Review: Samsung P410 LED projector

Aimed squarely at business users who need a portable big screen for presentations, LED projectors such as the Samsung P410 are lighter and smaller than traditional lamp-driven projectors. And thanks to the use of LEDs, they also don't require expensive lamp replacements.

Of course, there are some drawbacks, the major one being performance. Rated at 170 ANSI lumens, the P410 falls way behind traditional projectors in terms of brightness. However, as with the 160 ANSI lumen LG HS102 projector we reviewed earlier this year, it performs admirably, even in a reasonably well-lit room.

At a distance of 2m, we managed a projection size of 55in. Naturally, the picture looked far better when the projector was closer to the wall, and at a distance of 1m we achieved a bright projection at a size of 30in.

Colours are vibrant, which makes PowerPoint presentations look particularly good. It's also capable of video playback, although movie watching isn't recommended as detail is lost during darker scenes.

Menu options, including vertical keystone correction and aspect ratio, can be accessed using the touch-sensitive controls on the top of the device; these are slightly raised from the surface, which aids usability.

At the rear, analogue audio inputs are joined by a choice of two video inputs: VGA and composite. There's also a USB port, allowing for video, audio and photos to be played back direct from a USB key. It's a shame Samsung hasn't fitted an HDMI port. Of course, the projector's native resolution of 800 x 600 means it can't handle high-definition video but, with most laptops now home to an HDMI port, it's a neat way of carrying audio and video through a single cable.

It is, however, good to see that Samsung has included two built-in 1W speakers. They sound particularly tinny and won't help out much when watching a movie, but at full volume they're powerful enough to fill a reasonably-sized meeting room. They will, however, have to complete with the rather noisy built-in fan which Samsung rates at 28dB.

As far as portability goes, the P410 weighs 950g and is one of the heavier LED projectors on the market. That said, it's far lighter than a traditional projector, and is also more compact at just 148mm wide, 66mm tall and 146mm deep. There's no battery option, though, so you'll need to cart the rather bulky power adapter around with you.

In terms of performance, the Samsung P410 is one of the most impressive LED projectors we've seen. And, with its curved edges and chrome-style lens cover, it's also one of the most attractive. The obvious drawback, however, is that it costs a rather hefty £499.

If you need a projector that you can take with you while travelling, the P410 would be a good choice. The Acer K10 is an alternative that's £100 cheaper but, at just 100 ANSI lumens, it can't match the P410 in terms of brightness.