What are the features that make for the best Acer projector? It depends on your needs, of course. For Acer projectors and the best projectors, in general, experts recommend looking first and foremost for image quality; that means enough resolution to provide a detailed image at your chosen screen size.
Founded in 1976, Acer has since become a world-renowned electronic manufacturer. The brand’s projectors feature a light source powerful enough to produce bright images when there is some ambient light in the room, along with a balance of features for easy installation and setup. This may mean adjustments like keystone correction or zoom so that you can maintain the perfect throw distance for your desired projection image size.
Acer projectors tend to be versatile and affordable while providing decent picture quality and plenty of brightness. They offer portable projector models and a range of classroom and conference room projectors designed for low cost and reduced lamp power consumption.
Keep reading to learn more about the best Acer projectors and how they compare to models from other brands, such as Viewsonic’s projectors.
Top Acer Projectors
#1 Acer H5382BD Projector
Award: TOP PICK
WHY WE LIKE IT: With an advanced lamp and maximum brightness of 3300 ANSI lumen, this projector provides sharp, colorful imagery. It has an HDMI MHL port and boasts an ambient light sensor.
- Very bright imagery
- HDMI MHL port
- Ambient light sensor
- Mediocre speaker
- Relatively low native resolution
With an advanced DLP projection system, the Acer 5382BD projector produces vibrant imagery and offers efficient performance. This projector boasts images with a maximum brightness of 3300 ANSI lumens. It produces pictures with natural colors and rich details and has a native stereo speaker. Featuring a high contrast ratio, this projector is especially suited for movies, although its native 720p 1280 x 720 resolution is a bit low when rendering high definition media.
This projector is compatible with a wireless HD kit (sold separately) to enable wireless streaming. It has an HDMI port that supports MHL connectivity, delivering uncompressed HDMI media from smartphones and other mobile devices. With a D-Sub port, the device offers versatile connectivity options. It has an ambient light sensor to help optimize the picture quality based on ambient conditions and features a mounting interface that supports installing the device on the ceiling.
#2 Acer C202i Projector
Award: HONORABLE MENTION
WHY WE LIKE IT: Designed with frequent travelers in mind, this device is compact and comes with a pouch for hassle-free transportation. It has a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and boasts a stand for easy setup.
- Compact design
- Integrated lithium-ion battery
- Comes with a tripod
- Doesn’t get very bright
- Low native resolution
The Acer C202i projector has a 16:9 native aspect ratio and supports 4:3, offering wide-ranging use. This projector has an LED lamp system that provides a maximum brightness of 300 ANSI lumens. Featuring an excellent 5000:1 maximum contrast ratio, this projector provides sharp images and produces deep black movie scenes. However, it has a relatively low FWVGA 854 x 480 resolution and supports a maximum resolution of 1600 x 1200.
Equipped with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, this projector runs for up to 5 hours on battery power. It comes with a tripod, so users can set up this unit easily in a wide variety of settings. An HDMI interface on this model supports HDCP, offering excellent AV signals. The projector also boasts a 2W integrated speaker, eliminating the need for connecting external sound systems. It has an RF remote for hassle-free operation and comes with a pouch for hassle-free transportation.
#3 Acer C250i Projector
Award: BEST FOR TRAVEL
WHY WE LIKE IT: This portable projector has a distinctive speaker-like design that is easy to transport. It has a native 1920 x 1080 resolution and connects easily to computers and mobile devices.
- Impressive 1920 x 1080 native resolution
- Bluetooth speakers
- Rechargeable lithium -in battery
- It doesn’t get very bright
Users seeking a high-definition display will be pleased with the picture quality of the Acer C250i projector. This model has a native Full HD resolution, delivering text, graphics, and videos with fine details. It’s compatible with Android and iOs devices, providing wireless screen mirroring, and also uses a USB interface for projection and charging. This model has a rechargeable lithium-ion battery with a runtime of about 5 hours. The onboard Bluetooth speakers provide audio playback However, this model doesn’t get very bright.
Covering an astounding 130% of the Rec. 709 color gamut, this projector offers incredibly accurate color reproduction. An RGB LED lamp in this device is efficient, featuring a maximum brightness of 300 lumens. The projector has an Eco mode for conserving energy. With built-in Bluetooth speakers, this device offers all-in-one media playback. It also has an HDMI input with HDCP support for connecting to computers. An included remote control offers simple management.
#4 Acer P6500 Projector
Award: BEST FOR COMMERCIAL USE
WHY WE LIKE IT: Featuring a maximum brightness of 5000 lumens, this projector is ideal for brightly lit rooms. It produces Full HD imagery and has a remarkably big maximum screen size, making it a good choice for big events.
- Outstanding 5000-lumen brightness
- Full HD native resolution
- Built-in speakers
- Short lamp life
Designed with large venues in mind, the Acer P6500 projector boasts a number of features suitable for classrooms, conference rooms, and events. This projector produces very bright imagery, featuring an astounding maximum brightness of 5000 lumens. With a native Full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution, the device produces crisp details and is ideal for movies and presentations. However, its expected lamp life of about 3,000 hours is on the low side.
An RJ-45 Ethernet interface allows connecting this projector directly onto the network. The device boasts vertical keystone correction, simplifying setup. Built-in stereo speakers offer audio playback on the fly. This projector has excellent contrast, featuring a maximum contrast ratio of 20,000:1. It supports 3D media and has an advanced DLP projection system, which you can learn about in our article DLP vs 3LCD projectors, and it offers outstanding performance. This model boasts HDMI and VGA ports, offering flexible connectivity options and it has a remarkable maximum image size of 300 inches.
#5 Acer X1161P Projector
Award: BEST FOR THREE-DIMENSIONAL CONTENT
WHY WE LIKE IT: This model is compatible with three-dimensional content and it has a decent native resolution. It’s fairly bright, featuring a maximum brightness of about 2500 ANSI lumens.
- Excellent selection of inputs
- 3D-ready DLP system
- Fairly bright screen
- Lacks modern connectors
- Low native resolution
Enthusiasts who love 3D content should consider the Acer X1161P projector. This model is powered by a DLP system that produces vibrant pictures. It’s 3D-ready, supporting most 3D glass models and it offers flexible projection modes, including front, rear, front ceiling, and rear ceiling. It has a maximum brightness of 2500 ANSI lumens, delivering brilliant pictures even in brightly lit rooms. However, with a native SVGA 800 x 600 resolution, this projector may struggle with text and Full HD videos.
This projector has intuitive top-facing button controls that simplify navigating the OSD menu. A zoom dial allows adjusting the screen size easily. This model comes with remote control for adjusting settings easily and it has a well-ventilated design to prevent overheating. With a wide variety of ports that include VGA, D-Sub and composite video, this projector is compatible with a wide variety of computers. Acer Color-Boos II+ and ColorSafe enhance the picture quality on uneven and colored walls.
Sure, Acer has great features to offer when it comes to electronics, but BenQ has been putting a dent in the projector market lately.
#6 Acer H6517ST Projector
Award: BEST WITH A SHORT THROW DISTANCE
WHY WE LIKE IT: This projector has a short throw distance, making it a good choice for projecting in small rooms. It features Dust Shield technology, helping to protect sensitive electronic components from dust.
- Remarkably short throw distance
- Fairly bright screen
- Dust Shield technology
- So-so lamp life
This Acer H6517ST projector is a Full HD device that offers a number of advanced features. We like its cutting-edge Dust Shield technology that helps protect sensitive internal components against damage from dust and dirt. This projector boasts a DLP system that provides amazing performance. It has VGA, Sub-D, and HDMI ports, connecting seamlessly to newer and legacy computers. However, this model’s lamp life of about 5000 hours is on the low side.
A short throw distance allows placing this projector near the screen, making this model a good choice for people with small home theaters. Acer’s proprietary eColor Boost 3D and ColorSafe II tech enhances the picture quality. This projector is 3D-ready and boasts auto vertical keystone correction for simple adjustment. It features ExtremeECO tech for efficient performance. An instant resume function offers convenience. This model is equipped with wall-color compensation, enhancing performance when projecting on colored walls.
Introduction to Acer Projectors
Acer is a large international electronics company headquartered in New Taipei City, Taiwan. Founded in 1976 as a computer startup called Multitech, it began using the Acer name in 1987 and eventually became a major PC company. Today, Acer ranks among the world’s top 10 computer manufacturers by volume.
In addition to PCs and notebooks, Acer sells display products, gaming peripherals, smart home devices and more. Though originally known as a budget computer brand in the US, Acer offers mid-range and higher-priced PCs and gaming hardware.
Acer offers a range of projectors for the business, education, and home entertainment markets. Their projectors typically come at a budget-friendly price point while offering comparable specs to competing models. Acer home theater projectors benefit from the company’s experience with DLP technology most professional digital projectors use.
Acer Projectors Compared to Other Brands
(Pro 1) Wide Range of 3D Projector Models: The Acer lineup stands out for its range of affordable home and business units that come equipped with 3D content support and provide a unique, theater-like 3D entertainment experience.
(Con 1) Fewer 4k UHD Projectors than Some Competitors: Acer includes fewer 4k resolution models than some brands, like Optoma’s projectors. That said, Acer projectors do produce sharp, detailed images on just about any screen size.
(Pro 2) Affordable Business Projectors: Acer has much to offer if you’re looking for a lightweight projector that works well at conferences and lectures. With key features like USB ports for quick flash drive connection, VGA ports, wireless projection, and 3,000 lumens of brightness, Acer’s semi-portable projector series offers the professional or educator much.
(Con 2) Most Products Use Conventional Lamps: While some brands are switching to mainly laser-driven projectors, Acer uses conventional UHP lamps in most business and home theater video projector models. These high-performance lamps put out respectable illumination, enough to produce bright images even in a typical living room’s natural light. They also save on upfront costs, but they use more power than rivals’ laser lamps. This is especially true, even for the top-rated projectors used for bright rooms.
(Pro 3) Wide Range of DLP Models: Many enthusiasts consider DLP projection technology to offer sharper, more vibrant images than LCD units. Although DLP is mainly found on higher-end large venue projectors, Acer technology offers several affordable DLP models. Aimed at the home cinema and professional markets, they produce attractive image quality even at their largest projection size of up to 25′ diagonally.
(Con 3) Few Gaming Projector Options: Acer sells few models marketed for video games and online gaming. However, gamers have found that the latest Acer models offer low enough input lag and decently fast refresh rates to work well for many gaming uses. With a bright, high-quality image and the bonus of 3D capability, Acer’s 1080p HD projectors stand up to the task of occasional multiplayer gaming quite well. But, can it compete with other brands including the leading NEC projectors, InFocus Projectors, and top-rated Sony projectors?
Why You Should Buy a New Acer Projector
A home theater projector may be a great buy if you’re upgrading your home entertainment center and looking for more of a cinema experience watching your favorite movies. Even a huge flat-screen TV doesn’t offer the kind of immersive visual experience that you get from a quality home theater video projector.
You might also find it worthwhile to purchase your own projector if you need to present data or media at work. For infographics and visualizations, the bright, high-resolution image from a projector can be a real benefit. Current Acer projectors make it easier than ever to set up a crisp, high-quality display on a range of projector screens.
New models offer more versatile connectivity along with much better picture quality and responsiveness than older digital projectors. For example, with many current Acer business models, you can project files from various video sources using the USB-C port, SD card port, VGA port, or wireless connectivity. Acer’s current line of projector products features Bright HD WiFi projector models with 1080p native resolution and flexible optical zoom ratio for perfect image alignment.
Portable, battery-powered projectors occupy a relatively recent category niche. Compared to earlier 100-200 lumen pocket projector models, the current Acer C250i portable projector improves battery life and usability. Its 4200-mAh lithium-ion pack offers a claimed two-hour battery life. This travel-friendly Bluetooth projector doubles as a power bank for mobile devices. In addition, its short-throw lens allows it to project a 100-inch image from less than a meter away.
Like some more expensive home units, Acer’s portable projectors tend to have generous video input port availability. They also still give you an audio port, so you have the option of using external speaker systems.
How Long Will an Acer Projector Last?
Most schools and businesses expect their projectors to last anywhere from three to five years. Home projectors, however, can last considerably longer, depending on care, frequency of use, and environmental conditions. Since a theater or home entertainment projector doesn’t usually have to run all day long, as might be the case for a classroom projector, the service life of major components like the lamp, optical unit, and cooling fan, will generally be longer.
Wear items on a conventional projector include the lamps and, in some cases, the air filters for the cooling system. Newer Acer projectors tend to feature high levels of dust-proofing, which helps protect the lens and allows the air filter to last much longer.
Lamp life varies by projector type. Most Acer projectors using UHP lamps claim a 3,000-6,000 hours rating, which is good for a non-laser or LED projector. On the other hand, the LED models provide up to a 30,000-hour life span for the LED units.
Using eco mode, where available, extends the lifespan of the lamp. The light source rating often specifies a reduced service life when using maximum brightness in the product description. With Acer’s 210W high power lamp units, for example, rated lamp hours range from a nominal 4,000 up to 8,000 when using “extreme eco mode.”
Acer Projector Warranties
Acer provides various warranties on its projectors, lamps, and optical units. Most home and portable units come with a 1-year limited warranty on the projector and a 90-day warranty on the lamp. Replacement lamps are available through Acer or at authorized vendors online or in person.
The Acer P1500 HD display projector gets a longer 3-year limited warranty on parts and labor, plus the same 90-day lamp warranty. Designed with longer running times in mind, this model comes with Acer’s advanced cooling technology and more thorough dust sealing.
The standard projector warranties cover major defects and malfunctions but, as with most electronics warranties, exclude accidental damage, shipping damage, and power surge damage.
Users can purchase extended warranties on most Acer products.
