BenQ - HT4550i

The TK710 has good color accuracy and is a excellent choice for all types of viewing. It is not primarily made for gaming. It is just really good with gaming. It is good at everything really. It does NOT have the level of color saturation as say their HT4550i, but that model costs a fair bit more. It will take some minor tweaking to get the most out of this model in a 'theater' space, but this model is one that I believe will be a GO TO first projector for a lot of buyers over the next couple of years. From 12' it can hit a 110" diagonal, so it should work fine for you. The grey screen will help overall as well. Thumbs up on this choice.

Heard, but black projectors are kinda... i won't say rare, but the options are definitely limited. I actually saved a couple grand and went for the HT4550i because it was a great PJ that was black and could be had more practically (for me).

Last year, I set up a projector in my basement using a 110 inch screen. I first tried the BenQ 3560 and it was OK for its price, but I wanted better. So I went ahead and picked up the BenQ 4550i. While it was brighter then the 3560 and colors were a little better, the contrast was better then the 3560 but still meh. So, I then picked up the epson 5050ub because of all the fantastic reviews. Well, the Epson 5050ub crushed the other 2 projectors in CONTRAST. While, even the BenQ 4550i looked like mud in space scenes and any dark scene. The epson is brighter in HDR, and the black floor as well as blacks are just so much better. Maybe the DL] with 4k pixel shift was a little sharper and the 4550i had slightly better color in HDR BUT it doesnt matter because the epaon 5050ub 3lcd was much better in where it really counts. I would get a 5050ub if you can snag one for cheap. I sent all the other projectors back and I kept the epson.

That’s good news. The w4000i has very good contrast for a DLP. Not the deepest black levels but the HDR tone mapping does a lot of work— this is actually the first projector besides a JVC I would consider viable for HDR. Where did you see these two back to back?

The X500i has ridiculously good contrast. It’s the 4K version of the HT2060/TH690ST— while I never reviewed the 500 I did review the two 1080p models and both approach 2000:1 native FOFO. This is largely thanks to a deep black level that I’ve never seen any other DLP match. The flip side of these models is they are not especially bright. 100” is probably as large as I would recommend. 120” if you have a man cave. I doubt any other DLP will have as good of contrast as the X500. That said, I have an HT4550i (w4000i) as well and while it’s black level isn’t as good it’s over all presentation is arguably superior. It’s much, much brighter which enhances the dynamic range and lends a lot of authenticity to HDR content. My hope is the w2720i would be a ‘baby brother’ w4000i…

Not expecting the replacement w4100i until sometime later in the year. It’s a shame the 4550i was a killer projector and one of the few home theater options at its price point. But it seems there were foundational issues with this model— my reviewer sample got the dreaded gray screen of death after a time. If you’re stateside the w2720i is just launching. Review samples are going out now and so you should see a lot more info posted soon. I’ll be reviewing this unit myself over the next couple weeks.

DLP projectors often overstate their lumen specs and Optoma tends to be especially egregious about this. I’d honestly be surprised if that 4500 lumen Optoma was putting out more than 2000 real ANSI lumens in any mode you’d actually want to watch. I’m also dubious the lamp is the issue. You say it’s acting wonky? What’s wonky? I’ve had several lamp based projectors and, yes, the lamps do go bad but they are fairly easily replaced. All that said: I really DO like DLP especially for outdoor applications. You don’t have to worry about filters or dirt getting into the light path. They are comparably compact and efficient. Lastly, there is such a wide variety of DLP make/models out there that almost everyone can find something to fit their needs. I also really like the idea of solid state. While lamp has a cost advantage we’re at the point where LED and laser projectors are getting reasonably priced and offer a substantial upgrade in terms of longevity and picture quality. The Epson you picked out seems to be a nice model for high brightness applications. But like AV said: these high brightness, business use models tend to have a reputation for pretty mediocre contrast/blacks. That extends to both 3LCD and DLP but a comparable price/performance DLP like the $1300, 1080p BenQ LH730 would probably do a bit better here and be sharper to boot. I run a projector outside on a 120” Elite screens yardmaster. But I prefer to stick with 4K these days. If I’m traveling I take a BenQ TK700STI which is a 3000 lumen (but not really) short throw, lamp based, gaming projector. I love that thing for how compact and convenient it is and how you can throw a big image without needing a lot of space. Built in wifi streaming and Bluetooth audio out in a package that weighs less than 7 lbs. At home my upstairs sometimes outdoor projector is a BenQ X3000i (replaced with the X3100i now in BenQ’s lineup). That projector is even brighter and a lot more colorful and has the benefit of LED so no lamp to fuss with. But at 15lbs and requiring more throw I wouldn’t exactly call it portable. For reference my home theater projector was a BenQ HT4550i, then an Epson 5050UB (temporarily) and I’m now using a BenQ W2720i in that space.

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.

I have the HT4550i and I'm already on the 3rd failed unit. Serious manufacturing flaw. I heard they're manufacturing an updated version.

Yes, it was the same failure. The BenQ logo comes up and then it goes black screen. No way to power it down other than unplugging it.

Has anyone seen the same brightness-fluctuation/won't power down issue on the TK710STi that's present on the HT4550i? ([This post](https://www.reddit.com/r/projectors/comments/1hkezdv/do_projectors_reduce_brightness_if_they_get_too/) seems to be evidence of it.) My HT4550i's severe issues are driving me *nuts* and I'm putting feelers out for potential medium-throw (120" at 10.5') replacements which are going to actually do the thing I paid for. Not particularly interested in "lifestyle" projectors with their lack of lens shift and weird mounting.

> Their led projectors tend to be a little too dim My HT4550i/W4000i is ridiculously bright. (Do not buy--the model is fatally flawed! Its basically-identical successor, the W4100i, has already been released in Europe) > the 700 sti > I've noticed the company puts out projectors in the 80%-90% range Isn't the 700STi technically a golf simulator "gaming" projector? Of course its color gamut and accuracy are garbage, LOL.  The W4000i and W4100i are 100% DCI-P3. It does look like the lower-priced W2720i is only 90% DCI-P3, but I bet it looks subjectively better for movies than that one. A lot of people aren't interested in "lifestyle" projectors, with their funky-to-non-existent ceiling mounting capability, little-to-no lens shift, and not always playing nice with universal remotes--even if they do have a nice _picture_.

FWIW, LED light engines also produce a ridiculous amount of brightness. I upgraded to the HT4550i (with the benefit of hindsight, overkill, I’d advise for people to get a less expensive one), and we now tend to watch with lights on quite a bit because it’s working well enough.

FWIW, I upgraded from the HT2050a to a HT4550, and while picture quality is fantastic, the upgrade wasn’t really worth the price of admission. By necessity, viewers will sit far enough from the screen for a 1080p picture to be almost as good as the 4k one, and most modern media (movies as well as game consoles) have bitrates that don’t take full advantage of 4k.

Looks great. Got a mate with benq 4K projector and The feeling playing at 130 inch screen is amazing. This nebula projector looks even better. Enjoy!

I would go projector without a question. I have a BenQ 4k model and 120" screen and the movie watching is so much better.

Yes, still have the TV behind the drop down screen. Don't know why, barely use it since the projector has been in. Hard to go back from full immersive experience. BenQ 4K (few years old now, get many hours of each globe).