Well-Priced SVGA Projectors

PC makers continue to branch out. Gateway is offering its first digital projector, the $1399 205--a svelte, 1100-lumen SVGA model. And Dell has released its second, the $1299 2100MP Projector, which sports a lower price but also a lower resolution (SVGA; 800 by 600) and a lower brightness rating (1000 lumens) than its XGA predecessor.

SVGA-capable projectors can't achieve the same color depth and image quality as higher-resolution XGA (1024 by 768) models. Either type, however, would serve well in small conference rooms.

The Dell 2100MP weighs 4 pounds and feels more sturdily constructed than its competitor. It's also comparatively big and boxy--though it's only about the size of a standard dictionary. At 3.5 pounds, the 205 is compact, but it generates a lot of heat and is noisier.

In my informal tests using default settings, text screens and spreadsheets were slightly sharper with the 2100MP than with the 205 (though neither did well with white text on a dark background). Both units displayed the larger fonts typical of a PowerPoint presentation well, however, and both produced muted colors in still images. Video images transferred from a stand-alone DVD player via an S-Video connection were adequate-looking.

The projectors come with their own carrying cases, multiple connecting cables, and remote controls (Gateway's larger, ergonomic remote has a built-in laser pointer).

The Dell 2100MP has a slight edge in image quality, but the compact size of the Gateway 205 makes it the better bet for mobile presenters.