Buyer's guide: How to choose the right business projector

Some of the newest models, like the XGIMI Halo or ViewSonic M2, can do a cool visual trick. An innovative auto-focus routine projects an imaging target that a sensor inside the projector analyzes to move the lens in and out until it sees sharp edges. It’s fun to watch and better than the sharpest-eyed technician.

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XGIMI

The XGIMI Halo pico projector

Because of limited space for ports, these pocket projectors generally have only an HDMI port, a USB A or C port, an audio jack, and sometimes a microSD card slot. Some of the newer models include Bluetooth for connecting to external speakers.

If you want to leave the laptop behind on your desk, the ViewSonic M2 will do the trick with a built-in Android computer and Wi-Fi. This allows it to wirelessly connect with a phone or project a website.

These are the power misers of the projector world, and as such, many can run on internal battery packs. Some, like the Halo, promise 3.5 hours of use away from an AC outlet. The gotcha is that its brightness can drop by 20% when on battery power. Still, it’s useful for projecting in a place without an AC outlet, like an outdoor company reception.  

Any of these pocket projectors can go anywhere you go, providing new presentation possibilities. They may be small and light, but pocket projectors have huge ambitions in the business world.

Pocket projectors at a glance

• Target audience: Presenters on the go who would be slowed down by a 4-lb. projector
• Pros: Small; light; inexpensive; use solid-state lighting elements; some have Bluetooth for audio; some can can run on battery power
• Cons: Limited in terms of image size, brightness, resolution, and features
• Price range: $250 to $750
• Dimensions: 7 x 2.6 x 0.9 in. to 4.5 x 4.7 x 6.8 in. (6.9 x 6.6 x 2.3 cm to 11.4 x 11.9 x 17.3 cm)
• Weight: 6 oz. to 3.5 lbs. (170 g to 1.6 kg)
• Brightness rating: 100 to 700 lumens
• Native resolution: 960 x 540 to 1920 x 1080
• Projection distance: 8 to 15 ft. (55 cm to 4.6 m)
• Projected image size (diagonal): 5 to 10 ft. (46 cm to 3 m)
• Ports/connectivity: HDMI; USB; audio; some have an SD card slot
• Examples: AAXA LED Pico Pocket Projector; AAXA P8 Mini Smart Projector; Optoma ML750; ViewSonic M2; XGIMI Halo

Buying advice: These projectors can disappoint on resolution, so if you need sharp images, get one that projects HD resolution of 1920 x 1080.

Portable projectors

Whether it’s pitching to a potential customer, showing off your company’s wares, or training fellow employees, the portable projector rules the business world by offering a bright, sharp image from a device that can be carried from room to room or city to city. With 1,500 lumens or more of brightness at their disposal, these devices blow away pocket projectors and mean that the lights can stay on and the shades up.

InFocus

The InFocus LightPro Advanced 3LCD Series IN1026 portable projector

That said, they are typically much bigger and heavier than their pocketable brethren, although the latest generation of portable projectors place a premium being slim and light. For example, at 1.7 inches (4 cm) tall and 4 lbs. (1.8 kg), the Epson PowerLite 1795F can slide into most notebook bags. At the other extreme, Optoma’s ZW350 pushes the definition of portability at four times the size and more than double the weight; it will likely need its own bag.

In this group, imaging technology is evenly split between LCD and DLP, with the latter having a big advantage on the road. While LCD projector designs often offer a superior color balance, they require an air filter to make sure no dust gets into the sensitive optical elements. DLPs generally have sealed optics, so there’s no need to worry about being slowed down in Cleveland with a clogged filter.

Portables at the low end typically stick with XGA (1024 x 768) or WXGA (1280 x 800) resolution, but HD (1920 x 1080) and UHD (3840 x 2160) resolution are becoming the norm for the midrange and up. In fact, some projectors are available in families that offer a variety of attributes at a range of prices, letting you choose what’s important. While the economical InFocus LightPro Advanced 3LCD Series IN1004 projector puts out 3,100 lumens in XGA resolution, its midrange cousin, the IN1026, offers WXGA resolution and 4,200 lumens for sharper, brighter images. The flagship IN1059 model combines 5,000 lumens of light with WUXGA (1920 x 1200) resolution.

Sharper still is the Anker Nebula Cosmos Max, which puts out 3840 x 2160 resolution with 1,500 lumens of light. Because it’s LED-based, you can forget about buying or installing a lamp ever again.

Anker

The Anker Nebula Cosmos Max portable projector

Most projectors in this class offer horizontal and vertical keystone correction, and many include an optical zoom lens to adjust the image to exactly fill the screen. For instance, the Optoma ZW350’s lens can increase or decrease the image’s size by 30%. That said, many of these projectors have a maximum image size of 25 feet (7.6 meters), although they’ll more typically be used with screens no bigger than 10 feet (3 meters).

Expect a good assortment of ports, including HDMI (sometimes two), VGA, audio, USB A or C, and often an SD card slot. For those who want to travel ultralight, many in this class will let you lift images, video, and often PDFs from an SD card or USB flash drive without a laptop in sight. Some, like the Nebula Cosmos Max, add Wi-Fi, an Android computer, a web browser, and the ability to mirror what’s on a phone or tablet for ultimate flexibility.

The bottom line for nomads is that despite being heavier than pocket projectors, portables might actually lighten your load by letting you leave the laptop behind.

Portable projectors at a glance

• Target audience: Salespeople and execs on the go who need to present a bright, sharp image and then move on to the next appointment
• Pros: Bright; inexpensive; transportable; optical zoom; good assortment of ports; many can grab items from a USB flash drive or wirelessly from a phone or tablet
• Cons: Many are bulky and heavy; some use traditional lamps that must be periodically replaced
• Price range: $500 to $1,700
• Dimensions: 11.5 x 8.5 x 1.5 in. to 13.5 x 10.5 x 5 in. (29 x 22 x 4 cm to 34 x 27 x 13 cm)
• Weight: 5 to 9.0 lbs. (1.6 to 4.1 kg)
• Brightness rating: 1,500 to 4,500 lumens
• Native resolution: 1024 x 768 to 3840 x 2160
• Projection distance: 5 to 30 ft. (76 cm to 9.1 m)
• Projected image size (diagonal): 3 to 25 ft. (91 cm to 7.6 m)
• Ports/connectivity: HDMI; VGA; USB; SD card; audio; Wi-Fi
• Examples: Anker Nebula Cosmos Max; Epson PowerLite 1795F; InFocus LightPro Advanced 3LCD Series IN1026; Optoma ZW350

Buying advice: You’ll be carrying this projector around, so make every ounce count by looking for the best combination of brightness and portability.

Short-throw and ultra-short-throw projectors

Most projectors work best when they send their beam of light across the room. By contrast, short-throw and the newer ultra-short-throw projectors sit close to the screen. They’re great for small, oddly shaped rooms and those that lack a long, straight line to aim the projector’s output. There’s a big bonus for presenters: because the projector is behind them, they neither cast shadows on the material nor are blinded by the projector’s beam.

Epson

The Epson BrightLink 1485Fi short-throw projector

Typically set up on the ceiling, wall, or floor within a foot or two of the screen, a short-throw projector like Epson’s HD (1920 x 1080) BrightLink 1485Fi can create a 9-foot (2.7-meter) image when set up 17 inches (43 cm) from the screen. Meanwhile, BenQ’s ultra-short-throw LW890UST can create the same image in WXGA (1280 x 800) resolution but from only 10 inches (25 cm) away from the screen.

Some of the newest members of the short throw bunch, like the LG ProBeam 4K, feature ultrasharp 3840 x 2160 resolution that makes every pixel count. In addition to lens shifting capabilities, its zoom lens makes easy work of exactly framing the image in a screen. Without this ability to resize the image with a zoom lens, the best you can do is delicately move the projector toward or away from the screen to reduce or enlarge the image’s size. It’s not pretty, but it works.

In fact, this genre can be tricky to set up, because the beam is aimed so steeply that if the projector is mounted slightly out of level, this imperfection is multiplied as it is projected. The best bet is to use a ceiling or wall mount that allows up-down, in-out, and side-to-side adjustments. Many models, such as BenQ’s LW890UST, come with all the hardware you’ll need to mount the projector. For those that don’t, a generic mount from Chief, Peerless, or others should work fine.

As is the case with other genres, solid state lighting is replacing traditional lamps in short-throw projectors, Although laser-based projectors like BenQ’s LW890UST command a price premium up front, lamp-based models like the inexpensive ViewSonic PS700W will need several lamps over their lifetime.

LG

The LG ProBeam 4K short-throw projector

Adding digital pens for participants to write on the screen can help with collaboration. The BrightLink 1485Fi comes with two pens, although it can accommodate up to eight at a time; extra pens cost $39 each. Think of them as the digital equivalent of a marker that can highlight a portion of an Excel sales spreadsheet, make lists, or just sketch ideas on the projection equivalent of a whiteboard. Epson’s GoBoard Collaborative Whiteboarding software lets you use different digital ink colors on the projected image, and the final product can be easily saved for posterity or a meeting report.

These projectors have plenty of room for ports. Look for two HDMI ports as well as VGA, Composite Video, or S-Video inputs. Several have video-out ports for sending the stream to another display.

With the ability to make a large image while being close to the screen, these short- and ultra-short-throw projectors do a lot with a little.

Short-throw and ultra-short-throw projectors at a glance

• Target audience: Presenters who need to set up in small or oddly shaped rooms or don’t want to throw shadows
• Pros: Work in small or oddly shaped spaces; don’t blind the presenter or cast shadows; many have interactive pens
• Cons: Tricky to set up; many lack zoom lenses
• Price range: $900 to $4,300
• Dimensions: 12 x 9 x 5 in. to 20 x 15 x 6 in. (30.5 x 22.9 x 12.7 cm to 50.8 x 38 x 15 cm)
• Weight: 5 to 30 lbs. (2.3 to 13.6 kg)
• Brightness rating: 3,000 to 5,000 lumens
• Native resolution: 1280 x 800 to 3840 x 2160
• Projection distance: 5 to 3 ft. (45 to 91 cm)
• Projected image size (diagonal): 5 to 13 ft. (1.5 to 4 m)
• Ports/connectivity: HDMI; VGA or DisplayPort; composite video; audio; USB; Ethernet; Wi-Fi
• Examples: BenQ LW890UST; Epson BrightLink 1485Fi; LG ProBeam 4K; ViewSonic PS700W

Buying advice: Get a model that includes interactive pens so your screen can become a creative workspace.

Boardroom projectors

Often the most important business gets accomplished in executive conference rooms, so it’s essential to equip them with the appropriate audio-video gear to get your message across. Large and permanently set up, boardroom projectors are often the centerpiece of a lavish AV center that includes built-in microphones, speakers, and video equipment for teleconferences.

Sony

The Sony VPL-FHZ85 boardroom projector

Projectors in this class are brighter, have more advanced features and cost a great deal more than their portable siblings. To light up the conference room screen, they put out between 3,000 and 10,000 lumens. The class is split between solid-state illumination (mostly laser-based in this class) and traditional lamps. Laser projectors tend to cost more but will never need a new lamp, while the lamp-based systems will need a new lamp every couple of years.

Many in this class have interchangeable lenses that let the optics fit the room. This à la carte approach is seen with the seven different lenses Panasonic sells for its PT-MZ880 projector, ranging from an ultra-short-throw one for close-up projection to one for projecting across a long room. At up to several thousand dollars each, they can cost as much as a midrange projector.

In addition to being able to fine-tune the color balance, expect to get features like horizontal and vertical keystone correction as well as lens shifting so you’re not locked into setting the projector up exactly centered on the screen. Most boardroom projectors have motorized controls for zoom and focus that allow you to adjust the image via the remote control.

While you can still get a WXGA unit in this category, HD and 4K imaging are preferred, because a sharp picture is worth a thousand words (or more) when your career is on the line. The market is split between DLP, LCD, and Liquid Crystal on Silicon, a hybrid of the two. LCOS offers the brightness of a reflective technology with the excellent color balance of a liquid crystal device, but it typically costs more. The Canon Realis 4K600STZ LCOS laser projector, for instance, offers 6,000 lumens of brightness and native 4096 x 2400 resolution — and retails for about $50,000.

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This projector class often includes a dedicated video processor that can improve so-so images and make numbers and text stand out from a white background. For instance, the Detail Clarity Processor on the Panasonic PT-MZ880 boosts the color output and sharpness by analyzing video a frame at a time and optimizing its color balance, contrast, and brightness.

A cool trick that can come in handy in a boardroom is the ability to present two video streams at once for before-and-after comparisons or a complex video call. The Sony VPL-FHZ85 lets you place the two streams side by side or with a smaller one inset on the main image.

While wired networking is de rigueur for boardroom projectors, Wi-Fi is sometimes offered as an option. Look for a wide variety of connections that range from HDMI and DisplayPort to DVI and VGA. Many can also tap into networked uncompressed HDBaseT video.

It all adds up to a big projector that can be hard to hide. There are three approaches here that are popular for conference rooms: Set up the projector behind the scenes as a rear projector that shines its beam through a translucent screen, put all the AV gear in a projection room, or use a motorized platform that lowers the projector into view when needed. When it’s time to project, just tap the remote control and the projector emerges, often as the screen descends at the other end of the room.

Canon

The Canon Realis 4K600STZ boardroom projector

Keep in mind that a large, high-end boardroom projector like the Canon Realis 4K600STZ consumes 665 watts of power — about what a microwave oven uses — compared to just 171 watts for Sharp/NEC’s NP-M380HL, an inexpensive projector aimed at classroom use. That said, the Realis 4K600STZ’s 6,000 lumens will blow away the NP-M380HL’s 3,800 lumens.

In this class, a two- or three-year warranty is expected, but Canon and Panasonic raise that to five years of coverage. Epson’s warranty lasts for three years in this class of projector, and the company’s ExpressCare includes overnight replacement service to minimize downtime.

Although prices start at around $3,000, they can quickly climb to $50,000 or more, particularly after you’ve gone lens shopping. Still, it’s just the start: Figure on spending as much or more on audio, cabling, behind-the-scenes video processing, and other accessories such as mounting hardware.

Boardroom projectors at a glance

• Target audience: Executives who present a lot on their home turf and demand a sharp, bright image
• Pros: Bright, sharp images; interchangeable lenses; powered zoom and focusing; often have a three-year or longer warranty
• Cons: Large; expensive; use a lot of power; run hot
• Price range: $3,000 to $50,000
• Dimensions: 12.5 x 8.5 x 3.5 in. to 25 x 22 x 8 in. (32 x 22 x 9 cm to 64 x 56 x 20 cm)
• Weight: 10 to 60 lbs. (4.5 to 27 kg)
• Brightness rating: 3,000 to 10,000 lumens
• Native resolution: 1280 x 800 to 4096 x 2400
• Projection distance: 4 to 125 ft. (1.2 to 38 m); depends on which interchangeable lens is used
• Projected image size (diagonal): 4 to 50 ft. (1.2 to 15 m)
• Ports/connectivity: HDMI; VGA; DVI; DisplayPort; component video; HDBaseT; RS-232; 12-volt for screen; USB; audio; Ethernet; Wi-Fi
• Examples: Canon Realis 4K600STZ; Optoma ZU860; Panasonic PT-MZ880; Sharp/NEC NP-M380HL; Sony VPL-FHZ85; Sony VPL-PHZ60

Buying advice: Because you may need to do two things at once, consider a boardroom projector that can project a split screen or picture-in-picture.

Large-venue projectors

Got a large room with a large screen ready to be filled with video and images? To get a sharp, bright image that everyone can see, you’ll need a large-venue projector. By far the most expensive devices in the projection food chain, they are the flagships that deliver huge video streams and are the business world’s equivalent of theatrical projectors.

Panasonic

The Panasonic PT-RQ50KU large-venue projector

Sometimes as big a three-drawer file cabinet, these projectors are the brightest of the bunch, with the ability to put tens of thousands of lumens onto a screen. You’ll be hard-pressed to find new lamp-based large-venue projectors these days. Laser models are now the name of the game; their brightness and longevity make lamp-based models look like look like dinosaurs.

Because of their extreme output, large-venue projectors can run hot, very hot. For instance, Panasonic’s PT-RQ50KU projector, which uses lasers to deliver 50,000 lumens in 4096 x 2160 resolution, has a heat output of 13,000 BTUs — as much as a room-sized space heater. The PT-RQ50KU, as well as more moderate large-venue projectors like the 20,000-lumen Sharp/NEC NC2003ML, use liquid cooling to keep the laser elements from burning out.

Many of these large-venue projectors have built-in edge-blending technology so that two or three projectors can be aimed at the same screen, combining their brightness or arranged side by side to create a tiled mosaic image of epic proportions. The Epson EB-PU2116 puts up to 16,000 lumens onto the screen, and its optional PixAlign camera helps create complex projector setups; it fits into a nook next to the projector’s lens.

Epson

The Epson EB-PU2116 large-venue projector

When you have a room full of employees or potential customers, the final image counts for everything, and HD resolution is table stakes for large-venue projectors. Right now, 4K imaging is becoming increasingly popular; for example, the Barco UDX 4K26 projector uses lasers to pump out 26,000 lumens in super-sharp 3840 x 2400 resolution. There are nine lenses available that are sold separately.

This class of projectors has the best assortment of ports, including HDMI, DisplayPort, HDBaseT, SDI, and DVI. Alongside them are ports for wired networking, audio, USB, and even the RS-232 that allows remote operation.

Often, what you don’t get is speakers. The presumption is that these projectors will be connected to a room-wide sound system so everyone can hear. Also note that in most cases you’ll pay for lenses separately.

Regardless, price is no object here, with companies spending anywhere from $10,000 at the low end to upward of $250,000 on a high-performance projector for their auditorium. When your company’s image counts for everything, get the best and the brightest.

Large-venue projectors at a glance

• Target audience: Executives who work at organizations with an onsite auditorium or large multipurpose room
• Pros: Bright; can fill a large auditorium screen; many have 4K or 5K imaging; some have built-in video processors and/or built-in edge-blending
• Cons: Very expensive; often require dedicated power line, sound system, and projection booth
• Price range: $10,000 to $250,000
• Dimensions: 19 x 23 x 8 in. to 19 x 35 x 15 in. (48 x 58 x 20 cm to 48 x 89 x 38 cm)
• Weight: 75 to 250 lbs. (34 to 113 kg)
• Brightness rating: 10,000 to 100,000 lumens
• Native resolution: 1920 x 1200 to 5120 x 3200
• Projection distance: 5 to 240 ft. (1.5 to 73 m); depends on which interchangeable lens is used
• Projected image size (diagonal): 6 to 120 ft. (1.8 to 37 m); can create larger image by combining the output of several projectors
• Ports/connectivity: HDMI; HDBaseT; DisplayPort; USB; component video; DVI; SDI; audio; Ethernet; USB; RS-232
• Examples: Barco UDX 4K26; Epson EB-PU2116; Panasonic PT-RQ50KU; Sharp/NEC NC2003ML

Buying advice: To fill a movie-theatre-sized screen and truly wow your audience, get the biggest and brightest projector you can afford, along with the sharpest lens.

Business projectors compared: Key specs and more

This article was originally published in August 2014 and most recently updated in March 2023.

Ultra-high-performance projection lamps are more than just another component in today’s LCD / DLP digital projector universe. These high pressure lamps, the original invented by Philips in 1994, are the critical factor in the quality of image projected for the viewer. Whether it’s video or data, without a quality lamp, images intended to teach, sell or motivate will fall short - no matter how many bells and whistles come with the projector.

Projector manufacturers work with Philips, Osram, Iwasaki, Panasonic, Ushio or Phoenix - the six premier projector lamp manufacturers - to produce that lamp that meets the specific needs of a projector model. A cage or housing is designed to hold the lamp in place and fit the projector for optimum alignment. Often the same lamp / housing module will meet the requirements of several projector models.

The six top lamp manufacturers go to great lengths to promote the engineering and quality control that go into these OEM lamps.

Philips, for example, emphasizes the fact that they design their UHP lamps as a system, including the drivers in the design and testing phase of development. They claim this ensures the most consistent color reproduction and clearest images.

Philips drivers also feature asynchronous receiver/transmitter technology that improves lamp efficiency, provides better contrast and minimizes acoustical noise.

All of the six major projection lamp manufactures share the authority gained from years of experience manufacturing these precision lamps.

Any projector replacement lamp that does not come from one of the six major lamp manufacturers (Epson has designed their own lamps, so they are an exception) should be considered risky. There are many factories in the business of manufacturing “compatible” or “copy” lamps and cages. These lamp modules are sold at much lower prices. Expect compromised brightness, reduced lamp life and more spontaneous lamp failures than lamps produced by the major brands.

OEM (original equipment manufacturer) lamp modules should be considered the no-compromise choice. The bulb and cage are identical to the one that came with the new projector. OEM lamps are usually in a box branded with a projector manufacturer logo. These lamps are purchased by projector lamp master distributors directly from the projector manufacturer. The price of OEM lamp modules is always the highest price compared to the alternatives on the market.

Hybrid lamp modules, often designated as “original bulb inside”, provide an attractive alternative when the price of the OEM module is not in the budget. These lamp modules use a bulb manufactured by one of the six major brands listed above. The cage is re-manufactured.

The phrase “original bulb inside” can be confusing because the meaning of “original” may not be clear. If the bulb is identical to the OEM bulb (same bulb manufacturer), then this type of replacement can be accurately promoted as an “OEM, original bulb inside” or simply “OEM bulb inside”. However, in many cases the manufacturer of the bulb, while one of the premier brands, is not the same manufacturer of the OEM bulb. In this case, the phrase “original bulb inside” means “the bulb inside is original in the sense that it was manufactured under the same high quality control standards as the actual original (or OEM) bulb”. The differences are minimal in most cases, which is why this type of hybrid replacement lamp is an excellent value proposition. The brightness, qualify of the optics and lamp life should be nearly identical to the OEM.

Because OEM is a powerful promotional buzz word, many lamp resellers go to great lengths to incorporate it into their sales messages. A phrase such as “OEM compatible” is a good example of an attempt to make a copy lamp appear to be somehow similar to an OEM.

Simple rule for all buyers of projector replacement lamps - if you are not certain about what you are buying, call or contact the seller and get clarification.

Contact us to discuss your requirements of LED Projector Light Supplier. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.