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Epson EpiqVision Flex CO-FH02 Review

This is a solid entry-level projector for home cinema and entertainment
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Epson EpiqVision Flex CO-FH02 Review
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Price:  $630 List
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Manufacturer:   Epson
By Sentry Kelly and Adam Stout  ⋅  Mar 22, 2024
69
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#7 of 11
  • Entertainment - 30% 6.4
  • Business - 30% 6.3
  • Contrast Ratio - 15% 9.4
  • Brightness - 15% 7.6
  • Set up/Use - 5% 6.7
  • Input Lag - 5% 4.0

Our Verdict

The Epson EpiqVision Flex CO-FH02 makes a great entry-level home cinema-style projector at a fraction of the cost of more advanced models. It features smart features and one of the best contrast ratios we tested, but it has a few drawbacks as well. These include limited input/output options, high input lag for gaming, and a fan that pushes a lot of heat into your room. See how this unit stacks up with the rest of the test group in our review of top performing projectors.
REASONS TO BUY
Good price for an entertainment projector
Has smart features
REASONS TO AVOID
Runs hot
Limited input/out ports
Cumbersome dongle for smart features

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Bottom Line An entry-level cinema projector with smart features at a reasonable priceA very bright projector that excels in an office environment and offers a decent movie experienceThis bright and portable projector excels in the officeThis basic projector offers straightforward functionality well suited for office useIf your expectations are low and you're deadset on an ultra-low-budget projector, this is the one to get
Rating Categories Epson EpiqVision Fl... ViewSonic PA503W Epson Pro EX9240 Epson EpiqVision Fl... Happrun H1
Entertainment (30%)
6.4
6.8
5.5
5.9
3.7
Business (30%)
6.3
7.8
8.6
6.5
6.2
Contrast Ratio (15%)
9.4
9.0
8.0
8.7
3.2
Brightness (15%)
7.6
9.5
8.7
7.7
2.4
Set up/Use (5%)
6.7
4.9
6.6
4.9
5.0
Input Lag (5%)
4.0
9.1
4.0
8.2
9.3
Specs Epson EpiqVision Fl... ViewSonic PA503W Epson Pro EX9240 Epson EpiqVision Fl... Happrun H1
Measured ANSI Lumens 2003 Lumens 2664 Lumens 2378 Lumens 2061 Lumens 249 Lumens
Measured Fan Noise 42 dBA 41 dBA 43 dBA 38 dBA 45 dBA
Measured ANSI Contrast Ratio 619:20 775:26 778:30 638:23 43:5
Measured Input Lag 82 ms 48 ms 83 ms 54 ms 46 ms
Measured Dimensions (L x D x H) 12.5" x 8.3" x 3.4" 11.6" x 8.6" x 4.3" 12.2" x 11.2" x 4.1" 11.6" x 8.3" x 3.4" 9.3" x 8.1" x 3.5"
Measured Weight 5.7 lbs 4.9 lbs 6.8 lbs 5.3 lbs 3.5 lbs
Projection Technology 3LCD DLP 3LCD 3LCD LCD
Light Source Lamp Lamp Lamp Lamp Lamp
Claimed Brightness 3000 Lumens 3600 Lumens 4000 Lumens 3000 Lumens 9500 Lumens
Carrying Case Included No No Yes No No
Native Resolution 1920 x 1080 1280 x 800 1920 x 1080 1280 x 800 1920 x 1080
Smart Streaming Capability? Yes No No No No
Contrast Ratio Not Specified 22,000:1 16,000:1 Not Specified 10,000:1
Aspect Ratio Native 16:9 Native 16:10 Native 16:9 Native 16:10 Not Specified
Zoom Ratio 1.0 - 1.35 1.0 - 1.1 1.0 - 1.6 1.0 - 1.35 Not Specified
Throw Ratio (Wide to Zoom) 1.19 - 1.61 1.55 - 1.70 1.32 - 2.14 1.27 - 1.71 Not Specified
Backlit Remote No No No No No
Vertical Keystoning Correction Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Horizontal Keystoning Correction No No Yes No No
Lens Shift No No No No No
Lens Cover No No Yes No Yes
3D Capable No Yes Yes No No

Our Analysis and Test Results

If you're looking for an entry into home cinema-style projectors without draining your bank account, the Epson EpiqVision Flex CO-FH02 is a viable option. It brings smart features and a great contrast ratio at a reasonable price.

Performance Comparison


epson epiqvision flex co-fh02
Credit: Matt Lighthart


Entertainment


After spending some time with it, we feel that the Epson EpiqVision Flex CO-FH02 is aimed at the entry-level home cinema use case. So, it positioned itself pretty well in our testing for entertainment, but it didn't knock it out of the park compared to the premium cinema projectors.

We found its colors to be generally good if not a little washed out compared to the top performers. It has a very good contrast ratio and decent clarity. We appreciated the built-in smart features, like native streaming apps, Android TV, and Chromecast. However, we found it kind of strange that we needed to hook up an included dongle and take up one of the few ports to access those smart features.

epson epiqvision flex co-fh02 - the epson epiqvision flex co-fh02 has good picture quality...
The Epson EpiqVision Flex CO-FH02 has good picture quality, especially considering its price vs more expensive home theater options.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Business


Thanks to its portable size and decent brightness, the Epson EpiqVision Flex CO-FH02 also holds its own in the Business metric. There are certainly more business-optimized projectors around, but this one isn't too shabby. It has good edge-to-edge clarity and decent color accuracy on spreadsheets and presentations. We just wish it had more port selection and controls positioned on top of the actual unit instead of just having them on the remote control, which can be lost or left behind ahead of an important presentation. Port selection is limited to 1x HDMI, 1x USB-B, and 1x USB-A.

epson epiqvision flex co-fh02 - the lack of onboard controls could be a costly oversight, lest the...
The lack of onboard controls could be a costly oversight, lest the remote control get lost or left behind.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Contrast Ratio


When it comes to contrast ratio the Epson EpiqVision Flex CO-FH02 scored very well. Although Epson didn't provide a contrast ratio claim, we measured it at 619:20 in our ANSI Contrast Ratio testing, giving the CO-FHO2 one of the highest overall contrast ratio scores of the bunch. Subjective tests back this up. We noted dark blacks and white whites on screen.

epson epiqvision flex co-fh02
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Brightness


Epson claims 3,000 lumens for the Epson EpiqVision Flex CO-FH02, and our light meter clocked it at 2,003 lumens in our ANSI Lumens test. We found this projector suitably bright for home cinema and business environments.

We conduct ANSI luminance and ANSI contrast tests with a light meter, and the CO-FH02 does pretty well in both tests.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Setup & Use


Projectors that excel in this area offer handy features such as adjustable legs for uneven surfaces, backlit remotes for easy button finding in the dark, voice command recognition, and decent built-in speakers. We also award points for advanced keystone and focus options, zoom capability, and compatibility with ceiling and tripod mounts.

The Epson EpiqVision Flex CO-FH02 ticks a few boxes here, with auto and manual keystoning, manual focus, screen zoom, an adjustable front post, and a 5-watt speaker. It's missing a lot of the nice-to-haves, like rear leveling legs, a backlit remote, voice commands, and autofocus.

epson epiqvision flex co-fh02 - front leveling leg only for the epson epiqvision flex co-fh02; there...
Front leveling leg only for the Epson EpiqVision Flex CO-FH02; there are no rear leg adjustment or mounting options to be had on this simple projector.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Input Lag


There's probably not much concern about input lag on a projector unless you intend to use it for competitive gaming. If you fall into that category, skip the Epson EpiqVision Flex CO-FH02. We measured an average 80 millisecond response time with our video input lag testing device. That probably won't be fast enough to stay competitive online, and there are far faster projectors in our review class.

epson epiqvision flex co-fh02 - we appreciate the epson epiqvision flex co-fh02 for its minimalistic...
We appreciate the Epson EpiqVision Flex CO-FH02 for its minimalistic design aesthetic.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Should You Buy the Epson EpiqVision Flex CO-FH02?


If you're looking for an entry-level home cinema projector for entertainment, the Epson EpiqVision Flex CO-FH02 could be the way to go. It has a good picture and a few smart feature options and comes in at a fraction of the cost of some premium units.

epson epiqvision flex co-fh02 - like many projectors that have smart features, the co-fh02 comes...
Like many projectors that have smart features, the CO-FH02 comes with one remote control for the projector settings and another for the app controls.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

What Other Projector Should You Consider?


If you're willing to spend around double the money on top-notch picture quality outside the entry-level units, look at our Editor's Choice Epson Home Cinema 2350. It far surpasses the Epson EpiqVision Flex CO-FH02 in most areas and still comes in at half the price of the most premium units.

Sentry Kelly and Adam Stout