The LG ProBeam BU53PST is a compact new 4K short-throw laser DLP projector that retails for $4,299 MSRP. It utilizes a multi-channel laser light source, provides a 3,000,000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio, and delivers up to 5,000 ANSI lumens of brightness.

The BU53PST is a professional laser projector designed for various applications such as simulator markets, office meeting rooms, digital signage, and even home entertainment. It has 4K (3,840 x 2,160) UHD resolution, provides 5,000 ANSI lumens of brightness, has more than 20,000 hours of laser life, includes lens shift, 1.2x optical zoom, and built-in wireless connectivity. 

LG BU53PST Specs
Price	$4,299 MSRP
Technology	DLP Laser
Native Resolution	1920x1080x4 (3840x2160)
Brightness (Manufacturer Claim)	5000
Contrast	3,000,000:1
Zoom Lens Ratio	1.2x
Lens Shift	Yes
Lamp Life	20,000 hours in NORMAL lamp mode
Weight	21.4 lbs / 9.7 kg
Warranty	3-year parts and labor warranty

We reviewed the other LG model in this series, the LG ProBeam BU60PST, and were impressed by the projector's picture quality and feature set. Check out our review by clicking the link.

As a leading manufacturer of flat-panel TVs, LG understands that some customers are looking for a bigger and more immersive image than even the largest OLED or LCD TV can provide. The BU53PST is part of the LG ProBeam projector lineup. The ProBeam series of projectors are designed to make front projection more accessible and appealing to a broader range of business and education professionals.

Utilizing a Texas Instruments DLP (.47″ DMD) with XPR technology, the ProBeam BU53PST displays 4K (3,840 x 2,160) UHD resolution.

The ProBeam BU53PST light engine is enclosed, preventing dust particles from settling inside the sealed, laser-projected light path and obstructing the projected image.

The ProBeam BU53PST utilizes a laser-phosphor light source that provides a manufacturer-rated 5,000 ANSI lumens of brightness designed to produce sharp, clear images in venues with active external light sources. A light output rating of 5,000 lumens is bright enough to be utilized in many business, hospital, museum, and education environments where ambient light is present. LG uses a high-output laser diode in the BU53PST rated to provide up to 20,000 hours of near-maintenance-free operation. Providing 20,000 hours of operation is equivalent to playing videos on this projector for eight hours daily, which translates to the laser diode lasting for seven years!

The combination of laser phosphor illumination and DLP imaging ensures excellent performance and durability. In addition, routine lamp replacements and maintenance are not needed so that the ProBeam BU53PST can be placed in difficult-to-reach locations such as creative museum displays or high-ceiling installations in auditoriums.

The ProBeam BU53PST is a short-throw projector allowing it to sit close to the screen. The projector offers a 1.2x manual zoom lens along with horizontal and vertical Lens Shift, which is rare on DLP projectors of this size and price point. Combined with the 12-point Warping function, these features reduce image distortion and allow precise alignment with the screen.

While LG ProBeam models do not have all the smart features found in the CineBeam products, the ProBeam BU53PST does have several notable features that enhance connectivity and productivity.

The BU53PST features a range of built-in preset modes, including seven preset video modes and six preset audio modes. These preset modes help you get the most from the projector within different venues. 

The BU53PST features two built-in speakers and an HDMI Audio Return Channel (ARC) with a simple connection to soundbars to offer an immersive experience. The projector also includes Bluetooth so you can play audio from a device such as a smartphone through the projector's internal speaker or a connected audio system. You also can connect Bluetooth headphones or speakers to play sound from the projector.

The BU53PST offers monitoring and control via a network supporting 3rd-party solutions from Crestron, Control4, and Savant, as well as supporting RS232C. The BU53PST also provides HDBaseT compatibility allowing a single CAT6 cable to carry 4K signals hundreds of feet to the ProBeam BU53PST projector.

The BU53PST is compatible with HDR10 content and is also one of a limited number of projectors capable of Dynamic HDR Tone Mapping. This feature, developed for LG's consumer CineBeam projectors, automatically adjusts the projector's tone mapping curves based on the scene playing to optimize the unit's HDR performance.

The BU53PST's combination of high brightness, low maintenance, and good picture quality make it a compelling alternative to a large flat-panel TV in almost any professional space. LG says the BU53PST fits as easily in the living room as in the meeting room.

• 4K (3840 x 2160) UHD Displayed Resolution 
• DLP (.047" DMD) with XPR imaging
• 5,000 ANSI Lumens
• Laser Light Engine with up to 20,000 hours lifespan (NORMAL mode)
• 3,000,000:1 (Dynamic Contrast Ratio)
• 1.2x Zoom Ratio
• Lens Shift (+/- 50%V 20%H)
• HDR10 with Dynamic Tone Mapping
• Integrated Wi-Fi & RJ45 for network connection
• WebOS 4.5
• Wireless screen share via Miracast
• Wireless content share via TV Plus app (Android, iOS) or DLNA device
• Dual 5-watt speaker system with Bluetooth
• Bluetooth audio output with lip sync adjustment

When Epson announced the Brightlink 1485Fi series collaborative projector last year, like most of us, they never expected the outbreak of the worldwide pandemic we still find ourselves living with. To quote Epson, the Brightlink 1485Fi was designed to “create engaging and collaborative learning environments...,” and though Epson could not have predicted this “new normal,” they built a product that is flexible enough to be of significant value to business and educators in a Covid-19 world.

The Epson Brightlink 1485Fi provides a native 1080p (1920 x 1080) resolution. The projector is powered by a 3LCD interactive laser display that provides 5,000 lumens of color and white brightness along with a virtually maintenance-free 20,000-hour laser light source. There are no lamps on this projector. The 1485Fi is designed to be a reliable, bright, interactive display that supports easy reading, instruction and communication. The 1485Fi projects up to a 100-inch, 16:9 image or up to a 120-inch super-wide, 16:6 image. In case you are wondering why Epson chose to offer a 16:6 aspect ratio, go and measure a standard width classroom blackboard or whiteboard, and your question will be answered. The 1485Fi offers up to 95 percent more interactive space than a 75" flat panel.

Epson designed the 1485Fi for collaboration, so it supports PC free whiteboarding, printing, emailing and more. Plus, it easily hosts other network-connected Brightlink projectors, allowing up to eight users to work on a single interactive canvas from multiple locations. See what I mean about flexible? The 1485fi is incredibly useful in our Covid-19 world. The 1485Fi offers automatic image adjustment and simplified calibration, so you don’t have to be an expert to configure it once it’s installed. I highly recommend getting an expert to install this projector. The 1485 offers a single cable to connect the projector to an outboard source-box, as well as an HDBaseT control pad. Epson says, and I quote: “Installation has never been easier.” I think this is true… if you are a professional installer. I can tell you that I think setup, once the projector is installed, is incredibly easy to do. So, that’s good!

This review covers more than our typical review of a business/education projector. First, I’ll go over all the basics that we normally cover in this class of projector and take you through the special features, hardware and performance capabilities of the 1485Fi. Then, I’m also going to spend some time talking about the ecosystem of optional products built to be used with this projector. I’m going to talk about how this projector is even more valuable in our “new” normal and how valuable it can be in the hands of the “right” people, even if they are working from home.

The Epson Brightlink 1485Fi is an interactive projector designed for collaboration. This 5000 (Epsons Listed Specification) Lumen 3LCD interactive projector supports both pen touch and touch interactivity. The 1485Fi is really bright. Epson claims 5000 Lumen so, if that turns out to be true in my testing, it would be extremely bright and very useful in environments where ambient light is not fully controlled like meeting rooms and classrooms. Since the 1485Fi uses a laser light source that means there's never any lamps to replace and means the projector is virtually maintenance-free.

One of the interesting things about this product is the super wide display that can be projected in a 16:6 aspect ratio. As I hinted at in my opening, in addition to being able to fill an ultra-wide whiteboard with an image, Epson also provides users the full 16:6 aspect ratio allowing for the splitting the screen: showing the print from a PC image on one side with an interactive whiteboard on the other side. Another benefit to 16:6 is that everyone in the audience can see the content of the projector. The Epson Brightlink 1485Fi also has a PC free Mode. This means any time you go into a meeting space and start your whiteboard session, you can save your content to the network drive, print directly from the projector or email your content directly from the projector as you go. According to Epson, the 1485fi offers a unique, streamlined, touch module which is on the board and enables finger touch functionality. According to Epson, it’s no longer like their old solution, where you had to dial knobs in order to adjust a manual calibration for touch. The 1485Fi is completely automatic, takes up very little space on the interactive board and allows users to maximize the touch area on the whiteboard, while leaving little space in which touch will not work.

You can attach your computer or compatible mobile devices via Miracast, and still have the ability to interact with your PC content wirelessly, allowing you to physically move more freely around the meeting room or classroom. Miracast is a very mature and reliable technology that is easy to connect to, as long as you have a compatible device.

Brightlink is an excellent video conferencing display. You can connect from a variety of conferencing applications such as Zoom or Skype. The 1485Fi can even act as a display for your video conference. You can split your screen to display PC content on one side and whiteboard on the other, enabling everyone to collaborate at the same time, both remotely and in person.

You can choose Split Screen to display content from up to four connected devices simultaneously, including PCs, Macs document cameras, blu-ray players or even from wireless devices via a Miracast connection or using AI projection. Epson also has a free wireless display app. You can even connect and share content simultaneously from up to 50 connected devices using Epson’s iProjection application, getting the whole classroom involved in the daily lesson plans from any connected location. iProjection allows users to use their fingertips to control a PC and annotate displayed content. Users can use show photos, documents, web content and even switch to a live camera to show live content. These images can then be frozen and marked up with the two included pens in conjunction with the built-in pen tools and the Epson iProjection software.

The LG GRU510N is an HDR-compatible DLP home theater laser projector that retails for $3999. It utilizes a single DLP (0.47” DMD) chip to reproduce 4K UHD resolution (3,840 x 2,160). The unit's laser phosphor light engine can deliver 5,000 ANSI lumens of light output and has a rated life of 20,000 hours in Standard (high power) mode.

The GRU510N is part of LG's ProBeam series of projectors, which were initially developed for professional applications. The GRU510N is nearly identical to the LG BU50NST business projector we reviewed earlier this year. The only difference between the two units is the model number, and the BU50NST has a longer 3-year warranty.

These models' high brightness, 4K resolution, and good color reproduction are a viable option for an office or a home.

The LG ProBeam GRU510N is a compact, 5,000-lumen projector designed to provide a vivid 4K image in any environment, even in a room with high ambient light. The projector's laser light source is rated for up 20,000 hours allowing years of near maintenance-free operation.

The GRU510N is compatible with HDR10 content, and it is also one of a limited number of projectors capable of Dynamic HDR Tone Mapping. This feature automatically adjusts dark/bright levels to optimize the unit's HDR performance.

The GRU510N offers a 1.6x zoom lens with horizontal and vertical lens shift, which is rare on DLP projectors at this price point. Combined with the 12-point warping function, these features reduce image distortion and allow precise alignment with the screen.

While LG ProBeam models do not have all the smart features found in their Cinebeam products, the GRU510N does have several notable features that enhance connectivity. The GRU510N is powered by LG's WebOS, including wireless mirroring (Miracast®) and Bluetooth pairing. Wi-Fi makes it easy to connect to the internet or access content available on your home network.

Good picture and low maintenance make the GRU510N a compelling alternative to a large flat panel TV, especially in a room where space is at a premium.

The LG ProBeam BU50NST is a compact projector designed for various ProAV applications, including enterprise, education, hospitals, and museums. It provides UHD (3840 x 2160) resolution and is rated to deliver 5,000 ANSI lumens of light output. The unit’s laser phosphor light engine has a rated life of 20,000 hours in Standard (high power) mode.

The LG ProBeam BU50NST is a compact, 5,000-lumen projector designed for various ProAV applications. The projector’s powerful laser light source is rated for up 20,000 hours allowing years of near maintenance-free operation.

With 5,000 lumens of output, it is bright enough to be utilized in many enterprise, hospital, museum, and education environments.

The BU50NST offers 1.6x lens zoom along with horizontal and vertical lens shift, which is rare on DLP projectors at this price point. Combined with the 12-point warping function, these features reduce image distortion and allow precise alignment with the screen.

The 4K resolution delivers the highly detailed images often required in corporate and healthcare environments. It even includes a DICOM picture mode. In addition to a USB input, HDBaseT™ compatibility allows a single CAT6 cable to carry 4K signals long-distances to the BU50NST.

The ProBeam BU50NST is powered by LG’s WebOS with smart features designed for business and education purposes like (Miracast®) wireless screen mirroring, Wi-Fi, and a web browser.

The Christie LWU530-APS is a 5,000 ANSI lumen business class laser projector with WUXGA resolution that can accept a full range of content up to 4K. It is designed for classrooms, board rooms, and small-sized auditoriums.

Christie is known for producing high quality projectors that usually command a premium price. The goal of Christie’s APS series is to provide reliability, flexibility, and good performance at a value. The APS Series projectors are the most affordable projectors in Christies current projector lineup.

Christie currently offers two laser projector chassis in its APS-Series lineup. The other model is the 6,000 ANSI lumen LWU650-APS ($3,249 SRP) Both models are WUXGA projectors with laser light engines rated for up to 20,000 hours.

We wish to thank Epson America for sponsoring this year’s Best Classroom Projectors Report. 

With the ability to deliver up to 5,000 lumens, combined with the reliability and longevity of a laser light engine, the Christie LWU530 projector could be the perfect solution for someone looking for a mid-brightness business class projector. The LWD530 is part of Christie’s APS-Series projector lineup which are designed to deliver high performance in a conference, boardroom, or classroom without blowing the budget.

The LWU530’s native resolution is WUXGA HD (1,920 x 1,200) but the projector accepts 4K@30P content. Its dynamic contrast is rated by Christie to deliver 3,000,000:1. While the black level and native contrast cannot match those of a similar priced home theater projector, the LWU530 high brightness still resulted in good perceived blacks in a room with some ambient light.

Christie LWU530 produces images with rich colors

The laser light engine can deliver up to 20,000 hours in high power mode. As with all 3LCD projectors, the Christie LWU530 produces as many color lumens as it does white lumens, which ensures a bright, vibrant image when utilized in a meeting room, classroom, or mid-size lecture hall.

The Optoma ZU506T-W is a laser-powered Installation projector that will cover most of your projection needs. The ZU506T-W at 5000 ANSI lumens and WUXGA resolution. WUXGA is 1920 x 1200 a full 120 lines of more vertical resolution than 1080. The ZU506T-W has a specified contrast ratio of 300,000:1 when extreme black is enabled. You will also find a great range of connectivity on the ZU506T-W. There are 2 HDMI inputs, Composite video, HDBaseT, and a couple of VGA ports.

The ZU506T-W is a great projector for so many different applications. Laser powered and 5000 lumens this will be a great upgrade for the dim projector sitting in your conference room from a few years ago. Having a vertical lens shift and 4 corners geometric correction, the ZU506T-W will be a great upgrade path for many products that have become dim and outdated over the years.

If you have a current installation in your classroom or conference room and you want to refresh it with a bright powerful image. This could be the option for you. The ZU506T-W has the brightness to fill a range of images as well as perform in ambient light conditions. It is equipped with a 1.6x zoom which will allow you to project from 3.28’ to 32.8’ feet. You can replace that dim image you see every Sunday at church. Revamp that conference room projector that is hard to read. No more shutting off the lights, so you can see what is on the screen. The ZU506T-W has a full range of installation features to allow you to have a great image.

4K Into the Spiderverse from ZU506T

In this review, we’ll start off with a brief overview. I will go through some of the highlights of the ZU506T-W as well as cover its wide range of special features.  I will go through the in’s and outs of its hardware, we will tour the remote and the control panel. We will also discuss picture quality and performance. Offering up example images to point out its performance and best for viewing settings.  In the end, we will sum it all up for you on the last page. Delivering all the pros and cons you need to make a well-informed decision and know if the Optoma ZU506T-W is the right projector for your business or education application.

We wish to thank Epson America for sponsoring this year’s Best Classroom Projectors Report. 

The Optoma ZU506T-W is a full-featured projector. Which is why you see it billed as a professional installation projector. Delivering a brightness of 5000 lumens, it offers up enough performance to deliver a large vibrant image. A great feature is the laser light source. This allows the ZU506T-W to deliver a great image for up to 30,000 hours. That is a really long time for a 5000-lumen projector. Just to think, products like this used to only have 1,000-hour lamps, not too long ago. That is years of presentations and classroom discussions. That’s 10 years of use if you use it 8 hours a day. As we know most conference rooms get used for 4 to 5 hours a day. This could last you 20 years! Talk about a great return on investment.

The Optoma ZU506T-W is available from multiple resellers for around $3000 dollars. A quick search and you can find prices from $2799 to $2999. Which is a great bargain as this could be the last projector you ever purchase. The Optoma is also backed by a 3-year warranty. 3 years or 20,000 hours. Not to mention 3 years of Optoma Express advanced exchange. Optoma is really putting together some great warranty offerings.

There are many installation class features on the Optoma. Its native resolution is WUXGA (1920x1200) however it will support a 4K signal on its HDMI 2.0 input. There are also connections to support integration into your AV control system. You have RS232 for serial control as well as an RJ45 network port. This allows you to be fully integrated with Crestron, AMX and many others. Whether its telnet or web control. The ZU506T-W has you covered.

For audio, there are even 2 10W stereo speakers. Which is very generous. Most projectors in this class may have 1 8W mono speaker. The Optoma ZU506T-W has a lot of advanced functionality as well, with 4 corners geometric correction and even a DICOM simulation mode to view Xrays for medical training.

The Optoma ZU506T-W Professional Installation Laser projector is packed full of functionality. Driven by a laser phosphor light source and a high WUXGA resolution, this could be a fantastic product to replace that aging XGA projector in the conference room.

The NEC P525UL is a laser light engine installation class 3LCD projector having WUXGA, 1920 x 1200, resolution and a bright 5,000 lumens rated light output. It offers many features for its current list price of $3,099. This is a commercial/installation class projector that falls toward the lower end, in terms of size, weight, and price, of the installation class of projectors rated at or near 5,000 lumens, especially those using a laser light source.

The P525UL uses a laser/phosphor wheel light engine rated at 20,000 hours of life, which is unusual to find in an installation projector at this price point. The P525UL utilizes a 3LCD imager instead of the single DLP chip found in the previous P502WL series which improves its color reproduction.
While this is an installation class projector, it is also suitable for use in a conference room or classroom. For education use it would probably be of most interest to colleges/universities looking for a low maintenance projector with networking capabilities and perhaps the ability to simultaneously display content from multiple sources, including mobile devices.

While the P525UL is missing some features found on more expensive installation class projectors, including interchangeable motorized lenses, edge blending and projection mapping, at a retail price of just $3,099, the NEC P525UL is still a great value. The P525UL received our Higher Education Best in Classroom: Performance - Runner-up award for being a versatile projector capable of being a very good larger venue ‘entry-level” installation projector as well as suitable for use in certain conference room and classroom applications.

We wish to thank Epson America for sponsoring this year’s Best Classroom Projectors report.  

A couple of years ago we gave the NEC P502WL a Special Interest award for being a very good large venue installation laser projector for someone looking at entry level units suitable for large conference room and classroom applications. The NEC 525UL offers several enhancements over the P502WL to make it even better.

The NEC 525UL is a small footprint 5,000 lumen installation WUXGA projector with a laser/phosphor light source which is rated slightly brighter than the P502WL. Like the older P502WL, the P525UL uses a laser/phosphor wheel light engine rated for 20,000 hours of maintenance-free operation. There is also a Constant Brightness mode to ensure that the P525UL delivers consistent looking imagery over the life of the projector.

The P525UL utilizes a 3LCD imager instead of the single DLP chip found in the P502WL series which improves color reproduction. To ensure consistent color, the P525UL has Self-Color Correction that automatically compensates based on usage hours for the natural color shift that occurs as a projector ages. I’m sure switching from DLP to LCD is also a factor in the projector’s increased contrast ratio. The P525UL is rated at 500,000:1 (with Light Adjust) compared to the P502UL 20,000;1 (with dynamic contrast)

While the P525UL is a WUXGA projector, it can accept 4K@30P content via HDMI or HDBaseT for increased clarity and detail. Like other NEC P Series projectors, the P525UL has manual horizontal and vertical lens shift, 1.6x zoom lens, dual HDMI inputs and a HDBaseT input. It also features USB 2.0A support to power third-party devices and a LAN port for network control and asset management. Combining the optional Wireless Module (NP05LM1) with the MultiPresenter software lets you display for up to 16 simultaneous connections.

What really makes this NEC projector unique is how incredibility quiet it is for such a bright installation projector. The NEC P525UL produces only 22db in ECO Mode and 27db at full power! The P525UL was so quiet in ECO mode that I could barely heard it from 3 feet away.

The BenQ LK953ST is a 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) laser projector that pixel shifts to meet the resolution standard for 4K UHD. This short throw BenQ claims 5,000 lumens, which is plenty bright to combat the ambient light found in higher education lecture halls and classrooms, museums, conference and boardrooms, retail spaces, and houses of worship. The LK953ST is positively dripping in features that make it suitable for such spaces on top of its brightness claim. This DLP projector was featured in our Classroom Projectors Report: Best Education Projectors 2019-2020, where it even won an award! More on that in a moment. 

We’ll start this review of the BenQ LK953ST with a brief overview, followed by some highlights before moving on to that list of special features. We will also tour the hardware, as well as discuss picture quality and performance before summing it all up for you on the last page. By the end of this review, you should have a pretty good idea about whether or not the BenQ LK953ST is the right projector for your business or education applications. Let’s get started!

We wish to thank Epson America for sponsoring this year’s Best Classroom Projectors report.  

The BenQ LK953ST is a 5,000 lumen, 4K UHD resolution (3840 x 2160) projector, with a list price of $5,099. Its laser light engine claims 20,000 hours, which is one of the reasons why laser projectors have a higher upfront cost than lamp-based projectors. Low maintenance! Where you would be switching out lamps every 3,000 to 8,000 hours or so, a laser will carry on for about a decade of heavy use without losing much brightness – a major plus for higher education and commercial environments. The LK953ST has DLP technology, and as such, has a color wheel. I’ve only seen this kind of color wheel (RGBY – Red, Green, Blue, with a Yellow slice rather than White) on one other projector – another BenQ – in the interest of saving time, I have copied the information from the BenQ LU950’s review. 

“An RGBY color wheel is not the most usual – typically you’d find an RGBRGB or an RGBW (RGB + clear slice). RGBW color wheels have an advantage over RGBY color wheels, as that clear slice boosts white lumens, making a brighter overall image. Adding a secondary color, such as yellow, gives some of the benefits of an RGBW color wheel, but not as much. The benefit to having an RGBY color wheel is that it gives the manufacturers more opportunity to ‘get the color right.’ Generally speaking, though, the more slices, the less lumens per slice.”

Art and I are generally more partial to 3LCD projectors (for several reasons), but there are some real strengths of DLP projectors, and I would be remiss if I didn’t mention them. DLP projectors are generally smaller and more portable than their 3LCD counterparts. You will get more white lumens dollar-for-dollar than a 3LCD projector, which is helpful in ambient light situations. By comparison, when faced with ambient light, a 3LCD projector will perform better than DLPs in terms of color. There are always trade-offs, as we say in nearly every review, but in controlled environments – both technologies should perform admirably.

This BenQ, like all other DLP projectors, has a sealed light path to protect the optics from the dreaded “dust blob.” Dust blobs are exactly what they sound like – particles of dust that settle inside the light path and obstruct the projected light, leading to degrading on the projected image, or a dark shape over the projected image. Having a sealed light path saves time and money on maintenance, as having those dust blobs remove is a costly affair. With a sealed light path, you get the protection of the DMD chip, color wheel sensor, laser bank, and other optical components. 

The BenQ LK953ST has plenty of special features for business and education applications, including its short throw design, 4K UHD resolution, lens shift, multi-screen projection, and more! It even has three HDMIs, which is something Art has been hounding manufacturers to include on their projectors for what seems like ages, so we are pleased when we come across projectors that have the extra HDMI. It is not yet commonplace, true, but we can hope it becomes a trend! It also has HDBaseT and other advanced networking features – more on that on the next page.

Art did a preliminary review of this projector for the Classroom Projectors Report, as I was busy reviewing two other projectors at the time. This will be the last review you’ll see from me before my wedding (about a week away if you’re reading this at the time of publishing). After that, I’ll be reviewing under a different name! How exciting. I am pleased that the BenQ LK953ST is the last review I’ll be doing before I break to get ready for the big day, as it is truly an impressive projector with a great picture and beautiful color. We’ll get deeper into that later in the review, of course, but for now – onto the highlights!

The Maxell MP-WU5503 is a WUXGA resolution (1920 x 1200), 5,000 lumen projector for business and education applications. It has a laser light engine, which gives it a longer lifespan than its lamp based competition, and 3LCD technology. That it has 3LCD technology (has as many color lumens as it has white ones) and a 5,000 lumen claim makes it well suited for higher education classrooms and large venues where there is some degree of uncontrollable ambient light and optimal color is desired. This projector may also find its home in larger high school classroom environments, and in business environments such as boardrooms, conference rooms, meeting rooms, as well as in houses of worship and smaller entertainment venues.

I’ll begin this review of the Maxell MP-WU5503 with a brief overview, followed by the projector’s highlights before moving on to a list of its special features. We will also tour the hardware, discuss picture quality, and talk about performance before summing it all up for you on the last page. By the end of this review, you should know if the Maxell MP-WU5503 is the right projector for your business or education applications. Let’s get started!

This projector has a bit of an interesting story. Originally, Maxell was a part of Hitachi, but it was spun off a few years back. As of April 1, 2019 (no joke), Hitachi projectors will henceforth be known as Maxell brand. If you bought a Hitachi projector within the last few weeks or months, the Maxell projectors are the same, just under a different name. You can expect the same support and distribution. Hitachi (and now Maxell) has had a focus on the education market – this particular projector was featured in our education report – but they don’t publish their education pricing online.

The Maxell MP-WU5503 is a $6,299 laser projector with WUXGA (1920 x 1200) resolution claiming 5,000 lumens. It has 3LCD technology, which yields its own advantages over DLP projectors, though DLPs have some advantages over 3LCD as well. Projectors with 3LCD technology produce as many color lumens as they do white ones, so they maintain better color in the face of ambient light than DLPs. By comparison, a DLP projector costs less to make, tends to be more portable, and you’ll get more white lumens dollar for dollar than a 3LCD projector. As we say, there are always trade-offs.

The Maxell MP-WU5503 has a laser light engine with an impressive lifespan. It has the standard 20,000 hour claim when operating at full power, but kick it into ECO Mode, and that claim goes up to 50,000 hours! Talk about a significant jump. Most laser based projectors I’ve reviewed have a lifespan of up to 20,000 hours, maybe 30,000 if you’re lucky, but this is the first I’ve come across that claims 50,000. I’m sure Art has come across a claim or two as high as this in his decades of playing the projector game.

The benefits of such a high lifespan of the MP-WU5503 will be much appreciated in the education market. Though this projector (and all laser projectors) has a higher upfront cost, it provides an excellent value proposition when it comes to maintenance. With a lamp based projector, you’ll be switching out a lamp every 3,000 to 8,000 hours, and calling in maintenance to do so. With a laser light engine, you can expect the projector’s light source to last about a decade when operating at full power – two or so when operating in ECO Mode. Impressive.

We wish to thank Epson America for sponsoring this year’s Best Classroom Projectors report which includes this projector. 

This projector comes with some pretty awesome features for higher education and large venues, particularly in the form of Advanced Networking. This guy has HDBaseT, among other advanced networking features, and lens shift. That lens shift makes things a lot easier during the installation process – but more on that on the next page! It has several more features that we’ll dive into on the Special Features page. For now, let’s look at the highlights of the Maxell MPWU5503 projector!