NEC MultiSync LT155

The MultiSync LT155 is one of few ultra-portable projectors to truly live up to this description. It's compact, has a low profile and weighs a mere 2.2kg; only the Promixa UltraLight X350 and Philips Ugo X-lite weigh less. The metallic case of the MultiSync also adds to its portability by making it a more robust unit. Despite its compactness, the LT155 boasts a 1,200 ANSI lumens rating and uses polysilicon TFT technology rather than DLP.

The native resolution from the 0.9in LCD panels is 1,024 768, but with compression the LT155 supports resolutions up to UXGA. Its projection distance of up to 12.2m is equally striking. This is twice as much as Philips' Ugo X-lite and 2m more than the Proxima X350. We measured brightness at 968 lumens, which is significantly lower than NEC's claimed rating but was the sixth highest recorded value on test. The measured contrast ratio was even more formidable, coming third from the top.

We were especially impressed by the MultiSync's sharp definition during the DisplayMate tests. We could clearly discern the individual pixels on close scrutiny. It performed just as well in the defocusing and edge brightness tests by displaying an evenly illuminated image, and when representing the fine focus matrix, it showed excellent sharpness at native resolution. Even at the lower 800 600 resolution, the LT155 did well enough to gain a pass. It was no surprise to see it pass the horizontal and vertical colour registration tests too, which suggests precise alignment of the RGB imaging panels. This is highlighted by very sharp reproduction of coloured text.

We measured enough difference in brightness readings from the RGB colour purity tests for the MultiSync to fail. However, we did note that the red, green and blue colours were deep and rich, perhaps aided by NEC's proprietary Vortex technology.

The remote control uses a cursor pad to bring up a familiar Windows-style menu to correct the image and adjust projector settings. Despite the unit's compact dimensions it maintains a comprehensive array of connectors, including USB and a Type II PC Card slot. This helps to make it the best ultra portable on test, but you do pay for the luxury.