Review: Acer's K137i DLP Projector Lights Up the Room

Government work thrives on presentations, but some agency buildings lack adequate conference room space.

Acer’s K137i DLP projector solves this problem. Able to project an image from less than 2 feet away, the K137i turns almost any space — such as the walls of a cubicle or a hallway — into a presentation space.

The K137i can produce a 17-inch display to a space just 23 inches away. By simply backing up 10 feet, users can create a 100-inch display, though a dark room is needed at that distance to get a clear picture.

Mobile Moxy 

With a USB cable, the K137i can plug into a smartphone, creating a new way to drive presentations. Users can also plug the projector into a notebook computer with an HDMI cable for a more traditional setup.

The K137i comes with a built-in operating system, allowing it to find and project video or images directly from a USB stick with no other connected computing device.

This makes for incredibly portable presentations, as both the projector and content can move easily from location to location.

A small remote control comes with the projector, allowing for full control from a distance.

Impressive Image Quality 

Most tiny projectors cannot generate enough light to produce quality images. This makes them less effective as spontaneous presentation tools, but the K137i surpasses its competitors in this area.

During our test, we set the projector only 5 feet away from the screen to produce a 40-inch display.

Checking the raw light power with a meter, we found a respectable 520 lumens in the center of the display and 440 in the corners. That puts the projector within the 100-lumen range where the human eye cannot detect any differences. All images looked homogeneous throughout, an impressive feat for a small unit.

The K137i provides impressive sound as well, with a pair of embedded 3-watt speakers for true stereo audio. The speakers filled a midsized room with sound during our test, indicating that the projector works flawlessly as a self-contained presentation tool.

With a portable hard drive or memory stick, users who have a K137i at their disposal can display presentations or videos almost anywhere. A handful of these projectors could help agencies unlock the power of presentations, especially in offices that have few conference rooms or executive suites.