Epson’s interactive projectors have always been strong contenders for best of breed, so it’s no surprise that the new Epson BrightLink 595Wi Interactive WXGA 3LCD Projector ($2,399) is both impressive and innovative. In addition to having all the features that made the Epson BrightLink 485Wi our Editors’ Choice—including automatic calibration and the ability to use the interactive feature with any image source—it can also turn whatever you use for a screen into a touch screen, functionally equivalent to the one on your smartphone or touch-screen PC. That makes the 595Wi the new top-of-the-line model for Epson and also our new Editors’ Choice for ultra-short-throw interactive projectors.

Like the Epson 485Wi and the Hitachi BZ-1 , which is our Editors’ Choice for a portable ultra-short-throw interactive projector, the 595Wi is built around three LCD chips. That gives it the advantage over DLP-based projectors of being guaranteed not to show rainbow artifacts (flashes of red, green, and blue), which some people find annoying.

The LCD-based design also means that the 485Wi has the same color brightness as white brightness, so you don’t have to worry about a difference between the two affecting the brightness of color images or color quality. (For more on the subject, see Color Brightness: What It Is, Why It Matters.)

The disadvantage of the LCD technology is the lack of 3D support. Almost all DLP projectors today, and almost no LCD data projectors, support 3D. So if you need 3D, you should be looking at a projector like the Optoma TW675UTi-3D , which is our Editors’ Choice as an ultra-short-throw interactive projector with 3D capability.

Basics, Brightness, and Setup

The 595Wi offers WXGA (1,280-by-800) native resolution and a 3,300-lumen rating. That easily makes it bright enough to stand up to any reasonable level of ambient light with even the largest image you’re likely to want for interactive use. You can also adjust the brightness for smaller images or lower light levels by switching to Eco mode, one of the lower brightness predefined modes, or both.

Setting upthe 595Wi takes long enough that it’s definitively meant for permanent installation. Unlike most of its competition, it even comes with a wall mount included the price. You can also get an optional table mount ($209), which will hold the projector vertically to project the image straight down and give you an interactive tabletop display.

Except for the interactive feature, setup is standard. Connection options for images include two HDMI ports, one of which supports Mobile High-Definition Link (MHL) for compatible phones and tablets; two VGA ports for computers or component video; both S-video and composite video ports; and a USB Type A port for a document camera or for reading files directly from a USB memory key.You can also send images and audio over a LAN connection.

Interactive Setup

The 595Wi needs calibration for the two interactive pens it comes with, but the process is fully automatic, so you only have to choose a menu command and wait a few seconds. Once it’s calibrated, you can use either pen, or use both simultaneously.

Setting up the touch feature takes more work. You have to mount a sensor above the top edge of the image using either magnets or screws to hold it in place, depending on the screen material; adjust the angle of the sensor’s infrared lasers so that the lasers are parallel to the screen; make additional manual adjustments; potentially add one or more supplied deflectors so the laser beam isn’t being reflected by a frame or other structure around the screen, and then confirm that everything’s adjusted properly by running your finger along a rectangle of dots projected on the screen.

Although there are a lot of steps, the process isn’t hard, thanks in large part to clear instructions in the printed Installation Guide. When you’re done, you have what amounts to a multipoint touch screen that supports gestures, like pinching to zoom out. It also supports up to eight interactive users at once according to Epson, with two pens and up to six finger touches simultaneously. The manual warns that the feature may not work correctly if you’re wearing bandages, nail polish, or “anything else that may obstruct your fingers.” However, an Epson representative says this isn’t likely to be a problem in real-world use.

See How We Test Projectors

Big Picture, Short Distance, High Image Quality

As with any ultra-short-throw projector, of course, the ultra-short throw is a key feature. For my tests, I used a 92-inch (diagonal) image at the native 16:10 aspect ratio, with the front of the projector just 10 inches from the screen. According to Epson, the full range for image size is 60 to 100 inches (diagonal), at 2.5 to 12.2 inches from the screen.

The 595Wi’s image quality is another strong point, particularly for data images. The projector did swimmingly on our standard suite of DisplayMate(Opens in a new window) tests, with suitably vibrant, eye-catching color in all predefined modes and excellent color balance, with suitably neutral grays at all shades from black to white, in almost all modes. It also handled detail well, with white text on black highly readable at sizes as small as 9 points, and black text on white maintaining easy readability even at 6.8 points.

Video quality isn’t in home-theater projector territory, but it’s good enough to be watchable, which counts as a plus for a data projector. Color in some clips was a bit oversaturated and a touch dark, but the 595Wi held shadow detail (details based on shading in dark areas) well, and I saw only the slightest hint of posterization (shading changing suddenly where it should change gradually), even in scenes that tend to cause the problem.

If you need 3D capability in an ultra-short-throw interactive projector, you’ll need to look elsewhere, with the Optoma TW675UTi-3D, our top pick. If you need portability, you should take a look at the Hitachi BZ-1. And if you don’t need either 3D or portability, but also don’t need touch-enabled interactivity, consider the Epson 485Wi. If you can make use of the touch-based interactivity, however, there’s simply no substitute for the Epson BrightLink 595Wi Interactive WXGA 3LCD Projector. And that helps make it a compelling Editors’ Choice for ultra-short-throw interactive projectors.