Not everyone has the space to setup a cinema-like experience, but if you can then the BenQ X3000i offers you high resolution 4K along with gaming features so you can watch movies or even game on the big screen. The BenQ X3000i retails for S$3,499.
Unboxing
Apart from the actual projector itself, you also get additional items below:
- BenQ X3000i Projector
- Remote Control w/ Battery
- Power Cord
- QS01 Android TV dongle
- Adjustment feet
- User manual
Projection quality
BenQ X3000i is a True 4K (3840 x 2160) projector, creating ~8.3 million pixels for a crisp image. Its has a throw ratio of 1.15 – 1.5, so you can expect a projection size of 100″ with it placed 2.5m away from the wall. BenQ X3000i uses a 4LED light source which produces a high 3,000 lumens of brightness. There are a few picture modes namely – Bright, Cinema, Game, Living Room, Sports. Living Room and Cinema were the modes that I found most pleasing to my eyes. ‘Living Room’ is much brighter than ‘Cinema’, so it’s probably intended to use if you can’t have darkness in your setup. I ended up using ‘Cinema’ mode the most as I tested the BenQ X3000i in a room where I can shut out most of the light.
Colour reproduction of the BenQ X3000i is great, which is no surprise given it produces up to 100% DCI-P3 colour gamut. Colours pop and are able to cover a large range, without looking too over-saturated. Skin tones look natural as well. The image quality coming from the BenQ X3000i is the best I’ve ever experienced from a projector so far. This is not to say that the image can rival an OLED TV. Blacks and contrast levels isn’t the BenQ X3000i‘s strong suit, though I don’t think any projector is. So, don’t expect the same deep blacks produced from an OLED display. Having said that, the BenQ X3000i is still able to produce good enough dark scenes. This is also another reason why I prefer using ‘Cinema’ mode as tendency of darks being washed out is less obvious compared to brighter picture modes such as ‘Living Room’.
Another impressive feature is the BenQ X3000i‘s ability to upscale non 4K content. Streaming 1080p content on the BenQ X3000i looks way sharper than the 1080p LUMOS Auro.
Gaming experience
Gaming is one of the big selling point on the BenQ X3000i. You can prioritise detail with 60Hz, or speed with 1080p 240Hz. Input lag can go as low as 4.2ms on 1080p 240Hz or 16.7ms at 4K. There are three gaming modes – (1) FPS, (2) RPG, and (3) SPG. I tried the SPG for FIFA 23, and RPG for Spider-Man. I found RPG to me the mode I ended up using the most as the colours felt the most natural to me.
Gaming on the BenQ X3000i was a delight. When playing FIFA 23, the grass texture is sharp and the player movements were all smooth even at the 4K 60Hz setting. I couldn’t really feel any input lag as well. It is really a visual experience playing FIFA on the big screen. Switching to 1080p 120Hz, the image feel a bit softer, noticeably from the grass but the having the 4K upscaling option turned on makes it feel much closer to a 4K gaming experience.
When playing ‘Spider-Man’, the colours looked rich and vibrant. The skyscrapers and landscapes retain its detail and definition, and it was fun observable the sights while swinging through NYC. Playing open world games like ‘Spider-Man’ on a large screen feels way more immersive than playing it on my PC, be it exploring the open-world or engaging in combat.
Colours on the BenQ X3000i may not win your traditional OLED TV, but the ability to play games (especially open world games) at a large 100” screen is something that you have to experience to feel the immersion. The large display coupled by the fast refresh rates just makes the overall gameplay feel more smooth and engaging. This is something that gaming on a TV just wouldn’t offer.
Design and build quality
The BenQ X3000i is quite a large projector, measuring 272 x 197 x 259mm, and weighs 6.4kg. It’s on the bulky side so do check if it fits on the surface you’re intending to place it on. The BenQ X3000i has a cube shaped and is encased in white plastic along with a black glass front. BenQ supplied two additional supporting feet which you place at the back of the projector in case you wish to flip it upside down to reduce the angle of the throw.
Build quality of the BenQ X3000i is solid. Once you set it down, it’s not going to move. There is a D-pad and buttons on the left side of the projector which give you full settings in case your remote control is out of battery. The buttons have nice tactile feedback as well. You also have the Zoom and Focus knobs to adjust the picture based on your projection throw distance.
The remote control provided offers ample quick shortcut so you do not have to go into the settings menu to change them. It would have nice if the buttons on the remote control are backlit as most of the time you’re in a dark environment when using it.
Input sources and ports
Apart from the Smart QS01 Android TV dongle which connects to the internal HDMI 2.0b port, you have another two HDMI 2.0b ports on the back of the BenQ X3000i. One of the HDMI supports Audio Return so you could hook up a soundbar that supports HDMI eARC input. You have a USB-A port (with 2.5A power) and audio inputs of 3.5mm AUX and S/PDIF.
User experience
BenQ X3000i has a utilises the Android TV (ver 10.0) OS, which comes with Amazon Prime Video and YouTube pre-installed. However, it seems like the QS01 Android TV dongle has limited apps that you can download. For example, Netflix and Starhub TV+ are not available, but Disney+ and HBO Go are. You can manually install the apps with APKs (not through the Play Store), but the user experience may not be the most well-tuned.
If you’re intending to consume Netflix on the BenQ X3000i, I’d prefer connecting Chromecast with Google TV or Apple TV to one of the HDMI ports since the projector supports HDR10 anyway. The QS01 also supports Chromecast and AirPlay, which works well for mirroring your phone.
Zoom and focus
BenQ X3000i offers up to 1.3x zoom and utilizes manual focus. It’s a slight shame that there isn’t a auto-focus feature given its price tag. But thankfully, the manual focus knob is easy to use and adjust.
2D Keystone correction
BenQ X3000i offers 2D keystone correction so if you place the projector at an angle, you can correct the trapezoid shape to a rectangle. Again, it would have been nice if the BenQ X3000i had an auto-keystone correction feature to automatically adjust. There is a test mode you can enable in the settings to check if your lines are straight while adjusting the keystone.
One thing to take note though is that you can actually see the original light casted behind the corrected projection. It can be a little obvious in dark scenes especially if you are projecting the content on a large wall and not a screen.
Speakers and fan noise
I was actually prepared to connect my Sound Blaster Katana V2X when playing my games. But having heard the sound coming from the projector, I decided not to go through the hassle of disconnecting it from my PC. This is not to say the audio from the BenQ X3000i beats the soundbar, but it sounds really good for a projector.
BenQ X3000i is equipped with dual 5W full-range speakers, but it can fill my bedroom with ease. Bass is not the fullest frequency but it retains a good amount of depth to prevent the sound from feeling too thin. The audio imaging on the BenQ X3000i is surprisingly good. Usually projector speakers feel one dimensional, but the sound output does spread quite wide when the projector is placed behind me, giving an audible left and right channel.
Fan noise is audible when scrolling through the menus but it is easily masked by the speakers when content is being played.
Conclusion
If you game frequently, then the gaming features that the BenQ X3000i possess is something that would elevate your gaming experience. The low input lag and high refresh rate at 1080p, or option for 4K high resolution with HDR makes gaming super enjoyable on a big screen. 4K upscaling on the BenQ X3000i makes high refresh 1080p gaming close to 4K gaming, which truly sets it apart from other projectors. With all these gaming features, you will be paying a premium. But I’d say the BenQ X3000i is more of an investment for your gaming experience as you are certain to get one of the best gaming projector for your entertainment cave.
Where to buy
You can buy the BenQ X3000i Gaming Projector from any of the shops below: