Epson PowerLite 1785W Wireless Portable Projector Review – Summary

Epson PowerLite 1785W Projector Review – Summary: Summary, Pros, Cons

The PowerLite 1785W by Epson is a 3LCD WXGA portable projector designed for business and education applications.  This projector is intended to be used in the classroom, boardroom or conference room, by the teacher or professor who instructs in different classrooms through the day, or the traveling business person who must impress with that all-important presentation.  Epson advertises this projector as having a brightness of 3,200 lumens, and it actually beat this claim in its brightest mode coming in at 3,313 lumens.  That’s great for a portable 3LCD projector with so many features, at a list price of just $899.

The 1785W goes above-and-beyond to make itself ultra-portable, with its slim laptop size and weight of only 4 lbs., and a host of wireless connectivity options.  This projector has the ability to navigate presentations without using a mouse or remote control with Gesture Presenter.  The remote control also offers a wireless mouse capability with most connections.  Mobile Devices can locate the projector via the iProjection App by Epson through the use of an on-screen QR Code, and Android devices even have the ability of locating the projector on the network via NFC (Near Field Communication).

There only a few connectors and input ports.  There is a single HDMI, and a single old school VGA input port.  A single USB-A allows for USB devices, such as thumb drives, to be connected directly to the projector for PC-Free presentations.  There is also a USB-B connection (the projector includes a USB-B cable) for connection to a computer for the use of Gesture Presenter.  A legacy Composite Video port is also available, further extending the compatibility among source devices, and a single 3.5mm mini-jack audio input.  While this is a relatively few number of inputs, there is still plenty of connectivity available, especially when you factor in the wireless capabilities of this projector.

The Epson PowerLite 1785W operates with six color modes: Dynamic, Presentation, Cinema, sRGB, Blackboard, and DICOM SIM.  All have good color – even Dynamic Mode, with just a hint of the greens and yellows that plague the “bright mode” on most projectors.  Brightness is fantastic and will combat most ambient light situations well, though this, of course, is dependent on the unique environment the projector will be used.

Dynamic mode was the brightest mode and came in at 3,313 lumens, beating Epson’s brightness claim of 3,200 lumens.  Presentation mode was a little cool in temperature, and came in at 2,513 lumens.  Cinema was my favorite mode with the best color, at 2,405 lumens.  Next, DICOM SIM. measured in at 2,332 lumens, followed by sRGB.  The least bright of the color modes was Blackboard.  In ECO Mode, Dynamic measured in at 2,054 lumens, which is still quite bright for “ECO Mode” and plenty usable.

Overall, I was very impressed with the color the Epson PowerLite 1785W provides and at a brightness that exceeded what was advertised, allowing me to use it during the day without having to close my blinds and curtains.  This projector is a great choice for business and education, especially when portability is important.

Epson offers one of the best warranties in the business: for two years, Epson guarantees their projectors will be free from defects in workmanship and materials.  If the projector dies or has problems during the warranted period, you simply call the phone number on the bottom of the projector (or on the convenient wallet card they give you) and speak directly with Epson Projector Support – no transfers to eat up your time.  Once you explain to them the warranty issues you are dealing with, they will ship you a replacement projector – not a loaner!  When you receive the replacement, simply put yours in the box the new one arrived in and ship it back.  Epson covers all shipping charges within the Lower 48 and most folks are back up and running within one or two business days.

Art loves to talk about Epson’s Extra Care Rapid Replacement, because he has experienced it first-hand.  He describes it like this:  Imagine you are on business in Atlanta, wrapping up a trip filed with presentations.  Your next stop is the Big Apple.  Your projector dies and thankfully is under warranty.  You call Projector Support and explain the problem, which is covered under warranty.  You give them the address of your hotel in NYC, and when you arrive a day or two later for your next round of meetings, your replacement Epson projector is there waiting for you.  Talk about convenience and peace of mind!

It gets even better for educators who purchase through Epson’s Brilliant Future program – a 3^rd year of the warranty and replacement program, giving Epson education projectors one of the best warranties in the industry.

• Remote is not backlit
• Only one HDMI port
• No Audio-Out port