Building a home theatre is a dream for many, and with advancements in projector technology it is increasingly becoming a viable option for those who can dedicate the space and spare the cash for it.
The market for home projectors is steadily gaining ground, and while there are many options that seek to replace the traditional TV by the familiar Smart TV experience, others, like the BenQ W5800, look to provide the building blocks of a dedicated home theatre.
We used the product for a fortnight and here is what we found.
Unboxing
The W5800 is a bulky device which requires a minimum of two individuals to handle. Within the box, users will find the device, power connectors, the remote, and some paperwork.
Design
A dedicated home theatre projector, the BenQ W5800 has an industrious design and robust feel. The projector comes with a 1.6x optical zoom lens positioned in the middle of the device, flanked on either side by air flow intakes.
Ports are located on the back of the device along with buttons to control the UI (more on that later.) The ports include two HDMI ports, one of which comes with audio return support. Other ports include a USB Type A for reading media, one RS232 port, one RJ-45 LAN, one audio port with support for 2.0/5.1 channel audio, and two IR receiver ports.
Ports and physical buttons are located on the back of the BenQ W5800. | Photo Credit: Nabeel Ahmed
On the top panel users will find the BenQ branding on a panel that tapers towards the flanks. Overall, the projector’s design reflects its purpose-- to be used in a dedicated space. The build quality inspires confidence; it feels like it will easily manage years’ worth of use without breaking a sweat.
Setting up the projector, though, is another story, and can take some time. The projector may need to be installed from the ceiling of the theatre room, as otherwise it can occupy a considerable bit of space in the sitting area. For the best output, BenQ recommends using a dedicated sound system with the projector as it does not have in-built speakers. It would be wise to invest in a quality system to ensure a holistic viewing experience.
To ease the setup process, the projector’s lens gets a motorised zoom and 2D keystone with lens shift that adjusts vertically and horizontally, which comes in handy to get a level viewing experience.
Performance
Once the W5800 is set up and ready to go, it justifies the adage “good things take time.” The projector uses a laser light source producing 2600 ANSI lumens, using its motorised lens to project images at 4K UHD, at 120 Hzs. It can project up to 200” pictures with accuracy. Users can also choose between a 16:9 and 2.35:1 aspect ratio.
The BenQ W5800 is capable of projections at 4K at 120Hz through its laser light source using a motorised lens. | Photo Credit: Nabeel Ahmed
We aimed the projector’s lens at walls painted in light colour palettes and were impressed with the picture quality. The projections are bright, the image quality crisp and colours accurate. The projector gets a 100% DCI-P3 colour gamut, which ensures accurate colour representation for most content. Often, our greatest difficulty with the projector was finding native 4K content to view with it.
We used the projector with a gaming console, a laptop and with downloaded content through a USB stick. The projector managed to impress when used through different input methods, with no lags or drops in performance over long hours of use. When used with a gaming console, the projections are accurate with deep blacks and vibrant colours, and the high refresh rates ensure that the gaming experience is immersive.
UI and user experience
The W5800 comes with a basic UI that is functional and easy to navigate, sans any creature comforts. The UI is more suited for tech-savvy users who like to tinker around with the settings to get their desired output. However, even for average users, navigating the menus is not difficult.
The BenQ W5800 manages to impress when used through different input methods, with no lags or drops in performance over long hours of use. | Photo Credit: Nabeel Ahmed
Also, since the projector is aimed at the premium user segment, it comes with a dedicated filmmaker mode that should come in handy for movie makers or users looking for an experience where post processing effects like motion smoothing can be disabled, while keeping the original aspect ratios and frame rates intact.
Although the projector does not get any inbuilt apps, or the ability to add them, it makes up for it with the ability to project 3D content using a modulator which can be placed in front of the lens itself, removing the need for individual 3D glasses. However, we were unable to test this feature ourselves as the modulator is not included with the projector.
Verdict
The BenQ W5800 does miss out some key features we have come to expect from projectors designed for use in a home theatre setup. The projector lacks in-built speakers, and a smart UI with ease-of-use features. However, the projector justifies its price point of ₹ 6,50,000 by doing what it is designed to do. The W5800’s picture projection quality is among the best in the business, its colour accuracy is spot on, and when coupled with a quality set of speakers, it provides an immersive viewing and gaming experience that dedicated home theatre enthusiasts will appreciate.
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