ViewSonic PLED-W800 review

Solid state, LED-based projectors are all the rage with hard-traveling road warriors, and it's easy to see why with under-a-kilo DLP beamers like the PLED-W800 available.

We liked

PC-less presentations are a doddle, with Microsoft and PDF file support from USB and SD card. It even plays MKV video files. This projector is bright enough for excellent projections in a dingy room (draw the curtains if you can – it helps massively), and the resolution is just right for good-looking presentations.

The PLED-W800 also has stereo speakers on its rear, which do help if your presentation has a short video within, though it does lack any kind of low frequency sonics. So the rear's 3.5mm audio output jack is an excellent addition that adds a lot of flexibility – invest £100 or so in a good quality portable Bluetooth speaker that has a 3.5mm audio input (most do, but check), and you can easily add a bit of bass and mid-range for a much more professional feel. Few projectors have an audio output.

The 30,000 hours of lamp life is worth remembering, too (that's about a decade of normal use), as is the highly portable chassis design.

We disliked

Should a flagship portable projector have Wi-Fi built-in? Of course it should; no-one wants to bother with Wi-Fi dongles anymore. Nor is the PLED-W800 the quietest projector we've ever tested, racking up between 60-69 decibels when it's at full brightness, though it didn't prove distracting while the speakers were in use.

In theory those speakers are a nice add-on to any projector, but at a measly 2W each they supply a possibly harmfully bad sound quality that could jar with those watching presentations. A red laser pointer on the remote would be handy, too.

Final verdict

The lamp-free future is here, and this DLP-powered LED beamer is a highly portable, PC-less option for slick presentations. With great file support, easy navigation, a portable design and just enough brightness and resolution to compete, the PLED-W800 is surprisingly versatile.

The provision of USB, SD Card and HDMI slots is handy, but shouldn't a flagship portable projector have Wi-Fi? We think it should, but the media-friendly PLED-W800 is nevertheless a good value, long-lasting and low maintenance portable product for road warriors – and it's just as handy for saving space around the office.