BenQ W2710i

Verdict

Sensational sharpness, color and distinction for the cash makes the W2710i a worthy successor to considered one of BenQ’s most profitable fashions.

Introduction

BenQ’s W2700 projector grew to become one thing of a basic mannequin on its launch, because of its mixture of ‘severe’ residence cinema footage, good connectivity and an inexpensive mid-range value.

That W2700 launch was method again in 2019. So even when I assume that BenQ took a ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t repair it’ method to the W2700. it’s honest to say a successor is lengthy overdue.

Fortunately, that successor is lastly right here within the W2710i. However is that this only a revamp for revamping’s sake, or does it deliver one thing new to the mid-range projector social gathering?

The BenQ W2710i arrived within the UK in early Could 2023, hitting these shores a number of weeks sooner than its US equal, the HT3560i. It should ultimately be broadly accessible globally below one mannequin title or one other, although.

Pricing is £1,699 / $1,699, which locations it firmly in decrease mid-price territory for a projector able to enjoying 4K HDR sources. It’s barely costlier than its predecessor, however in addition to this being an inevitable results of current financial occasions, the ‘i’ bit on the finish of its title alerts to the truth that the model I’m testing ships with an HDMI dongle that introduces an Android TV sensible system to the projector’s characteristic set.

Should you would somewhat simply have the projector with out the smarts, you may get a W2710 (with out the i) for £100 much less.

Design

• Hidden sensible adaptor bay
• Crisp white and gray end
• Properly rounded form fits residing rooms

For probably the most half, the W2710i follows the identical residing room-friendly design template BenQ has used for a few years now. It combines a fairly compact rectangular design that ought to match comfortably onto virtually any espresso or aspect desk with soothingly rounded edges and a crisp white end for its prime and sides. This largely white end is then offset by a tasteful gray for its rear and entrance edges.

The W2710i’s lens is offset to the projector’s proper aspect as you have a look at it, and there’s a sliding cowl over a small window on the highest edge that gives entry to easy rotating zoom and focus changes, in addition to a wheel to shift the picture vertically up or down.

The highest edge performs host to a easy collection of management buttons, whereas the underside edge options three screw-down toes that will help you angle the picture accurately onto a display or wall, although I actually would advocate a display for a projector as proficient as this.

The W2710i’s distant management is a big, white affair with moderately spacious buttons. The buttons are crisply and helpfully backlit too.

Options

• DLP-based 4K HDR playback
• Constructed-in sensible system
• 2,200 Lumens peak brightness

The W2710i joins its predecessor in assist for 4K and excessive dynamic vary (HDR). Some will quibble over the 4K designation on condition that, as with all residence DLP-type projectors, the W2710i doesn’t provide a full 3840 x 2160 set of mirrors, as a substitute ‘flashing’ the mirrors a number of occasions a body to generate the impression of a 4K expertise.

The US’s principal client electronics requirements physique, the CTA, is content material to contemplate this method native 4K, and the W2710i’s efficiency makes a really sturdy case for it delivering the actual 4K deal.

The W2710i additionally joins its predecessor in benefitting from BenQ’s CinematicColor system, which mixes waveform evaluation with particular color wheel supplies and at-factory calibrations to ship correct footage proper out of the field.
The W2710i is claimed to cowl 95% of the DCI-P3 digital cinema color vary, and a full 100% of the SDR Rec 709 spectrum.

Regardless of 3D sources being laborious to seek out, the W2710i continues to assist 3D playback (supplied you kind your self out with the required glasses). It additionally follows its predecessor in utilizing a dynamic iris to reinforce distinction and attempt to ship a superior HDR efficiency courtesy of BenQ’s HDR Professional expertise.

This makes use of dynamic tone mapping – one thing certainly not a given within the mid-range 4K projector market – to try to regularly optimise an HDR supply in order that it’s all the time getting the utmost profit from the projector’s capabilities.

The most recent HDR Professional system introduces a few key new options, beginning with Native Distinction Enhancement. This divides the image up into greater than 1000 zones, the content material of every is analysed earlier than having its gamma independently optimized. That is nonetheless a far cry from the kind of native mild controls discovered on premium TVs, but when it really works something like in addition to the considerably related (on paper, anyway) system Sony makes use of on its newest SXRD projectors, it might give the W2710i a transparent HDR edge over its rivals.

The opposite massive HDR advance is the HDR10+ format, the place further scene-by-scene image info is added to the video stream to assist suitable shows ship extra correct (and often extra dynamic) outcomes. BenQ’s widened HDR horizons don’t prolong to Dolby Imaginative and prescient, however that’s true of virtually each different projector.

The W2710i additionally ups its recreation over its predecessor by rising its peak mild output to 2,200 ANSI Lumens – a rise of 10% on the W2700. The brand new projector introduces an 11-point color temperature calibration system too, regardless of each W2710i being calibrated within the manufacturing facility earlier than delivery (a calibration certificates on your specific mannequin is included within the field).

A ramped up CinemaMaster part of the arrange menus means that you can regulate a Shade Enhancer characteristic, Flesh Tones, a Pixel Enhancer 4K sharpness booster, varied ranges of movement processing, and a number of settings for the brand new Native Distinction Enhancer.

Different notable options embody a particular 24p True Cinema playback mode tucked away within the Show sub menus; a Huge Color Gamut choice that extends the projector’s color palette at the price of some brightness; a number of ‘power’ settings for the projector’s Dynamic Iris and light-weight output controls; and a noise discount system. This all provides as much as a far-ranging but additionally impressively granular stage of management over precisely how the W2710i’s photographs look.

If these choices all sound a bit an excessive amount of and also you’d somewhat have a shortcut to a comparatively correct picture, you’ll be happy to listen to that BenQ has supplied a Filmmaker mode preset, designed along side the impartial Extremely HD Alliance to get as shut because the projector can to image mastering requirements.

I discovered the W2710i a breeze to arrange. Its 1.3x optical zoom and optical vertical picture shifting provides you a good diploma of placement flexibility (although word that is definitely not an extremely brief throw projector), whereas an efficient auto keystone adjustment helps to get the sides of the picture straight if the vertical picture shifting hasn’t been sufficient to get the picture to the place it wants it to be.

The main target and zoom rings across the lens are unfastened sufficient to maneuver simply however nonetheless really feel fairly tightly calibrated, and the three twist down toes give a fast and easy option to tilt the picture.

You possibly can spend as a lot time after this enjoying with the W2710i’s many tremendous tuning parts – however crucially for a lounge projector, you don’t need to. Particularly because the projector has been calibrated (albeit solely in a manufacturing facility somewhat than on your particular room arrange) earlier than it even arrived at your own home.

As you’d hope of any lounge projector nowadays, even one as movie-focused because the W2710i, the image choices embody a so-called Quick mode for video video games that reduces the time taken to render photographs right down to a really respectable 18ms.

Connectivity is usually glorious. Significantly good is the supply of three HDMI inputs than the standard two. And these don’t embody the additional mini-HDMI hidden below a detachable cowl to which you connect BenQ’s Wi-Fi/sensible dongle for those who’ve gone for the ‘i’ model of the W2710.

There’s additionally a 12V set off port, an RS232C management port, a USB port for enjoying media from USB storage units, a Mini USB service port, an additional 5V USB port for powering video dongles, an optical audio enter, and a 3.5mm audio line out.

You need to use the Wi-Fi capabilities launched by the BenQ sensible dongle to stream media out of your telephone with Google Solid.

I ought to word for players that the HDMI inputs don’t assist 4K/120Hz indicators, or variable refresh charges. The one superior HDMI characteristic apart from HDR10+ assist, is ARC, enabling go via of sound – together with (lossy) Dolby Atmos – to ARC-enabled soundbars and AV receivers.

The most recent development in projection is including sensible video programs that’s now normal with right now’s TVs. The W2710i gives Android TV courtesy of a supplied dongle inserted right into a particular bay hidden below the projector’s prime edge. I discovered this sensible interface delivers a combined bag of performance, although.

On the upside is identical acquainted menu construction (albeit working a bit extra sluggishly than it does on a few of the newest Android TV units), and accessible apps seem to incorporate Disney+, Netflix, ITVX, Amazon Prime TV, Now, Apple TV, Plex, Pluto TV, YouTube, My5 and Paramount+.

There’s no BBC iPlayer or All4, although, and making an attempt as well ITVX resulted in a message saying the projector doesn’t have the required rights to make use of it.

The apps that work are native to the projector, by which I imply they recognise the W2710i’s capabilities and adapt their streaming high quality accordingly, somewhat than simply accessing ‘dumb’, low high quality generic web streaming variations.

The lacking terrestrial TV broadcaster streaming apps, although, make an argument for perhaps getting the model of the W2710 with out the supplied sensible dongle, and including one thing like a Fireplace TV stick as a substitute. Although in fact, such a 3rd social gathering dongle must hang around of the again of the projector, somewhat than tidily tucked into the BenQ’s hidden bay.

Image High quality

• Distinctive sharpness
• Good out of the field color
• Good HDR tone mapping

The W2710i improves on the efficiency of its predecessor in plenty of areas – and in doing so makes itself simply top-of-the-line projectors in its class.

There are a lot of highlights, however the one that truly struck me first – and remained persistently dazzling all through the time I spent with the projector – is how extremely sharp and detailed its footage look. Good high quality native 4K sources look completely pristine, full of element and textures no HD picture might offer you, whereas additionally remaining persistently bereft of softening noise or native focus failings. The truth is, focus uniformity is great proper into the corners.

It even continues to make its 4K mark for those who’re watching a HD supply, because of some spectacular upscaling. Briefly, the W2710i presents a severely stiff problem to anybody nonetheless holding on to the concept DLP projectors can’t ship a real 4K expertise.

The beautiful sharpness doesn’t take a success when there’s movement to cope with, both. The W2710i’s 24p True Cinema choice serves up some of the pure and relaxed wanting 24p experiences I’ve seen on any projector – by no means thoughts one which prices £1,699.

Additionally distinctive for such an inexpensive projector is the W2710i’s out of the field color efficiency. That is significantly true with normal dynamic vary sources, however HDR tones take pleasure in extra vibrancy and quantity than I’ve seen on equally priced projectors.

There’s an immense quantity of tonal subtlety at play inside these fulsome saturations, so there’s no challenge with color banding and the wealthy saturations don’t really feel cartoonish. Quite the opposite, it’s partly as a result of the W2710i is nice at delineating even probably the most minor color variances that its footage look so detailed and sharp.

In addition to being punchy however clear and refined, the W2710i’s colors are additionally unusually pure and plausible out of the field, and there’s a stunning stability to its palette, even utilizing the default image presets somewhat than one thing extra correct just like the Filmmaker mode.

At this level I want to say that projection expertise can’t actually do HDR correctly. It doesn’t have the brightness or native mild controls obligatory to deal with HDR’s vastly expanded mild vary. With that in thoughts, the W2710i’s mixture of a dynamic iris, new Native Distinction Enhancement characteristic and improved HDR tone mapping assist it ship arguably probably the most convincing and interesting HDR performances I’ve seen from a venture that can be utilized for infrequent film nights.

There’s a really noticeable sense of additional color and light-weight vary as I switched between SDR and HDR sources, and the brand new HDR Professional system maps HDR imagery to the projector’s spectacular optics cleverly, making certain that in addition to wanting prefer it has brighter peaks than anticipated from a 2,200 lumens projector, its HDR results all the time look balanced, natural, and as in the event that they’re a real enlargement of somewhat than distraction from the images considered.

Pores and skin tones can maybe look somewhat suntanned within the projector’s out of the field HDR mode, and correcting for this by both tinkering with the projector’s expansive color calibration instruments or switching to the Filmmaker mode could cause a slight drop off normally vibrancy and dynamism. It’s additionally true that for those who attempt to calibrate the W2710i’s HDR footage for accuracy, the image begins to look somewhat lifeless and flat in comparison with its out of field settings.

Certainly, the Filmmaker mode proves my level by wanting much less vibrant, much less dynamic, much less contrasty and, maybe on account of a few of the lowered distinction, much less sharp and detailed than the default HDR preset.

I personally don’t have a giant challenge with this, although. To me, the innate, insurmountable difficulties projectors have doing HDR ‘precisely’ imply making an attempt to pursue such accuracy in the end seems like a fools errand. Probably the most profitable HDR footage I’ve seen within the projector world happen when fashions settle for their limitations and focus extra on doing what they’ll inside these limitations to recapture the texture of HDR, with its prolonged mild vary and vibrant colors, somewhat than making an attempt to slavishly observe the values used throughout mastering.

And for me, no dark-room projector model within the sub-£2k sphere does a greater job of focusing on that HDR really feel than the W2710i. The truth is, BenQ’s newest HDR enhancements are so efficient that it’s incessantly laborious to imagine you’re not watching a a lot brighter projector than 2,200 ANSI Lumens.

That stated, I ought to stress the brightness isn’t sufficient to make the W2710i a extremely satisfying choice for a vibrant lounge. It’s additionally true to say that even the Native Distinction Enhancement characteristic can’t cease very darkish elements of HDR photographs typically wanting somewhat flat and greyed over. Even localised Gamma controls apparently can’t present the kind of compromise-free blacks, whites and every little thing in between that HDR TVs – particularly OLED TVs – can.

BenQ has by no means claimed the W2710i is designed for vibrant room use, although. If you need one thing to cater for a vibrant room BenQ would probably level you in direction of its new 3,200-lumen TK860i as a substitute (look out for that evaluation). And whereas black ranges take a success when the W2710i is enjoying HDR, that hit is much less extreme than it tends to be with projectors on the W2710i’s stage. It helps disguise this challenge with the W2710i, too, that shadow element is mostly sturdy – supplied you’re utilizing the Native Distinction Enhancement characteristic.

The most important challenge I had with the W2710i’s HDR footage out of the field was their instability with HDR sources. The slightest change within the general brightness stage of an HDR scene might trigger a distracting shift or bounce within the picture’s general brightness stage. And to be clear, I’m not speaking right here about vital brightness changes between cuts, the place you may discover them much less. You possibly can really see the dynamic iris doing its brightness adjustment factor inside a single shot – typically a number of occasions.

Thankfully there’s an easy repair for this distracting downside (moreover switching to the much less dynamic Filmmaker mode preset): Turning the Dynamic Iris down from Excessive to Medium. Doing this doesn’t take away each flicker, and in addition prices you a modicum of punch and HDR ‘peaking’. The outcomes are way more immersive although, and the slight discount in punch will not be remotely sufficient to cease the image from nonetheless delivering sufficient of its element, sharpness, color and vibrancy abilities to keep up its HDR edge over its competitors.

Ultimate minor points to notice are some gentle rainbow impact (RGB color striping) over stand out vibrant picture content material; some unusually combined image high quality from the BenQ dongle’s streaming apps (Netflix seems somewhat messy, whereas Disney+ seems glorious); and doubtlessly barely distracting quantities of cooling fan noise when the projector’s working in its HDR mode.

Except you’re extraordinarily inclined to seeing the rainbow impact, there’s nothing within the negatives column that extreme sufficient or unimaginable to work spherical that stops it being an excellent successor to an already illustrious predecessor.

Sound High quality

• Good, rounded tone
• Sound isn’t locked to the projector
• 2 x 5W output

In assist of its lounge projector standing, the W2710i carries a built-in sound system. The truth is, its 2 x 5W, Trevolo arrange is among the projector world’s higher audio designs. That’s not saying a terrific deal given how puny most projector sound programs are, however the W2710i delivers a way more effectively rounded (together with with dialogue), much less harsh and, most usefully of all, effectively projected sound than most projectors do.

Should you’re sat moderately behind the projector its sound does virtually seem as if it’s coming from the display, or at the least someplace between the projector and the display, somewhat than all of the sound being locked within the projector and so completely divorced from the onscreen motion.

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We at present haven’t obtained solutions to the questions on this product, however will replace this web page the second we do. You possibly can see an in depth breakdown of the questions we ask and why in our sustainability data web page.