For most people, a projector isn’t the conventional way to watch content. TVs are still the king when it comes to home entertainment. However, some brands, such as ViewSonic, make some really good projectors for home use. It also makes some unique projectors, such as the X2-4K, which is designed for gamers. Now, most gamers aren’t going to even think of buying a projector for their gaming setup, as most projectors don’t offer high refresh rates, 4K resolution, and so on.
Things are very different with the ViewSonic X2-4K, though. The projector has been made for Xbox and gets the Microsoft guarantee. It offers some unique features, such as 1440p resolution at 120Hz, that you won’t find on regular projectors. So, should a gamer consider this projector, a 65-inch TV, or a large curved monitor? And what about PC or PS5 customers? Can they use this projector? I’ve been using the X2-4K for about a week now to try and answer all those questions and more.
The X2-4K is pretty compact for a 4K projector
The ViewSonic X2-4K is expensive, and there are no two ways about it. For the money you spend on the projector, you can buy a 65-inch 4K QLED TV that’ll be much more versatile. In India, the projector is currently available at around Rs. 2,80,000.
It is available in a single black colour option with some green Xbox accents. The box contains a remote with backlit buttons, a USB Type-C cable, and different types of power cables.
ViewSonic X2-4K Design, specifications: Pretty compact
When I received the X2-4K, I expected it to be large in size, thanks to it being a 4K projector. However, I was quite surprised upon opening the package. The device is as big as a shoe box but weighs around 3.5 kg. ViewSonic uses durable plastic for the construction, and you get large vents on the front and sides. The front houses the lens, which is partially protected, and an IR sensor. It’s easy for the lens to catch dust as there’s no lens cover.
The X2-4K has a 2,900 Lumen LED
Moving to the top, you’ll find a sliding door that hides the focus/zoom rings and a keypad that includes projector controls. You’ll also find an LED indicator on the top.
You get an Instant On feature on the X2-4K
The bottom has four rubber feet and one wide adjustable leg placed in the centre that can be used to slightly prop up the projector.
You can use the adjustable leg to prop up the projector at two different levels
As for styling, the projector has green corners on the front to denote the exclusive ‘Made for Xbox’ design. However, I didn’t find the term Xbox anywhere on the projector. The projector has dual 6W Cube speakers by Harman Kardon on either side. You’ll find all the ports at the back, which has a slightly textured design compared to the rest of the product, which should make it easier to find the inputs in the dark.
The speakers by Harman Kardon are loud and offer good immersion
In terms of specifications, the X2-4K is a short throw projector with a 0.65-inch 4K projection system and a throw ratio of 0.69-0.83. It gets a 2,900-lumen LED lamp rated to last 60,000 hours in normal mode. You can get between a 60 to 120-inch projection from just 1.5 to 3 metres of distance at 4K resolution. ViewSonic recommends a throw distance of 0.92 to 2.2m, though. The projector also offers 1.2x optical zoom so that you can go even larger than 120 inches, but this will affect the clarity.
ViewSonic X2-4K Connectivity, features: Plenty of options
The ViewSonic X2-4K has all of its inputs located at the back, and you get plenty. There’s a 3.5mm audio out port, an RS-232 port, a USB Type-A service input, a dual HDMI 2.0 port with HDCP 2.2 support, a USB Type-C port, and another USB Type-A standard port. A second IR sensor is also available at the rear and a power input slot. As for wireless connectivity, the projector offers Bluetooth 4.2 for audio and Wi-Fi for screen mirroring.
The X2-4K features IR sensors at the front and back
Now, the main feature of this projector is not that it offers 4K HDR output. What’s interesting about the X2-4K is the ability to get up to 240Hz refresh rate when connected to a gaming console. The projector offers 4K at 60Hz, 1440p at 120Hz, and 1080p at 240Hz. At 240Hz, ViewSonic also claims that you can get a super low input lag of 4.2ms. While the company says the projector is designed for Xbox, it’ll also work great with Sony’s PlayStation 5 and gaming PCs.
The projector also has an inbuilt storage of 16GB, out of which 12GB is usable for apps and more. The UI on the X2-4K is easy to use, and you get a Bluetooth backlit remote that you can use to switch modes or navigate around the projector easily. You can also control the projector using your mobile phone by downloading the vCastSender app.
The projector can also be controlled via a smartphone app
ViewSonic has included features such as a H/V keystone with an auto V keystore and 4 corner adjustments that allow you to enjoy a flat projection from different angles. The projector also gets an Instant power feature, which immediately turns on the device like a smart TV with a startup animation. It even gets a certification by TUV SUD for improved eye protection.
ViewSonic X2-4K Performance: Will leave you impressed
All right, let’s talk about the performance, and this is where the ViewSonic X2-4K will leave you very impressed. While this is being advertised as a projector designed for gaming, it also excels at being a projector for watching content. First, I’ll talk about performance in gaming. As mentioned before, this is the only projector exclusively designed for Xbox. However, this doesn’t mean that you need an Xbox to enjoy the high-refresh rate offered by the projector. You can connect the projector to a PS5 or a powerful gaming PC/laptop for high-refresh-rate output.
You can also play at 1080p with 240Hz refresh rate
I connected the X2-4K to my PlayStation 5 and played games like Horizon Forbidden West, Red Dead Redemption 2, and EA Sports WRC. I set the resolution to 1440p, which delivered a 120Hz refresh rate. The gaming was smooth, and I enjoyed playing on the console more than my 55-inch TV. Thanks to HDR support, the colours look great, and you can also choose from the different colour modes that are available. I went with the Gaming profile, which seemed to be the best suited for gaming. You can also adjust all of these colour profiles according to your liking. When watching movies or TV shows, I’d switch over to the Movie colour mode, which offered good contrast, colours, and an overall smooth image.
The visuals are excellent from the projector, thanks to the HDR output
The projector also offered me a standard 4K HDR output at 60Hz, which worked great with the PS5. As for brightness, the projector can get super bright, and I was able to watch content even with a lamp turned on in the room.
In terms of audio, I was once again impressed by how full the output is. The projector gets dual 6W cube Harman Kardon speakers on either side that deliver excellent sound. It is plenty for a medium-sized living room and offers good bass as well. When positioned centrally in front of you, you also get an immersive experience.
The projector also performs very well when it comes to heat management. During long hours of usage, in 34-degree ambient temperatures, I never heard the fan noise.
ViewSonic X2-4K Review: Verdict
The ViewSonic X2-4K, while advertised as a gaming project, can do a lot more than make your gaming sessions fun. It is on the more expensive side, priced at Rs. 3,25,000, but you do get what you pay for. The projector offers excellent 4K output, good colour reproduction, a high refresh rate, and full sound. Luckily, you will be able to find the X2-4K listed at a much lower Rs. 2,80,000 on Amazon, which makes it an even better deal. I’d recommend the ViewSonic X2-4K not only if you’re looking for a gaming projector but also if you want a mix of gaming and content streaming. It’s an excellent short-throw projector in all aspects.
Price (at the time of this review): Rs. 2,80,000
Ratings:
Design: 9
Performance: 9
VFM: 8
Overall: 9
Pros:
- 4K HDR output
- 1440p at 120Hz is excellent for gaming
- Great sounding Harman Kardon speakers
- Bright 2,900 lumens LED
- Easy-to-use UI
Cons:
- No lens protection
- No Ethernet connectivity