What is the best 21:9 projector for a Teams Front Row meeting room?

According to ZDNet, Microsoft Teams Front Row can help blur the lines between virtual and in-person meeting participants. But like any software platform, the meeting room display can make a big difference in how people experience this new way of collaboration. Now that affordable 21:9 projectors and projector screens are available, which one is best for a Microsoft Teams Front Row collaboration space? We’ll look at the following criteria to compare four 21:9 capable projectors from Epson, BenQ, and Christie.

• Brightness
• Resolution/Pixel Density
• HDR and Color accuracy 
• Maintenance 
• Price

We’ll use the Draper 130 inch 21:9 screen as a reference for a larger meeting room running a Microsoft Teams Front Row collaboration system. Compared to a traditional 100 inch 16:9 format, a 130 inch 21:9 screen has over 40% more area to fill. For a typical well-lit meeting room, you will want at least 60 foot lamberts on the screen – so to determine if a projector is bright enough, we’ll use the Projector Central throw ratio calculator to compare each model.

Since there are no native 21:9 projectors made today, the pixel density of the projector is a good way to measure how well a specific projector can show the detail of complex images generated by Microsoft Teams Front Row. Typically, there are multiple people, images, small text boxes, and sometimes videos all on the screen at the same time. We’ll use the online Pixels Per Inch calculator to determine pixel density using the native resolution on each projector model per the specification sheet and figure out how many pixels will fit in each square inch on an inch diagonal screen. 

For a projector that is showing people – such as a home theater – color accuracy is very important to ensure people look right, especially with sensitive areas such as skin tone and hair color. Today nearly every television – and the best projectors – come with Rec. 709 color accuracy specifications to ensure that hair, skin, and logo colors are correctly displayed. With the newest videoconferencing cameras capable of HDR10, a sharp clear – and color accurate image on the screen helps to make close the gap between in-room participants and those that are remote. How do these popular models stack up?

A typical meeting room projector is ceiling mounted – and often difficult to get to if you need to access the projector. While all four projectors use lasers, which eliminates the need to change projector lamps, the BenQ and Christie projectors have sealed engines that eliminate the need for filters to keep the dust out of the projector. By contrast, the Epson PowerLite L775U has special usage and maintenance requirements that are not required on either the BenQ or Christie models. First, the Epson warranty can be voided through “excessive” or “continual” use of the projector, so running the projector too much can create a problem. Secondly, the Epson requires regular filter cleaning maintenance, and if the filters are not kept clean, this can also void the warranty. Finally, because the Epson uses three different imagers, these may need to be realigned if something goes wrong, which can be done using the software menus inside the projector, while the single chip design of the BenQ and Christie ensure the image stays sharp. All models have a three-year warranty.

Because of the larger screens and need for high pixel density and accurate color, the best 21:9 projectors today are more expensive than a standard meeting room laser projector. But compared to the cost of a larger commercial LCD display, they are the least expensive way to deploy a Microsoft Teams Front Row system in a meeting room. Here is a summary of key features with the current prices based on online pricing data from Projector Central and other sources.

Each of these projectors has unique advantages, but the BenQ LK935 and LK936ST offer a compelling value with the highest pixel density available today while delivering nearly 50% more brightness on a 21:9 screen than a typical 60-foot lambert meeting room projector commonly used today.  While they are more expensive than a traditional lamp projector, you can see that the price is similar to the Epson PowerLite L775U – and doesn’t require any maintenance or having to worry about using the projector too much and voiding the warranty.   If you want to try one out in your meeting room, just fill out the form below and we can help you put together the best possible solution for your Microsoft Teams Front Row collaboration space.