Epson’s Home Cinema 2250 is a wonderful projector, creating an impressively vivid picture with correct colours and a good distinction ratio. It improves upon nearly the whole lot we appreciated with final yr’s Home Cinema 2150, although not in any means that is important sufficient to justify upgrading if you happen to’ve already received a kind of. If you are available in the market for a brand new projector, although, the 2250 needs to be in your brief listing.
LikeIncredibly brightAccurate colorsBuilt-in streaming
Don’t LikeSomewhat costlyNot as sharp as some competitorsLoud at full brightness
The standout facet of the 2250 is its excessive gentle output. I’m fairly positive it the brightest projector I’ve measured, like, ever. High brightness permits a projector to look higher at larger sizes and when there’s some ambient gentle. Unlike most different ultra-bright projectors this one additionally has a fairly first rate distinction ratio. It’s not as punchy or sharp as our Editors’ Choice BenQ HT2050, which I nonetheless like higher total, however the Epson does have some important benefits over the BenQ, with higher placement choices, immunity to DLP rainbows and built-in Android TV streaming.My greatest grievance in regards to the Epson is that it is most likely $150-$200 too costly. It’s an incredible projector, however could be much more aggressive if Epson chopped the value a bit.
1080p in all sizesNative decision: 1,920×1,080 pixelsHDR-compatible: No4K-compatible: Yes3D-compatible: YesLumens spec: 2,700Zoom: Manual (1.6x)Lens shift: ManualLamp life (Normal mode): 4,500 hoursThe 2250 is a 1080p decision projector, however like many can settle for (and downconvert) a 4K decision sign. There’s no actual profit in doing this, but it surely would not damage. It would not settle for HDR, which is okay as a result of projectors on the whole do not do an incredible job with HDR.One of one of the best points of the 2250, like its predecessor, is how straightforward it’s to position in a room. With ample zoom vary, it might probably sit properly behind your seating space. Even higher, there’s lens shift, which is uncommon in sub-$1,000 projectors and fairly welcome. The mixture permits for considerably extra placement choices, like on a shelf behind your couch. Most DLP-based projectors — which is almost all the projector market on this value vary apart from these from Epson — lack any kind of lens shift. Many even have a really restricted zoom vary. You have to make your room work round them, whereas the 2250 works together with your room. It’s far more person pleasant.
I measured roughly 1729 lumens of sunshine output, or 192 nits. This simply edges out the earlier brightest projector I’ve measured, the BenQ TH685, by 10 nits/88 lumens. 1729 is plenty of gentle. So a lot in order that in an in any other case darkish room, on a 102-inch 1.0-gain display screen, it was nearly too vivid. That’s truly good for 2 causes. One, you will wish to preserve it in ECO mode more often than not anyway, because it’s considerably quieter. In ECO mode it places out a still-brighter-than-many-projectors 126 nits. Two, projectors get dimmer over time, so beginning with “too much” means it is going to be much better searching for longer.One delicate shock is the lamp life. In Normal mode, which is the brightest, is 4,500 hours. This is pretty typical, however in ECO it is solely 7,500, about half what many different projectors can do. I do not suppose that is that huge a deal since Epson lamp replacements aren’t that costly, and 7,500 remains to be over 5 years at 4 hours an evening.
Geoffrey Morrison/CNET
Who wants connections?HDMI inputs: 1PC enter: NoUSB port: NoAudio enter and output: 3.5mm stereoDigital audio output: NoInternet: Wi-Fi12v set off: NoRS-232 distant port: NoMHL: NoRemote: Not backlit (x2)It might sound stunning that the 2250 truly loses an HDMI enter from its predecessor. However, I am unable to think about many individuals use the second HDMI enter on any projector. Who runs a number of lengthy HDMI cables when it is means simpler to modify on the supply utilizing an HDMI switcher, soundbar, or receiver? The lone HDMI additionally pertains to why there isn’t any USB connection, which for a few years has been there to energy a streaming stick. The 2250 has Android TV built-in. So if you happen to do not wish to run HDMI, or simply wish to use this for infrequent film nights, all you want is an influence cable, flat floor, and Wi-Fi. It has all the standard suspects: Netflix, Vudu, HBO Max, Amazon Prime, and so forth., and you’ll forged out of your telephone proper to the projector.The 10-watt mono speaker is not going to supply sound worthy of the picture the 2250 can create, however fortunately there is a 3.5mm audio output, so you possibly can simply join the projector to any powered speaker with an analog enter.Two small remotes include the 2250; neither is backlit. One is just for controlling the built-in Android TV. The different can management the Android TV, but in addition controls the projector. This appears needlessly complicated to me.
Geoffrey Morrison/CNET
Picture high quality comparisons
I related all three projectors by way of a Monoprice 1×4 distribution amplifier, and seen all on a 102-inch 1.0-gain display screen. The 2150 is final yr’s mannequin, whereas the HT2050A remains to be our choose for greatest projector on this value vary.These are among the greatest projectors round $1,000 and it reveals. All three projectors look good on any content material you wish to ship them. The pictures are colourful, pure, and punchy, not less than relative to different projectors inside just a few hundred {dollars}. Side by aspect, I might clearly inform the 2150 and 2250 are made by the identical firm. The pictures look way more comparable than totally different. The further brightness, about 7%, is not that noticeable. The 2150 was the third brightest projector I’ve measured. Which is to say, they’re all very vivid. The greatest distinction is within the distinction. Technically, the 2150 has a better distinction ratio, about 1,220:1, which is the second highest for projectors on this value vary after the BenQ HT2050A. The 2250’s 1,026:1 is decrease, however in the case of distinction ratio a distinction of 20% is tough to note at greatest (and pretty near what could possibly be thought of inherent measurement error). However, they appear totally different. This is essentially as a result of there appears to be much less of a colour tint within the 2250’s darkest pictures. So it seems to be much less synthetic and, subjectively, higher than the 2150 total. Neither projector comes near the BenQ on this regard, nonetheless, which remains to be our champion in distinction ratio at 2,094:1. Its picture has extra depth and punchiness, although the distinction is much less pronounced between these rarefied contenders than with some I’ve reviewed within the final yr.
Geoffrey Morrison/CNET
The different edge the BenQ has is intimately. Both Epsons are LCD, and in my expertise LCD simply would not look fairly as sharp as DLP. So even on the identical decision, the BenQ simply seems to be increased decision. Edges and positive particulars are simply extra noticeable. The Epsons definitely do not look mushy, however side-by-side with the BenQ they’re positively softer.Comparing the BenQ HT2050A and the Epson 2250, it isn’t a simple alternative. On a strictly picture high quality foundation, I’ll give the nod to the BenQ. That distinction ratio is unbelievable. Both projectors have nice colour accuracy, however the the BenQ seems to be sharper. The Epson is brighter, however the BenQ remains to be fairly vivid. This is not fairly the entire story, nonetheless. Beyond the specsLike all single-chip DLP projectors, the HT2050A is topic to rainbows. Personally, I’m not bothered by them. Some individuals are, nonetheless, and if that is you, it would not matter how good a DLP projector might look, it is unwatchable. So level to the Epson, because it makes use of three LCDs, which might’t exhibit rainbows.The HT2050A can also be more durable to slot in a room. The zoom vary is rather a lot much less, the utmost throw distance is much less, and whereas it has lens shift, it isn’t as a lot because the Epson. I do not suppose built-in streaming is an enormous profit in this type of projector, however the 2250 has that too and it really works properly. So that is one other level.
Geoffrey Morrison/CNET
The Epson’s greatest legal responsibility, nonetheless, is its value. The BenQ is 25% cheaper, and there are different projectors that may get the job completed for even much less. For the identical cash because the 2250 you could possibly get the 4K Optoma UHD30. That projector has some points, however seems to be nice and is extremely detailed. So the underside line is that this: The Epson 2250 is a wonderful projector. If you are not within the BenQ HT2050A, or wish to sacrifice some total image high quality on the altar of pixels for the UHD30, the 2250 is the one to get.Geek Box
Test
Result
Score
Black luminance (0%)
0.189
Poor
Peak white luminance (100%)
192
Good
Derived lumens
1729
Good
Avg. grayscale error (10-100%)
2.485
Good
Dark grey error (20%)
3.524
Average
Bright grey error (70%)
2.605
Good
Avg. colour error
5.564
Average
Red error
7.171
Poor
Green error
8.1
Poor
Blue error
4.771
Average
Cyan error
7.352
Poor
Magenta error
3.192
Average
Yellow error
2.797
Good
Avg. saturations error
3.12
Average
Avg. colour checker error
2.6
Good
Input lag (Game mode)
28
Good
Measurement notesOut of the field, within the Cinema image mode and the seven-color temperature mode, the 2250 was very near correct in nearly each measurement. It lacks inexperienced all through the grayscale vary, apart from the brightest of pictures, however not sufficient to look that solution to the bare eye.Color primaries and secondaries had been all very near their targets. Green could be very barely yellow, as is pink. Cyan is barely blue. There are two totally different lamp modes and two iris speeds. You can hear the iris working if you happen to’re near the projector. In Normal lamp mode, labeled Power Consumption within the menu, the 2250 is sort of loud, however is ready to produce 192 nits, which works out to roughly 1,729 lumens. Drop to ECO mode and the fan noise drops to a extra acceptable stage, whereas nonetheless producing 126 nits. If you wish to go all out, and sacrifice total picture high quality and accuracy, the Dynamic mode can produce a whopping 289 nits, or roughly 2,602 lumens. I would not suggest that setting for regular viewing.The distinction ratio common, not together with the iris, was 1,026:1, which is sort of good for a projector on this value vary. The iris, which tracks the video sign to make darker scenes darker, offers the 2250 a dynamic distinction ratio common of 5,730:1. I did not discover that it added a lot and disabled it within the menu.