The BenQ MW621ST ($695), a short-throw data projector for a conference room or classroom, offers good brightness and resolution, power-saving features, 3D capability, and optional Wi-Fi connectivity. The MW621ST’s ($854.90 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) image quality for both data and video is usable, but not impressive, and you may want to use larger text than usual in presentations, as smaller type tended to blur in our tests.

This DLP-based projector is rated at 3,000 lumens of brightness, and has native WXGA (1,280-by-800) resolution. It measures 4.5 by 11.3 by 9.2 inches (HWD), and it’s reasonably portable at 5.1 pounds, although it lacks a carrying case.

The MW621ST has a decent selection of ports. It has HDMI (which is also Mobile-High-Definition-Link [MHL]-compatible, for connecting with Android devices), three RCA jacks for composite video/audio, S-video, VGA-in and VGA-out, one audio-in and one audio-out jack, RS-232, a USB Type B port for connecting with a computer, and a USB Type A port for a USB thumb drive or optional Wi-Fi adapter.

Data-Image Testing
Unlike most short-throw projectors, the MW621ST has an optical zoom, with a modest 1.2:1 ratio. With the projector placed 40 inches away from our test screen—a little bit farther than is typical for a short-throw projector—and zoom set on full, it threw an image that filled the screen about 60 inches (diagonal). The image didn’t noticeably fade when I added a fair amount of ambient light, so the projector should do okay in rooms with significant stray light.

Similar Products

3.5

Good

BenQ MW824ST

$1,082.04

See It

at Amazon

(Opens in a new window)

Read Our BenQ MW824ST Review

4.0

Excellent

Optoma W306ST

 

Check Stock

at Amazon

(Opens in a new window)

Read Our Optoma W306ST Review

In testing using the DisplayMate(Opens in a new window) suite, the MW621ST’s data image quality was slightly subpar. Focus was a bit soft, and text quality wasn’t very good. White-on-black type was blurred at the two smallest sizes and not particularly sharp at any size. There were traces of red and green fill in the white letters at the smaller sizes. Black-on-white type was blurred at the smallest size, and fuzzy but readable at the second smallest. These results were the same with or without zoom.

One good point was that there was virtually no trace of tints in most of the white backgrounds. In general, colors were a touch on the dull side, particularly reds, greens, and yellows. Images with closely spaced lines tended to show pixel jitter, which was largely removed by adjusting the projector’s phase setting using the remote. When I switched to an HDMI connection, the jitter disappeared altogether. Otherwise, image quality and issues were much the same using an HDMI or analog (VGA) connection.

In some bright areas, mostly against dark backgrounds, I noticed rainbow artifacts—little red-green-blue flashes. This so-called rainbow effect, which is frequently seen in single-chip DLP projectors, is generally less of a problem with data images than with video, and even people somewhat sensitive to it aren’t likely to be bothered by it when watching data presentations with the MW621ST.

Video and Audio
The rainbow effect was more of an issue in video. Rainbow artifacts were seen often enough that people who are sensitive to the effect would likely be distracted by it, making the projector best for shorter clips. Colors in video tended to look pale, and there was frequent posterization—sudden shifts in shade or color where they should be gradual.

The projector’s audio is a bright spot. Sound from the single 10-watt speaker was loud enough to fill a mid-size room, and was of decent quality. The MW621ST is 3D-capable, with support for viewing Blu-ray 3D content, although you have to supply the active-shutter 3D glasses.

The MW621ST has several power-saving features that can increase lamp life to as much as 10,000 hours. EcoBlank mode lets teachers easily take a break from a presentation, blanking the screen out and lowering energy consumption up to 70 percent while paused. The projector will also automatically enter EcoBlank mode after three minutes without a signal. Lamp Save mode automatically adjusts lamp brightness, depending on content brightness levels.

BenQ doesn’t recommend its PointWrite and QWrite interactive pen and software as optional accessories for the MW621ST, like it does for the BenQ MW824ST. The BenQ MW824ST also has better data image quality and more ports, adding Ethernet and an extra VGA-in and audio-in, though it lacks the MW621ST’s USB Type A port.

The BenQ MW621ST is less expensive than the Editors’ Choice ViewSonic PJD6683ws , but the MW621ST’s data-image quality is not as good. The Viewsonic PJD6683ws also has a slightly larger selection of ports, though it doesn’t have a port for connecting a USB thumb drive or Wi-Fi adapter. If you need a WXGA short-throw projector with a USB Type A port, you may want to go with the MW621ST—just be careful to use slightly larger text than usual in your presentations.