NEC offers a wide range of powerful laser projectors designed for demanding commercial applications. With decades of experience, NEC is a major player in the high-end projector market.
In this short overview, we’ll introduce two of NEC’s standout 4K-capable laser projectors—each built for different needs. These projectors come from NEC’s premium commercial lineup (excluding their Digital Cinema models), which includes 32 laser projectors in total—7 of which are for Digital Cinema. The majority support 4K resolution.
This article gives a quick look at what makes these two models unique, and highlights the kinds of applications they’re best suited for—both standard and specialized. You’ll also find links to more in-depth info along the way.
Pictured above are NEC’s PX1004UL (10,000 lumens, available in black or white) and the powerful PH3501QL (40,000 lumens, native 4K), shown on the right.
Before diving into these high-brightness projectors, it’s important to note: if you’re looking for something for a K–12 classroom or small meeting room, these models are overkill. But no worries—NEC has a full lineup of projectors perfect for education and smaller spaces. Plus, their Star Student program offers schools special pricing and extended warranties.
Let’s take a look at the 10,000-lumen PX1004UL.
With a list price just under $20,000, this projector is built for big spaces. Think medium to large auditoriums, control rooms, and most houses of worship—except maybe the biggest mega-churches. It’s also a great fit for corporate auditoriums, trade shows, rental and staging setups, and large museum exhibits
The PX1004UL is often mounted high up, like in museum spaces, and comes in either black or white to blend into different environments.
It supports a wide range of optional NEC lenses—eight in total—so you can place it at almost any distance and project onto nearly any screen size that suits its 10,000-lumen output. That makes it ideal not just for auditoriums, but also for larger digital signage setups.
This is a long-life laser projector with WUXGA resolution and 4K support. A standout feature: you can connect four PX1004UL units in a 2×2 configuration to create a single large native 4K image with built-in edge blending. No extra processing required—just big, bright visuals from one 4K source.
Need even more brightness? Stack two PX1004ULs to nearly double the output to 20,000 lumens. And at under 70 pounds each (not including the lens), they’re easy to mount in ceilings or trusses.
The PX1004UL is perfect for museum and signage displays. It can be rotated into portrait mode or tilted at different angles—thanks to its laser light source, which allows for flexible positioning. The laser light engine is rated for up to 20,000 hours, which is standard for projectors in this class.
For digital signage professionals, a big plus is that this projector supports the first industry-wide standard for option slots—making upgrades and integrations much easier.
Now meet the PH3501QL – NEC’s laser powerhouse.
This beast delivers an incredible 40,000 lumens—yes, you read that right. But brightness is just the beginning.
The PH3501QL is a native 4K (4096 x 2160) 3-chip DLP projector with breathtaking image quality. It supports HDR10, BT.2020, and the DCI-P3 color space, making it ideal for applications that demand top-tier visuals.
It includes all the features of the PX1004UL—lens flexibility, portrait mode, edge blending, and more—but adds advanced capabilities like:
DiCom Simulation for medical training, X-rays, and scientific imaging
Constant Brightness mode for uniform output over time
Whether you’re outfitting a concert venue, planetarium, or mega-church, the PH3501QL is built to impress.
40,000 lumens. Native 4K. 3-chip DLP. Advanced networking. This one’s top of the line.
Let’s talk about Constant Brightness—a key feature for multi-projector setups like museums, digital signage, and any big project that requires consistent image quality. It keeps the brightness level steady over time, instead of slowly fading like most projectors. So even when you’re using several projectors side by side, the image looks seamless—no patchy brightness, no visible edges.
Now mix that with native 4K, HDR, P3 color, and 3-chip DLP. You’re looking at one of the most advanced high-brightness projectors out there.
The PH3501QL is a beast.
With 40,000 lumens, it needs a 220–240V power source, and it weighs 373 pounds (169 kg). No surprise then, the list price is $149,999. But this is a serious machine for serious jobs—don’t expect to find it on Amazon. Talk to a professional AV integrator.
If you like what this projector can do but don’t need all 40,000 lumens, NEC offers similar models:
PH1202HL – 12,000 lumens – $43,299
PH2601QL – 30,000 lumens – $129,999
Where do you use something this powerful?
Think massive auditoriums, trade shows, concerts, simulators, or huge outdoor projections on the sides of buildings. This is the kind of projector used in places that need jaw-dropping visuals for large audiences.
You’ve just met two commercial-grade NEC laser projectors—one of the most affordable and one of the most powerful in the world. No matter your needs, NEC likely has a laser projector that fits. They offer 30 models, ranging from under $2,000 to the mighty $150,000, with brightness from 5,000 to 40,000 lumens.