OEM250 vs. M2
Got a hold of the OEM250 micro projector 2 weeks ago and am here to do a comparison review with the previous M2 model by the same makers. I very much enjoyed the AAXA M2 micro projector from a few years back, so after some research I ventured out and bought the new AAXA OEM250. The OEM250 is a nifty little device that produces more lumens, better color saturation, and better build-quality for a cheaper price compared to the M2.
First off, let’s take a look at the basics. I don’t want to bore you with every single spec, so see bottom of this page for full spec sheets of both models.
I want to focus on some key differences for general use. Both models have all the typical bells and whistles that today’s micro or pico projectors should have (props to AAXA for having that even on the old M2 model!) Both support all major connections – VGA, HDMI, A/V, have 3.5 audio-out for external speakers (when the onboard speakers aren’t enough) and have direct play back abilities from USB and SD cards.
A great thing about both models is that they both have full HDMI ports, something that definitely comes in handy when in a pinch and no other cables are needed. One upgrade of the OEM250 is that it also has a full VGA port, something the M2 doesn’t have. That’s great for business use and classroom use since VGA is commonly prominent in those worlds, but personally the full HDMI is my main concern. HDMI is where everything is heading towards (if not already there.) Both models have ports that support A/V inputs and include the necessary cables in the box.
Now let’s look at the key features and main differences- lumens (and price!) The OEM250 as its name suggests out puts a maximum lumen of 250, and when on eco mode still 210 lumens, which is actually a great brightness for a device of this size and this price ($289 from the AAXA manufacture website directly.) It is much brighter than the previous M2 model ($379 through Google shopping), which has an advertised brightness of 110 lumens. Although to both models’ credit, they are great in both dark room AND bright room settings (people often forget that these so-called low-lumen-ranges are in fact very bright! Not compared to the bulky lamp based ones of course, but that’s another discussion.)
[top: OEM250 bottom: M2] As the picture shows, the OEM250 produces a much brighter picture vs. the M2.
The next big difference is color saturation. The OEM250 has a significant improvement on color reproduction. This is most likely due to the difference in brightness and also OEM250 uses DLP vs LCOS of the M2. (to find out more about DLP and LCOS see reference http://www.theprojectorpros.com/learn.php?s=learn&p=theater_front_projector )
[top: OEM250 bottom- M2]
[top: OEM250 bottom: M2] When comparing the two models side by side like this, it is clear that the OEM250 is able to produce a much better picture. The details, color, and edges are all more accurate.
Next key difference is resolution. Now while the OEM250’s native resolution is SVGA, and the M2 is XVGA, both support HD content up to 720p. What that means basically is I can watch all of my favorite shows either from download or streaming and will be able to enjoy great picture quality. Even though the M2 technically has higher resolution than the OEM250, the OEM250 produces a much better looking image/video in the end due to the brightness and better color reproduction.
Performance: picture and video comparison: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hM1R0JxpGQA
Full review: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dF9X1ScwwM
CONCLUSION
The OEM250 is a great upgrade from the M2. For a cheaper price ($289 vs $379), it produces superior picture quality due the higher brightness, better color saturation, and better detail reproduction compared to the M2. It has a slightly better connectivity board and better over-all build quality.
