The BenQ X3100i is the company’s latest flagship gaming projector, promising to deliver an immersive big-screen experience for both gaming and movie watching. As an update to the popular X3000i model, the BenQ X3100i brings some notable improvements while maintaining the core features that made its predecessor so appealing to gamers. But does it live up to the hype and justify its premium price tag? Let’s dive in and find out.
Key Specifications
Before we get into the details, here’s a quick overview of the BenQ X3100i key specs:
- Resolution: 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) via pixel shifting
- Brightness: 3,300 ANSI lumens
- Contrast Ratio: 600,000:1
- Light Source: 4LED with 20,000-30,000 hour lifespan
- Color Gamut: 100% DCI-P3
- Input Lag: As low as 4.16ms (1080p/240Hz)
- Gaming Features: 4K/60Hz, 1440p/120Hz, 1080p/240Hz support
- HDR: HDR10, HLG
- Speakers: 2x 5W with Bongiovi DPS
- Connectivity: 2x HDMI 2.0b (1 with eARC), USB, RS-232
- Smart Features: Android TV dongle included
- Throw Ratio: 1.15-1.5:1
- Zoom: 1.3x optical
- Lens Shift: Vertical ±10%
- Price: $2,399 MSRP
Now let’s examine how the BenQ X3100i performs across different areas.
Design and Build Quality
The BenQ X3100i maintains the sleek, cube-like design of its predecessor with a few tweaks:
- Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.4 x 10.2 inches (WxHxD)
- Weight: 15 pounds
While not exactly lightweight, the projector is still compact enough for occasional portability. The white exterior with black accents gives it a modern, understated look that should blend well in most rooms.
Build quality is solid, as expected from BenQ’s premium line. The projector feels sturdy and well-constructed. One minor annoyance is that the Android TV dongle requires manual installation in an internal compartment, which involves removing screws. It’s not difficult, but it feels unnecessary given the projector’s price point.
The remote control is backlit and includes dedicated buttons for gaming features and picture settings, making on-the-fly adjustments convenient.
Setup and Installation
The BenQ X3100i offers flexible placement options thanks to its 1.15-1.5:1 throw ratio and 1.3x optical zoom. This means you can achieve a 100-inch diagonal image from roughly 8.5 to 11.5 feet away from the screen.
A significant improvement over the X3000i is the addition of vertical lens shift (±10% or 20% of image height). This allows for easier alignment without relying on digital keystone correction, which can impact image quality and increase input lag.
The projector supports front/rear projection and table/ceiling mounting. While not as flexible as some long-throw projectors, it should work well in most home theater or living room setups.
Image Quality
Brightness and Contrast
With a rated brightness of 3,300 ANSI lumens, the BenQ X3100i is noticeably brighter than its predecessor. In practice, the brightest mode (“Bright”) measured close to the claimed output in our tests. However, it’s worth noting that this mode has a noticeable green tint and is mostly useful for situations with significant ambient light.
More calibrated modes like “Cinema” or “User” measure closer to 1,700-1,800 lumens, which is still plenty bright for most home theater environments. The projector performs well in rooms with some ambient light, though you’ll want to control light for the best experience, especially with HDR content.
Contrast is solid for a DLP projector, with BenQ claiming a 600,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio. While not reaching the deep blacks of OLED TVs, the X3100i produces satisfying contrast in dark scenes, especially when viewed in a light-controlled room.
Color Performance
One of the X3100i’s standout features is its 4LED light source, which uses red, green, and two blue LEDs. This technology allows the projector to cover 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, resulting in vibrant and accurate colors.
Out of the box, color accuracy is quite good in modes like “Cinema” and “User.” After calibration, we achieved excellent results with Delta E values consistently below 2 (where values under 3 are generally considered imperceptible to the human eye).
The projector supports HDR10 and HLG formats. While no projector can truly match the peak brightness of high-end HDR TVs, the BenQ X3100i does a commendable job with HDR content. Highlights pop nicely, and the expanded color gamut is noticeable in nature scenes and vibrant games.
Sharpness and Motion
The BenQ X3100i uses a 0.65-inch DLP chip with XPR pixel-shifting technology to achieve 4K resolution. While not native 4K, the resulting image is impressively sharp and detailed. 4K content looks crisp, and even upscaled 1080p sources benefit from the increased pixel density.
Motion handling is generally good, with minimal judder in 24p film content. The projector also supports frame interpolation for smoother motion, though many users may prefer to leave this off, especially for films.
Gaming Performance
Gaming is where the BenQ X3100i truly shines. BenQ has clearly prioritized features that matter to gamers:
Low Input Lag
The projector boasts incredibly low input lag across various resolutions and refresh rates:
- 4K/60Hz: 16.7ms
- 1440p/120Hz: 8.3ms
- 1080p/240Hz: 4.2ms
These numbers are among the best you’ll find in any projector, rivaling many gaming monitors. The responsiveness is immediately noticeable in fast-paced games.
Game Modes
The BenQ X3100i includes four dedicated game modes:
- FPS (First-Person Shooter)
- RPG (Role-Playing Game)
- SPG (Sports Game)
- RCG (Racing Game)
Each mode optimizes picture settings and audio profiles for the specific genre. While personal preference will vary, these presets provide a good starting point for different types of games.
HDR Gaming
The projector supports 4K HDR gaming at 60Hz, striking a good balance between visual quality and responsiveness. Games with vibrant art styles like Forza Horizon 5 or Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart look particularly stunning on the big screen.
High Refresh Rate Support
For competitive gamers, the ability to play at 1080p/240Hz or 1440p/120Hz is a significant advantage. The smooth motion and reduced input lag can provide a tangible edge in fast-paced titles.
Audio Quality
The BenQ X3100i features dual 5W speakers enhanced by Bongiovi DPS (Digital Power Station) technology. For built-in projector audio, the sound quality is surprisingly good. It gets loud enough to fill a medium-sized room and offers decent clarity for dialogue.
However, the limitations of small speakers in a projector body are still evident. For the best gaming and movie experience, you’ll want to pair the BenQ X3100i with a good external sound system or gaming headset.
The projector does support eARC on one of its HDMI ports, allowing for easy connection to compatible soundbars or AV receivers for high-quality audio passthrough, including Dolby Atmos.
Smart Features
The included Android TV dongle provides access to a wide range of streaming apps and games. The interface is familiar and easy to navigate, though some users report occasional lag compared to dedicated streaming devices.
One quirk to note is that the Android TV dongle tends to output all content in BT.2020 color space, which can lead to oversaturated colors for SDR content. This can be partially mitigated by adjusting settings, but it’s an annoyance that BenQ should address in future firmware updates.
The projector also supports wireless casting via AirPlay and Google Cast, adding convenience for quickly sharing content from mobile devices.
Comparison to Competitors
BenQ X3000i
The BenQ X3100i predecessor remains an excellent gaming projector. The main advantages of the newer model are:
- Slightly higher brightness (3,300 vs 3,000 lumens)
- Addition of vertical lens shift
- Support for 1440p/120Hz
- Improved contrast ratio
If these features aren’t crucial for your setup, the X3000i can often be found at a significant discount and remains a strong option.
Optoma UHD35
The Optoma UHD35 is another popular gaming projector with similar specs:
- Lower brightness (3,600 lumens)
- Slightly higher input lag
- Lower price point
The BenQ offers better color performance and more gaming-specific features, but the Optoma is a solid alternative if you’re on a tighter budget.
Epson Home Cinema 3800
Epson’s 3LCD projector offers:
- Similar brightness
- Better contrast and black levels
- Lower input lag at 4K (under 20ms)
- More affordable price
However, it lacks the gaming-specific modes and 240Hz support of the BenQ. The choice may come down to whether you prioritize contrast or high refresh rate gaming.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Excellent gaming performance with ultra-low input lag
- Bright, colorful image with 100% DCI-P3 coverage
- Sharp 4K resolution with good HDR handling
- Flexible installation with vertical lens shift
- Solid built-in audio for a projector
- Long-lasting 4LED light source
Cons:
- Premium price point
- Fan noise can be noticeable in high-brightness modes
- Android TV dongle quirks with color space
- No native Netflix support on included Android TV dongle
- Not as contrast-rich as some competitors in dark scenes
Who Should Buy the BenQ X3100i?
The BenQ X3100i is an excellent choice for:
- Serious gamers who want a massive screen experience without sacrificing responsiveness
- Home theater enthusiasts looking for a versatile projector that excels at both gaming and movies
- Those with bright rooms who need a projector that can combat ambient light
- Color accuracy enthusiasts who appreciate the wide color gamut and good out-of-box performance
It may be less suitable for:
- Budget-conscious buyers – there are cheaper options if you don’t need all the gaming features
- Those prioritizing absolute black levels – OLED TVs or some other projectors may perform better in very dark rooms
- Casual users who don’t need the gaming-specific features and would be satisfied with a more basic 4K projector
Conclusion
The BenQ X3100i is a feature-packed gaming projector that delivers on its promises. It offers a compelling combination of sharp 4K visuals, vibrant colors, and class-leading gaming performance. The addition of vertical lens shift and increased brightness address some of the few weaknesses of its predecessor.
While the price tag puts it firmly in the premium category, the BenQ X3100i justifies the cost for those who will take advantage of its gaming-centric features. The ability to game on a massive 100+ inch screen with minimal input lag is truly impressive and can transform your gaming experience.
For movie watching, the projector also performs admirably. The 4LED technology produces rich, accurate colors, and the HDR performance is good for a projector in this class. It may not reach the contrast levels of the best home theater projectors, but it strikes a nice balance for a multi-purpose unit.
A few minor quibbles, like the Android TV dongle’s color space issues and fan noise at high brightness, prevent it from being perfect. However, these are relatively small complaints in the grand scheme of things.
Final Verdict: If you’re a dedicated gamer looking for the ultimate big-screen experience and have the budget to match, the BenQ X3100i is one of the best options on the market. It’s a worthy flagship for BenQ’s gaming projector line and sets a high bar for competitors to match. For those who can afford it, the BenQ X3100i delivers a premium, immersive gaming and entertainment experience that’s hard to beat.
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