Epson PowerLite 400W

The Epson PowerLite 400W projector sports a native WXGA widescreen resolution of 1,280 pixels by 800 pixels, which mates well to many laptop computers and displays widescreen 1,280 pixels by 720 pixels high-definition video or 1,024 pixels by 768 pixels XGA images without cropping or scaling. The large wide-angle lens allows the Epson PowerLite 400W to be placed much closer to the screen than usual, and the projector can produce a moderately sized 85-inch image from as little as 3.5 feet away. However, the big lens is also a tempting target for stray fingerprints and dust. The audio system is rated at 10 watts and does a superior job filling even medium sized spaces with sound. The lack of an optical zoom, and inclusion of only a modest 1.35x digital zoom, means you'll need to move the projector about to accommodate different screen sizes. At 7.9 pounds, the Epson PowerLite 400W isn't the lightest of traveling companions. If you don't need a widescreen projector, the Dell 2400MP (*est. $850) is both lighter and brighter, but lacks a short throw lens.

While the Epson PowerLite 400W hasn't received a ton of feedback yet, we did find two excellent reports. ProjectorReviews.com is noted for its long and detailed reports on projectors of all types and its review of the Epson PowerLite 400W lives up to the site's reputation. While the report at ProjectorCentral.com is far briefer, the site's expertise and credibility are very high.