Tag Archives: LED

Meet the Acer PD1520Us: Big Images, Tiny Footprint

If you’ve ever dreamed of a projector that can turn a small space into a full-blown cinema without any of the hassle of ceiling mounts or complicated setups, then the Acer PD1520Us might just be your new best friend. This ultra-short throw (UST) LED projector packs a punch in a compact, lightweight design that’s as elegant as it is capable.

Meet the Acer PD1520Us: Big Images, Tiny Footprint
Meet the Acer PD1520Us: Big Images, Tiny Footprint

A Projector That Defies Expectations

At first glance, the Acer PD1520Us is a marvel of modern engineering. Weighing in at just 740 grams, it’s designed for businesses and schools alike—anywhere you need to make a big impact in a small space. Thanks to its UST design, you can project a massive 100-inch image from just centimeters away from your wall or screen. And if you need a smaller display? It’s equally adept at turning any table into a mini-theatre with a 23-inch projection.

Performance That Impresses

Acer isn’t messing around with this model. The PD1520Us boasts a full HD 1080p resolution and even supports 4K content, ensuring your visuals are sharp and vibrant. Couple that with a stable brightness and an LED lifespan of up to 30,000 hours, and you’ve got a projector that’s as reliable as it is powerful.

For those who love an all-in-one package, this projector comes with built-in 3W x 2 speakers. And if that wasn’t enough, the PD1520Us also features HDMI 2.0 inputs, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth connectivity, and even iOS screen mirroring. Acer has clearly thought of everything—from auto focus that saves you the trouble of fiddling with the focus ring, to auto 2D keystone correction that straightens out your image without you lifting a finger.

Portability and Smart Features

Need to move your projector from one classroom or meeting room to another? The optional 5200mAh battery kit extends its runtime by up to 2 hours, making it effortless to take the show on the road. And for those who appreciate a clutter-free setup, this projector’s near-instant on/off capability (just one second!) means no more waiting around for a warm-up or cool-down phase.

What really stands out is the built-in smart platform. Similar to what you’d expect from a modern smart TV, this feature lets you install apps directly onto the projector. Pair it with the optional interactive kit, and you’re not just projecting images—you’re opening up a world of educational apps, movies, and interactive content, all accessible in one cable-free experience.

Environmentally Friendly and Safe

Unlike traditional lamp-based projectors that require time-consuming warm-ups and cool-downs—and often involve hazardous materials—the PD1520Us is LED-based. This not only means immediate operation but also that you’re working with a mercury-free, eco-friendly device.


Final Thoughts

The Acer PD1520Us is a game-changer for anyone needing big visuals in tight spaces. Whether you’re in a classroom, a boardroom, or setting up an impromptu home cinema, this ultra-short throw projector combines portability, powerful performance, and smart connectivity in one sleek package.

Set to hit the EMEA market in March 2025 at €699 (with optional battery and interactive kits available), it’s poised to make a big splash in both professional and educational environments. Keep your eyes peeled—this is one gadget that’s sure to redefine how we think about projectors.

Happy projecting!

Dell 27 Monitor S2718D – Stunning HDR Video with Tiny Bezels

A few weeks ago during a review of the Dell Latitude 7480 Notebook, I was also able to test and review the Dell S2718D 27” Inch QHD HDR Monitor and I was pleasantly surprised.

I tend to use a lot of graphics intensive software for editing aerial and tech review video and images. It’s very important that the equipment I use when producing this content displays colours correctly and due to the extended hours I spend in front of a computer screen, it’s important that I use high quality equipment to reduce eye strain and headaches.

Right from the start, it was plainly obvious that this screen was going to tick these boxes and more.

The monitor itself is ultra-thin in both depth and outer bezel, which uses Dell’s InfinityEdge technology, boasting a QHD 2560 x 1440 HDR screen with 1000:1 contrast and LED backlight technology. The LED backlights are what makes these screens so thin because rather than have a large dedicated backlight, instead each pixel is lit separately by very tiny LEDs, this makes for very bright and very very thin screens with excellent 178 degree viewing angles. The screen also uses IPS (or In-Plane Switching Technology) which is the same as found in most mobile phone and tablet screen.

Aside from the tiny bezels and super thin design, the killer feature of the screen is support for HDR or High Dynamic Range colour, which produces some of the finest results I have seen on a screen of this size. The results can be seen on HDR supported content of which there is now lots available on Amazon Video, Netflix and on dedicated YouTube channels. Seeing is really believing on when watch HDR video and it gives a more lifelike deeper colour production which can look fabulous.

Connectivity is provided in spades with Power connector, HDMI, USB Type C, Security-lock slot ,USB downstream and Audio line-out. This is more that enough for a desktop PC or as an additional screen for a laptop (which I used it for). The quality is superb and allows for flexibility and adjustment of the screen to be made easily.
The screen looks great and would happily sit alongside a PC or indeed an Apple device. Due to the very narrow InfinityEdge bezel, doubling up on monitors sitting next to each other would work very well indeed, with very little in the way of distracting black bars separating the two.

If you are looking to watch HDR movies or HDR games on your PC, this Dell monitor is a no brainer at a very reasonable £499 from your local electronics outlet or click the to the left to be redirected to Amazon.

Matt Porter
The Gadget Man