ViewSonic PX706HD Review: Short Throw Projector for Movies & Games
As a hardcore gamer, there’s nothing that tops the feeling of playing games upon a 100-inch image. Courtesy of projectors, this has been made seamlessly possible. However, there remains one fundamental problem. For most projectors, you need to at least be 9 to 10 feet away to project a 100-inch image against a wall. What if you don’t have a lot of space in your gaming station/home theater?
ViewSonic PX706HD is a DLP short throw projector geared towards gamers, that allows you to project a 100-inch image from just 5 feet away (1.5m). It is a 1080p full HD projector capable of providing incredible visuals for your games and movies. It also serves well for presentations. Despite not being the latest product offered by ViewSonic, it stands out pretty well in an era of 4K gaming projectors; after being considered the best gaming projector in 2018. So if you’re looking to integrate high-end visuals for your games and movies, look no further than ViewSonic PX706HD. Let’s have an insight into the features and see why.
[amazon box = “B07CLMM8FY”]
Features of ViewSonic PX706HD
Compact and lightweight
It weighs about 6 pounds (about 2.7kg). You can lift it with one hand and without too much effort. So if you like to move your gaming station regularly, picking it up won’t be a problem. You get to be flexible with where you want to put it and how you want to position it.
± 20% vertical keystone adjustment
So if you prefer to mount the projector to the ceiling, rather than placing it on a table, chances are that you could put it at an angle against the projection surface. This leads to a distortion of the image which is not pleasant to view. When this happens, you can tilt it downwards and use the vertical keystone correction to adjust distortions of the image at the top and bottom to a degree of ±20%.
We must mention that this setting is not available at the lowest input lag of the projector (16ms). Additionally, using this keystone adjustment can introduce image artifacts. So if you’re a gamer, it would be best to avoid this and just place the projector on the table.
Short throw projection
ViewSonic PX706HD has a short throw lens that enables it to project a large image, at a short distance from the projection surface. At 5 feet away, you can project a 100-inch image, and at 6 feet a 120-inch image.
This is almost half the distance that most projectors require to generate an image of the same size. It is recommended that you do not go past the 120-inch image, this is the optimum size, and images beyond this have no apparent focus.
It has a 1.2x zoom which allows you to enlarge the image to your preferred size despite the distance of projection. This (short-throw projection) is one of its most admirable features that makes it stand out. So if you have a small room, you’ll still be able to project a large image.
Low input lag for the finest gaming experience
As a gamer, you always want the image on the screen to react to your controller in real time. Therefore a low input lag is much preferred. In the Enhanced Gaming Mode, this projector’s input lag goes as low as 16 m/s. It also has a 3X fast input that makes it one of the fastest projectors in the market. Even without the Fast Input feature, the input lag is still moderately low at 33ms.
With this low input lag, ViewSonic PX706HD ensures that the image reacts as soon as you press your controller. If you’re playing fast-paced games like Call of Duty, you’ll be able to take out your enemies quickly, before they have a chance to do anything about it (unless, they’re using the same projector, of course).
A bright projector emitting 3000 ANSI lumens
The PX706HD has a powerful lamp capable of emitting 3000 ANSI lumens in the bright mode. In the Eco mode, however, the brightness is slightly reduced to around 1800 ANSI lumens. According to Projector Central, depending on different modes, the projector’s lamp emits light this way:
ViewSonic PX706HD ANSI Lumens
| MODE | Normal | Eco mode |
| Sports | 2127 | 1418 |
| Standard | 1958 | 1305 |
| Gaming | 2057 | 1372 |
| Movie | 1648 | 1099 |
This bright lamp allows you to project images on your screen even in the presence of ambient light. When you switch your lights on, the image will not be washed away. You can switch between Normal and Eco modes depending on the amount of light in the room, to extend lamp life.
Long lamp life
For such a bright projector, the lamp has an incredibly long life. In the smart Eco mode, the lamp can last up to 15,000 hours. If you’re well familiar with projectors you know that the lamp has to be replaced periodically. With this projector, you won’t have to do this for almost 2 years! We must mention that in the normal mode, the lamp will last a significantly less amount of time (4,000 hours).
Designed to minimize power consumption
You could take measures to extend lamp life like switching between different modes depending on the amount of light present in your room or what you’re watching. For example, if you’re watching a movie, you can switch to ECO mode since it doesn’t require a lot of light.
Instead of manually switching between Normal and Eco modes, you can enable the Power saving mode. This automatically switches the projector to Eco mode and subsequently SuperEco mode when it is left idle for 5 minutes and 20 minutes respectively.
There are more measures you can take to increase lamp life and you can read about them here.
Crisp and colorful pictures for your movies
The projector is laced with ViewSonic’s proprietary color technology SuperColor™, to ensure you enjoy best-in-class color projection for your movies in both dark and bright environments. It still has a green color bias, as it is with most bright projectors. In color preset modes, the colors are not vibrant as other models within this price range. There is an advantage to this; the color will be accurate. Otherwise, you can fine-tune the color settings to accommodate your preference.
The color contrast is exceptionally high. At 22,000:1 in the SuperEco mode, this ratio is higher than most projectors within the same class and even those higher than it. This ensures darker black sections and lighter white sections of your image to generate a crisp and colorful image.
High-end Full HD visuals with 3D support
It supports a 1080p (1920×1080) Full HD native resolution to provide high-definition visuals. In this way, you can experience remarkable graphics for your games. The advantage of having a projector with just a 1080p resolution is that it supports a refresh rate above 60Hz, to which 4K projectors are limited. You get to enjoy extraordinary graphics at a high refresh rate.
3D support is available to project 3D content from Blu-ray players and HDMI-enabled devices (laptops, desktops, etc.).
Compatibility with gaming consoles and other devices
Whether you prefer PlayStation or Xbox, it doesn’t matter. ViewSonic PX706HD has dual HDMI 1.4 ports through which you can connect it to your preferred console and enjoy the visuals for your games. It also has a VGA port where you can connect your PC (Windows, Linux, etc.) or Mac for non HD content (<1080p resolution). It also has a USB 2.0 to connect your phones or tablets. This can be useful for presentations. This projector’s versatility makes it compatible with multiple devices.
Quick activation settings
One of the major downsides with most projectors is that, when you connect your device to it, it can take a lot of time to respond to the signal. This can be very frustrating. The PX706HD has 2 simple settings to ensure this does not happen:
- Signal Power on and
- Auto Power on.
When you enable these settings, the projector will power automatically upon connection with a VGA or HDMI cable. It will also power automatically, following connecting the power cable or HDMI CEC.
Audio for gaming
Contrary to most projectors, the PX706HD has an adequate sound system designed for gaming. The SonicMode is an audio-tuned mode installed in the projector that provides access to immersive audio for your games, despite having only a 5-watt mono speaker. It is equipped to pick up directional sounds; as a result enabling you to hear in-game conversations. The speaker chamber is enlarged to accommodate a powerful amplifier to produce sound, strong enough to fill a room.
Reasonable price and industry-leading warranty
PX706HD is accurately priced according to the features it provides. What you get is what you pay for. It retails at $750 on Amazon, but when you are making a budget to purchase it, opt for a higher amount to cover extra costs such as shipping, etc. It has an incredibly high warranty of 3 years which is triple, what its competitors are offering. For this reason, you can bravely purchase the product because ample time for customer service is allowed, provided it malfunctions within the given period.
Having looked at the features, does this projector have any shortcomings? But first, let’s look at the pros.
Pros of the ViewSonic PX706HD
Unparalleled visuals for your games and movies
The PX706HD has been well crafted to deliver a stunning visual experience. It incorporates full HD along with 3D capabilities. It is also laced with color technology to deliver accurate colors while still enabling you to adjust them to your liking. Considering the features it provides, it is a relatively affordable projector. It has all the tools to allow you to take your gaming to the big screen, including a low input lag, compatibility with popular gaming consoles, and so much more.
Multiple modes to suit your preference
The PX706HD has gaming, sports, standard, and movie modes – each with different visual settings to optimally deliver a desirable image. With each mode, there is a variation in color settings, input lag, and brightness, depending on what is required to provide an image that suits each mode. These modes play a crucial role in preserving the lamp life and minimizing energy consumption.
Cons of the ViewSonic PX706HD
No lens shift
Some projectors within this price range have this feature. It enables you to align the image on the screen without having to move the projector. The PX706HD lacks this feature, so if you want to align the image you need to manually move the projector.
No keystone correction in Enhanced Gaming mode
Despite the projector having ±20% vertical keystone adjustment, this feature is not available at 16ms input lag. So if you mount the projector on a ceiling while gaming, you will likely experience image distortion at the top and bottom. Using this keystone correction in other modes can also introduce artifacts.
Power saving mode could dampen the gaming experience
In the power-saving mode, the brightness of the lamp is significantly cut down. The colors and contrast ratios are also withheld to some extent. The resulting image may not be pleasing for gamers.
Suppose these cons have thrown you off, are there other options to consider? Let’s have a look at them.
Alternatives
If you want to opt for a cheaper option, you should look into ViewSonic PX703HD. This projector is brighter than the PX706HD, emitting 3500 ANSI lumens. It also offers a higher 1.3x zoom and only retails at around $650. Although you will have to make do with a lower contrast ratio.
If you prefer a more high-end option, you should consider ViewSonic PG706HD. It is brighter than the other two (4000 ANSI lumens) and offers a much larger screen size (300 inches). It costs about $850 and is worth the money.
Conclusion
ViewSonic PX706HD is a short throw, full HD DLP projector with a 16ms input lag and an incredible contrast ratio. At 1080p it incorporates a low input lag at a high refresh rate. If you’re a gamer with a preference of state-of-the-art visuals, this projector would be a great addition to your gaming experience. While it has flaws in keystone correction and lens shift, you can manually adjust these and enjoy the full benefits of this device.