The current global pandemic has seen a shift in how some of us do our jobs, setting up in the spare room instead of going to the office. Epson has launched a new projector that's ready when you need to work, or when you need to grab some downtime in the company of a blockbuster movie.
Though described by Epson as a portable projector, the 880X smart projector doesn't feature a built-in battery so will need to be set up near a wall outlet to use. It's 11.9 x 9.9 x 3.6-inch (30.2 x 25.1 x 9.1-cm) dimensions – including the feet – do make it small enough to throw in a backpack though, or you can haul it to meetings in the supplied custom-fit soft case.
It's designed for the hybrid working environments many of us now find ourselves in, where you might be spending more time toiling from home and less at the office but still need a versatile projector to make presentations or video chats pop.
It can throw a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution image at up to 300 diagonal inches, its 3LCD projection technology supports 100 percent of the RGB color gamut, and it outputs 3,300 lumens of color and white brightness. There's a 16,000:1 contrast ratio, auto keystone correction, manual focus adjustment of the digital zoom, and the ultra-high-efficiency lamp is reckoned good for up to 12,000 hours in eco mode, or 6,000 hours in normal mode.
The 880X comes with a plug-in Android TV media player, allowing the projector to serve up some entertainment over dual-band Wi-Fi from apps like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, Disney Plus and more. Chromecast is also available for displaying content from a smartphone, tablet or computer, and the remote includes Google Assistant for voice control and search.
Content can be fed into the projector over a wired connection too, via HDMI or USB, and there's a 2-W speaker built into the chassis for all-in-one multimedia functionality, though users can opt to pair the projector with an external Bluetooth speaker for more flexibility.
"As the dynamics of work environments continue to shift, it's important that business professionals have the proper tools to set them up for success in any space," said Epson America's Kenny Tang. "The demand for bigger displays has continued throughout the pandemic for both business and home entertainment. The 880X smart projector is ideal for video conferencing and presentations with the added versatility to transform spaces into entertainment hubs."
The 880X carries a suggested retail price of US$629.99, and will go on sale in late October.
Product page: Epson 880X 3LCD 1080p smart portable projector