How loud is a ViewSonic projector in Normal mode?
From 23 to 40dB, with the X100-4K LED model at the bottom and the LX60HD at the top. Most lasers and lamp models cluster between 30 and 33.
| Normal | Models, with ViewSonic's US price where shown |
|---|
| 23dB | X100-4K |
| 26dB | M1X, X11-4K |
| 30dB | LS711HD ($1,399.99) |
| 31dB | LX700-4K ($1,299.99), LS901-4K ($2,299.99), X1, X2, PX700HDH ($599.99), PX701HDH, PX703HDH |
| 32dB | LS740-4K ($1,799.99), LS710HD, LS751HD, PX701-4K ($979.99), X2000B-4K |
| 33dB | X2-4K, PX749-4K ($1,199.99), PX748-4K |
| 40dB | LX60HD ($299.99) |
Every one of these pages writes the unit as "dB". None says whether it is weighted. The PX706HD and PX747-4K print no Normal row, so they are missing here.
Eco mode runs from 20 to 30dB
The X100-4K prints the lowest Eco figure ViewSonic gives, 20dB. Among the picks the LS901-4K leads at 25dB, and the X2000B-4K laser TV is highest at 30.
| Eco | Models |
|---|
| 20dB | X100-4K |
| 24dB | LS711HD |
| 25dB | LS901-4K, M1X, X11-4K |
| 26dB | LX700-4K |
| 27dB | LS740-4K, X1, X2, PX700HDH, PX701HDH, PX703HDH, PX706HD |
| 28dB | PX701-4K, PX749-4K, PX748-4K |
| 29dB | LS710HD, LS751HD, X2-4K |
| 30dB | X2000B-4K |
The drop between modes varies. The LS901-4K falls 6dB from Normal to Eco, and so does the LS711HD, while the M1X and X11-4K fall by 1. The LX60HD prints no Eco row at all, and the PX747-4K's only figure, "27dB (Silence mode)", sits on its Eco row under a different mode name, which keeps it out of this list.
The US pages leave the noise row out
Why, ViewSonic does not say. Its US spec tabs group rows under headings such as Display, Audio and Power, and for most projectors no noise row appears, nor does one turn up in the datasheet PDFs generated from those pages. The same models on ViewSonic Global or ViewSonic Europe carry a full row, written "Audible Noise (Normal)" and "Audible Noise (Eco)". Those pages were used only where they name the exact model number on sale in the US, such as LX700-4K or LS901-4K.
Some regional rows differ from the US page on other specs, too. The X2-4K is rated "2,000 ANSI" lumens on the US page and "2900 (LED Lumens)" on the global one.
A regional figure is ViewSonic's printed number for that model, not a promise for each unit.
How loud is the ViewSonic PX701-4K fan?
32dB in Normal and 28dB in Eco. ViewSonic Global prints them as "Audible Noise (Normal): 32dB" and "Audible Noise (Eco) : 28dB", against 33dB and 28dB for the brighter PX749-4K and PX748-4K. All three are lamp projectors aimed at 4K gaming.
ViewSonic's US store had the PX701-4K at $979.99 and the PX749-4K at $1,199.99, both in stock. On Amazon the same day, both new listings showed a future date instead of stock, so neither became a pick.
Between the lamp 4K models, the PX701-4K prints 1dB less in Normal. The PX749-4K guide adds a Silence Mode, covered below, with no figure attached.
The LS711HD beats the LS710HD by 5dB in Eco
On ViewSonic's figures the LS711HD prints 30dB Normal and 24dB Eco, the LS710HD 32dB and 29dB. Both are 4,200 ANSI lumen 1080p lasers with a throw ratio near 0.49. The LS711HD lists one 15W speaker and 6.95 lb, the LS710HD two 15W speakers and 9.9 lb. On November 8 Amazon had the LS710HD new and in stock, but no new LS711HD.
That 5dB Eco gap is the widest between two otherwise similar ViewSonics here.
Anyone planning to run in Eco most evenings has a reason to wait for a new LS711HD.
Which ViewSonic short throw projector is quietest?
The X11-4K prints the lowest short throw figures, 26dB Normal and 25dB Eco, but its new Amazon listing was out of stock. The LS711HD follows at 30dB and 24dB. Neither could be bought new on Amazon, which leaves the LS710HD as the quietest short throw pick at 32dB and 29dB.
| Model | Throw | Normal | Eco |
|---|
| X11-4K | 0.8 | 26dB | 25dB |
| LS711HD | 0.496 | 30dB | 24dB |
| X2 | 0.69 to 0.83 | 31dB | 27dB |
| LS710HD | 0.49 | 32dB | 29dB |
| X2-4K | 0.69 to 0.83 | 33dB | 29dB |
| PX706HD | 0.69 to 0.83 | No row | 27dB |
The X2000B-4K, with a 0.22 throw, is ViewSonic's ultra short throw laser TV, at 32dB and 30dB. Other brands' short throw models are in our short throw projector guide.
Silence Mode trades 4K for a quieter fan
In the PX749-4K and X2-4K guides, Silence Mode is a picture setting that "Minimizes the acoustic noise". Both guides add that "When this mode is selected, XPR will be off (the projected image will be switched to 1080p resolution automatically)". XPR is the pixel shift that builds the 4K image. Quieter fan, no 4K. ViewSonic prints no dB figure for Silence Mode on either model.
Only the PX747-4K's spec row puts a number on it: "27dB (Silence mode)", printed on its Eco line on ViewSonic Europe's page.
How do I make a ViewSonic projector quieter?
Switch Light Source Mode from Normal to Eco or SuperEco+, which the PX749-4K guide says "decreases the fan noise". On ViewSonic's rows that move is worth 1 to 6dB depending on the model. The guide puts Eco at a 30% cut in light source power and SuperEco+ at 55%, and warns that with SuperEco+, "Eco Mode will be switched on for 10 minutes every 4 hours" to manage temperature.
Placement is the other lever. The guide asks for "at least 20“ (50 cm) clearance around the projector". High Altitude Mode, meant for 1,501 m to 3,000 m, "may cause more operating noise" because the fans speed up.
Below that altitude, leave it off.
Models with no figure, or no US page
ViewSonic's US store sells the X1-4KPro LED projector, and no noise figure for it turned up on the US, global or Europe pages. The PX706HD and PX747-4K print only an Eco row.
Some figures exist only for models with no US product page. ViewSonic Global lists the M10 portable, the PX704HD and the original X1-4K with noise rows, but none of the three could be found on ViewSonic's US site, so they stay off this page. The X1000-4K soundbar projector is labelled Discontinued on its US page, and smaller portables such as the M1 mini Plus and the second generation M1+ show no noise row on their US pages, with no regional page found for either.
