Review: Viewsonic CPB701-4K projector

Cheatsheet:

•  The Viewsonic CPB701-4K UHD projector (3840×2160 resolution) offers HDR and HLG support with a brightness of 3,500 (ANSI lumens)
• Gamers will appreciate the 4.2ms input lag and the 240Hz refresh rate
• Projection can be stretched to 300 inches, as long as you have a wall big enough and a 36 feet projection distance
• Gets a handy, built-in USB power output aside from two HDMI ports
• Lamp life is said to be at 20,000 hours; that’s over 13 years with four hours every day
• There’s no smart element like Android TV baked in

If you’re considering going for a home projector instead of a large screen TV, you’re not alone. We’ve been saying this for over a year now—there’s been a strong wave of consumer interest when it comes to home projectors. The pandemic has created a huge retail consumer opportunity for a category that was largely an office boardroom phenomenon. This is why many brands are still making the switch to add more features that we’ve come to expect in smart TVs. ViewSonic’s CPB701-4K makes a pitch as a serious 4K projector option that doesn’t just offer a large screen in your den but also a cost advantage over cutting-edge 4K TVs in the 65 to 75-inch. Should you be interested?

Boardroom design

The Viewsonic CPB701-4K looks like a projector that could be part of your office boardroom. It’s lightweight though at under 3 kg and is easy to move around. You, however, are not likely to do that, especially if you have toddlers who don’t mind testing their best running speeds in the house. I managed a screen size of about 90 inches with a projection distance of approximately 10 feet. You can stretch this all the way to 300 inches as long as you have a wall that’s big enough and a 36-feet projection distance. While I placed the projector on a small table for this projection, most home users should ideally opt for a ceiling installation.

Hassle-free setup

I didn’t need much time to set up this projector; it was quicker than watching England lose 9 wickets in less than one session in the last Ashes test match at Hobart. Many serious sports buffs have also switched to projectors for their homes, given that visits to bars with your buddies for live sporting action have not been a regular feature since 2020.

Like the ViewSonic PX748-4K that we tested in 2021, this one comes with a handy, built-in USB power output (5V/1.5A) that can be used to supply power to HDMI wireless dongles, like a Chromecast or Amazon Fire TV Stick. This eliminates the need for separate power adapters when streaming your favourite multimedia content. I used one of the two HDMI ports to hook up the CPB701 with an Apple TV. I didn’t need to use the projector’s remote after that aside from powering the device on and off. You can use the keystone settings if you need to adjust the projection.

The 4K advantage

Unless you’re a pixel peeper, you won’t be disappointed by the images. This 4K UHD projector (3840×2160 resolution) offers HDR and HLG support with a brightness of 3,500 (ANSI lumens). Gamers will appreciate the 4.2ms input lag and the 240Hz refresh rate. Yes, gaming on a large screen is certainly more addictive, as we discovered when the Xbox S and PS5 were in the house for reviews. You could argue that this projector places more emphasis on brightness than deep blacks. That, however, should come as no surprise, considering that the Viewsonic CPB701-4K is targeted at first-time buyers rather than evolved users who might consider an ultra-short-throw projector that costs two and a half times more.

Wrap Up

The Viewsonic CPB701-4K comes with an in-built 10W speaker. This worked well while I was watching a dialogue-driven miniseries like Dopesick on Disney Hotstar, but not so much while checking out the trailer for Batman (2022) when I needed to sync up with my soundbar via Bluetooth. This projector does not have a smart element like Android TV baked in and the built-in UI looks slightly dated too.

The CPB701, however, scores when it comes to solid picture quality, even during the daytime, and has enough ports to hook up casting devices or external media devices. Lamp life is solid—up to 20,000 hours, ticking the durability box. All this makes the Viewsonic CPB701-4K a compelling option if you’re in the market for a 4K home projector and a budget of Rs 2 lakh.

The Viewsonic CPB701-4K costs Rs 1,99,900.