Epson PowerLite 580 XGA 3LCD Projector Review - Review 2022

The Epson PowerLite 580 XGA 3LCD Projector ($ane,299) combines XGA (i,024-by-768) resolution, a 3,200-lumen rating, and an ultra-short throw. That should pique your interest if you need a projector that can sit only a few inches from the screen and still give you lot an epitome that's both large plenty for a modest to midsize room and bright enough to stand up to ambient lite. Factor in the excellent quality for information images on my tests and watchable video, and it delivers enough to make it our new Editors' Option XGA, ultra-short-throw projector.

The PowerLite 580 ($1,154.98 at Amazon) is a shut cousin to the Epson PowerLite 585W WXGA 3LCD Projector, our preferred choice for WXGA (1,280-by-800), ultra-short-throw models. The two differ in effulgence and resolution, just both are built on the aforementioned platform, which ways they share the same size, weight, and set of image inputs, amongst other essentials. They also both come with wall mounts. For details on these features, likewise as setup, accept a look at our review of the Epson PowerLite 585W ($944.00 at Amazon) .

Both the PowerLite 580 and the Epson 585W share one primal design feature with the Hitachi CP-AX2503 ($939.74 at Amazon) , another top option for XGA, ultra-short throw projector. All three are congenital effectually three LCD chips, which guarantees that they won't show the rainbow artifacts that are always a business organisation with single-chip DLP projectors.

The three-fleck design as well means that each model offers the same white effulgence every bit color brightness, and then y'all don't have to worry nearly differences between the two affecting color quality or the brightness of color images. (For more on color effulgence, see Color Brightness: What It Is, Why It Matters.) As with about LCD data projectors, none of them offering 3D support. For the vast majority of information-projection needs, this won't exist an issue. But if you're ane of the few who needs to show 3D images, you'll have to look elsewhere.

Throw Distance and Effulgence

For my tests, I ready up the PowerLite 580 with a 98-inch paradigm (measured diagonally) using the native resolution with its 4:iii aspect ratio. I measured the front of the projector at 13 inches from the screen. According to Epson, if you apply the wall mountain, the full range for the image size is limited to a slightly smaller maximum, at 56 to 93 inches, with the front of the projector 2.iv to 12.2 inches from the screen.

The PowerLite 580 is easily bright enough to stand upward to ambient light with an image size suitable for a midsize room. As a point of reference, based on the Society of Motion Moving picture and Telly Engineers (SMPTE) recommendations, 3,200 lumens is suitable for a 208- to 282-inch prototype in theater-dark lighting with a ane.0-gain screen. For moderate ambient light, it'due south brilliant enough for a 138-inch image. For smaller screen sizes, you tin switch to Eco mode, i of the lower effulgence preset modes, or both.

Image and Audio Quality

Image quality for data on our tests was near excellent overall. In Presentation style, I saw a notably low contrast ratio, which showed as an unusually obvious glow in images with black backgrounds. Yet, I didn't come across this trouble in my tests with any of the other predefined modes. The projector did an excellent task with our standard set of DisplayMate images in most other ways. In item, colors were saturated, vibrant, and bright, and detail held nicely, with white text on black crisp and readable at 9 points and black text on white easily readable at 6.8 points.

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Video quality is necessarily limited past the low native resolution, but within that context, the quality in my tests was meliorate than most data projectors can manage. Colour quality varied between good to excellent, depending on the clip. I didn't see any posterization (shading changing suddenly where it should change gradually), and the projector did a good task with shadow detail (details based on shading in dark areas). The PowerLite 580 isn't in the running equally a dwelling-theater projector, just the video quality on our tests, at least, was watchable for long sessions.

The audio organization is also a welcome plus. The 16-watt mono speaker delivered good enough sound quality in our tests to exist truly useful, forth with enough volume to make full a mid- to large-size room. For even so better audio, you can plug an external system into the stereo audio output.

Conclusion

For an ultra-brusk-throw projector that supports 3D, consider a DLP model similar the Dell S510n Projector ($1,149.99 at Dell) . If WXGA is a meliorate resolution for the images y'all demand to evidence, the Epson 585W is your all-time bet. Nevertheless, the Epson PowerLite 580 XGA 3LCD Projector, along with the Hitachi CP-AX2503, are first-class choices if you have 2D images that work best with XGA resolution, with the Powerlite 580 offering a higher brightness at a lower cost.

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