Reviews You Can Rely On

ViewSonic PA503W Review

A bright projector at a reasonable price that is great for presentations but not movies
viewsonic pa503w projector review
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
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Price:  $428 List
Manufacturer:   ViewSonic
By Max Mutter ⋅ Senior Review Editor  ⋅  Aug 9, 2022
54
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#5 of 6
  • Contrast Ratio - 30% 5.6
  • Color Accuracy - 25% 4.8
  • Resolution - 15% 5.4
  • Ease of Use - 15% 4.9
  • Brightness - 10% 7.0
  • Fan Noise - 5% 6.0

Our Verdict

The ViewSonic PA503W performs well in our testing but does not stand out in any specific rating metric. We find it is best suited for presentations because of its high brightness, which is useful in rooms with ambient light. The WXGA resolution and 16:10 aspect ratio feel like a big step up from cheaper models, which tend to have a native aspect ratio of 4:3. This projector is underwhelming for movies but shines for its presentation capabilities. Its fan noise is also noticeable, another detriment for viewing movies that annoyed some of our testers. Overall, it is a good option for educational and business use, but is not one of our favorite projectors.
REASONS TO BUY
Impressive brightness
Relatively cheap
WXGA resolution
REASONS TO AVOID
Poor contrast
Color slightly off
Buttons not backlit
Loud fan
Editor's Note: The ViewSonic review now includes two new sections about which projectors we recommend as well as a slight change in metrics ratings. We made this update on August 9th, 2022.

Compare to Similar Products

 
viewsonic pa503w projector review
This Product
ViewSonic PA503W
Awards  Top Pick Award Editors' Choice Award Best Buy Award  
Price $428 List
$399.99 at Amazon
$3,000 List
$2,920 at Amazon
$1,000 List
$1,075 at Amazon
$899 List
$799.00 at Amazon
$580 List
$529.98 at Amazon
Overall Score Sort Icon
54
78
67
63
40
Star Rating
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Pros Impressive brightness, relatively cheap, WXGA resolutionExcellent color accuracy, digital lens shift, digital lens focusGreat black and white contrast, lens shift, 3D capabilities, easy adjustmentsSolid color accuracy, natural-looking skin, lens cover, full HD, good valuePortable, easy to use, WiFi connectivity, 3.5-hour-long battery life, streaming capabilities
Cons Poor contrast, color slightly off, buttons not backlit, loud fanVery large, expensive, white contrast bleaches out surrounding colorsSkin tones are far too warm, generally poor color accuracy, loud fanSubpar focus range, poor dark contrast, yellows turn very green, poor brightnessSubpar brightness, lacking in image quality, no backlit buttons on remote, pricey
Bottom Line A bright projector at a reasonable price that is great for presentations but not moviesIf you desire a home cinema projector and accurate colors are your top priority, then look no furtherA projector with great resolution, contrast ratio, a mostly intuitive interface, and streaming service capability via WiFiWith great color accuracy, besides yellows, and solid resolution, this projector is great for an at-home cinemaWith a small footprint and an easy to use interface, this projector is a great option for those who are always on-the-go
Rating Categories ViewSonic PA503W Epson Home Cinema 5... Epson Home Cinema 2250 BenQ HT2150ST Anker Nebula Capsul...
Contrast Ratio (30%)
5.6
7.2
7.4
5.2
2.0
Color Accuracy (25%)
4.8
9.0
5.0
7.4
4.6
Resolution (15%)
5.4
9.0
8.3
7.3
3.0
Ease of Use (15%)
4.9
7.9
7.7
7.0
7.4
Brightness (10%)
7.0
5.0
5.0
4.0
2.0
Fan Noise (5%)
6.0
8.0
7.0
6.0
9.0
Specs ViewSonic PA503W Epson Home Cinema 5... Epson Home Cinema 2250 BenQ HT2150ST Anker Nebula Capsul...
Projection Technology DLP 3LCD 3LCD DLP DLP
Specification Brightness 3600 Lumens 2600 Lumens 2700 Lumens 1780 Lumens 200 Lumens
Measured Brightness 2245 Lumens 1732 Lumens 1780 Lumens 1449 Lumens 168 Lumens
Native Resolution 1280 x 800 1920 x 1080 (With Additional 4K Enhancement Technology) 1920 x 1080 1920 x 1080 1280 x 720
Contrast Ratio 22,000:1 1,000,000:1 70,000:1 15,000:1 600:1
Apect Ratio Native 16:10 Native 16:9 Native 16:9 Native 16:9 Native 16:9
Zoom Ratio 1.0 - 1.1 1.0 - 2.1 1.0 - 1.6 1.0 - 1.3 Automatic
Throw Ratio (Wide to Zoom) 1.55 - 1.70 1.35 — 2.84 1.33 to 2.17 1.15 - 1.5 1.3
Backlit Remote No Yes No Yes No
Vertical Keystoning Correction Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Horizontal Keystoning Correction No No Yes Yes No
Lens Shift No Yes Yes Yes No
Measured Dimensions (L x D x H) 11.6" x 4.3" x 8.6" 20" x 17.75" x 7.13" 12.2" x 12.4" x 4.8" 15" x 4.8" x 11" 3.15" x 3.15" x 5.9"
Measured Weight 4.9 lbs 24.8 lbs 8.4 lbs 7.3 lbs 1.5 lbs
Lens Cover No Yes Yes Yes No
3D Capable Yes Yes Yes Yes No

Our Analysis and Test Results

With WXGA resolution and measured 2245 Lumens, the ViewSonic PA503W works fairly well for presentations in office settings. It is also 4.9 pounds and 11.6 by 4.3 by 8.6 inches, which makes it a little more portable. Small text is decently clear, especially when considering the price of this middle-of-the-road option compared to top-ranked projectors. It doesn't excel in any particular capacity, but it isn't a poor performer either.

Performance Comparison


viewsonic pa503w projector review - the viewsonic offers amazing brightness but falls short in most...
The ViewSonic offers amazing brightness but falls short in most other categories.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Contrast Ratio


We test the contrast ratio in black and white and color. The ViewSonic PA503W offers bright whites and dark blacks but seems to be missing some of the mid-tones. Solid dynamic blacks and whites help create some contrast, but anything between a shadow and a highlight is very difficult to differentiate with the PA503W. This further supports the idea that this projector is best used for slides containing graphs and tables rather than movies and details photos.

viewsonic pa503w projector review - the photo on the right appears somewhat flat due to the narrow...
The photo on the right appears somewhat flat due to the narrow contrast ratio of the ViewSonic.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Color Accuracy


Like many of the options in our test suite, the PA503W runs a little warm. This affects the accuracy of skin tone and colors across the board. The viewing experience isn't terribly affected by the shift in warmth, but the lack of accuracy is another reason why this projector isn't the best option for movie viewing. While skin tones are inaccurate, they tend to fall more on the yellow side rather than red, which looks a little more natural. Reds are pretty accurate but very over-saturated. Purples fall a little more on the pink side of the spectrum, and blues and yellows are a little more green. Our ocean test provides us with a more turquoise hue, which is gorgeous but does not accurately depict the color of the ocean. We test our orange colors with images of pumpkins. They have a bit of a neon yellow hue, making them appear unnatural.

viewsonic pa503w projector review - here you can see the viewsonic runs a little red.
Here you can see the ViewSonic runs a little red.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Overall, ocean scenes have the viewer thrown off with such a vibrant turquoise. Green fields and orange pumpkin patches feel unnaturally saturated, and blue-ish purple night skies appear pinker. This could offer an avant-garde psychedelic viewing of your favorite movies, but if you are looking for color accuracy, the PA503W just doesn't make the cut.

viewsonic pa503w projector review - the colors the viewsonic offers are quite saturated, which can be...
The colors the ViewSonic offers are quite saturated, which can be beautiful yet distracting.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Resolution


The PA503W offers WXGA resolution, Wide Extended Graphics Array, and delivers the same vertical resolution but provides 20% more horizontal resolution. This 1280x800 pixels, 16:10 aspect ratio has become increasingly more common for modern computers, smartphones, and newer projectors. Our testers prefer the WXGA (1280 x 800) resolution far better than SVGA (800 x 600), especially when it comes to text.

Now that you understand what the PA503W has to offer, let's get into how it performs. While viewing HD images, it is hard not to notice the larger pixel size. Detailed images like eyelashes have a distinct staircase curve and somehow appear to be moving, even when viewing still images.

The Siemen's Star also portrays the stepped lines. While these still images display some pretty intense pixelation, the video resolution appears to be just fine, offering an average viewing experience.

viewsonic pa503w projector review - you can see how the viewsonic resolution produces a somewhat blurry...
You can see how the ViewSonic resolution produces a somewhat blurry image (right image).
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Ease of Use


Between the limited foot adjustment and unintuitive menu selection, the PA503W does not go down in history as one of the more user-friendly options in our test suite. This 11.6 by 4.3 by 8.6-inch projector weighs 4.9 pounds, making it somewhat portable, although there is no lens cover, so you'll have to be careful while transporting. The remote is easy to navigate, but the menus can be slightly confusing at first, and the buttons are not backlit. The feet are only adjustable in the back, and you have to use screws, which is not particularly convenient. The PA503W also only offers vertical keystoning, but not horizontal.

viewsonic pa503w projector review - the remote is nice, but the menus can sometimes be confusing to...
The remote is nice, but the menus can sometimes be confusing to navigate.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Brightness


We measured the brightness on the PA503W to be 2245 lumens, making it one of the brighter projectors we tested — especially for a lower-priced model. Even though this is lower than ViewSonic's claimed brightness of 3600 Lumens, it still projected clearly in soft ambient light.

Colors still appear the same in ambient light, but darker shades are a little washed out. The high brightness is ideal for presentation settings but tends to wash out colors if you're viewing a movie in a completely dark room.

viewsonic pa503w projector review - the viewsonic pa503w performs admirably in brightness, especially...
The ViewSonic PA503W performs admirably in brightness, especially for its price.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Fan Noise


Like other ViewSonic models, the PA503W has a noticeably loud fan, which is especially bothersome while watching movies. The fan noise doesn't feel distracting for presentations, but it seemed like the projector's fan was on much more frequently than most of the other models in our review. This is, again, why we stress that the PA503W is best for office-type settings. It's good in that environment, but many folks will likely be disappointed with this projector if they're trying to build a home theater.

viewsonic pa503w projector review - the viewsonic has plenty of ventilation but the fan is still very...
The ViewSonic has plenty of ventilation but the fan is still very distracting.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Should You Buy the ViewSonic PA503W?


For those buying a projector for business or education with a 16:10 aspect ratio, the PA503W is a great option. It is better than any of the 4:3 models we tested yet doesn't break the bank like the top-performers. The ViewSonic PA503W falls between low-end and high-end consumer projectors in terms of price. It's a good choice for those who want a projector with a 16:10 native aspect ratio, WXGA resolution, and high brightness. Cheaper business and education-specific projectors typically have aspect ratios of 4:3 and SVGA (800 x 600) resolution.

viewsonic pa503w projector review - there are certainly better projectors out there, but if you want to...
There are certainly better projectors out there, but if you want to keep expenses reasonable and you need something bright for the office, this is a fine choice.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

What Other Projectors Should You Consider?


This is likely your best bet if your budget is small, but the image quality isn't what you need for a great movie-watching experience, despite the impressive brightness. The BenQ HT2150ST has some of the best image quality in the lineup, and we think it is worth the added cost to get better visuals and an overall more engaging experience. Overall, it is a lower-priced option than the highest-ranking options, but if you have a dark room for your theater, we think it is the one to pick. If money isn't a concern and you want the highest-ranking option with versatile ability across lighting conditions, the Epson Home Cinema 5050UB offers great image quality that brings the movie world into your home like no other.

Max Mutter
 
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