Toshiba TLP-X100 review

Toshiba's TLP-X100 is the second-cheapest projector this month, just £28 dearer than the cheap-as-chips Acer, but it certainly didn't make a budget first impression: a huge 67in image at 2m put it straight to the top of a shortlist for cramped environments. Focus was even across that large image, and sharp lines and clear text made for a strong start in our quality tests.

It soon began to stumble, though. While its TFT technology makes for vibrant colours and suits presentation graphics, the 2,200-lumen brightness is one of the lowest this month and whites lack punch as a result. If you can't control the lighting in your meeting rooms you'd be advised to look elsewhere. Blacks were even weaker, meaning dark scenes lacked detail and light scenes appeared washed out and lifeless compared to the most vibrant of the group.

It does have the advantage of size on its side, with a small overall bulk and a 1.8kg weight making it a viable portable option. It's also quieter than the little NEC when running and has slightly better speakers, while its power-down time of eight seconds is among the quickest in the group, adding to its pack-up-and-go portability.

Lamps last 2,000 hours and cost £187 exc VAT to replace, which isn't the best deal around for a standard office projector, but the infrequent usage model for a portable projector such as this makes it less likely you'll need to bear these costs.

And if we're just talking purchase price, the Toshiba's smaller dimensions, superior warranty - three years for the projector and one for the lamp - and huge image size from 2m give it a little more small-office appeal than the similarly cheap Acer.

Author: David Bayon