TVs are great, but if you’ve ever tried to move a 65-inch monster from one wall to another, you know it’s not a whole lot of fun. The solution is simple: get yourself a projector. Acer has just released its latest in a long line of great projectors and it’s a 4K beast. Behold. The V9800.
DESIGN 3.5 /50
There’s not a lot to say about the design of the V9800, except that it’s huge. We’ve had multi-function printers smaller than the Acer’s 22 x 18.5 x 8.5. Still, it’s smaller than a TV, so it’s got that going for it. While projectors are not the most attractive things, being that they are usually boxes, the V9800 is actually quite good-looking. While it is large, it’s curvy, and has a glossy finish that would fit as well in the boardroom as it would in the den. The lens is centrally mounted, with adjustment dials up top, behind spring-locked doors, and all the inputs off to one side, for easy access. It’s simple, just the way I like it.
HARDWARE 4.5 / 5.0
One of the most important points to consider with a projector is input. This is not lost upon Acer, and the V9800 comes with two HDMI ports (though only one is compatible with 4K), an older VGA in, and the RB 232 control port, if you have any need for that. You also get an input for a wired remote. Although it does come with its own wireless remote, and a mini USB port. There aren’t any regular USB inputs though, so any external media will have to be routed through another device.
A sliding side panel reveals controls built right into the projector, so apart from having a remote to control it, you also have the convenience of all the functions, right on the device. This is a big plus, as remotes are not the easiest things to find in a dark room. Should you have the remote in your hand, it’s conveniently backlit, to minimize fumbles.
USER EXPERIENCE 5.0 / 5.0
I will not lie. I really liked this projector. The first test had me projecting at a plain white wall about 6 feet away from the business end. This gave what I would estimate to be about 45 inches of screen. I plugged in a PS4, which immediately figured out the projector supported HDR, and enabled it. This improved the output tremendously, evening out contrasts and colors. The blacks, while not as deep as I would have liked, were more than adequate to set the mood for The Last of Us, upping the tension significantly over the default display mode. I was able to tweak contrasts and brightness easily thanks to the menu system, which is laid out with ease of use in mind, another thing I appreciated a lot.
To really get the test on, I pushed the projector back to get a display about 100 inches on the diagonal and plugged in a 4K source. The sight was enough to bring a tear to my eye. 4K on a large screen is a glorious thing to behold, but one that’s painful if your screen isn’t up to snuff. The Acer V9800 performed superbly. The detail, the smoothness, the clarity—It was very impressive. Gaming at 4K on a huge screen is something you have to try, and this is a projector that will do that easy, and at an even larger scale than I could manage at home.
Should you have different needs, there are presets, such as Game, Cinema, Sport, and others, which are good places to start. But to really get the best experience, I would recommend going in there and tweaking the output to your own eyes. It’s very easy to do with the remote.
Specs online put the output at 2,200 ANSI lumens, which, in practice was about 1980 at full tilt. This is plenty bright, even in a lit room. This might be the reason the blacks are a little washed out, but it’s just me picking nits. They’re more than deep enough for anyone I know. This is more than made up for with beautiful colors and HDR support, so you aren’t going to mind at all, I promise.
For something this large, the fan was suspiciously quiet. You’ll hear it if you’re right next to the machine, but with your audio playing, it’ll be drowned out easily.
VALUE 4.0 / 5.0
The sticker price on the V9800 is PHP 249,999. This is a hefty sum, sure, but bear with me. You have a 4K projector that’s capable of stunning image quality even upwards of 100 inches, HDR, and gorgeous colors. That’s a fair price to pay for a device such as this right now.
Bottomline:
This projector is going to be hard to beat.
Also published in GADGETS MAGAZINE July 2017 issue
Words by Ren Alcantara