Yes, many buyers find a projector gives a bigger picture for less money. The Wanbo X5S runs from 40 to 140 inches and is priced at R6,899 VAT-inclusive, a sensible starting point for a Rand-conscious lounge.
A television gives you a small picture for the money, and the picture only gets bigger as the price climbs. A projector works the other way round: the picture size is set by how far the unit sits from the wall, and a modest unit can throw a very large image. That makes a smart projector a fair alternative for a family on a rand budget, as long as the room can take it. The question is whether the size, the brightness and the apps add up to the picture you want.
A smart projector can give a bigger picture for less money than a large television, provided the room can be darkened and has the depth for the picture size. The Wanbo X5S runs from 40 to 140 inches and sells for R6,899 with VAT included, a sensible starting point for a rand-conscious lounge.
Compare the picture size you actually want, not the box size. A television's screen is the size of the set you buy, while a projector's screen is whatever wall you give it, so the size is a choice you make in the room. The X5S throws its picture from 40 inches up to 140 inches, so one unit covers a bedroom picture and a large family-room picture.
Work out the picture size you want, then the depth you need. A 100-inch picture needs about 2.8 metres between the lens and the wall, and a 140-inch one needs about 3.9 metres. If the room gives you that depth, the size is yours. If it does not, a smaller picture is the honest answer.
A television is bright enough in most rooms because its screen is built to be seen with light around it. A projector shows its picture as light on a wall, so the room has to be darker for the picture to look its best. With 1100 ANSI lumens on offer, the X5S stays clear in a dim lounge, and the room is where the real effort goes.
Blackout curtains, a plain matte wall and a habit of closing the curtains in the afternoon are what make a projector work. Budget for those alongside the unit, because a projector in a bright room will disappoint in a way a television never does.
A television has its own speakers, and the X5S carries a pair of 6W speakers with Dolby Audio. For a small room those cover dialogue and everyday viewing. A bigger room may want an external sound system, which pairs with the projector over Bluetooth 5.0. Budget for one if the family watches loud films or sport, because the built-in speakers will not fill a large lounge.
Apps are the other half of the comparison. The X5S ships with VIDAA and its 1,800-plus apps, so the main services need no streaming box. Count that as a saving if your household currently pays for a separate device.
A lounge with a 4-metre clear wall suits the largest picture, while a 2-metre wall in a flat suits the smaller end of the range.
A projector suits a family that watches together in a lounge they can darken, and a household that wants a cinema feel for films and sport. It suits a flat or townhouse with a bare, plain wall and enough depth to sit the unit back. It also suits a home where the television is a small set in a crowded room, and the projector would give the family a bigger picture on a clear wall.
A television suits a room with a lot of daytime light, a family that watches news and sport in the afternoon, and a space where the picture must work without any preparation. If the lounge has a large window with no curtains, the television is the easier choice.
Start with the room. Measure the wall width and the depth, decide the picture size you want, and check that the room can take it. Next, check the light: can you close the curtains and keep the lounge dark enough in the evening? Only then compare the cost. The X5S at R6,899 with VAT included is a fixed cost, and the rest of the budget should go on what the room needs, such as blackout fabric and, if needed, an external speaker.
A projector that suits the room gives a bigger picture for less money than a large television. A projector that does not suit the room looks dim and disappoints, so the room is the decision, not the price alone.
To see the X5S and its size range next to the rest of the projector line, start with the projector range, and use the projector category for the full selection.
For a large picture, often yes. The X5S gives a picture from 40 to 140 inches for R6,899 with VAT included, but the room needs to be dark enough and deep enough to make the most of it.
Blackout curtains for the window, a matte wall or screen, and an external speaker if the room is large. Plan for those alongside the projector itself.
It can, for evening films and sport in a room that can be darkened. For daytime use in a bright room, a television is usually the better fit.
Work out the room before the budget. Measure the wall and the light, then browse our projector range to see which unit fits the picture you want.
For a large picture, often yes. The X5S gives a picture from 40 to 140 inches for R6,899 with VAT included, but the room needs to be dark enough and deep enough to make the most of it.
Blackout curtains for the window, a matte wall or screen, and an external speaker if the room is large. Plan for those alongside the projector itself.
It can, for evening films and sport in a room that can be darkened. For daytime use in a bright room, a television is usually the better fit.
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