By Adli Yashir

Optoma EX330
$1,999

Equipped with a brightness level of 2,200lumens and a contrast ratio of 2,200:1, the Optoma EX330 is an excellent projector for both the classroom and the boardroom.

About the size of a hard bound dictionary, this 1.1kg ultra portable is an ideal travel mate.

However, save the big praise for its performance.

During daytime tests, the projected image looked bright, sharp and easy on the eye. I did not have to squint to read small 9-point fonts in a Word document when I stood 2m away from the screen.

At that distance, the size of the image was a big 42 inches wide.

Apart from the usual front view, this gadget can also handle rear projection - that is, images can be seen at the back of a translucent screen. So event organisers, for instance, can have more flexibility in seating layout.

It can cast images on the ceiling too. So you can beam up fancy visuals - say, swirling clouds or psychedelic patterns - to create the mood you want.

Focusing and zoom are done manually.

Optoma has its own TrueVivid colour enhancement technology to bring a brilliance to otherwise pale and lifeless colours found in images from other projectors. I noticed a deeper yellow in the DVD movie I played.

Another highlight is the de-interlacing system that reduces jagged borders and lines to give an overall sharpness.

The range of connectivity slots lets you link this guy up to many other devices. These include a VGA slot to link it to a computer, high definition multimedia interface (HDMI) for high-definition Blu-ray player and S-video and composite video for hook-up to a video player.

Hardware aside, user-friendly features include password protection to prevent unauthorised usage and a timer that shuts down the machine after a pre-set time of your choice, helping you save on your energy bill.

Samsung P410M
$999

No doubt bout it, the P410M is a thing of beauty. Equipped with 170 lumens and a contrast ratio of 1,000:1, this pebble-shaped, glossy black mini projector is not built for strength and large work groups.

Instead, the under-1kg will do nicely for, say, a private movie screening among friends or colleagues.

In theory, this appliance can project images from 20 inches to 80inches.

In my throw ratio test, it needed a distance of 1.8m to throw an image 42inches wide.

From a distance of 2m, 9-point fonts on a Word document looked sharp.

In the DVD movie, I noticed that there is a pale overcast on the projected image.

Because of its rather low brightness level, images from the Xbox 360 game looked dark - I had to use night vision in the game to find where the aliens were hiding.

In connectivity, this dude cannot match the array found in larger projectors like the Optoma EX330. For the record, you will find a VGA port, a USB port and a composite video port. There is also a set of stereo speakers so you can hear audio from the Xbox 360.

If I could make this projector better, I would work on the menu buttons. Currently, the embossed touch-sensitive buttons are hard to see.

InFocus IN100
$2,199

Although the most expensive and the heaviest of the lot in this round-up, the IN100 has a couple of aces up its sleeve.

For starters, instead of a bulky VGA cable, it offers DisplayLink know-how that allows connect-and-project ease.

Just use the standard mini-USB cable which comes with the projector to connect the device to your laptop.

This technology also allows users to operate several projectors and show multiple presentations from just a single USB connection and computer.

The number of buttons on the projector - for changing picture settings, brightness and adjusting colour - may intimidate at first, but it actually makes for an easier navigation experience.

In performance, the IN100 is clearly a solid contender.

Its 2,200 lumens and 1,800:1 contrast ratio ensure that images are crisp. In fact, the widget boasts the most natural colours compared to its rivals - blues, yellows and reds were neither too intense nor too insipid, just well-balanced.

Even in a brightly lit room, reading 9-point fonts onscreen from 2m away required no squinting.

However, throw ratio was average: a 42-inch image meant having to set the projector 1.9m away from the screen.

This story was first published in The Straits Times Digital Life.

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