Projectors for Business Buyer's Guide

When it comes to business presentations, projectors give you the biggest images for your buck. Make an impact on your audience by delivering your PowerPoint and Excel docs on a 150-inch screen. You've worked hard, show it off!

There are tons of business projectors on the market. Let us help you find the perfect one for you. Here's a quick look at the most common questions we're asked by business presenters:


How bright should my projector be? [ top ]

projector brightness

Projector brightness is measured in ANSI lumens. A lumen is equivalent to the amount of light a birthday cake candle emits in a square foot-sized area.

How many lumens your projector needs depends on your audience size and the lighting conditions in the space where you're presenting.

Lumen recommendations by audience size and lighting conditions

  • 2000-2500 lumens for lights-off, low ambient light, presentations
  • 3000 lumens for audiences of less than a hundred with some ambient light
  • 4500 lumens for audiences of 100-200 with some ambient light
  • 6000 lumens for audiences of 100 or more under bright lights

How do I get the best image from my projector? [ top ]

Resolution and inputs are the most important factors for business users who want high-quality images. But keep in mind that the quality of your PowerPoint or Excel doc will make a big difference in the quality of your presented image. No matter how good a projector you buy, if you use low-res graphics they will look bad, especially when blown up on a 150-inch screen. Make sure you save your presentations at the highest available resolution.

Choosing a Projector Resolution

Popular projector resolutions for business use include:

  • WXGA (1280 x 800) - the most popular business projector resolution as most of our customers use widescreen laptops for presentations.
  • XGA (1024 x 768) - for customers who don't use widescreen laptops, or who have an existing XGA projector and screen setup and don't want to replace the screen.
  • HD (1920 x 1080) - for customers with graphic and video-heavy presentations.

HD projectors have about twice the pixels of XGA and WXGA projectors. More pixels mean a sharper looking image and better compatibility with high-definition sources.

Projector Inputs

If image quality is very important to you, we highly recommend projectors with HDMI inputs. Even if your computer doesn't output in HD, an HDMI input will ensure your projector is future-proof.

Here are some of our most popular XGA, WXGA and HD projectors for business. All have at least one HDMI input.

Epson Epson PowerLite 96W PowerLite 96W Wide XGA (1280 x 800) 2700 lumens  $749.00  Details »
BenQ BenQ MX660P MX660P XGA (1024 x 768) 3000 lumens  $499.00  Details »

(14 Reviews)
InFocus InFocus IN3118HD IN3118HD HD (1920 x 1080) 3600 lumens  $1,399.00  Details »

(5 Reviews)

How portable should my projector be? [ top ]

portable projectors

Road warriors rejoice. Thanks to advancing technology, presentation projectors have become more portable than ever. Portable projectors weigh in around 3 to 8 lbs. and have footprints that are smaller than a laptop computer. Pocket or pico projectors are also available. These are super-portable, often weighing in at mere ounces. However, they are significantly less bright than their larger counterparts.

Additional considerations for road warriors:

  • A remote mouse frees you from the computer and allows you to deliver more dynamic presentations.
  • Wireless projectors are now readily available and can make your travel bag a little lighter.
  • A good projector travel case with room for a projector and laptop is a convenient accessory for on-the-go presenters

Which features make a projector easy to use? [ top ]

Projectors are plug-and-play, user-friendly and can be set up in a matter of seconds. In most cases all you will need to shine is a power outlet.

That said, some projectors have added features that can make your presenting life easier and more successful. Here are a few examples:

  • iPhone doc for presenting straight from your smart phone. See our iPhone-compatible projectors.
  • Wireless compatibility. Our wireless projectors can receive input without cables. This means less equipment to buy and carry around.
  • Digital keystone correction and lens shift give you more options for projector placement.
  • Lamp-free projectors save you money on costly replacement lamps. All of Casio's new projectors are lamp-free.
  • Projectors with a short throw allow you to present in small spaces without concerns about shadows obstructing the image or light shining on the presenter's face.

You may not require all of these bells and whistles, but keep them in mind when choosing the right projector for you. Click here to search for projectors with specific features.

Quick Tip: Always run a "dummy presentation" before you hit the road. That way our tech support team can help you with any issues you may experience before the big day.

2 Day shipping on all projectors over $1000 for a limited time. View our *free shipping details