Epson bills the PowerLite X12 as a multimedia projector, pushing its variety of inputs and portability. For sure, it has a decently low price for the specs you get. (The MSRP is $499.) It also prides itself on its versatility and can adapt to a variety of presentation environments.
Dimensions
The PowerLite X12 is a 3LCD projector. It measures 11.6 inches wide by 9.0 inches in diameter by 3.1 inches high when the feet are taken into consideration, and lowering the feet drops the height down to an even 3 inches, so it has the same exact dimensions as the Epson VS-200. (Read the full overview for the VS-200 here . It also weighs in at 5.1 pounds -- again, the same as the VS-200.
Display Specs
The PowerLite X12 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, with a native VGA (1024 x 768) resolution. The resolution can be resized to the following formats, depending on your needs:
- 640 x 480 (VGA)
- 800 x 600 (SVGA)
- 1152 x 864 (SXGA1)
- 1280 x 800 (WXGA)
- 1280 x 960 (SXGA2)
- 1280 x 1024 (SXGA3)
- 1280 x 768 (WXGA60-1)
- 1360 x 768 (WXGA60-2)
- 1400 x 1050 (SXGA+)
- 1440 x 900 (WXGA+)
- 1600 x 1200 (UXGA60)
The throw ratio range is listed as 1.48 - 1.77. It can project from a distance of 30 inches to 300 inches.
Light output is listed at 2,800 lumens for both color and white light, which is more than the VS-200. It uses a 200-watt UHE E-TORL lamp (Epson's own lamp technology), so it has the same lamp as Epson's MegaPlex models. The company says this lamp lasts up to 5,000 hours in ECO Mode and 4,000 hours in Normal Mode.
When purchasing a projector, the lamp lifetime is an important concern because replacing the lamp can get costly. A quick peruse at several online shopping sites showed that the replacement for this lamp can cost anywhere from around $150 to $250. Since this can be about half the cost of the projector, you'll definitely want to keep this figure in mind if you plan to be a heavy user.
Audio Specs
The PowerLite X12 comes with one 2-watt speaker, so while it has an edge over the 1-watt VS-200, it comes well short of the two 10-watt speakers that are packed in the MegaPlex projectors. However, the smaller speaker does help keep the weight down, which can be beneficial if you're planning on toting this around. You should consider having an external audio source if you're going to use this in a large environment, such as a large lecture hall.
The fan noise is listed at 29 dB in Low Light Output Mode and 37 dB in High Light Output Mode -- slightly higher than the VS-200.
Inputs
There are a selection of inputs, including HDMI. There is also D-sub 15-pin component video, S-Video, RCA composite video, RCA audio, RS-232c, Type B USB connector and a Type A USB connector.
Power
The power consumption for the PowerLite X12 is listed at 283 watts, which is higher than the VS-200.
Security
The projector comes with Kensington's lock provision (a commonly found hole meant for use with Kensington's popular locking systems). There is no mention of the password protection that the VS-200 has.
Lens
The lens for the PowerLite X12 has a manual focus with an optical zoom. Check out this article for an explanation of the difference between optical and digital zooms.
The zoom ratio is listed at 1.0 - 1.2.
What You Get
Included in the box with the PowerLite X12 is: power cord, VGA cable, a remote control with batteries, and the user's guide on a CD. This remote can also be used at a distance of up to 19.7 feet, according to the company, and it features the following functions: Source search, computer, video, USB, power, aspect, color mode, volume, e-zoom, A/V mute, freeze, menu, esc, enter, page up and down, help, auto, mouse functions, user, num, pointer.
The inclusion of a Color Mode option on the remote is interesting because Epson doesn't mention on its website how many Color Modes are available for the PowerLite X12. Color Modes can be extremely useful if you plan to project onto something other than a projection screen, such as a blackboard or a whiteboard.
Takeaway
The PowerLite X12 would work well for someone who needs a multimedia projector without too many bells and whistles (such as a built-in DVD player or iPod dock). The HDMI input is a handy feature to have, as is the USB input because it means you're not necessarily tethered to a computer if you don't want to be. Overall, it has a nice price for what it gives you, which is a common theme throughout Epson's product line.
