A 4K projector sounds nice. Once you start shopping for one, though, you realize the prices aren’t very inviting. Yeah… the darn things are expensive. The ViewSonic PX701-4K changes that, bringing a 4K option to big screen viewing fans at well under $1,000.
That’s right, it’s an affordable 4K DLP projector, allowing you to enjoy high-res viewing at home without having to shell out the big bucks. Whether you want to watch 4K movies on your favorite streaming service, review those 4K footage you shot on your camera, or play next-gen console games in all their 4K glory, this thing lets you do that without burning a sizable hole in your bank account.
The ViewSonic PX701-4K is a UHD projector that delivers a native 3,840 x 2,160 resolution at screen sizes ranging from something as small as 30 inches to something as massive as 300 inches. We know, 300 inches probably won’t fit in your living room, but if you happen to have the vertical surface to accommodate it, this thing can deliver. It’s rated to deliver 3,200 ANSI lumens of brightness, so it should make for a great time watching even with some amount of ambient lighting turned on, although we’re not so sure how that illumination will hold up once you push the screen size to its maximum limit. Yeah, you should probably turn off the lights at that point.
It has HDR support, so you get to watch movies and shows with brighter and more vivid colors, while the 12,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio ensures central elements stand out in every scene. There’s automatic vertical and horizontal keystone correction, as well as four corners adjustment, so you don’t have to set it up perfectly each time out to get a perfectly-proportioned picture. Do note, it requires a bit of throw distance, with a 100-inch picture requiring you to place it around 11 feet away. Yeah, you’ll need a bit of room to use this for big-screen viewing.
With the next-gen consoles having just come out, the ViewSonic PX701-4K makes a play for the gamers with a couple of gaming-friendly features. These include an input lag of 4.2 milliseconds and a maximum refresh rate of 240Hz on top of its 4K resolution, making it a great way to enjoy your Xbox Series X or PS5. Do note, those lag and refresh rate numbers are based on 1080p gameplay, so going the full 4K route might lower the performance a bit. Yeah… nothing’s simple when it comes to pristine video quality.
It comes with its own 10-watt internal speaker, so you can use it without having to rely on an additional speaker, although you can hook up external audio gear either via a 3.5mm port. Other features include Texas Instruments DLP XPR chipset, a DLP lamp rated at 6,000 hours in normal mode (20,000 hours in eco mode), physical controls right on the projector, and an included remote. Dimensions are 12.3 x 4.3 x8.7 inches (width x height x depth).
The ViewSonic PX701-4K comes out in March, priced at $961.99.