Portable Digital Projectors: Reviews

Updated September 2011

Portable projectors barely bigger than a shirt pocket have made life on the go easier for busy road warriors. ConsumerSearch names the best choices based on reviews and owner feedback. Bulkier digital projectors that will dazzle for that important boardroom presentation get their due-- and review -- as well.

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Best business projector overall

Epson PowerLite 1775W

*Est. $1,150 Compare Prices

The Epson PowerLite 1775W proves that good things do come in small packages, reviewers say. Roughly equal to a netbook in size and weighing less than four pounds, the PowerLite 1775W is easy to travel with, but its… expandfeatures and video compete with the best full-sized portable projectors. Reviewers grant kudos to the Epson projector's picture quality -- with highest honors paid to its brightness, an important consideration for well-lit meeting rooms. Ease of use is top-notch as well, and wireless linkage eliminates the typical mess of cables between the projector and laptop. Drawbacks are few, but include a noisy fan and audio quality that, like most portable projectors, is less than stellar. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

ProjectorCentral.com: Reviewer Allan Abbott says the Epson PowerLite 1775W makes life easy for the presenter, with simple image setup, hookups, focus and start times.

ProjectorReviews.com: ProjectorReviews.com gives the Epson PowerLite 1775W projector its Hot Product Award, noting that it is "a great value … easily adaptable to the boardroom, conference room or classroom." Mike Rollett says that brightness is high, colors are sharp and true.

PCMag.com: PCMag.com gives the Epson PowerLite 1775W projector 4 out of 5 stars and an Editor's Choice designation.

About.com: About.com computer peripherals guide Lisa Johnston gives the Epson PowerLite 1775W 2.5 out of 5 stars, saying its controls are convenient and inputs many, but the speaker is disappointing and it runs extremely hot -- and noisily.

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Buy from Amazon for $1,199.00
BuyOnlineNo- w for $1,248.77	LexJet for $1,199.00	Amazon for $1,199.00

Value business projector

Vivitek D511

*Est. $475 Compare Prices

Experts say the Vivitek D511 is an excellent choice when price is as important as performance. Brightness is more than sufficient to deliver clear, sharp pictures in a small conference room. Setting up the projector can… expandtake awhile, but picture quality is very good, with great colors and enough contrast to make things really pop. The feature set includes the ability to display 3D images, though most business users won't find that very useful. On the downside, speaker performance is lackluster and the small remote has a limited range. Some users have build quality concerns. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

ProjectorCentral.com: Projector Central gives the D511 5 out of 5 stars for value and stamps it with its Highly Rated designation.

Amazon.com: More than 50 Amazon users give the Vivitek D511 projector an overall rating of 4 stars, with the majority awarding a perfect 5-star score.

TechRadar.com: In a report that originally appeared in Britain's What Laptop magazine, reviewer Michael Browne finds enough to like with the Vivitek D511 to give it a solid 4-star rating, adding that it's a perfect example of what an entry-level portable digital projector should be.

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Best micro-portable projector

BenQ Joybee GP1

*Est. $380 Compare Prices

Don't let the low 100-lumen brightness rating of the 1.4-pound BenQ Joybee GP1 steer you away from this micro-portable digital projector. The Joybee GP1 can deliver a sharp, bright, 60-inch image in a normally lit,… expandaverage-size room. Darken the room, and you can increase image size to up to 80 inches diagonally. Those who want to leave their laptop at home will appreciate that the GP1 can read and display a variety of graphics and video files directly from a connected USB drive, though audio support for some video files is limited. Some users take issue with color performance, but even the harshest critics say that, on balance, it's good enough for most uses. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

Computerworld.com: Barbara Krasnoff's review underscores the BenQ Joybee GP1's versatility in handling file formats from a USB drive without the need for a connected laptop.

ProjectorReviews.com: Art Feierman of ProjectorReviews.com says he was surprised by the performance of the BenQ Joybee GP1, which he admits he almost didn't take the time to review because he thought it was a gadget that would only be appreciated by technogeeks.

Government Computer News: Reviewer Greg Crowe likes the value (B rating), features (A+) and ease of use (A) of the BenQ Joybee GP1.

Computer Shopper: The GP1 is called "wow-inducing," but a few drawbacks "keep it just shy of greatness," reviewer Matt Stafford says, citing an oversized power supply, short video cable, and some issues with audio in video files played back via USB. Those complaints are offset by vivid colors and ample brightness -- at least when light levels are kept reasonable.

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for $649.99

Best pico projector

Optoma PK301

*Est. $380 Compare Prices

The Optoma PK301 pico projector offers a bright, clear, beautifully color-balanced picture in a teeny-tiny package, reviewers write, though it is pricier than competing pico projectors. Focusing images is easy, and the… expandPK301 offers many types of inputs, unusual among pico projectors. Like most, it lacks zoom control, so to make your picture larger or smaller, you'll end up moving the projector. For best results, especially when it comes to brightness, you'll want to use it plugged into both the wall and a laptop, though it technically requires neither. Sound is both tiny and tinny, a common problem for projectors this size, but the picture more than makes up for its drawbacks, reviewers say. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

ProjectorCentral.com: Reviewer Allan Abbott says the Optoma PK301 pico projector actually delivers a little more brightness than advertised, though you must plug in the unit to get the brightest pictures.

PCMag.com: The Optoma PK301 pico projector receives an Editor's Choice award here, scoring a 4 out of 5 rating.

Laptop Magazine: Laptop Magazine's Michael Prospero says the Optoma PK301 pico projector is small, light and high-quality, with a good picture ("bright and crisp … vivid and smooth") and a convenient focusing ring.

TechCrunch.com: This detailed review does a nice job of comparing the older Optoma PK201 pico projector, the newer PK301, and the 3M MPro 150, another popular pico projector.

TheiPhoneGuru.net: "The Optoma PK301 pretty much puts to rest the classification of pico projectors as toys," writes Matthew Panzariono.

ProjectorReviews.com: Reviewer Anthony Arrigo gives the Optoma PK301 pico projector a Hot Product Award designation, praising its good selection of features and brightness.

Amazon.com: More than 70 owners team up to grant the Optoma PK301 pico projector an overall rating of 4 out of 5 stars.

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