BenQ - X3000i

Literally my journey. Cheap Amazon projector as an emergency display while on the road. Lasted us a year and change at home. When the filter burned through upgraded to a BenQ 4K setup. No way my wife would have been interested in the cost for the system without testing a cheap version first.

Benq x3000i. Iirc there's a newer model too.

I have an x3000i which is pretty similar to the x3100i. I like it a lot and it’s great for gaming if you’re into that. The one thing I wish it had was a physical lens shift instead of solely relying on keystoning. It can make the install and alignment process a bit more of a hassle. Although don’t be too intimidated by that if it’s just going to sit in one place, I’m not handy at all and figured it out.

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!

Check out the x3000i models there really sweet picked one up last year had been amazing.

One thing I would add is to make sure your room has the dimensions necessary to support the throw distance of the projector. To run a X500i in my setup, it would have to be floating in the middle of the room; my X3000i, however, sits comfortably behind my couch.

I’m rocking a BenQ x3000i and it’s mesmerizing. Super bright, fantastic colors, no latency — I could never go back to a panel TV. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was life-changing on this thing — even more so than the game is on its own.

I bought a refurbished x3000i for $1200 recently. Its fantastic albeit a bit bulky. If you'd like I can share some images or videos later. https://preview.redd.it/19q7q7ahr47f1.png?width=2147&format=png&auto=webp&s=d2c4f87e013e5c3a8f0a60ad75c7f1e141d5c383

I did make the switch! 120" projecting on the wall. I use a BenQ x3000i. It has a solid state light source, so I can use it all the time without burning bulbs. I have a small space, but I just like a big picture for various reasons.

Had my BenQ 500i since release. Used almost daily. 60fps 4k and 120 at 1440. Great for single player games. Input lag is not an issue. No issues with the Doom games. I can't even hear fan noise from it. I have a light controlled room and don't have issues with that. If you want larger than 120" screen may have to look at 3000i ben q recommend.

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.