Asus P2B Projector Overview | PCMag

In maximum techniques, the Asus P2B Projector ($499.99) is only one extra instance in a bunch of extremely equivalent fashions that incorporates the Editors’ Selection 3M Cellular Projector MP410. Just like the 3M MP410 and any collection of different fashions, it is constructed round a DLP chip paired with an LED mild supply, it gives a claimed WXGA (1,280-by-800) solution, and it is small and lightweight sufficient to hold as a relentless touring significant other. Additionally, like lots of the projectors in its class, it does not be offering any stellar options to make it stick out from the group (except you rely its rechargeable battery as a stellar function), however it is succesful sufficient to be a cheap selection.

Older fashions on this crew hew intently to considered one of two elementary designs. Some, together with the 3M MP410, be offering 300-lumen rankings and weigh not up to two kilos, whole with their energy blocks. Others, together with the ViewSonic PLED-W500, are rated at 500 lumens and weigh between two and 3 kilos, and not using a energy block wanted.

Newer fashions have offered some diversifications. The P2B($933.00 at Amazon)(Opens in a brand new window), for instance, wishes an influence block, like older 300-lumen fashions, however weighs 2 kilos 5 oz, like older 500-lumen fashions. The cause of the additional weight is that it features a rechargeable battery, with a claimed 90-minute battery lifestyles at complete brightness. It additionally gives a 350-lumen score for a slight spice up in brightness over the 300-lumen pack.

Be aware that the relatively brighter score is not all that a lot brighter initially. What in point of fact steals the P2B’s thunder, on the other hand, is that no less than one different fresh type, the Optoma ML550, gives a 500-lumen score at a dimension and weight that fits older 300-lumen fashions.

Fundamentals and Setup
Portability is among the P2B’s extra evident strengths. It measures simply 1.4 through 5.6 through 5.1 inches (HWD), weighs 1 pound 9 oz on its own, plus 12 oz extra in case you come with the ability block and twine (for a complete of two kilos 5 oz). It ships with a cushy wearing case to make it simple to close up and produce with you or retailer away if you end up no longer the usage of it.

Setup is usual for the class, with guide focal point and no zoom. The again of the projector gives a Cellular Prime-Definition Hyperlink (MHL)-enabled HDMI port, a proprietary connector for the equipped VGA cable, a miniplug jack for audio output, and a micro-USB port for connecting to a pc to switch information to the interior reminiscence. As well as, there is a USB Kind A port and a microSD card slot for studying information at once from USB reminiscence keys and microSD playing cards. Any other essential contact is a Kensington Lock slot at the aspect, so you’ll be able to go away the projector sitting in a convention room with out being worried about any individual strolling away with it.

One different great contact is a shorter-than-typical throw. I measured a more or less 46-inch-wide symbol with the projector simply 50 inches from the display. Be aware, too, that the LEDs are designed to ultimate the lifetime of the projector, with a 30,000-hour score. Now not having to switch the sunshine supply is helping stay the entire value of possession down.

Brightness
The P2B is well vivid sufficient to venture an acceptable symbol dimension for a small target market. As some degree of reference, the usage of the Society of Movement Image and Tv Engineers (SMPTE) suggestions, and assuming a 1.0 acquire display, the rated 350 lumens is acceptable for more or less a 70- to 95-inch (diagonal) symbol in theater-dark lights with a 16:10 facet ratio. With average ambient mild, it is vivid sufficient for a more or less 50-inch (diagonal) symbol.

The SMPTE suggestions do not moderately fit truth on this case, as a result of, as with maximum DLP projectors, the P2B’s colour brightness is not the similar as its white brightness. (For a dialogue of colour brightness, see Colour Brightness: What It Is, Why It Issues.) In my exams, I discovered it vivid sufficient for very easily viewing a 54-inch (diagonal) symbol for lengthy periods in theater-dark lights.

Knowledge-Symbol High quality
High quality for knowledge pictures is just right for this elegance of projectors. On our usual suite of DisplayMate(Opens in a brand new window) exams, the P2B did a just right activity on colour steadiness, with suitably impartial grays in any respect ranges from black to white in all preset modes. It additionally scored smartly for colour high quality, with attention-grabbing, saturated colours in all modes. Alternatively, blue and crimson had been each a bit of darkish within the brightest mode, which is traditional for projectors with other ranges of white brightness and colour brightness.

The only doubtlessly essential downside I noticed for knowledge pictures is obvious scaling artifacts on the projector’s claimed local solution. That is associated with the DLP chip design, and it displays up with all the P2B’s direct pageant. The artifacts display most manifestly as undesirable further patterns in pictures with intently spaced traces or dots. Alternatively, except you employ patterned fills as a substitute of cast blocks of colour for your graphics, you might by no means see this impact.

The extra essential factor is that the artifacts too can have an effect on high-quality element. With black textual content on white, for instance, characters had been exhausting to learn at sizes smaller than 7.5 issues, and white textual content on black used to be exhausting to learn at sizes smaller than 9 issues. This may not be an issue with, say, traditional PowerPoint slides, however it can be a topic if you wish to have to turn detailed line drawings or small textual content fonts.

Video High quality and Audio
Video with the P2B is most often watchable, however no longer specifically spectacular. How you are feeling in regards to the video high quality, on the other hand, will rely largely on how simply you spot rainbow artifacts—the flashes of crimson, inexperienced, and blue that DLP projectors generally tend to turn—and what kind of you might be stricken through them. They are no longer an issue for knowledge pictures, the place I noticed nearly none. With video, I noticed them extra regularly, however nonetheless occasionally sufficient that the general public will have to to find them tolerable. That mentioned, needless to say there is also other people for your target market who see those artifacts simply and likewise to find them extremely demanding.

Strangely for this kind of small projector, the audio, with its 1.5-watt mono speaker, counts as a plus. The amount is prime sufficient for a small room, and I may just simply make out each and every phrase of a few quietly spoken discussion that the techniques in maximum small projectors mangle badly.

If you wish to have the most efficient symbol high quality for appearing high-quality element with a extremely transportable projector, the Editors’ Selection 3M MP410 remains to be your only option. And if you wish to have a relatively brighter projector, the Optoma ML550 is an evident choice, with its 500-lumen score. For traditional knowledge pictures, on the other hand, the Asus P2B Projector gives greater than appropriate symbol high quality, and it’s only rather less vivid than the Optoma type. It additionally has the good thing about with the ability to run on batteries, with a 90-minute battery lifestyles. If you wish to have a actually transportable projector, the P2B can simply be a just right have compatibility.