Epson is making it more affordable to own a home cinema projector. The brand’s home cinema line boasts budget-friendly prices without leaving out the features consumers expect. Two projectors in the line are the Epson Home Cinema 1080 and the 880. While at first glance the two models look similar but some differences can affect your decision.
The Epson Home Cinema 1080 does come out in front when you’re comparing image quality, ease of set up, and connectivity. Though the 880 home projector does have a lower price and comes with most of the same features.
When you’re trying to decide which one to bring home, it helps to compare the two projectors’ specifications side-by-side. You’ll get a better idea of which one best fits your needs.
Epson Home Cinema 1080 vs 880 Specifications:
Epson Home Cinema 1080 | Epson Home Cinema 880 | |
---|---|---|
Resolution | 1920x1080 | 1920x1080 |
Contrast Ratio | 16,000:1 | 16,000:1 |
Brightness (Lumens) | 3,400 | 3,300 |
Throw Distance | 2.7' - 22.2' | 2.2' - 34.0' |
Screen size | 30" - 300" | 25" - 386" |
Zoom | 1.2x manual zoom | fixed-zoom |
Internal Speakers | 2.0 Watts Mono | 2.0 Watts Mono |
Price | Bhphotovideo.com | Bhphotovideo.com |
There’s a lot to like about either projector but one may be better suited for you over the other.
Image Quality
Both Epson projectors come with 1080p resolution and a dynamic contrast ratio of 16,000:1. Onscreen images are vivid, with bright whites and rich blacks. The combination of 3LCD chips and color processing technology ensures colors are true-to-life without bleeding or fading.
The Epson Home Cinema 1080 does put out a slightly brighter picture with its 3,400 lumens rating. The 880 model boasts 3,300 lumens. It doesn’t seem like a big difference until you’re watching shows in ambient lighting.
Best Image Quality: Epson Home Cinema 1080
Ease of Installation and Set-Up
These are standard throw projectors so you’ll need some space to cast 100” images, around 8 – 10’. You may need a little more space with the 880 model, though it does comes with digital vertical and horizontal keystone correction so aligning onscreen images is a breeze. The 880 is also lighter in weight, making it a little easier to install and move around.
It is easier to fine-tune images on the 1080 home cinema projector, even though it’s lacking geometric correction. Along with 1.2x zoom, it also comes with manual focus. You’ll find it easier to bring details into focus with the 1080 from Epson.
Best Ease of Set-Up: Epson 880
Connectivity
If you can’t connect your external devices to the projector, there’s a problem. However, the Epson 880 projector comes with both HDMI and USB inputs. There’s also a 3.5mm output for audio, so you’re not stuck with the projector’s 5-watt speaker for sound.
With the Epson home cinema 1080, you have more ports to connect your devices. Along with 2 HDMI inputs, it also comes with a 15-pin input for computers and an RCA connection. You won’t have to disconnect devices when you want to use a different one.
Best Connectivity Options: Epson Home Cinema 1080
Epson Home Cinema 1080 Review
You get bright, immersive images with the Epson Home Cinema 1080 projector. It boasts a dynamic contrast ratio, 3,400 lumens rating, and 8-bit color processing technology. Colors are bold and true-to-life. You also won’t have any problems seeing onscreen images in ambient lighting.
It is a standard throw projector, but you still only need around 8 to 10-feet of space for 100” images. It is slightly heavy at 12 lbs., but it’s still a breeze to set up. Along with vertical digital keystone correction, it also comes with optical zoom so you can fine-tune onscreen images after they’re centered.
Along with Miracast support and Wi-Fi connectivity, the projector also comes with 5 video inputs and one for audio. You won’t have to disconnect one device to use another.
Pros
- Bright, vivid images
- Dynamic contrast ratio
- Plenty of inputs
- Flexible installation
- Accurate colors
Cons
- The 5-watt speaker is only slightly better than the ones in most smart TVs
- It’s heavier weight makes it awkward to move around
Epson Home Cinema 880 Review
If price is a concern but you still want amazing image quality, the 880 projector is worth taking a look at. You’ll enjoy brilliant, accurate colors with the 3LCD chip and 10-bit color processing technology. A dynamic contrast ratio of 16,000:1 provides bright whites, and deep blacks, even in ambient lighting.
It’s a lightweight projector at 6 lbs., making it easier to move around than other models. With 9’ of space, you can throw 100” images on the screen or blank wall. Geometric and digital keystone correction ensures that you won’t have any problems centering images on the screen.
Even though you can find projectors with more robust connectivity, you can still connect some external devices including speakers. You have an HDMI and USB port, along with an output for audio.
Pros
- Smooth frame-by-frame action
- Easy installation and set-up
- Bright images
- Crisp details
- Accurate colors
Cons
- The projector does not come with Wi-Fi connectivity
- The lack of multiple HDMI and USB ports can make it difficult to connect all your external devices
Conclusion
If price and an easy installation are important, the Epson 880 delivers. There’s also nothing to complain about image quality. However, the Epson Home Cinema 1080 projector does have better image quality, and you won’t have a problem finding ports for your external devices (>>> Check on Bhphotovideo).
Comparing the Epson Home Cinema 1080 vs the 880 projector, the 1080 model does offer more for a slightly higher price.