Microvision ShowwX+ laser pico projector versus AAXA P4 LED pico projector

Today we are comparing the Microvision ShowX and the AAXA P4.  Both of these pico projectors are about $310-$320, both have a similar native resolution, and both are pocketable, battery operated mini-projectors.

The Microvision ShowwX+ laser projector is produced by world-famous laser projector manufacturer Microvision (http://www.microvision.com/) whereas the AAXA P4 pico projector is produced by a small California manufacturer AAXA Technologies (www.aaxatech.com).

Both projectors are small and pocketable and represent the very latest in pico projector technology.

Appearance

Physically the Microvision Show X is a small, thin and sleek pico projector whereas the AAXA P4 is a larger and more rectangular, sort of like a large ice cream sandwich.

The Technology

From a technology stand point The Microvision ShowwX pico projector is powered by red, green, and blue laser lights and employs Microvision’s patented beam-scanning technology.  The AAXA P4 on the other hand is powered by red, green, and blue LED lights and employs Texas Instrument’s DLP imager technology.  Both claim a greater than 15,000 hour life-time for the light-source.

Advantages and Disadvantages

There are advantages and disadvantages to both technologies.  The Microvision beam-scanning technology is a revolutionary technology that uses Laser + Beam scanning.  Since it doesn’t require focusing optics  the picture is always in focus which means that curved surface and far and near field simultaneous projection is now possible .  Additionally with beam scanning because each pixel is lit independently the image contrast is very high.  And finally a laser + beam scanning engine consumes very little power so it can be very small and not a huge drain on batteries.  However the disadvantages of Microvisions beam scanning engine is that each pixel is produced independently, line by line.  This causes a very noticeable “refresh” rate on the image and makes the image tedious and difficult to view.   On the other hand, the single DLP + LED technology uses an array of reflective mirrors to produce the image so the entire image is being produced at one time (each color at a time).  The advantages of this is that there is no refresh issue on the DLP optical engine, but the engine tends to consume more power and is larger than a laser engine.

Another key difference is with the beam-scanning laser projectors because each pixel is essentially a beam of light there are risks with eye-safety which limits the brightness output of the projector.  This is why the Microvision projector produces only 15 lumens whereas the AAXA P4 pico projector is able to produce 80 lumens.

So Which is Better?

While the Microvision laser beam scanning technology sounds great in theory and may one day dominate the pico projector market,  the reality is that laser beam-scanning technology just isn’t able to project most media well.

To begin the Microvision laser projector is a 15 lumen projector – with the lights on you see virtually nothing.    The AAXA P4 on the other hand can deliver a reasonable sized (~30”) picture with the lights fully on, and a real 80-100” picture with the lights off.  And compared to the AAXA P4 while the high contrast of the Microvision laser projector makes up for some of the lack of lumen, it’s extremely hard to watch a video on the Microvision projector.  For those with sensitive eyes the beam scanning actually noticeable which is annoying.  For others like myself I find myself squinting at the image and anything short of a quick 10 minute clip becomes tedious and tiring.  The AAXA P4 pico projector on the other hand delivers a good image quality that is easy on the eyes, and it was not difficult watching almost 2 episodes of “The Office” while running battery tests.   In summary the AAXA P4 blows  the Microvision laser projector away in terms of image quality.

Conclusion

But this doesn’t mean the Microvision projector isn’t a good product for what it is.  Aside from the weaknesses in the light engine, the Microvision ShowX is quite a sleek package.  Unlike the P4 which has a fairly loud fan, the Microvision has none – it operates silently.  The Microvision form-factor is wafer thin – about as thick as an Iphone whereas the P4 is 2.5 Iphones stacked together.   And the battery pack on the Microvision lasts 2 hours.

However what is really holding the Microvision mini projector back from a more favorable rating is its lack of features.  There’s no onboard speaker.  No VGA input (requires a dock).  No onboard movie player, much less an entire Windows operating system like the AAXA P4.  There’s no remote control, no onboard memory – I think you’re starting to get the picture.  The Microvision pico projector is just that – a pico projector.  Whereas the AAXA P4 is a very bright and powerful pico projector with all the bells and whistles (except an HDMI port) that one would expect.  Even though the Microvision laser projector looks very cool, both the Microvision Pico and the AAXA P4 Pico are about the same price ($320), and for the performance and features we’re definitely going to have to give the win to the AAXA P4.  But then again – we aren’t projecting on curved surfaces.