The new Epson PowerLite 730c ($3,200 street) is a 4.3-pound, 1,024-by-768 XGA-resolution LCD projector. Epson rates it at 2,000 ANSI lumens, which places it among the brightest in its class. Micro Lens Arrays and intelligent features, such as auto keystone adjustment, make this unit particularly attractive.

The projector measures 3.1 by 10.9 by 7.5 inches (HWD) and can accept a composite video RCA, an S-video mini DIN, an analog RGB D-sub 15, a stereo mini jack, and a USB type B. The USB port supports the remote mouse functions. Manual zoom and focus are easy to reach, and the adjustable front feet work well. Setup is simple, thanks to clearly marked connectors.

The 730c's extreme brightness comes from the Micro Lens technology. The projector has three 0.9-inch polysilicon LCD panels; the polysilicon allows fabrication of smaller transistors for the active-matrix switching at each pixel, so more light passes through each LCD cell. In addition, a microscopic lens placed behind each cell directs light through the cell that would otherwise be blocked by the transistors and other structures. The payoff is a one-third increase in brightness using the identical lamp and other components as the Epson PowerLite 720c, which is the same projector without the Micro Lens feature and is rated at 1,500 ANSI lumens.

The PowerLite 730c has an automatic keystone adjustment feature that can straighten the sides of your image. This feature uses an accelerometer to detect the projector's tilt, and digitally adjusts the image's shape. Note that this can introduce visual artifacts in finely detailed images, which would be noticeable when projecting an Excel spreadsheet, but the feature works well with typical video images and PowerPoint presentations. You can also adjust the keystone setting manually, or turn it off completely.

The included remote control—about the size of a credit card—is designed for easy navigation through presentations and no-hassle adjustments to the projector settings. You can also use it as a remote mouse, but the buttons seem harder to use than the puck or joystick found on larger remotes.

We used images from DisplayMate Technologies to evaluate performance. We measured the brightness at 1,794 lumens, making this the brightest projector we have tested, even among units weighing more than twice as much. The contrast, 239:1, is excellent for an LCD projector—even better than that of some DLP models. Brightness uniformity measures 1.3:1, which is about average, and we saw no noticeable bright or dark areas on the screen. Gray-shade response is excellent at both ends of the spectrum; convergence and color tracking are excellent, and the pixel timing was rock-steady after using the auto-sync feature. The biggest flaw was one bright pixel defect—a stuck blue pixel—near the middle of the image. Scaling was good for lower-resolution images but only fair for higher-resolution images.

If you're looking for a projector that works well under adverse lighting conditions, the Epson PowerLite 730c has the power to deliver your presentation with the punch it deserves. A reasonable price and an appropriate feature set make the Epson PowerLite 730c an attractive choice.