Sharp unveils surprisingly affordable, high brightness 4K projectors aimed at businesses — but will it be enough to fend off Optoma new unbelievable powerhouse

Sharp has announced a new pair of 4K projectors, the XP-P601Q and XP-P721Q, that offer extremely high level projection in 4K UHD, ideal for both usage at home for pleasure but also in work environments such as in museums or classrooms.

The higher-end XP-P721Q model can hit a staggering 7,200 lumens, and the XP-P601Q reaches a respectable 6,000 lumens – but one of the best features is what isn’t there: Sharp says the lack of lamp or filter can provide years of worry-free usage.

Sharp built both the P721Q and P601Q with a 1.6 times motorized zoom lens, coupled with motorized vertical and horizontal lens shift, which can help you set up the projector in more spaces. This means that, even with obstacles in the way, the projector will offer a square image that is aligned with the wall or surface.

Projectors that last

The company is also utilising HDBaseT inputs, instead of HDMI, so that users can run cable that covers all three of sound, video, and control, further reducing the amount of hassle needed to instal the P721Q or P601Q. There are also Tilt-free and Roll-free capabilities to support mounting on the wall, floor, or in portrait.

“Bringing a high quality 4K UHD resolution projector to market as our first Sharp projector since our [NEC] joint venture further demonstrates our leadership role in the higher resolution projector market,” says Sharp executive Ryan Pitterle.

“The new Sharp P Series projectors, with their maintenance free design are going to be the new industry standard for 4K UHD projectors thanks to the more than 35 years of projector heritage and expertise gained from our joint venture with NEC.”

According to B&H, the XP-P601Q costs $5,199, and the XP-P721Q costs $6,499. Both come with a five-year warranty.

Don’t count out Optoma

Optoma

(Image credit: Sharp)

Sharp isn’t operating in a vacuum for the best business projectors, and there is serious competition from Optoma, which has its own 4K monitor, the ZK708T. (Yes, all high-end projector names are like this.)

According to Optoma, the ZK708T can work for up to 30,000 hours, and is even certified for 24/7 usage, making it attractive to venues and other spaces that want to project continuously for a long time. Sharp says the P Series projectors are good for at least 20,000 hours.

Optoma also includes HDBaseT 3.0, a dust resistant body, built-in 15W speakers, 360° projection, Telnet, 3D content support, and tops out at 7,000 lumens, so slightly below the top-end P721Q, but only just. The ZK708T costs $4,999.