and Projector Reviews both put the CLR 3 near the top for overhead light rejection at a mid-pack price. The lenticular surface is what lets the Hisense PX3-PRO keep its contrast with room lights on, and the edge-free frame reads like a giant TV.

Pros

  • Strong overhead light rejection
  • Edge-free frame looks like a TV
  • Wide viewing angle for a lenticular screen

Cons

  • Only works with UST projectors
  • Surface must be perfectly flat; careful assembly
  • No 120-inch option, 115 or 123 only

Watch out: UST-only: a standard-throw or short-throw projector will look dim and uneven on this material.

Common questions

What gain should I buy?
For a dark room with a projector over 1,500 lumens, a 1.0 to 1.3 gain white screen is the most neutral. Higher gain narrows the viewing cone and can hotspot, and grey or ALR materials trade some brightness for better contrast in rooms with light.
Can I use any ALR screen with any projector?
No. Lenticular CLR screens only work with ultra-short-throw projectors, and most standard ALR materials only work with ceiling-mounted long-throw projectors. Match the screen to the projector's throw type first.
Fixed frame or motorized?
Fixed frame is flatter, cheaper, and the right answer for any room where the screen can stay up. Motorized tab-tensioned screens keep a flat surface while retracting into a case, which suits multipurpose rooms with a TV or window behind the screen.

At a glance

All 4 picks side by side, budget to premium. Read down a column to see where they differ.

ProductTypical priceSizeAspect ratioGainMaterialFrameAcoustically transparentViewing angle
Silver Ticket STR-169120 120-inch 16:9 Fixed Frame (White 1.1 gain)Dark rooms, standard-throw projectors$279120 in diagonal16:91.1Matte white vinylFixed, 2.4 in velvet-wrapped aluminumNo160 degrees
Silver Ticket STR-169120-WAB 120-inch Acoustically Transparent Fixed FrameSpeakers behind the screen, dedicated theaters$459120 in diagonal16:91.1Woven acoustic, black backingFixed, 3.15 in velvet-wrapped aluminumYes (woven)160 degrees
Elite Screens Sable Frame B2 120-inch 16:9 Fixed Frame (SB120WH2)Dark rooms where a wider bezel and a slightly brighter image are wanted$299120 in diagonal16:91.3CineWhite UHD-B vinyl (ISF certified), black backedFixed, 2.75 in velvet-wrapped aluminumNo180 degrees (mfr)
Elite Screens Aeon CLR 3 123-inch UST ALR Fixed Frame (AR123H-CLR3)UST projectors in living rooms with ambient light$1,293123 in diagonal16:90.8 (about 0.97 measured)StarBright CLR 3 lenticular ALREdge-free fixed, thin bezelNo180 degrees

Typical prices as of October 2026; check the retailer for today's price.

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