BenQ - HT2060

BenQ HT2060 is the best under $1,000 that I know of. Super reliable, good contrast, decent brightness. Keep in mind, projectors are light additive. So, if you are already putting light into a room, you are significantly impacting the on-screen image quality. Seriously hurting contrast. That's physics. In the dark, the HT2060 looks really good at 100 to 140 inches diagonal.

The BenQ HT2060 is where I would spend my money at $1,000 or so. They have refurbs for under $1,000 on the BenQ site that may be worth picking up as they look out of stock elsewhere or over $1,000 which makes less sense. Creative frame interpolation (CFI) which can create the soap opera effect, is typically adjustable on any model which offers it. This isn't a uncommon feature, but has always had some adjustment to it, from OFF to multiple levels on different projectors, regardless of price. Since it can be defeated on every projector I've used, I wouldn't worry a whole lot about it. But, you aren't getting a super high-end projector at $1,000, and the HT2060 delivers the best image for the money in my experience.

The BenQ 1080p models tend to be very reliable and look quite good at the price point. They are a fair bit brighter than much of the LED 'portable' competition that is out there that may be similarly priced, like XGimi or JMGO. But, they are lamp based. I might seriously consider the JMGO N1 if available. Not as bright, but a solid state light source and good image quality. 500 lumens in a dark room can handle 110" diagonal just fine. I have been testing with the LG Cinebeam Q recently (about 500 lumens) and it works well on my 110" screen.

The W1090 is similar to the HT2060, but no lens shift and a color wheel and lamp instead of a solid state light source. It's a beast. Really solid for home theater use and a proper RGB/RGB color wheel. If it is in good operational condition, then anything under about $250 is a reasonable price and in good shape, it could last you 10+ years, though you will need to obtain a replacement quality lamp or two.

I was sure I saw this question elsewhere... yup! AVS. Here is a copy and paste of my answer from there... A sale BenQ HT2060 would be what I would strive for. It will deliver the best 1080p image quality you can hope for right now. I'm concerned that you think HDMI is some sort of issue. It's not. It is the standard that consumer electronics have been using for years. Some PC monitors which use DisplayPort don't have the latest and greatest HDMI ports on them, but if you're just looking for 1080p video, then any decent projector can handle that just fine at 60hz. The XGimi Halo+ is 'okay' at best. You are paying for the compact size above all else. It uses a smaller DLP chip than a full sized projector and it is only 700 lumens compared to around 1,400 calibrated lumens from the HT2060. Even in low power mode, the HT2060 will be a good deal brighter than the XGimi, and have better contrast/image quality. It's a bit over budget, but well worth it to get the 2060.

There is no difference between a 4:3 projector and a 16:9 projector when they are digital. The pixels are put up filling up the available space, and can maintain the proper aspect ratio. So, if you feed a 16:9 projector a 4:3 image, it will appear as 4:3. A projector like the BenQ W1070, or similar with the proper inputs on it are the way to go. DLP with decent input lag times is a plus. BenQ maintained analog inputs on their projector up to the HT2050a. Their newest HT2060 ditched composite video and is HDMI only. Retro gaming is always a passion more than anything else as those games were definitely designed to be used with analog displays, so the same impact you get using a LCD monitor or TV, will be what happens when using a digital projector.

Being realistic, you are going to have problems dealing with any ambient light in the room with the price point you are at. A model like the Nexigo Trivision Ultra is more in line with where you would want to be, or a BenQ HT2060. The XGimi Horizon is a nice model, but isn't super bright and will need a dark room to operate the best. With ambient light, you will have a very low contrast ratio. You want to be aware of the throw distance as well.. [https://www.projectorcentral.com/XGIMI-Horizon-projection-calculator-pro.htm](https://www.projectorcentral.com/XGIMI-Horizon-projection-calculator-pro.htm)

The BenQ HT2060 is the newer version of the HT2050a, and is the best looking 1080p projector on the market. It is bright, and has a sharp image. It's great for home theater. The Hisense C1 is nice, but it has no zoom, so you must be very careful about how you place it in your room.

The TH575 is one of the cheapest decent models out there. It is 'entry level quality'. It's not a great home theater model by a long shot. The HT2060 is significantly better than the TH575. You do want to be sure about projector placement and image size as that may change what you can consider tremendously.

Rarely do projectors of quality go on a great sale on holidays. It's just not that common. These cheap models tend to be somewhat size limited because their brightness isn't that great. They can be fine at 100" to maybe 120" diagonal, but beyond that, their low brightness tends to be insufficient. Better quality projectors, like those using DLP technology, tend to cost more overall and not necessarily deliver better image quality or brightness compared to the single LCD options out there. One thing The Hook Up really doesn't stress enough is that single LCD projectors tend to come from a lot of no-name manufacturers and have very poor support. So, if you have an issue, you live with it. Period. If it breaks, good luck on the warranty. Some may help you out, others will not. Sucks to be you. Plenty of posts in this group from people turning to the Internet to solve their problem with the HY300 projector (or similar) because the manufacturer won't help them out. The single LCD models are likely to have better contrast, and will generally be brighter as is measured in the videos by The Hook Up. But, I wouldn't spend more than about $250 on any no-name single chip LCD projector. Instead, I'd go to the used market and get a BenQ W1070 (10+ years old now) which will likely last longer and be brighter. Or, some other 1080p home theater designed DLP projector of quality. Of course, those models use lamps, and may not be what you are after, but we haven't seen 1080p DLP projectors which are properly bright drop below $500 from what I've seen. None of the laser/led ones either. A shame really. The best looking projector, under $1,000, with outstanding build quality, good contrast, and solid brightness, is the BenQ HT2060. Which now has jumped above $1,200 for a new model in the USA. But, refurbs can be had for around $800. IMO, the way to go if you can swing it. [https://electronics.woot.com/offers/benq-ht2060-1080p-hdr-home-theater-led-projector-factory-reconditioned-2](https://electronics.woot.com/offers/benq-ht2060-1080p-hdr-home-theater-led-projector-factory-reconditioned-2)

The HT2060 has better color rendition, better black levels, and is designed for being a quality 1080p model for home theater use. The TH575 is a decent entry level model, but has a higher chance of RBE due to a slower color wheel speed, and won't have the same color saturation or contrast. That ignores the LED vs. lamp issue completely. The HT2060 is not just a LED version of the TH575. It's a significant step up in overall quality.

Be aware that Bluetooth is laggy and may introduce lip sync issues. Beyond that, I'd get a BenQ HT2060 and a Silver Ticket screen. Plug in a Firestick as the source as it has integrated Bluetooth which can help reduce audio latency.

I recently bought the HT2060 to replace a W1070. The extra brightness and the quality of the image from the LED rather than bulb, mean the picture is even better than the 1070 (great though that was for its price though). Contrast is really good. The near silent operation on smart-eco makes a big difference to me because the unit is close to me and I watch a lot of content with no music/sound. My 1070 was getting a distractedly noisy. The much quicker on/off is a noticeable upgrade and no I have no bulbs to swap out and it accepts 4k content. I watch 120 inches from 10 feet and am often amazed how good the image looks (1.2 gain grey screen in 90% dark) and have tried a 4k projector (Epson 4010) and really had a hard time discerning 4k from 1080p, though your milage may vary on that, of course. Correct throw distance meant a quick swap over. Spent $1050CAD plus tax.

HT2060.   Not 4k but will look better than whatever wang Chung claimed  4K thing you get off Amazon. 

if you can extend the budget a tiny bit i'd recommend the refurbished benq ht2060 for $830

I think the led and laser models are best for ease of use and longevity. Benq has some of the cheaper ones: the ht2060 is 1080p but seems pretty solid and the cheapest option id go for. The x3100i (i have an older model of this one, lots of hours no issues yet) and the x500 are the two that are a step up. There is a laser one too I think that is between those but I don’t remember the model off the top of my head. Whatever you do make sure it fits your intended space, these models have limited image adjustment and keystone takes away a lot of the positives of these models. I also recommend a quality seller NOT amazon just in case you do need to deal with replacement/warranty stuff. A dedicated projector site will help you compare models easier too.

I went with the 1080p Benq Ht2060 because the better black levels, contrast, and color. It’s also LED and not lamp based. The 3550 was one I was contemplating over, but I’ve heard it’s not as good as the 2060 at the things I mentioned. I’ve seen videos of the 3550 and in a light controlled room it looked pretty great for the price. I think you’d be happy with it.

refurbished Benq HT2060 and a 120" Silver Ticket screen

The 2060 is very similar to the 2050 but doesn’t need bumbs and has hdr and will accept 4k input (I believe). Both are very good. The 3550 has 4k pixels. It’s not as bright so only good to 120” in a dim room. All three are solid options

See if you can get a Benq HT2060. It is a LED model with with 500,000:1 contrast. LED are rated for 20,000 hours regular and 30,000 hours on ECO. My room is blacked out so I run at ECO mode at 40% brightness.

I just went through this when my Optoma HD29Darbee that just gave up the ghost. I bought the Benq HT2060 and if I didn't know better, I would suspect it is 4K when it is not. I find that the color and the contrast make all the difference. I sit at 4.2 meters and also project onto a white wall at 130" image. The blacks are amazing and considering most of my source material is only 1080P then I didn't see the reason to upgrade to 4K. The HT2060 has LED light source and is rated for 20K to 30K hours of service. In other words longer than the projector will last.

Went from w1070 to HT2060 - try it, it's a huge upgrade

r/budgetprojectors It's pretty commonly accepted here that you're looking to drop $1000 USD at least for a new 1080p projector but if you're looking spend even less budgetprojectors should be able to help you. 50% off 4500€ should easily accommodate something like a Hisense C2 Ultra and a basic 100" screen. 75% off 4500€ would bring you down to a BenQ HT2060 and a basic 100" screen. What are you looking for in a projector? Resolution? Do you need an ultra short throw or is there space to accomodate a short or even standard throw projector?

Ht2060 would be my choice.

if you can get benq ht2060 get is even fore extra 200$

It kills me BenQ never released a standard throw version of the x500i. That model has better contrast/blacks than the vast majority of DLPs outside some of the new triple laser USTs (for whatever reason USTs perform well above their more conventional siblings in this area). I feel your pain. Am anxiously awaiting the W2720i to see what BenQ has done with it but I have concerns about the move back to .47” from .65” especially with their 4LED light engine. All their models so far have used the .65 to good effect. It feels a bit like the availability of affordable 98/100” flat panels has killed the middle market of home theater projectors. The X3000/X3100i (I reviewed the 3000 way back) are very bright, decent contrast— at the time I reviewed the 3000i I remarked on it’s contrast but that was when the average lamp based RGBW 4k DLP was doing around 1000:1 with poor color and around half that with accurate color. The 1100:1 of the X3000i WITH its awesome color when combined with its fantastic lumen output was a revelation. Then came along the HT2060/TH690ST. (Another model I reviewed— you can find over at AVS) Both 1080p models. Both significantly dimmer than the X3000/3100. But both with WAY better contrast/blacks. I measured the HT2060 over 1900:1 depending on picture mode. I’m still using an HT2060 in my basement home theater and prefer it for PS5 games. The contrast is simply better than everything below the UB Epsons. Despite the ability to accept 4K/HDR I run the 2060 as an Hd/rec709 unit. Then BenQ dropped the Ht4550i (W4000i). Reliability issues aside this is still my favorite DLP that has ever been released. I wept quietly when mine bit the dust a couple months ago. Contrast was a small bump over yhe X3000i (around 1300:1) but a variety of picture enhancements including the first usable application of their smarteco dimming feature, a clever ‘local contrast’ enhancer and hands down the best HDR tone mapping I’ve seen this side of a JVC— elevated it well beyond the X3000i IMO. For Bluray I would still pick the HT2060 for it’s deeper blacks but for all things 4K the 4550i was simply the best I’ve seen at it’s price especially if you could use it’s prodigious light output. Seriously this model pairs well with screen 120-150 inches. I never reviewed the X500i but every article I read seems to indicate it pairs the contrast/blacks of the HT2060/TH690ST with the HDR tone mapping of the 4550i. That’s a winner in my book. But apparently not in BenQ’s— they slapped the X ‘gamer’ label on it, equipped it with a Short throw lens and sold it as a gaming projector. Remember how I said large TVs were killing mid range home theater projectors? The X500i as well as the similar Viewsonic X series models are my chalk outline. These SHOULD have longer lenses and SHOULD be sold as bargain HT models with premium performance. But the manufacturers didnmt have faith faith to position them to the HT crowd who, they must assume, have either moved WAY up market or have given up and bought large flat panels. Pisses me off. I want a solid state 4K projector with good contrast, good HDR tone mapping and a little bit of flexibility in the lens (1.3X zoom and a 10% vertical lens shift is perfect). I don’t need a ton of lumens as I have a blacked out room. I want to pay around $2K. The X500i would be perfect with a different lens. I love love love love the 4550i but it’s $3000 and overkill for my 100” screen. The X3100i is nice— but I want better contrast/blacks. Epson has abandoned this price category and is still hawking the aging lamp based 3800 and the hilariously old 4010. Optoma has nothing in the range. Sony long ago abandoned the mid/low price tiers. JVC was never there. It sucks. It really does feel I’m being pushed to buy a big Tv. And then there’s the w2720i. Super curious on this one as it might determine my next display purchase and if I abandon front projection in the cinema.

It's hard enough to figure out the right projector that fulfills all my needs, has enough lumens to provide HDR on a 150 inch screen and has the correct throw ratio without heavily relying on magnification or key stone, but I'm also not exactly sure what lumens should I be aiming for on a square foot basis. Should I calibrate the projector putting out only a certain fraction of it's advertised ansi lumens? So many projectors are advertised at a certain lumen amount, but that amount either isn't true or only represents a maxed out brightness which no one would realistically use because it washes out the image so much. I helped my mom purchase a BenQ ht2060 for a 150 inch screen I setup for her, and it looks pretty good, but probably not bright enough for my tastes if I'm being honest. And unfortunately based on where I was able to mount the projector, it's really only able to make a screen about 145 inches. So what am I aiming for in a light controlled room in terms of fL per square foot? I looked into the Epson Home Cinema 3800 and it looks to be pretty close to what I need, but when I entered the parameters into projector central's calculator, it showed me having to use the maximum wide angle magnification at 1.63x and showed fL to be about 31 or 34 fL with the screen that I have, which is 1.1 gain. Which was in the range recommended for a high ambient light environment. Does this mean in the complete dark it will be too bright and the image will look suboptimal? Should I be aiming for a specific lower fL amount? Or is the advertised lumens only a 'max' and maybe the suggested calibrated amount would be more in line with what I need for a screen size at that distance? Any advice, or perhaps other projector recommendations would be appreciated! Edit: I'd prefer the projector be 4k or at least 1080p x2 which is what I believe some projectors do to try to approximate 4k (which I hear actually looks pretty good. Edit #2: Furthest back I can put the projector is about 15 feet from the screen. That's accounting for about a foot of space between the front lens and the wall. I'm also intending to use the projector for movies / gaming. Thank you!

Ht2060 can be had for $1050CAD, probably best value and quality for games and movies (better blacks than x3000)equally at that price if you are ok with 1080. Seems like a good step up from a $300 unit, and allows you to maybe upgrade in a few years again to a 3-5k unit which will have 4K and better contrast / blacks.

Better to save a bit more and get something a bit higher quality, such as an open or refurbished BenQ HT2060 or similar than to buy some cheap Chinese projector, which is pretty much all you’ll find under $400 brand new. You definitely won’t find anything with a higher refresh rate. These cheaper projectors are plagued with issues like chromatic aberration, ghosting, poor build quality, fake 4K, etc.

I can vouch for the Benq HT2060. 150 inches of glorious picture and no bulb to ever replace. Got it direct from Benq for 819 new with free shipping. VERY satisfied!

I'm certainly no expert, but I just got the Benq ht2060, and I'm loving it. My optoma uhd50 bulb projector died, and I'm loving the laser projection on my new unit. It lives in a dedicated home theater room to control the light, but even with the lights on it seems better than my optoma. Not sure what the price difference is, but I'd highly recommend laser over bulb if you can swing it.

I would say I would look more for a projector that has better contrast ratio and lumens even if it’s 1080p than a 4k projector since some of those 4k projectors might have more resolution but bad contrast ratio that make ur blacks look more gray. Best to have better contrast ratio than resolution. I have the BenQ HT2060 that’s 1080p with HDR at contrast ratio of 500:000.1 and a similar set up on the wall. With 4K images that downscales to 1080 it’s really sharp and make you think it’s 4k. I put the 1080p version of the film and u can notice the difference in resolution due to the downscaling with 4k discs. The blacks on the projector look great. So if ur happy with the resolution and blacks on ur projector. Then keep it but if not then start looking.

I went from cheaper 70inch 4k Samsung to benq 1080p projector I purchased on eBay. Even though the resolution isn’t as good I prefer the projector by a long shot. I love it

I’ve a benq 1080p short thought and it’s solid