Product Listing

Epson EB-1775W Business Projector - Light and Lighter

By Ng Chong Seng - 6 Apr 2011
Launch SRP: S$2149

Conclusion

Conclusion

Typically, business projectors are connected to desktop or laptop computers. For desktops (especially those that the IT department likes to buy), most of them are using a 1024 x 768 (XGA) resolution. That’s why you see so many projectors aimed for office use in the market having that resolution. But the situation is quite the opposite when it comes to laptops. Most of them now come with a widescreen display, and 1280 x 800 (WXGA) is a common resolution. The Epson EB-1775W, with its native 1280 x 800 pixels resolution, is the best fit for such laptops. When fed with a 1280 x 800 pixels signal, the EB-1775W is capable of some very stellar results. Text was sharp from corner to corner with fonts at 10 to 12 points (common sizes used in Microsoft PowerPoint and Word). Readability did not suffer much even when we moved to 8 points. Naturally, quality took a hit (loss in sharpness and details) when non-native resolutions were fed. Colors also turned out well for the most part: bright and vibrant, albeit a tiny bit over-saturated for the reds. Oh, and the auto horizontal/vertical keystone correction feature worked a treat.

In terms of light output, the EB-1775W is rated at 3000 lumens. This is achievable when Dynamic mode is used. However, Presentation mode is set by default out of the box. We found this mode very suitable for presentations that involve both text and graphics, as it provided a good balance of brightness and details. The projector also has an Eco mode that, in our tests, dropped light output by about 44% regardless of the mode we were in. To prevent washed-out images, make sure you’re in a dark or dimly lit room. On the other hand, you do get a much quieter projector (and also prolongs the lifespan of the bulb).

Business projectors are usually not known for their video projection performance; and expectedly so, since manufacturers tend to focus more on the data projection aspects. While we wouldn’t go as far as saying that the EB-1775W is of home theater caliber, we’re confident that in the market of business projectors, it’s one of the better performing ones if you need to rely on it. Should you be able to rid the room of ambient light, and follow the setting suggestions we noted in the previous page, you should get a very decent, cinema-like picture from it.

The Epson EB-1775W is so slim, it'd probably cause some laptops to develop an inferiority complex.

If you’ve come this far, the question in your mind now would be: Is the Epson EB-1775W worth buying then? The final answer might depend on how important you consider what we see as its two greatest propositions: ease of portability and ease of cable-free projection.

At 44mm thin and 1.7kg light, the EB-1775W fits the definition of an ultra-portable projector. The possibility of carrying both the laptop and projector in a single bag is now very real. Your audience would probably not benefit anything out of these dimensions; but trust us, your shoulders would thank you at the end of a long day. In other words, the appeal of the EB-1775W is very strong if you’re someone who is often out and about doing presentations, such as a traveling salesman. Portability is a moot point if you’re looking for a projector that’s going to sit in the boardroom for the rest of its 4000 hours of life.

In the attempt to create such as svelte beamer, Epson has dropped a few connections. You’re not going to find YPbPr component video, RJ45, and RS-232C. As we noted earlier in this review, the lack of an Ethernet port might draw a frown from some IT administrators. On the upside, you do get HDMI and 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi. The EB-1775W also comes standard with a Quick Wireless Connection USB key for a quick connection between the computer and the projector without needing to install the full software suite. In practice, both wireless methods worked superbly well. So good that we think the VGA cable can be left at home. But if a cable-free operation isn’t your priority, the EB-1770W can be had for S$1,949. But take note that besides not having the Wi-Fi module and the USB key, models other than the EB-1775W also lose certain features such as auto focus adjustment and auto horizontal keystone correction.

In summary, we really like the Epson EB-1775W. Image quality-wise, it performed well right out of the box. We were initially skeptical about its wireless features - but in the end, they worked well and without fuss. The super slim design is just icing on the cake.

Scoring Breakdown
Criteria Score (out of 10)
Design 9.5
User-friendliness 9.0
Data Performance 8.5
Video Performance 8.0
Features 8.5
Value 8.5
Overall 9.0
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9.0
The Good
Very slim and light
Good image quality
Easy-to-use wireless features
The Bad
No Ethernet port
Quick Connection Key works in Windows only
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