Trust reviews when it comes to displays/projectors. Brick and mortars dont have the space to demo several PJs side by side.
Screens choicesare most important for gain vs hot spotting balance given throw distances. With an image around 100" or so, even the cheaper projectors will light it up well. Larger screens need more lumen output or higher gain screens. The farther away your PJ is fromthe screen wall, the better color and contrast at the expense of brightness usually. But barely so.
Fwiw, the top ten lists at projector central are probably foolproof bets at your price range. I have purchased every display I have ever owned based on pro reviews from the likes of cnet or HT magazine and have always been more than satisfied. We all see the same, so measurements rule in display reviews.
When it comes to PJ screen reviews, forums like AVS or hometheatershack have a good base of info and active community. If you are in a dedicated space, a fixed frame is the way to go for sure. I wouldnt get too hung up on the screen. Even entry level screens can produce a great picture once the PJ is calibrated after lamp break in.
