TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acer is not a very well-known name in the projector world, in fact, there are only a handful of Acer projectors available in the market. I was curious to find out about the new Acer H5382BD (released in late 2016). It has great overall reviews and given a price of just below $500, it feels like a hidden gem and a good buy.
PROS
- Supports Full HD (1920 x 1200), although native resolution is 1280 x 720
- 20000:1 contrast ratio
- Screen projection size: 26 – 300″ (inches)
- Supports Rear Projection
- Low latency (under 30ms) and high refresh rate (120hz). Makes it great for gaming.
CONS
- Unreliable bulb performance (The replacement lamp for this model comes for about $160.)
- Weak speakers and just one 3.5mm audio out
Size and Design Review
Weighing about 5.3 pounds, the Acer H5382BD is a lightweight projector. It hangs upside down on the ceiling as the holes are on top of this device. It isn’t a problem as the images flip automatically. It has very few manual controls and the remote is essential to get the most out of this projector.
Acer H5382BD Performance Review
Buying your first projector is always a daunting task, we do have a glossary of projector tech jargon and also a buying guide. I would consider the Acer H5382BD an entry-level projector given its price and lack of bells and whistles. The question is, is this projector suitable for first-time buyers? I daresay yes! The set-up is basically plug and play (VGA or HDMI cable); remember to turn the projector on first and then connect it to the computer. It makes very little noise and the lamp lasts close to 5000 hours. All good signs. It also supports wireless projection but you need to buy a separate wireless projector adapter.
The images displayed are full HD and with respectable brightness, after all, the H5382BD is an upgrade of the Acer H5380BD, which was an extremely popular projector. It comes with an ambient light sensor which was not available in its predecessor, making the initial set-up even easier.
Most projectors released in 2016 come with 3D capabilities, but there are projectors that support full 3D and others that are just 3D-ready. You will be happy to know that it supports full HD 3D, which is a steal at this price. As for gaming, the Acer H5382BD has a 120hz refresh rate with 1280 x 720p native resolution. Trust me, these are great specs for the price. Up until a few years ago, a 120hz was extremely rare to find.
Download Acer H5382BD Projector Manual
Should You Buy The Acer H5382BD Projector?
Yes. After weighing all the pros and cons, I can happily recommend this projector. It has good image quality, acceptable noise levels, easy set-up, and cost-effective pricing. The only thing you need to watch out for is the sporadic bulb life, which can die after a year.
