BenQ X500i Review | 85 Data compared

The BenQ X500i is a high-performance, short-throw projector offering exceptional pre-calibration color accuracy, deep contrast in dark rooms, and low-input-lag gaming at 1080p up to 240Hz. It is well-suited for dedicated, dimly lit environments, featuring an upgraded QS02 streaming dongle for advanced smart features and HDR10+ support. RTINGS.com However, its performance is limited by mediocre peak brightness, which causes the image to wash out in, or in ambient light. Additionally, the projector struggles with the wider Rec. 2020 color gamut, rendering less vibrant colors for advanced content, while its, high-contrast performance drops in extremely dark scenes.

The BenQ X500i is an excellent 4K short-throw DLP gaming projector that delivers flagship-level performance at a sweet-spot price of $1,699. It shares several premium features with BenQ’s top-tier X3100i model, including incredibly short input lag times (ranging from 16.9ms for 4K/60Hz down to a blazing 4.2ms at 240Hz), integrated Android TV 11 via an included streaming dongle, and an LED light source rated at 2,200 ANSI lumens. Perfect for big-screen gaming in smaller spaces, it can project a massive 90-inch diagonal image from just 4 feet 5 inches away, and it features a highly welcome manual 1.2x zoom lens. It also provides dedicated, customizable SDR and HDR video modes specifically optimized for Role Playing (RPG), First-Person Shooter (FPS), and Sports (SPG) games, alongside high-quality built-in 5-watt treVolo speakers. However, the projector does come with notable drawbacks that require user adjustments. The out-of-the-box HDR settings are disappointing, initially delivering poor contrast and overly dark bright scenes until you manually lower the brightness and raise the contrast. Single-chip DLP rainbow artifacts are frequent and obvious enough to potentially bother sensitive viewers,...

The BenQ X500i is a 4K HDR short throw projector that sits about 5 feet from a 100-inch screen, making it a stellar option for coffee-table placement in smaller rooms. Retailing for $1,749, this unit utilizes a four-LED light engine with a 20,000-hour operational life expectancy and includes built-in Android TV via a hidden streaming stick. In performance testing, the projector delivered an exceptional native contrast ratio of 1,990:1—the highest the reviewer had recorded in years—surpassing competing models like the BenQ TK860i and X300G. Furthermore, it produces vibrant, highly accurate colors, realistic skin tones, and sharp, lag-free 4K detailing due to its DLP technology. Despite its top-tier visual performance, the X500i has a few limitations, primarily its high price tag and the inherent room constraints of a short throw lens, which lacks a lens-shift mechanism for flexible alignment. Additionally, its peak light output in the most color-accurate Cinema mode measured at 911 lumens, which is adequate for 100-inch displays but noticeably dimmer than long throw alternatives like the TK860i when maxed out. The integrated dual 5W speakers deliver clear dialogue...

The BenQ X500i is a 4K HDR short-throw projector specifically engineered for gamers, offering a high-performance alternative to traditional monitors or TVs. It features a 4LED light source that delivers 2,200 ANSI lumens and produces vibrant, saturated colors, covering approximately 63% of the DCI-P3 gamut. Its standout features include an incredibly low 4.16ms input lag at 4K/60Hz and dedicated game modes (RPG, SPG, and FPS) that tailor audio and visual settings to specific genres. The built-in CinematicSound spatial audio system is notably impressive, providing immersive 3D sound with enough volume and bass to eliminate the immediate need for external speakers. However, the projector has clear limitations for dedicated home cinema enthusiasts. While it supports HDR10, it lacks compatibility with Dolby Vision, HLG, and high-end audio formats like Dolby Atmos or DTS. Additionally, it is not bright enough for daytime viewing in rooms with ambient light, requiring a dark environment for the best experience. Setup can also be tedious; while vertical keystone is automatic, horizontal keystone, zoom, and focus must be adjusted manually, and it lacks the advanced "set-and-forget" configuration tech...

The BenQ X500i is a 4LED, 4K UHD short-throw gaming projector featuring a 0.65-inch DLP chip that delivers an impressive out-of-the-box color performance covering 84% of the DCI-P3 color space. Retailing at a highly valuable $1,699 MSRP, its core strengths lie in its exceptional low-latency gaming capabilities—clocking in at 4.16ms at 1080p/240Hz and 8ms at 1440p/120Hz—and an eco-friendly light source that pumps out a tested 2,364 ANSI lumens, exceeding its 2,200 manufacturer rating. Setup is remarkably intuitive due to a short-throw lens capable of projecting a 100-inch image from just 5 feet away, a 1.2x optical zoom, and automatic 2D keystone correction. It also comes equipped with the upgraded QS-02 streaming stick running Android TV 11, which introduces full native Netflix app support alongside convenient gaming features like the "FPS Crosshair" and "SettingXchange" profiles. However, the projector comes with notable downsides, primarily an elevated level of DLP rainbow artifacts that can make fast-paced gaming content uncomfortable for sensitive users. While it emphasizes dark area details for tactical gameplay, its overall black levels remain average and appear gray in dark rooms....

The BenQ X500i is a sturdy, short-throw DLP gaming projector designed to challenge high-end gaming monitors by delivering exceptional responsiveness on an image expanding up to 120 inches. Its standout performance features include an ultra-low minimum latency of 4ms in 1080p/240Hz mode, 8ms at 1440p/120Hz, and 16ms at 4K/60Hz, making it a powerful choice for competitive gaming. The projector pumps out 2,200 ANSI lumens, providing enough brightness for daytime viewing, and features a robust selection of ports, including dual HDMI 2.0b inputs with eARC support and a USB-C DisplayPort input. Furthermore, BenQ extends the projector's 20,000-to-30,000-hour lifespan by isolating the smart platform onto an external, upgradeable Android TV dongle rather than using built-in software. Despite these strengths, the X500i comes with several hardware and software compromises. On the downside, its operation is noticeably noisy, producing loud fan sounds when Eco mode is turned off and a high-pitched whine from the pixel-shifting mechanism when 4K resolution is active. Color performance is somewhat modest at 84% DCI-P3 coverage, and dark content in pitch-black rooms reveals a mild DLP rainbow effect. Crucially for...

The BenQ X500i is a 4K short-throw projector designed for gaming, offering 2,200 ANSI lumens, 84% DCI-P3 color coverage, and 5-watt speakers in a compact 3.6kg chassis. It provides exceptional gaming performance with 4.3ms input lag at 1080p/240Hz, while delivering sharp, bright images for movies. YouTube · Key cons include HDMI 2.0 ports that limit 4K gaming to 60Hz rather than 120Hz, along with a fan noise level between 37-40 dB. While the HDR Pro produces good contrast, it cannot achieve true OLED-level black depths, and the pre-installed Android TV dongle may require manual calibration for optimal results. YouTube

The BenQ X500i is a true 4K short-throw DLP projector designed specifically for gaming, retailing for approximately £1,500. It stands out by offering a scaling refresh rate that shifts based on your resolution, achieving a remarkably fluid 1080p at 240Hz alongside options for 1440p at 120Hz or 4K at 60Hz. Its short-throw lens allows users to project a massive 100-inch screen from just 5 feet (1.5 meters) away from the wall. The hardware design includes an external Android TV dongle housed in a clever hidden compartment, meaning the smart system can be easily updated or replaced in the future without obsoleting the projector itself. The primary pros highlighted in the review are its exceptionally low, near-instant input lag (hitting BenQ's claimed 4ms mark at 240Hz) and excellent motion smoothness during fast-paced competitive games like Rainbow Six Siege. The 4-LED system outputs a vibrant, rich image with decent contrast comparable to a good IPS monitor, and the integrated 5W treVolo speakers offer respectable audio quality. On the downside, the cons include intense visual flickering due to the single-chip DLP architecture sequencing...

BenQ X500i Review Summary The BenQ X500i is an outstanding 4K short-throw gaming projector that offers high-end performance for a relatively competitive price of $1,699 / £1,499. Boasting a crisp, slimline black-and-white design that is highly optimized for ceiling mounting, it delivers an impressive 4LED light source, a 600,000:1 contrast ratio, and a rich palette of 1.07 billion colors. Gamers benefit from highly flexible resolution and refresh rate configurations, ranging from sharp 4K at 60Hz down to ultra-smooth 1080p at 240Hz, alongside a dedicated console mode that automatically adapts to platforms like the Nintendo Switch. In real-world performance, it produces exceptional brightness and punchy color accuracy that manages to shine vividly even when projected onto a difficult, dark gray test wall with ambient background light. Despite its high score, the projector does suffer from a few minor design fumbles. The most notable drawbacks include a pair of dual cooling fans that run noticeably loud and distracting during idle menu navigation, and a somewhat "janky" Google TV implementation that requires plugging a separate streaming dongle into an internal bay via a...

The BenQ X500i is an excellent 4K short-throw DLP gaming projector that delivers top-tier performance for under $2,000. Built around a 1080p DLP chip utilizing fast-switch pixel shifting, it achieves a native 3,840-by-2,160 resolution paired with a long-lasting four-LED light source rated at 2,200 ANSI lumens. Designed specifically for big-screen gaming, it sits in a sweet spot by inheriting the fast response times of BenQ's flagship X3100i at a much lower price of $1,699. It boasts exceptionally short input lag, measuring 16.7ms for 4K/60Hz and dropping to a mere 4.2ms at 240Hz, while also natively supporting the increasingly popular 1440p resolution at 120Hz. Additionally, it features a unique short-throw lens with a 1.2x manual zoom that can project a massive 90-inch image from just 4 feet, 5 inches away, and it comes integrated with an Android TV 11 dongle for seamless streaming through a single remote control. However, the projector comes with a few notable drawbacks and setup hurdles. On the hardware side, the initial setup is somewhat tedious because installing the streaming dongle requires a screwdriver to remove an...

The BenQ X500i is an exceptional short-throw DLP gaming projector that sits in a financial sweet spot under $2,000, offering most of the flagship features of the higher-end BenQ X3100i at a lower price point. Built around a 1080p chip using pixel shifting to produce a native 4K resolution, it features an LED light source rated at 2,200 ANSI lumens with a life expectancy of up to 30,000 hours in Eco mode. The projector excels in performance, delivering exceptionally low input lag times that range from 16.7ms for 4K/60Hz down to a blistering 4.2ms at 240Hz, making it ideal for big-screen gaming. It also supports an increasingly popular 1440p resolution at 120Hz, includes a fully integrated Android TV 11 dongle for seamless streaming, features helpful 1.2x manual zoom on its short-throw lens, and packs capable onboard 5-watt treVolo speakers with dynamic audio enhancements. A standout pro of the X500i is its specialized, customizable SDR and HDR game modes tailored specifically for Role-Playing (RPG), First-Person Shooter (FPS), and Sports (SPG) games, which automatically optimize both the visual environments and the audio...