Casio Super Slim XJ-S35 Review

One of the company's two new models, the Casio Super Slim XJ-S35 weighs more than all three of the above battery-powered projectors combined. Nevertheless, this four-pound model certainly qualifies as a tiny projector because of its exceptionally low profile. At only 1.7 inches thick, its shape resembles a small notebook computer. This unique form factor should fit easily into almost any laptop carrying case.

In addition to its thinness, the XJ-S35 sports a number of interesting features. Its fold-down lens cap will be difficult to misplace, and most presenters will love the remote-controlled focus and optical zoom capabilities. In fact, the exceptionally large 2X zoom ratio gives presenters tremendous flexibility in where they place the projector. Unfortunately, the remote lacks a laser pointer or any type of mouse emulation. The XJ-S35 does, however, come with a USB input port for laptop-free presentations.

In our performance tests, the Casio pumped out 2091 lumens, actually outshining the advertised value of 2000. Its contrast ratio was 439:1, which while not exceptional for a DLP projector, is more than sufficient for most presentations. The cooling fan is a bit noisy, but the projector features an "Eco" mode, which drops the fan noise considerably and throttles back the brightness by only 25 percent.

The Casio Super Slim XJ-S35 includes a generous three-year warranty. A version without the USB port (XJ-30) sells for $100 less. If you want big-projector power in a sleek design, this is the one to get.

Other One-Pound Projectors:

• Boxlight Bumblebee
  
• InFocus Work Big LP120
  
• Mitsubishi Pocket Projector PK20
  
• Toshiba TDP-FF1AU