If you are looking for a mainstream projector to impress your audience and effectively communicate in even well-lit spaces, then you should look at one of these three top-selling models of XGA projectors. These models offer a traditional 4:3 format that is popular in businesses and classrooms for spreadsheets, engineering drawings and project management applications. So which models are the best – and how much do they cost? We’ll look at top selling models from brand leaders BenQ and Epson to help you decide using the following criteria:
If you want to see small text on a big screen – you need a bright projector. While projectors are rated in lumens, how big the screen is will determine how bright your projector looks in the conference room. This is determined by both the lamp – and projector lens. For this example – let’s use a 100 inch diagonal screen – about five feet tall. Here’s how these three projectors match up using the projectorcentral.com brightness calculator.
100” Brightness Comparison |
BenQ MX536 |
Epson EX3280 |
BenQ MX825STH |
100” Brightness Comparison Lumen Output | BenQ MX536 4000 ANSI Lumens | Epson EX3280 3600 ANSI Lumens | BenQ MX825STH 3500 ANSI Lumens |
100” Brightness Comparison Lens Type | BenQ MX536 Standard Throw | Epson EX3280 Standard Throw | BenQ MX825STH Short Throw |
100” Brightness Comparison Foot Lamberts on screen | BenQ MX536 115-foot lamberts | Epson EX3280 109-foot lamberts | BenQ MX825STH 106-foot lamberts |
The development of laser projectors has enabled people to buy projectors that will last for years without replacing a lamp. But one of these projectors has a special mode that enables a single lamp to last up to 20,000 hours. How does this work?
BenQ’s lamp technology is more advanced than traditional projector lamps. With SmartEco technology, the projector can “look ahead” and adjust the lamp power to reduce brightness in darker scenes. By synchronizing the lamp with the DLP chip, the lamp can adjust the brightness on each frame – saving a little energy – and lamp life only on images that don’t require full brightness on every pixel. The result is a special long eco mode that can extend the life of the MX536 up to a whopping 20,000 hours – and a brighter picture compared to traditional techniques of just reducing the brightness of the lamp.
The Epson model uses a traditional eco mode, where overall power and brightness is reduced – which increases the lamp life – but at the expense of overall less brightness.
Here are how all three models stack up in their different modes.
Lamp Life Comparison |
BenQ MX536 |
Epson EX3280 |
BenQ MX825STH |
Lamp Life Comparison Normal Mode | BenQ MX536 5500 hours | Epson EX3280 6000 hours | BenQ MX825STH 6000 hours |
Lamp Life Comparison Eco Mode | BenQ MX536 7000 hours | Epson EX3280 12000 hours | BenQ MX825STH 10,000 hours |
Lamp Life Comparison Smart Eco | BenQ MX536 10,000 Hours | Epson EX3280 N/A | BenQ MX825STH 10,000 hours |
Lamp Life Comparison Lamp Save Mode | BenQ MX536 15,000 Hours | Epson EX3280 N/A | BenQ MX825STH 15,000 hours |
Lamp Life Comparison Long Eco Mode | BenQ MX536 20,000 Hours | Epson EX3280 N/A | BenQ MX825STH N/A |
The two most common imaging technologies used in projectors are either DLP technology from Texas Instruments, or LCD technology. While both create award winning images, the DLP technology used by the BenQ models is based on the same technologies used in digital cinema theaters. While XGA projectors have lower resolution than the latest 4K projectors, the DLP technology used on the BenQ models virtually eliminates the “screen door effect” where you can see the lines between the pixels on the screen by filling over 96% of the pixel space with light. This keeps small text and details visible and easy to read on the screen.
Versatility is key in collaboration environments. You never know when you need an extra input or need to plug in a legacy device to display on the screen. Let’s look at what options come with each projector model. Here – the BenQ MX536 and MX835STH have a dozen different connectors – while the Epson has just three. Here are the details.
Connectivity Comparison |
BenQ MX536 |
Epson EX3280 |
BenQ MX825STH |
Connectivity Comparison HDMI Connectors | BenQ MX536 2 | Epson EX3280 1 | BenQ MX825STH 2 |
Connectivity Comparison VGA In | BenQ MX536 2 | Epson EX3280 1 | BenQ MX825STH 2 |
Connectivity Comparison VGA Out | BenQ MX536 1 | Epson EX3280
| BenQ MX825STH 1 |
Connectivity Comparison s Video | BenQ MX536 1 | Epson EX3280
| BenQ MX825STH 1 |
Connectivity Comparison Composite Video | BenQ MX536 1 | Epson EX3280
| BenQ MX825STH 1 |
Connectivity Comparison USB Type A | BenQ MX536 1 | Epson EX3280
| BenQ MX825STH 1 |
Connectivity Comparison USB Type B | BenQ MX536 1 | Epson EX3280 1 | BenQ MX825STH 1 |
Connectivity Comparison RS-232 Connector | BenQ MX536 1 | Epson EX3280
| BenQ MX825STH 1 |
Most people think you can use a projector the same way as you can a TV. With the ability for a lamp to last 20,000 hours, an XGA projector can be a very effective way to create digital signage or messaging in public spaces like hotel lobbies and car dealerships. But there are significant differences between the most popular models from Epson and BenQ.
First, according to the warranty, the Epson EX3280 can be damaged by “excessive, continual use” which is not covered under the warranty. The BenQ projectors don’t have any usage limitations – so you can use them as much as you want. Secondly, the Epson projector has a filter that must be regularly cleaned – or the projector will overheat and be damaged. Failure to maintain the projector can void the warranty. The BenQ projector is designed to work without a filter due to its advanced DLP imaging technology – and does not lose color fidelity over time – which is why DLP is used in Digital Cinema theaters.
All three projectors are quite affordable. As you can see above, the BenQ models are more advanced, are brighter, have better connectivity, longer lasting lamps, and in the case of the MX825STH – a short throw lens. The Epson EX3280 is cheaper.
Usage and Maintenance |
BenQ MX536 |
Epson EX3280 |
BenQ MX825STH |
Usage and Maintenance Continuous use | BenQ MX536 Yes | Epson EX3280 No | BenQ MX825STH Yes |
Usage and Maintenance Filter Free design | BenQ MX536 Yes | Epson EX3280 No | BenQ MX825STH Yes |
Usage and Maintenance Digital Cinema image reliability | BenQ MX536 Yes | Epson EX3280 No | BenQ MX825STH Yes |
Usage and Maintenance Retail Price | BenQ MX536 $569 | Epson EX3280 $499 | BenQ MX825STH $600 |
On the surface, it looks like these projectors have a lot in common – same resolution, market leading brand, and solid warranty support. But once you get beyond that, you can see there are many other factors that add to your total cost of ownership – such as how long the lamp will last, how good the picture looks, and how easy is it to connect. Also, you’ll want to consider if you want the worry and hassle of cleaning filters as part of your value calculation. And if you have any other questions about these – or other models – just reach out and we’ll do everything we can to help you make the best choice.