Known for all things display, ViewSonic has released their latest gaming-focused projector, the X2-4K LED Smart Projector. This groundbreaking, short-throw, Smart LED projector is designed from the ground up to present the best picture quality for console gaming. In partnership with Microsoft, ViewSonic has gone above and beyond to build a projector that is uniquely designed to leverage the power of the Xbox Series S and X.
The ViewSonic X2-4K Smart projector is a fairly hefty but smart design. Venting ports adorn the front and sides of the all-black unit, while an Xbox green accent strip highlights the two sides of the front plate. The Zoom/Focus ring and control panel sit atop the projector, with the latter sharing the same Xbox green colour scheme as the aforementioned accent strips. The back of the projector plays host to all input and output ports.
Speaking of ports, the ViewSonic X2-4K holds nothing back and offers two HDMI 2.0 ports, an RS232 port, USB-C and USB-A, as well as an Audio Out port to accommodate your home theatre needs. Measuring 9.6” W x 14” L x 4.7” H and weighing in at 8lbs, it is by no means a small projector. Considering the tech packed into the X2-4K, however, it makes sense that the design would have to have a bigger footprint.
Featuring an incredibly powerful 2,900 LED Lumens lamp, the 3rd generation LED technology helps boost performance, brightness and longevity. With an LED lamp rating of 60,000 hours of life, the X2-4K has no problem going the distance. More interesting still is that the X2-4K is designed to support Xbox-specific resolutions and refresh rates, automatically adjusting to the needs of the console on the fly, leaving you free to play with the best resolution and refresh rate possible.
As for resolutions, the ViewSonic X2-4K has no problem handling 1080p 240Hz, 1440p 120Hz and 4K 60Hz, making it the perfect projector for your console gaming needs. These resolutions leverage the capabilities of the Xbox and will automatically adjust based on the console settings. The X2-4K also comes equipped with an Ultra-Fast Input option (activated within the projector settings) that further reduces the input signal for competitive gamers. With full HDR support at 4K, the X2-4K also creates an incredibly crisp image on the screen. All of this aims to create the ideal settings for a gamer wanting to up their gaming setup.
In testing, gaming on the ViewSonic X2-4K looks absolutely gorgeous. At each resolution, the X2-4K handled the input like a champ. Setup is as easy as plugging it all in and turning it on. Once powered, simply select your input, and it’s up and running. As for visuals, the X2-4K easily adjusted to my console settings and produced sharp, clear images. Screen material will impact the overall quality but when projected to a proper screen, the X2-4K does an excellent job of producing consistently beautiful images.
“The X2-4K LED Smart Projector from ViewSonic is a powerful projector that helps bring your gaming experience to the big screen.”
All of this is further enhanced by the short throw lens. Able to produce a screen size of 120” at only 5 feet away, the X2-4K is the perfect projector for those with smaller space to accommodate for. I was able to easily set up a 120” screen and project onto it in my 11’x16’ office space. Using the 11’ room span, the projector sat comfortably on the coffee table in the middle of the room with the projector on the far side. At roughly 5 1/2 ‘ from the screen, the ViewSonic X2-4K produced a bright, clear image.
The X2-4K also includes display settings in the settings menu, allowing you to tell it how you have the projector set up relative to the screen. Once selected, it auto-adjusts to accommodate the setup, making a level, balanced projection relative to your screen. It works fairly well with only minor adjustments needed (primarily focus) to make everything clear and ready for gaming and streaming. This short-throw lens is a game changer when space is at a premium.
For those that don’t have the option of a central projection setup, the X2-4K also supports some seriously impressive H/V(horizontal and Vertical) keystone as well as 4 corner adjustment settings. In layman’s terms, it means you can actually leverage side or corner projection and still achieve a flat, balanced image on the screen. In testing, it took a bit more adjusting to get the right look, but with some work, it produced the same quality of image as the central projection setup.
In regards to adjusting settings and navigating menus, the X2-4K offers both a top-mounted control panel as well as a backlit remote control. With an IR sensor in both the front and rear of the projector, you’ll have no problem making adjustments or navigating the menus from the comfort of your couch. It’s a nice quality-of-life feature that adds to the long list of smart design choices by VeiwSonic.
The X2-4K also includes a pair of Harman Kardon speakers for listening. Notably, one of the best design features I’ve seen in a smart projector over the past couple of years, ViewSonic opted to place the speakers in the back of the projector, which positions them perfectly in front of the viewer, optimizing the listening experience for the viewer.
While this might seem like common sense, speaker placement has been quite inconsistent on recent smart projectors, with many opting to put them in the front of the projector. The result is a confusing audio experience with the audio typically coming from behind your head or projecting in the wrong direction. ViewSonic got it right with the speaker layout, and it shows.
The audio produced by the Harman Kardon speakers is quite clean, especially in the mid and high-range frequencies. Vocals come through clearly with no distortion or muffling of the audio making movie and music listening quite pleasant. The only area of weakness is in the low end where bass frequencies come up short and fall flat. It lacks the depth and power needed for low-end sound to ring true. It is serviceable but not quite up to home theatre standards.
“The X2-4K has no problem handling 1080p 240Hz, 1440p 120Hz and 4K 60Hz making it the perfect projector for your console gaming needs.”
ViewSonic has equipped the X2-4K with Bluetooth receiving and transmitting for those concerned about the audio quality. In the case of transmitting you can easily connect Bluetooth-enabled speakers or headphones and push the audio experience while gaming. Linking my Razer BlackShark V2 was a simple process of putting them in pairing mode and selecting them on the X2’s settings menu. Once connected it was smooth sailing.
Speaking of the X2-4K’s menus ViewSonic promotes the projector as a smart projector. While it does have some impressive features in the form of a wireless screen mirror and phone-enabled menu control, the projector’s actual OS doesn’t live up to the name. While some projectors boast full Google OS or Roku OS support the X2-4K uses ViewSonic’s own OS interface that has very little support. While there are a few basic apps that can be added, because it has no official Google or Roku store in which to purchase and download apps, you’ll find very little support for the standard streaming apps you’re accustomed to.
Aside from Netflix, there was very little to download that would be used by the average user. This is the most disappointing aspect of the X2-4K. It seems to have missed out on a golden opportunity by simply incorporating a more well-known and supported OS into its projector. While this is remedied to a degree with the VCastSender App, the app itself is a bit sluggish to use. While functional, it seemed to struggle a bit with input lag.
Thankfully, the ViewSonic X2-4K does have Direct content streaming support via the included USB-C cable. Of course, this does require that your device supports video streaming via USB-C, but if it does, the system works exceptionally well. The Nintendo Switch, for example, automatically switches to big screen mode when plugged into the projector without the dock. It simply works with no hassle or additional setup needed. It’s a nice little touch for those who do the bulk of their streaming on their phone but want a big-screen experience. Simply plug the phone in and enjoy a 120” screen with full speaker support.
The X2-4K LED Smart Projector from ViewSonic is a powerful projector that helps bring your gaming experience to the big screen. With HDR, 4K support, ultra-fast input support and built-in speakers, the X2-4K offers everything a gamer needs to level up their experience. While the X2 suffers from a less-than-stellar OS and lacklustre app, the overall quality of the LED projector more than makes up for its shortcomings. The fact that it is a powerful short-throw projector also helps justify its 1600-dollar price point. The X2-4K is an upgrade for any gamer transitioning to a projector setup.
