4K projectors are getting better and cheaper every year, to the point where they're well within the budgets of price-sensitive consumers. ViewSonic has been making projectors for years — including my personal favorite PX800HD — and for 2018, they have two models on offer: the PX727-4K and the subject of today's review, the PX747-4K.
The two projectors are near identical: the only difference is the PX747-4K has a slightly different color wheel that allows for a brighter image, at a slight cost to color accuracy. For most consumers, I think the trade-off is well worth it. Everything else remains the same between the models — including the price — so feel free to apply most of this review to the PX727-4K as well.
| Category | Features |
|---|---|
| Price | $1,300 |
| Format | Standard throw |
| Max resolution | 4K (3840x2160) |
| Peak brightness | 3,500 ANSI Lumens |
| Throw ratio | 1.47 - 1.76 |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:9, 4:3; auto-detect |
| HDMI inputs | 2 — 1 HDMI 2.0 and 1 HDMI 1.4 |
| Other video inputs | 1 VGA |
| Audio outputs | 1, 3.5mm |
| Remote control | Yes, Infrared |
| Connectivity | N/A |
| Operating system | N/A |
| See at Amazon | $1,300 |
I have been using the PX747-4K in my apartment for a week for watching movies and TV shows and playing video games. ViewSonic provided this projector for review, and it is being returned following the review period.
What is the ViewSonic PX747-4K?
The ViewSonic PX747-4K is a standard throw projector aimed at those that have a good bit of distance between where the projector sits and where the image will land. It's just bright enough for using it during the day with the blinds open, but closing the shades will lead to a much more enjoyable experience.
ViewSonic PX747-4K What ports are included?
The ViewSonic PX747-4K includes one HDMI 2.0 port, one HDMI 1.4 port, a VGA port, an RS-232 port for remote controls, a miniUSB port for firmware upgrades, a full-size USB-A port to power a streaming stick, a 12V trigger port, 3.5mm audio-in for your VGA device and 3.5mm audio-out to your stereo.
The HDMI-1 port fully supports 4K resolution at 60 frames per second with HDR10, perfect for gamers. That HDMI port also fully supports HDCP 2.2 copy protection, so UHD Blu Rays will play without a hitch. I paired this projector with my Xbox One X for gaming and movie watching, and it worked perfectly. This projector fully supports all of the Xbox's different 4K options, so you can control exactly how your games look.
Because the second HDMI port doesn't support 4K, you'll need an HDMI hub or receiver if you have multiple high-resolution appliances.
More: The best accessories to use with a projector
ViewSonic PX747-4K What I like
Installation was a breeze for this projector: I set it on a small table pointed towards my wall, plugged in power and the HDMI cable from my Xbox, and I was ready to go. The default color calibration looks great to my eyes as well; nothing appeared to be washed out or overly bright. Avengers: Infinity War and my other UHD Blu Rays were jaw-droppingly good, and even 1080p movies from my Plex server looked better on this than my 1080p projectors.
The speakers were also good, given the size constraints of having them included in the projector. You'll definitely want dedicated speakers if you're using this in a home theater; but if you're bringing this around for business presentations, the built-in speakers will be perfectly adequate.
ViewSonic PX747-4K What's just OK
One interesting — not necessarily good or bad — thing about this projector is it displays its own black frame around the image. That's great if you're projecting it against a bare wall like I am, but it may lead to frustration if you already have a projector screen . Just keep this in mind when you're placing things during installation.
Another thing about this projector — again, not objectively good or bad — is its throw ratio. I knew when I was researching the projector that I'd need as much space as I could manage to get a big "screen" size, since this is a standard-throw projector. With the projector 10 feet away from my wall, I have an 120-inch or so image, which is still larger than a similarly-priced television. But after having my wall completely filled with a projector image for the last year, it's hard to go down to a smaller "screen." Even if it is a higher-resolution image.
But that comes with the territory, and ultra-short-throw projectors are more expensive to make. This isn't a knock against this particular projector, just something to note. What you value in your purchases is up to you; I value a larger screen over higher resolution. Neither of these viewpoints is right or wrong, and there are products for both groups of people.
ViewSonic PX747-4K What I dislike
My only major complaint about this projector is the dearth of HDMI 2.0 ports: having only one on-board will force most users to invest in an HDMI hub or receiver. The target market probably doesn't have any problem with that, but it'd be nice to have more on-board options.
ViewSonic PX747-4K Final thoughts
So, who should buy this? If you don't want a ginormous screen like me — or you have a deep enough living room to produce that ginormous screen — then this is a great way to get a 4K image that will out-size any TV on the market. The price is right in line with competitors, installation takes just a few minutes, and the image looks outstanding .
If you're like me and you want to biggest screen possible from the shortest distance, the technology just isn't there yet for 4K ultra-short throw projectors to be this price. You need to weigh how much you value that smaller footprint over how much you'd like the higher resolution. If you choose the higher resolution, the PX747-4K is the best projector to buy right now.
