Epson PowerLite S4

Reviews say the Epson PowerLite S4 is a good budget business or school projector if you need rich color but not high resolution (the projector has lower 800 x 600 resolution). Although the Epson S4 is available online, it's been replaced by the S5 and the S6, which are a little brighter and have about the same street price. At this price, reviews say, you aren't going to get anything more than decent video display; there's a bit of a "screen-door effect" on PowerPoint presentations, the light output isn't enough for large rooms and there's no optical zoom or laser pointer. But at under six pounds the Epson PowerLite S4 is portable, and a two-year warranty is good (90 days on the lamp; a replacement is about $170). If you need higher resolution for graphics and video, or for displaying large spreadsheets, reviews suggest the Dell 2400MP (*est. $1,200).

We found the best reviews of the Epson PowerLite S4 at ProjectorReviews.com, where the Epson S4 is covered with a detailed individual review and as part of a six-model roundup. Laptop magazine does significant testing but covers fewer projectors and thus has a smaller frame of reference. We found some owner reviews at Amazon.com and at ProjectorCentral.com. Consumer Reports rates home-theater projectors but not portables geared to business and school use.