The Panasonic PT-FRZ60 is an installation class DLP laser projector with WUXGA (1,920 x 1,200) resolution and rated brightness of 6,000 lumens. The PT-FRZ60 uses a laser/phosphor wheel light engine, rated to deliver 20,000 hours of low maintenance operation.

The PT-FRZ60 offers a 2.0x zoom lens (throw ratio 1.46 to 2.94:1) and a large amount of vertical and horizontal lens shift for convenient installation flexibility. Of course, the PT-FRZ60 has all the connections you would expect on a better business/education class projector including HDMI 2.0 and DIGITAL LINK (HDBaseT) port.

The PT-FRZ60 is available in a black chassis (PT-FRZ60BU) and a white chassis (PT-FRZ60WU).

The Panasonic PT-FRZ60 is a 6,000-lumen WUXGA installation projector with a laser/phosphor light engine that is rated for 20,000 hours of low maintenance operation. The PT-FRZ60 features a single DLP (0.67” DMD) chip and Panasonic claims the unit can deliver a dynamic contrast ratio of 20,000;1.

For enhanced installation flexibility, the PT-FRZ60 is equipped with 2.0x zoom and ample horizontal and vertical lens shift. The PT-FRZ60 is part of Panasonic’s FRZ Series of WUXGA installation laser projectors which also includes the 5200-lumen PT-FRZ50 and the 5000-lumen short throw PT- FRZ55. All three models are housed in a similar chassis (approx. 19-5/8” W × 6-5/8” H 19-3/8” D) and weigh between 35 to 36 pounds each. The two main differentiators between the three models are brightness and lens type.

The PT-FRZ60 has all the connections you would expect to find on a high-end installation projector including dual HDMI as well as a DIGITAL LINK/LAN (HDBaseT) input. While the PT-FRZ60 is a WUXGA projector, it can accept up to 4K@60P content via its HDMI and DIGITAL LINK terminals (HDBaseT) for better integration into systems containing a 4K flat panel display. If the signal is split between the projector and a 4K display, the 4K TV will receive the highest resolution possible.

Like most Panasonic projectors we have reviewed in the past, the PT-FRZ60 produced a bright, accurate looking image. Its great picture, combined with its high build quality and installation flexibility, are the reasons why if you're looking for an installation projector in this price range, PT-FRZ60 should be on your shortlist.

The Elite Projector offers multiple MosicGO systems, which are a portable home theater system designed for outdoor and indoor entertainment. We reviewed the MGFU-S with a MosicGO Sport that comes with everything you need for a backyard or poolside movie night or even an end-of-season camping trip.

For just $1,299, you get the projector, an adjustable tripod, 58” projector screen, and stand - not to mention carrying cases for all of it. The MGFU-S is one of the first projection systems introduced by Elite Projectors, which is a division of Elites Screens. These projector systems are now available with a variety of portable screen sizes.

All Elite MosicGO systems include an ultra-short throw Full HD (1,080 x 1920) DLP projector. The Osram RGB LED light source has a rated lifespan of up to 25,000 hours. If you used this projector for 3 hours a day, 7 days a week, it would take about 22 years before you reached the light engine rated life.

The Elite MosicGO is an ultra-short-throw projector with 1,000 lumens and can project an image of up to 120" diagonally. The projector may actually appear even brighter than its ANSI lumen rating because we perceive lumens coming from LED (and laser) projectors as being brighter than lamp-based projectors.

The projector has full HD resolution (1,920 x 1,080), providing you with a sharp, clean image for all your entertainment needs, whether movies, TV shows or video games.

Elite offers the MosicGO projector in two variations: The MosicGO Sport and the MosicGO Lite. The MosicGO Sport has a built-in battery while the MosicGO Lite does not. The MosicGO Sport systems cost $300 more than the Lite series, but the integrated 37,200mAh Power Bank is worth it for the enhanced portability. Since it has an internal battery, you can set up this projector virtually anywhere that has solid ground.

The battery should last up to 3 hours when projecting video and up to 30 hours when using the projector to play music. You can get one good movie in, or hours of video games, before needing to charge the projector. The battery can also be used to charge a laptop or cellphone via the projector’s USB-C / USB-A port.

The MosicGO systems were originally focused on portable applications. Many customers also wanted to utilize the projector with a larger, permanently mounted screen. So, while we were in the process of reviewing the MosicGO Sport (MGFU-S), Elite Projectors launched a new system series called the MosicGO 360. These systems come with an Elite Yard Master 58” CineWhite screen and stand for portable use, as well as a fixed screen that can be permanently mounted in your home or office. They are also available in either the Sport (with battery) or Lite projector variations.

By combining the MosicGO Sport and MosicGO Lite with a variety of portable and fixed screens, Elite has 24 different system options to choose from. Since I have a couple of Elite Screens which are the right size and equipped with the right screen materials, I could also evaluate the performance of a couple of the new MosicGo Sport 360 combinations as well.

Though there are many outdoor projectors on the market, projectors and screens are rarely under the same business umbrella. That you can get a good projector and a good screen or screens under the same price tag makes this projection system unique, which is why we award the MosicGO systems a Special Interest Award.

The Casio XJ-F211WN is a DLP, WXGA (1280 x 800) resolution projector with a solid-state light engine. Suitable for both business and education environments, the F211WN will find its home in K-12 classrooms, school conference rooms, office conference rooms, and boardrooms. The $1049.99 Casio XJ-F211WN won a Special Award for Value Solid State in our recent Classroom Projectors Report.

We’ll begin with a brief overview of the projector and a preview of its highlights before starting a deeper discussion of its special features. We’ll take a close look at the projector’s hardware, then get into the good stuff – the projector’s picture quality and performance. I’ll summarize everything for you on our last page, as well as provide some insights into the competition and this projector’s pros and cons.

The Casio XJ-F211WN is a solid-state projector, with Casio’s hybrid laser/LED light engine. That light engine has a lifespan of up to 20,000 hours. Solid-state light engines tend to cost more up front than their lamp based counterparts, but the low cost of maintenance over the projector’s lifetime evens that out. This Casio is the lowest cost solid state projector we’ve reviewed for this year’s report, so, naturally, we felt it prudent to give it the Special Award for Value Solid State.

This Casio has WXGA resolution (1280 x 800), which is the business and education world’s 720p. It’s the lower resolution of HD, with a different aspect ratio. The aspect ratio, or width/height ratio of the projected image, is 16:10 instead of 16:9, so make sure you get a 16:10 screen if you’re buying a new screen.

WXGA is plenty sharp for most business and K-12 applications. Higher resolutions, such as WUXGA (1920 x 1200) and 4K (3840 x 2160), are really only necessary in a few choice circumstances. Any graphics or video heavy applications, such as a video production class or graphic design class, would benefit from a higher resolution of at least WUXGA.

I can’t see a high school classroom getting a 4K projector, unless it’s in an affluent area where there is a greater focus on the arts. Higher education may have more of a need for WUXGA, but rarely 4K, except in the case of medical films, scientific renderings, simulation, architecture, film and design applications.

The Casio XJ-F211WN claims 3,500 lumens, though it did not meet claim. Casio generally comes in lower than their claim when measured, but the F211WN is still plenty bright for your standard to large sized K-12 classroom, and for most conference rooms or board rooms. We’ll get deeper into lumens and perceived brightness on the Performance Page of this review.

The XJ-F211WN has both wired and wireless LAN via an optional adapter, and includes several features that are desirable for presentations – the application I imagine this projector will most be used for. The projector includes Casio’s Education Solutions, making it an easy choice for those who require such a feature set.

The BenQ EW800ST is a DLP, WXGA (1280 x 800) resolution, short throw projector with smart capabilities. It is primarily positioned as a classroom projector, but is suitable for conference rooms and meeting rooms where its feature set would be useful. BenQ calls this an interactive projector, but it is not interactive in the same sense of other interactive projectors we've reviewed. Those types of projectors allow for annotation of presentations and lesson material with interactive pens or finger-touch technology. This does not have that, but it does have several smart capabilities that streamline efficiency.

We’ll begin with a brief overview of the projector and a preview of its highlights before starting a deeper discussion of its special features. We’ll take a close look at the projector’s hardware, then get into the good stuff – the projector’s picture quality and performance. I’ll summarize everything for you on our last page, as well as provide some insights into the competition and this projector’s pros and cons.

The BenQ EW300ST is a lamp based projector, with a lifespan of up to 10,000 in its ECO modes. At full power, you can expect the projector to go for around 5,000 hours.

This BenQ has WXGA resolution (1280 x 800), which is the education world’s 720p. It’s the lower resolution of HD, with a different aspect ratio. The aspect ratio, or width/height ratio of the projected image, is 16:10 instead of 16:9, so make sure you get a 16:10 screen if you’re buying a new screen.

WXGA is plenty sharp for K-12 applications. In education, you really only need the higher resolutions for special circumstances. For example, a video production, photography, yearbook, or graphic design class may want to have a WUXGA. Higher education may have more of a need for WUXGA, but rarely 4K, except in the case of medical films, scientific renderings, simulation, architecture, film and design applications.

The BenQ EW800ST claims 3,300 lumens, which is bright enough to handle the ambient light found in most classrooms. In most cases, you may need to only dim the lights to get a vibrant picture. There is a deeper discussion about ambient light later in this review.

The EW800ST is a mere $999. That is excellent for a smart interactive projector. It’s not your typical interactive projector, as it does not have the usual pens and touch functions, but it does have some exciting features that make this projector truly unique – this is why it received our Special Interest Award.

The Vivitek DH3660Z is a 1080p (1920 x 1080) resolution, DLP projector intended for business and education environments, though it is primarily positioned as a projector most suitable for conference rooms or meeting rooms. Nicely bright at 4,500 lumens, the image seems even more vivid thanks to its laser light engine.

This projector would also be at home in K-12 Classrooms, multipurpose rooms, small auditoriums, museums, and houses of worship in addition to conference rooms, meeting rooms, board rooms, other office environments, and even medical classrooms and facilities, thanks to its DICOM SIM. Mode.

We’ll begin with a brief overview of the projector and a preview of its highlights before starting a deeper discussion of its special features. We’ll take a close look at the projector’s hardware, then get into the good stuff – the projector’s picture quality and performance. I’ll summarize everything for you on our last page, as well as provide some insights into the competition and this projector’s pros and cons.

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

The Vivitek DH3660Z is a laser projector with a lifespan of up to 20,000, as is typical for laser projectors. This projector will outlast your use for it – that is, it will still be running strong and bright well after you’re ready for an upgrade in resolution or features. In a typical 180-day school year, with heavy 6 hours a day use, this projector will last for up to 18.5 years. Other environments that use the projector less often may expect this Vivitek to last even longer.

This is a 1080p projector, which is somewhat of a rarity in business and education projectors. Typically, we’ll see projectors with either WXGA resolution (1280 x 800), or WUXGA resolution (1920 x 1200). WXGA resolution is the business and education world’s 720p, and WUXGA is their 1080p. The difference here lies in screen height/aspect ratio. These two resolutions are just a tad taller than their home theater resolution counterparts and have a 16:10 aspect ratio rather than the usual 16:9.

If pairing the Vivitek DH3660Z with a 16:10 screen that you already have installed, the picture will be just a smidge shorter vertically than your screen. Not a big deal, but something to consider when purchasing. If this Vivitek will be the first projector installed in your space, pair it with a 16:9 screen. Other than that, 1080p and WUXGA are one and the same – WUXGA is just a couple hundred pixels taller.

The DH3660Z has an MSRP of $2,499 and began shipping in September of 2019 – so no street price as of yet. Still, $2,499 is highly competitive for a 1080p laser projector! Laser projectors always have higher price points than their lamp based cohorts. This higher upfront cost is balanced out by the cost of ownership overtime, which is lower than lamp based projectors.

Every several thousand hours or so, you’ll need to change out a lamp, which costs several hundred dollars for the lamp plus cost of installation. Multiply that over several years, and you’ll find the difference in cost between laser based and lamp based projectors to be pretty even. With lasers, it’s really more of a one-and-done experience, since the laser light engine lasts 20,000 hours before you have to do anything about it. For many, that low maintenance offers a peace of mind that far outweighs the additional upfront cost.

The Vivitek DH3660Z is a no-nonsense, plug-and-play sort of fellow with not a lot of bells and whistles. This is just the sort of projector many are looking for. Does it look good? Does it serve our purposes? If these are the two most important things to you, chances are this Vivitek is one to consider. Let’s get into those highlights before diving deeper into the Vivitek DH3660Z’s special features.

Meet Sony’s VPL-VW385ES. I’ve been watching it for most of a month now as I start writing up this review. Looks like the VW385ES projector now has 156 hours on what was a new lamp when I received it. To clarify, the projector I’m currently reviewing is almost always on while I’m working. My captain’s chair sits around 8-12 feet from my screen (depending on the resolution of the content – and, of course, the projector). If I’m writing, I’ll be looking up every so often, especially when favorite viewing scenes come up. I probably managed 40-50 hours of insightful viewing on the Sony VPL-VW385ES (Insightful: When I'm paying close attention) out of that 150+, and I view segments from the usual 6-10+ movies that I know by heart, and most often use for the photo shoots. I often replay a scene over and over, and sometimes switch back and forth with the projector I use as a reference.

Once again, Sony has sent me a 4K projector that comes, right out of the box, with some really great looking color, even without doing any adjustments. I mention that up front, because, as has been the case with a couple of other recent Sonys that I’ve reviewed, we haven’t bothered to calibrate this one. How I decide to have a projector calibrated: It all depends on how good it looks when I first start watching a projector here in my theater. More about this on the special features page under “Calibration Not Needed?”

The VPL-VW385ES replaces the older VW365ES, and it’s a really significant improvement! Not revolutionary, but just plain better as a projector, overall. Three features – and their benefits – all addressed later, in more detail: Dynamic Iris added, Lens Memory added, and optical performance improved with changes to the lens and light path.

This is our top regular award for projectors. Other awards are given out in our reports.

The Sony VW385ES is just loaded with features: 4K with HDR and P3/BT.2020 support, Lens Memory, Dynamic Iris, CFI for smooth motion, Dynamic Detail controls, and a whole lot more features less important than those.  In terms of HDR, it supports both HDR10 (used for Blu-ray 4K discs, etc.) and HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma) an even newer 4K standard designed specifically for streaming 4K content.

As you can see from the short specs here, this is a $7,999.99 home theater projector claiming 1,500 lumens, a nice number for today’s serious home theater projectors, although for viewing 4K with HDR – the more lumens the merrier. Let’s take a closer look.

The VPL-VW385ES is the second least expensive home theater projector to offer native 4K, that is, a minimum of, 3840x2160 discrete pixels without any pixel shifting (it is actually 4096x2160 native resolution - even higher but really – essentially, the same resolution, just a slightly different aspect ratio).

More to the point, this Sony projector uses pixels that are relatively either half, or one quarter the area of those produced by 4K UHD DLP projectors now flooding the market (depending on which model DLP). In this case, smaller (pixels) is definitely better.

Now, if you haven’t been following our reviews, here’s one basic piece of perspective on viewing 4K content:

As of today, there are four different “resolution” projectors that can put 4K content on your screen. Two start with “large” 1080p sized pixels – those would be the “standard” 1080p pixel shifters, the best known being those from Epson and JVC (1920x1080 x2 –the x2 means each pixel fires twice, shifting a bit but overlapping the original and adjacent pixels).

Then comes the new, smaller DLP 4K UHD chip. It, too, is 1920x1080, but x4 – two more rounds of pixel shifting! Is this better? In theory, yes. In reality, it’s going to be more dependent on how well the projectors’ processing are implemented (more later).  Then comes the “higher end” DLP chip at 2716x1528 x2, which, in theory, is slightly better, and finally, true 4K – at least 3840x2160 without any pixel shifting.

Consider: The old “365” didn’t have lens memory (even though lens features were motorized), this VW385ES does – a very convenient improvement for those of us movie lovers that choose to go with a wide screen (such as 2.35:1), which means no letterboxing at the top and bottom on most movies.

But more importantly still, is the addition of a Dynamic Iris to improve the black level performance – we’ll definitely get into that, since it’s really major! And finally, also important: the optics have been improved since the last generation. Expect minor, not major, but every little bit improves the picture. By the way, Sony uses far more expensive “glass” on their high end home theater projectors, which price from over $20K to $60K.

Captured from Valerian, in 4K. Click for a much closer look

What we have here is a $7,999 projector that offers true 4K, and some pretty respectable black levels. Well, if you have those things going for you, there’s not going to be much downside. But Sony also has all the trimmings – besides a Dynamic Iris for the black levels. It has a lot of image processing including “smooth motion” (CFI) which they call Motion Flow, impressive control of the iris (most offer only on or off) – you can even use it as both a physical iris (to limit brightness), while having it also function dynamically.  Add to that 3D, and over 1,400 lumens of brightness with excellent color, and one of the best implementations for tackling HDR, and BT.2020/P3, those picture quality “improvements” usually offered with 4K content.

The Sony VPL-EW435 is a $749, WXGA (1280 x 800) resolution projector claiming 3,100 lumens. This business and education projector could find its home in either a conference room or classroom, though for the purpose of this review, I will focus mainly on education. I’m in high gear review-wise to get these projectors ready for this year’s Classroom Projectors Report, where we discuss all of the projectors we’ve reviewed over the year and how each performs, which ones won awards, and even providing insight into the siblings of each projector model.

I’ve reviewed just about all the current big names in the business and education market, save for one. A Sony at last! I’ve been a fan of Sony since the first PlayStation came out, and will generally reach for a Sony-anything over any other brand when given the choice. I had the pleasure of working with Sony’s $15,000 true 4K home theater projector, the VPL-VW665ES, last year while reviewing Elite Screens’ CineGrey 3D screen material, and ever since then, I’ve wanted to get my hands on another projector of theirs.

Looking at the specs and price, right of the bat, the Sony VPL-EW435 seems to be a really good value, comparable to a few of the other similarly-spec’d projectors I’ve reviewed this year. So far, it has the best price of them all, so let’s see how it performs, and whether it lives up to my expectations! In the section below, I’ll go more into detail about the projector, then provide some highlights before moving onto the special features on the following page. Let’s get started!

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

The Sony VPL-EW435 uses 3LCD panels, a technology that provides the same amount of color lumens as it does white ones. This usually leads to 3LCD projectors having more vivid color that is more capable, in my opinion, than some of the other technologies at handling ambient light. Having all that power behind the color lumens can really make the difference between a faded image and one that still holds up when there is uncontrollable light present. That it claims 3,100 lumens is even better – that’s quite a lot of brightness, useful in classrooms and conference rooms where perhaps not all of the lights can be dimmed, nor the room fully darkened.

This is a WXGA (1280 x 800) resolution projector, which you can consider to be the business and education worlds’ 720p – still HD, but not the sharpest of the two options. WUXGA (1920 x 1200), would be the equivalent of 1080p, and has slightly smaller pixels than WXGA, leading to a sharper image. Still, for typical classroom room and conference room applications, WXGA will do just fine. It’s really only when you get into higher education areas such as engineering, science, and graphic applications where top notch resolution makes a real difference.

The Sony VPL-EW435 is lamp based projector with a rated lamp life of up to 10,000 hours – that’s in ECO mode, which tends to be the dimmest mode. At full power, you can expect 4,000 hours, and 6,000 hours at Standard power. This is pretty typical of lamp based projectors these days. Lamps have gone up in rated hours and down in price over the years, so even if you’re running the projector at full power, 20 hours a week for 10 months out of the year, you’re looking at replacing the lamp every five years or so, and even less in the lower power modes – that’s a couple hundred every half a decade or more. Not bad at all.

This is a highly portable projector, making it useful for situations where the projector is to be shared among classrooms and conference rooms. At just 8.6 pounds, the VPL-EW435 can be easily passed around with no hassle. This is a normal throw projector, meaning it will need to be positioned on a table or podium a ways back from the screen. It can also be ceiling mounted, though this may not be an option for classrooms or conference rooms that have those removable tile ceilings.

The Casio XJ-L8300HN is a 4K UHD, commercial-grade large venue projector claiming 5,000 lumens. The projector features a hybrid laser/phosphor light engine. In other words - the XJ-L8300HN is lamp-free. The solid-state light engine, combined with the new Texas Instruments 4K DLP chip, makes this 4K UHD projector one to be considered for advanced business and education applications, such as lecture halls, auditoriums, large conference rooms, and more.

The XJ-L8300HN has a substantial list price of $11,999.99, but it’s no surprise given the resolution and impressive sharpness of this projector. It's hard to get a feel for street pricing, as this projector is sold primarily through installing local dealers.  That said, figure there's probably some good education discounts, and some respectable margins built in.  I would expect purchase pricing to be way below MSRP.

I’ll get into more on the Special Features Pages, but here’s a taste: it has advanced networking features, a good warranty and a generous amount of lens shift. This projector has good placement flexibility which, in a large venue environment, will definitely work in your favor. Now, onto the good stuff.

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

The Casio XJ-L8300HN, as mentioned, has a list price of $11,999.99. You’re paying a premium for the laser/phosphor light engine, which has a better value proposition than lamp-based projectors in terms of lifetime and maintenance costs, as well as for advanced networking features and high brightness. The projector should be able to combat most forms of ambient light, but know this – the larger your screen, the more lumens you need.

I have found the projector online for much less than its MSRP (street price is approximately $7,008 - waiting on confirmation from Casio). AV integrators and dealers are the usual source for commercial-grade projectors in this class. They install the projector in large venues such as university lecture halls and classrooms, auditoriums, museums, entertainment venues, houses of worship, command and control facilities, etc. Count that as a plus, because this projector is heavy (43.7 lbs). This is one serious projector and needs to be properly and professionally mounted. Wrestling with about 50 lbs of projector and ceiling mount is a challenge, and I don’t envy the installer who has to ceiling mount it.

The XJ-L8300HN has very good connectivity, with ports for advanced networking and command and control, and compatibility with multiple networking environments such as Crestron RoomView. Though the inputs and connectors panel is somewhat simple when compared to other commercial-grade business/education projectors, this one should have all the ports you'll need for your applications. We’ll discuss that in full on the first Hardware Page. Just one spoiler before I move onto the Highlights – the HDBaseT function supports video signals of up to 3840 x 2160. For reference, there are projectors at a much higher price point that can only run up video up to 1080p over HDBaseT.

• 5,000 Lumens
• 4K UHD Resolution (2716x1528x2) (for a total of 8.3 megapixels
• Hybrid Laser/Phosphor Light Engine
• 20,000 Hour Rated Light Engine Life
• DLP Technology
  • Single chip design for sharp image
  • Uses color wheel
• 20,000:1 Contrast Ratio
• Generous Amount of Lens Shift – 25% Horizontal, 60% Vertical
• 1.5:1 Manual Zoom Lens
• Advanced Networking – Crestron RoomView, PJLink, HDBaseT
• Great Warranty – 3 Years on the Projector, 5 years or 10,000 Hours on Light Engine