Epson EH-TW5350 Projector Review

Epson is a brand that has always been synonymous with making and selling devices like printers and scanners, but as it turns out, the company makes projectors as well. Now, I have not been much of an Epson veteran but I have used a few of their products enough to know that the company is right up there when it comes to printers and scanners, so they enter this review with an unblemished reputation. Their test by fire is their EH-TW5350 projector from the brand’s Home Cinema range of products.

Not a lot of people use projectors for their day to day use, but that said, its a known fact that projectors give you an even more immersive experience when it comes to movies and games than TVs do. Today, TVs are getting bigger slimmer and more advances than ever before, but so are projectors. They may not have all the perks as Smart TVs, but compared to what they were a few years ago, I can safely say that projectors have indeed come a long way. The TW5350 from  Epson is no different. The overall product is placed on the more inexpensive bracket, but that doesn’t mean you don’t get a few neat features. So, without further ado, lets dive straight into the Epson EH-TW5350, and find out what it brings to the table.

The package is very very simple for the TW5350 – only 3 components in the box. You get the main projector device, the remote and a power lead. Setting up the projector is also one of the simplest tasks, so within a few minutes of unboxing the device, you should be all ready to rumble.

Design wise, the Tw5350 is a sleek device. We have an overall curved chassis, with the gloss finish, which makes this projector stand out among the rest in its segment. The remote could have been designed better , but its alright for occasional use, but the lack of backlight feature makes the remote almost unusable in the dark. Fortunately however, you can also control this projector using the companion app on the iOS and Android platforms.

Connectivity is another plus point for this device. Basically, after plugging in the power source, you are required to choose the input source, and thanks to the variety of ports available in the device, users are spoilt for choice really . What we have on hand is 2x HDMI , VGA and composite. There’s also a USB 2.0 port to allow you to connect devices such as a camera or external storage. Other input options available are Miracast and Wi-Fi Direct support. As you can see, Epson has you set.

One of the best features of the TW5350 is the ability to use it in almost any position depending on the shape of  your room. The projector is capable of projecting an image anywhere between 34 inches upto 334 inches , with a 50 inch image possible from just about 1.5 m. That’s really good for a reasonably priced projector.

Another perk is that you don’t have to mount the projector on the roof and spend the rest of the day trying to get to its controls. You can now place the projector anywhere in the room. The TW5350 has been equipped to project clearly in such conditions and has also been allowed a variation in angle by 30 degrees, so basically, its good bye to those annoying hooks on the roof. The projector has been provided with a simple keystone on the top which you can use to adjust the image.

Epson has left out the vertical shift, but you can overcome that shortcoming by using height adjustable mounts and get the picture right where you want it. Manual zoom and focus rings also let you get the size just right and allow you to ensure the image is nice and crisp to look at.

Coming to the quality of the pictures itself, the TW5350 is an LCD type of projector capable of producing an output of 2200 Lumens, which can be dialled down to 1500 Lumens under the ‘Economic mode’. Projection quality is a nice 1080p, with a more than impressive 35000:1 contrast. The projector also features a staggering 200W lamp life which is rated as up to 4,000 hours or 7,500 hours in economy mode. Now apparently,  Epson did the math and have come up with the conclusion that with this lamp life, one would be able to watch an average length movie everyday for the next 11 years of their life. While the claim is hard to prove, its not entirely impossible because while its obvious that the lamp will degrade over time, It will  not suffer the rainbow effect it would experience if it was part of the DLP package.

You also get a 5W in built speaker, but its not really top of the line, so you should make sure you have a better sound system in place. The real time operation of this projector is truly amazing, and you definitely get your money’s worth. I did find some lighter darks than expected, but that’s basically all that I can complain about.

Overall, if you are in the market for a projector that will give you a stellar performance without burning a hole in your pocket, you should definitely buy the TW5350.

 

Projection System
3LCD Technology, RGB liquid crystal shutter
LCD Panel
0.61 inch with MLA (D9)
Resolution
Full HD 1080p, 1920 x 1080, 16:9
High Definition
Full HD 3D
Aspect Ratio
16:9
Interfaces
Cinch audio in, MHL, Stereo mini jack audio out, Composite in, HDMI in (2x), VGA in, USB 2.0 Type Mini-B, USB 2.0 Type A, Wi-Fi Direct