BenQ headlines this as a ‘console gaming projector’, part of the company’s ‘X’ gaming series. It has specalised gaming features, yes, but it’s equally suited to more general entertainment, coming as it does with consumer 4K resolution, HDMI inputs, built-in speakers and even an Android TV stick to give it a smart streaming interface for standalone operation.
Despite its friendly operation and appearance, this is a serious projector. Pictures of the X3000i often don’t suggest its full size: it is 27cm wide and 20cm high, reaching back 26cm in depth.
This large cabinet gives it room to employ a 4LED light source, which adds a bonus blue/green LED to the previous 3LED ecosystem, thereby boosting brightness and colour luminance.
And it has the very latest in DLP projection technology, incorporating Texas Instruments’ DLP650TE, which has new larger flipping micromirrors in its four-flash delivery of Ultra High Definition.
So gamers may swoon for its bigscreen low-latency immersion, but we’re equally happy to load up a movie and kick back.
Android smarts
The X3000i is designed to work firing upwards from a table, or firing down from a ceiling mount, or conceivably situated upside down on a high shelf… though that would be a fairly deep shelf. Usefully all its controls and air vents are on the sides, so it could be ‘hush-boxed’ easily, not that it turned out to need hushing.
There are two UHD-capable HDMI inputs on the back of the X3000i, but also a hidden third input in the housing spaceterrestrial catch-up channels, plus Disney+, Stan, Prime (with a direct access button on the remote), Binge, Kayo, Paramount+, Apple TV, Tubi, and many more. The obvious omission is Netflix, not BenQ’s fault since Netflix has been slow at licensing its app for projector use (we’ve had several other projector companies tell us they are in similar discussions). Meanwhile the QS01 can support Netflix via the included Wireless Projection app from a Chrome browser on another device, or more easily and reliably simply by having something plugged in by HDMI.
