Casio XJ-A257 Portable LED/Laser Projector Review

The Casio XJ-A257 is a portable laser projector designed for business and education applications.  Its internal storage, onboard media player allowing PC Free presentations, the ability to function as both an access point and to connect to an existing network, and iOS and Android compatibility make this copy-paper ream sized projector even more portable.  Casio advertises a respectable 3,000 lumens for this “lamp free” Laser & LED Hybrid, with a lifespan of up to 20,000 hours.

This review will start with tour of the hardware, followed by an in-depth look at the special features.  We will discuss picture, video and audio quality, and along the way we’ll discover if it meets our performance expectations.  We’ll sum it all up on the final page; by that point, you should know if the Casio XJ-A257 Portable Laser Projector meets your needs for quality and portability.  Let’s go!

We wish to thank Epson America for sponsoring this year’s Best Classroom Projectors report.  

The Casio XJ-A257 is a 3,000 lumen projector with WXGA resolution (1280×800) and a hybrid Laser & LED light engine.  These lamp free light engines tend to offer a longer lifespan, and do not require the replacement of lamps every few thousand hours.  The Casio XJ-A257 light engine claims a lifespan of up to 20,000 hours.  That’s an incredibly long time; theoretically allowing this projector to run around the clock for more than two years and three months, or for 40-hour a week operation in a business environment, a theoretical lifespan of more than nine and a half years!  This projector should be obsolete long before the light engine quits.

Casio claims a respectable 3,000 lumens, which is extremely useful in boardrooms and classrooms where ambient light is a constant challenge.  Many classrooms, especially older schools that were built in the 1970’s or earlier, tend not to have blinds or window shades, and large windows near the ceiling or rear of the classroom.  A bright projector is essential, otherwise images will appear washed out and text will be very difficult to read.  3,000 lumen brightness ensures vivid color and readability from anywhere in the room.  We’ll discuss Casio’s claim of 3,000 lumen brightness, as well as our own measurements, on the performance page of this review.

The Casio XJ-A257 really hits a home run when it comes to portability.  This portable laser projector is the size and weight of a single ream of copy paper, comes with a soft carrying case, built in networking support and includes a wireless networking adapter to allow connection to an existing wireless network, or use it as an access point to connect your PC, Mac, iOS or Android devices.  The Casio XJ-A257 has internal 2GB of storage, and allows PC Free presentations through a versatile onboard media player, accepts the use of a flash drive or memory card reader through a single USB port.  This projector also supports connection to Casio’s EXILIM point-and-shoot camera line, and Casio graphing calculators (this is sure to be a favorite among math teachers!)  Instant on and off allows the projector to power up and reach its full brightness in 5 seconds, and power off immediately.

This projector allows for a projected image size of anywhere from 18 inches to 300 inches diagonally.  Automatic digital vertical keystone correction means that you can simply set the projector on a table top, turn it on, adjust the motorized optical zoom and focus for your screen and the adjustable legs (one in front and two in back) if needed, and not have to worry about finding just the right keystone correction.  While there are only a few connection inputs, they still provide plenty of functionality for the business and education market: HDMI, VGA, USB, Micro USB, and even connection to old-school AV/RCA devices.  The Casio XJ-A257 is Crestron compatible, and also allows command and control from a PC, smartphone or tablet through C-Assist.