Please note that a one-month snapshot doesn’t always give you a complete feel of the projector market as a whole. Some models always show up on PMA’s lists; others change from month to month. PMA also selects different projector categories to analyze each month. For this reason we like to combine two months of reports to give you a more complete look.
Let’s dive in!
The leaders in the Best Selling Large-Venue High-End Projectors group are all at least $1,000. All feature at least 4,000 lumens. Only the Optoma EH501 is HD.
Most of the projectors are installation models designed for classrooms and auditoriums. The two Epson models are portable, making them a good fit for traveling presenters.
Best Selling Large-Venue High-End Projectors 1/15 | |
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Projector | Comments |
#1 Optoma EH501 | HD (1920 x 1080), 5,000 lumens, installation unit |
#2 Epson PowerLite 1940W | Wide XGA (1280 x 800), 4,200 lumens, portable |
#3 Epson PowerLite 1980WU | Wide UXGA (1920 x 1200), 4,400 lumens, portable powerhouse |
#4 ASK Proxima C520 | 5,500 lumens, XGA (1024x768), 5,000:1 contrast |
#5 NEC NP-P451W | Wide XGA (1280 x 800), 4,500 lumens, widescreen entry level installation for schools and business |
The Mainstream Projector category encompasses all markets. Most of January’s winners are designed for business and education, and are exceptionally low priced. The InFocus sells for less than $300.
The odd ball out is the Sony, a mid-sized HD 3D home theater projector that features SXRD, Sony’s version of 3 LCoS Panels.
Best Selling Mainstream Projectors 1/15 | |
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Projector | Comment |
#1 InFocus IN112a | SVGA (800 x 600), 3,000 lumens, low price, lightweight |
#2 NEC NP-M322X | XGA (1024 x 768), 3,200 lumens, DICOM simulation, good for education and small business |
#3 Epson PowerLite X17 | XGA, 2,700 lumens, good for education |
#4 Epson PowerLite 97 | XGA, 2,700 lumens, good for education |
#5 Sony VPL-HW40ES/B | HD, 1700 lumens, 3 LCoS Panels (which Sony calls SXRD), home theater, 3D capable |
January’s top Pico Projectors range from 25 to 700 lumens of brightness. AAXA led the pack, with three slots on the bestseller list. Its AAXA LED Pico took first place, surprising considering the low (25-lumen) light output and built-in battery which has barely enough power to watch a quick movie. The 200-lumen Asus S1’s three-hour battery life is much more reasonable.
The Optoma ML750 is the brightest, weighing in at 700 lumens.
Best Selling Pico Projectors 1/15 | |
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Projector | Comment |
#1 AAXA LED PICO | 25 lumen LED light source, (960x540), 80-minute battery |
#2 Asus S1 | 200 lumens, ultra short throw, built-in speakers, three-hour battery that can also charge other devices |
#3 AAXA P300 | 300-lumen, 1280x800 resolution, 60-minute battery sold separately |
#4 Optoma ML750 | WXGA, 700 lumens, 3D ready |
#5 AAXA P4-X | 125 lumens, WVGA, comes with a tripod |
Now let's look at February's bestselling models.
Like in January, February’s Mainstream Projector bestsellers were mostly business and education projectors. All are at least somewhat portable and feature around 3,000 lumens of brightness. Built-in speakers and HDMI inputs show that today’s shoppers are looking for one-size-fits-all solutions in their business and education displays.
They also don’t want to pay a lot. These projectors range between $300 and $800.
Best Selling Mainstream Projectors 2/15 | |
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Projector | Comment |
#1 InFocus IN124a | XGA (1024 x 768), 3,500 lumens, 5.4 pounds |
#2 InFocus IN112a | SVGA (800 x 600), 3,000 lumens, 5.4 pounds |
#3 Epson PowerLite X17 | XGA, 2,700 lumens, ideal for education |
#4 Epson PowerLite 97 | XGA, 2,700 lumens, ideal for education |
#5 NEC NP-M322W | 3,200 lumen, WXGA (1280 x 800), DLP, DICOM simulation |
Once again, AAXA took up three slots on the Pico and Personal Projector list. Its brightest model, the AAXA P300, slid from third place to fourth. The 25-lumen AAXA LED PICO remains in the number one slot.
The 500-lumen Optoma ML500 replaced its brighter counterpart, the ML750, on February’s bestseller list. It is the brightest projector on the list.
Best Selling Pico and Personal Projectors 2/15 | |
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Projector | Comment |
#1 AAXA LED PICO | 25 lumen LED light source, (960x540), 80-minute battery |
#2 Optoma ML550 | 500 lumens, WXGA (1280 x 800), 14 ounces |
#3 Asus S1 | 200 lumens, ultra short throw, built-in speakers, three-hour battery that can also charge other devices |
#4 AAXA P300 | 300-lumen, 1280x800 resolution, 60-minute battery sold separately |
#5 AAXA P4-X | 125 lumens, WVGA, comes with a tripod |
In the 4,000+ Lumen Projector category, Optoma’s EH501 was the bestselling model for the second month in a row. Most of the projectors are geared toward education and business buyers. The 6,000-lumen Epson PowerLite Pro G6750WU, the brightest of the bunch, also works for auditorium, stage and house of worship applications.
Prices were all over the place for this category, ranging from the $1,100 Hitachi CP-X4030WN to the $4,500-plus Sony VPL-FHZ55/W laser projector.
Best Selling 4,000+ Lumen Projectors 2/15 | |
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Projector | Comment |
#1 Optoma EH501 | HD (1920 x 1080), 5,000 lumens, installation unit |
#2 Epson PowerLite Pro G6750WU | Large-venue projector for conference room, auditorium, stage or house of worship, WUXGA, 6,000 lumens |
#3 Epson PowerLite 1940W | Corporate, education and house of worship use portable or install unit, 4,200 lumens, WXGA |
#4 Sony VPL-FHZ55/W | Wide UXGA (1920 x 1200), 4,000 lumens, laser light source for commercial applications |
#5 Hitachi CP-X4030WN | XGA, 4,200 lumens, classroom conference room |
Keep an eye out for March and April's best sellers - coming soon!