Resolution: Native and Maximum

The products in this group all have displays which feature a physical pixel matrix of 1,024 pixels along the horizontal axis, and 768 pixels on the vertical axis. This is known as "native" XGA resolution. An XGA signal will map one-to-one onto each pixel on the display. However, most of these projectors will accept signals of one or two resolution steps higher than XGA by compressing the higher resolution signal into the 1,024 x 768 matrix. This gives you more flexibility to connect a variety of computer sources with different resolutions.

The next resolution grade higher than XGA is SXGA, which is 1,280 x 1,024 pixels. All of the products in this group of twenty except those made by InFocus can accommodate SXGA. Thus the units limited to XGA only are the Infocus LP330 and its private label versions by Kodak, Boxlight, and Toshiba, and the InFocus 435z and its alternative labels from Kodak and Boxlight.

The resolution class beyond SXGA is UXGA or 1600 x 1200 pixels. The Epson 700c and 710c, the Sharp Notevision 7, and the Toshiba TLP-650 can each support UXGA as well as SXGA. As computers evolve toward higher resolutions in the future, these models will offer the widest compatibility in the long run. However, at the rate projector technology is evolving, it is likely that you will be upgrading to the next generation projector by the time UXGA resolution computers become common in the business environment. So unless you anticipate a real need to display UXGA, it may not be a meaningful issue for you in the buying decision.

You should bear in mind that when these higher resolutions are compressed into a native XGA format there will be some loss of sharpness and detail that would otherwise be present if the projector were able to display them in native SXGA or UXGA format. So even though the signal compatibility is there, the image quality may or may not be sufficient for the use intended. If you intend to use resolutions higher than XGA on a regular basis, you should see the projector demonstrated with the signal resolution you intend to use in order to verify adequate image sharpness and clarity.