8.2 / 10
SCORE Epson Lifestudio Flex Plus $850 at Amazon $1,000 at Best Buy $1,000 at B&H Photo-Video Pros Lamp!
Great lifestyle-friendly design Cons Fans are a bit loud
No zoom or lens shift
A little pricey for the performance
The Epson Lifestudio Flex Plus is a 4K projector with an aesthetic unlike anything I've reviewed before. Not only does it resemble a lamp, but it also functions as one. A strip of LEDs along the bottom can create a warm glow just by tapping the top of the projector. It's part of a new line of Epson projectors announced a few months ago.
The LED light engine creates a bright projected image, and the built-in Google TV lets you stream Netflix or just about any other streaming service anywhere there's Wi-Fi. On a bedside table, coffee table or even from a shelf, you can get a huge image with minimal impact on the rest of your decor.
Performance isn't up to the level of non-lifestyle projectors for the same money, nor our top picks for best projector, but the image is reasonably bright and colorful, and it has built-in speakers that sound decent. Though it's a little expensive, it also looks great when it's off, which isn't something that can be said about most projectors.
Specs and such
Geoffrey Morrison/CNET
... continue reading