Dell 4350 Review - Sound and Conclusions Review

Dell 4350 – Sound Quality

Here, the 4350 is a mixed bag. On the downside, its built-in speakers don’t produce any bass, which can leave action sequences sounding harsh and unnatural. The maximum volume doesn’t feel appropriate for the scale of the images you’ll likely be watching either, and combines with a lack of speaker sensitivity to mean that some subtle details in a good movie mix will be lost.

On the other hand, the 4350 does a surprisingly decent job of projecting sound away from its bodywork, so that it actually appears to be coming from somewhere in the vicinity of the pictures. The speakers also never succumb to distracting distortions or cabinet rattles, and dialogue is always clear and passably “human” in tone.

Other Things to Consider

Although the tendency for shadow detail to go missing in dark scenes could be a problem for some video games – Alien: Isolation would be practically unplayable at times, for instance – the 4350’s brightness and sharpness combine with a decently low measured input lag of around 30ms to give it at least some credibility as a big-screen gaming option. Especially if you’re looking for a very bright image to use in a room containing ambient light.

When it comes to running noise, while the 4350 is by no means the quietest projector out there, it’s still quiet enough not to prove a distraction during a movie session when using the Eco and even Dynamic lamp modes. Even with the lamp running on Normal for a presentation, you’re unlikely to have to raise your voice to make yourself heard above the relatively minor increase in fan noise.

Should you buy a Dell 4350?

If you’re after a projector for presentations that’s bright enough to combat ambient light and able to reproduce small text and graphical details better than many others in this category, then the 4350 is worth considering.

However, it’s a touch expensive, and if you’re looking for a crossover projector for both movie and business duties then it doesn’t really make the grade.

Related: Home Cinema Product of the Year 2016

Verdict

The Dell 4350 makes its mark in a crowded data projector marketplace with its distinctive design and extreme brightness, as well as its ability to show small text and graphical details with unusual clarity. However, whether this amounts to quite enough to justify the £1,099 price is debatable -– especially since it’s found wanting as a movie machine.

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