ViewSonic PA503W Review

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.