Hitachi CP-X2510 projector

The Hitachi CP-X2510 business projector is a good choice for presentations, with strong primary colour contrast and high brightness levels. Two integrated 8 watt speakers offer better audio than most projectors, while a diverse range of image modes allow the projector to function at its best in a variety of lighting environments.

It may not be a very visually impressive projector — that’s the realm of projectors like the Mitsubishi HC7000, Viewsonic Precision Pro8100 and Toshiba ET20 — with a chassis that is functional rather than flashy. Sturdy off-white plastic protects the delicate innards, and the lens is recessed an inch into the body, presumably to protect it from accidental scratching.

The Hitachi CP-X2510 measures 317x98x288mm, making it possible to transport to different locations; it’s not small enough to easily carry under an arm, however. It weighs 3.6kg, so you might struggle to transport it and a laptop at the same time.

Befitting the Hitachi CP-X2510’s business and education focus there are no flimsy HDMI ports to be seen on the projector’s rear. There are two sturdy VGA ports, and a monitor-out port that allows connection to a screen or daisy-chaining with an additional projector. Single S-Video, composite and component video connectors are also available, along with three audio inputs. This should be more than enough for a medium-sized boardroom or classroom, but larger auditoriums or halls might want additional video inputs.

Using it at the minimum projection distance of 90cm will create a 30in image, while using it at the maximum distance of 9m results in a 300in screen. This range is in line with most business projectors; it’s more than versatile enough for everyday use.

The Hitachi CP-X2510 has a high brightness level at 2600 lumens. This may be lower than the Viewsonic PJ760, but we found it was bright enough for use in areas with direct fluorescent lighting. Contrast is significantly higher than the Viewsonic projector at 2000:1 in the optimised Presentation mode, projecting images with a decent level of colour depth and detail. It is more than enough for simple presentations and graphs, but there may be some loss of detail when playing videos.

A standard XGA resolution of 1024x768 means the Hitachi CP-X2510 has plenty of screen real estate to accommodate complicated slides — although we would have liked a widescreen option.

The fan of the projector can be loud in maximum brightness mode, with a rated output of 35dB. Enabling the economy mode drops audible noise down to 29dB, which is more bearable but decreases image brightness.

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