Best BenQ W500 Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals & Sales 2020:

BenQ launches its first tri-LCD projector, the W500. This home theater oriented product, with a resolution of 1280×720 pixels (720p), contrasts with the DLP tradition of the manufacturer. No specific reason was mentioned for this change other than the desire to respond to requests from certain users (BenQ, however, clarified the continuity of the DLP product line). Did the rainbow effects, sometimes visible, get the better of the builder?

For technical reasons, the implementation of lens shift is difficult, and therefore expensive, for projectors based on DLP technology. This is the reason why this functionality was absent from the manufacturer’s previous 720p model, the PE-7700 . However, thanks to the arrival of the tri-LCD, the manufacturer was able to change its line of sight and integrate this much appreciated functionality. 

Instead of the two knobs commonly present for positioning the image on the wall, there is a joystickmuch more practical (see box). In the end, the ergonomics of the product is clearly improved compared to the PE7700. Missing a second, or even a third digital input and a more powerful zoom (difference between the largest and the smallest image possible from the same projection distance). The remote control has many shortcuts, it is also backlit. We also enjoyed the projector menu. Indeed, it is possible to play on its transparency which is very practical for making image adjustments.

Best BenQ W500 Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals & Sales 2020

1. BenQ W500 720p Home Entertainment Projector , White

2. BenQ HT3550 4K Home Theater Projector with HDR10 and HLG | 95% DCI-P3 and 100% Rec.709 for Accurate Colors. Dynamic Iris for Enhanced Darker Contrast Scenes | Stream Netflix and Prime Video

3. BenQ TH585 1080p Home Entertainment Projector | 3500 Lumens | High Contrast Ratio for Darker Blacks | Loud 10W Speaker | Low Input Lag for Gaming | Stream Netflix & Prime Video

4. BenQ HT2150ST 1080P Short Throw Projector | 2200 Lumens | 96% Rec.709 for Accurate Colors. Low Input Lag Ideal for Gaming | Stream Netflix & Prime Video,White

5. BenQ MS535A 1080p Supported SVGA 3600 Lumens HDMI Vibrant DLP Color Projector for Home and Office

Does the change in technology have an impact on the images projected?

Yes, clearly. First of all, we are safe from the effects of rainbow. It is very significant if you are sensitive to this phenomenon. If you are not, DLP technology has advantages like deeper blacks and a higher level of contrast. Here, however, the blacks compete in depth and are equivalent to those of Optoma’s PE-7700 and HD73 (two DLP projectors). So good news! The level of detail in black is also very convincing. On the other hand, and this is where it spoils, the lightest blue and red tones saturate quite quickly. On the screen, this results in a visible swarming on the light gradients (typically in the sky) linked to these two colors.

The ideal projection is of course to have an HD turntable. The image of “Casino Royal” in Blu-Ray, played with the Samsung BD-P1000 , is breathtaking. The only criticism to be made is, as indicated in the previous paragraph, the swarming which is particularly visible in blue tones. With a DVD, the picture is less impressive. Scaling Constantine from a 480p source is fine, but nothing more. We have seen much better.

Finally, the use in office automation did not convince us. It is indeed very difficult to take stock and to have the entirety of the clear image. If you focus on the sharpness of a corner, you will quickly realize that the one located opposite … is no longer. It’s frustrating and I even came to wonder about my visual skills!

STRONG POINTS

  • Joystick for the lens shift
  • Transparent menu
  • Good depth of black
  • 2 YUV and 1 HDMI

WEAK POINTS

  • Tingling blue and red tones
  • 1 single HDMI
  • Low power zoom
  • Difficult to take stock

CONCLUSION

You will not be disappointed with the W500. Good connectivity, good color consistency. It remains however too average and does not distinguish itself sufficiently from its competitors to get out of the game.

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