The BenQ W4000i wide angle projector combines a DLP chip, a wide color space and high brightness. It projects precise and very bright 4K HDR images with rich colors. Equipped with a zoom and lens shift, it can project an image measuring 2.50m (100”), at a distance between 2.5m and 3.3m from the screen. Moreover, it features Android TV to access 4K HDR content available on Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV+ and YouTube.
Available for €2,990, is this new BenQ projector the worthy successor to the excellent BenQ W5700, which was praised by the specialized press at its release?
BenQ W4000i: packaging & accessories
The BenQ W4000i projector comes with a remote control (backlit) and batteries. The latter has been redesigned and is inspired by the model included with the BenQ X3000i. It adds a few features and has rounded edges.
The box also contains a three meter-long power cable and an Android TV module (reference BenQ QS02). The latter comes with its own remote control, which doesn’t have backlighting. Note that the largest remote controls the projector, and the smallest one controls the Android TV dongle.
The manufacturer also provides the factory calibration report for the BenQ W4000i. To ensure consistent color accuracy for each projector, BenQ carefully examines key components before production and sets up color adjustment stations in the production line. White balance calibration is provided, as well as a check for 100% coverage of the Rec.709 color space (in Filmmaker mode) and optimization of 100% coverage of the DCI-P3 color space (in User mode).
BenQ W4000i: presentation
The BenQ W4000i has the same aesthetic as the BenQ W2700, with a compact chassis and a lens that is offset to the side. However, it has a few of the more high-end characteristics present on the BenQ W5700, notably a removable lens cover, a black finish, as well as a horizontal and vertical lens shift.
This projector incorporates a 0.65” Texas Instruments DLP/DMD chip, characterized by its high precision and excellent ability to transmit light.
The BenQ W4000i is HDR compatible and covers the entirety of the rec.709 (1080p HD standard) and DCI P3 (standard used for digital cinema) color spaces, displaying over a million different hues. Enough to reveal every detail in movies on UHD 4K Blu-ray, or content from online video services such as Netflix, YouTube, Disney+ and Prime Video.
Offering a maximum brightness of 3,200 lumens, its 4LED lamp stands out with an estimated lifespan of 20,000 hours in normal mode and up to 30,000 hours in eco mode. The lens benefits from a 1.3x zoom as well as a horizontal and vertical lens shift that provides freedom of placement in terms of distance from the screen as well as outside the latter’s axis.
Thus equipped, the BenQ W4000i is optimized to project a very impressive HDR 4K picture measuring between 1.5m and 5m across. However, its specifications allow for a minimum image size of 76cm and a maximum of 7.6m.
Like the manufacturer’s other connected projectors, the BenQ W4000i comes with an external Android TV module (BenQ QS02). Hidden behind a cover on the back of the device, it connects to a specific HDMI port and is powered by the dedicated micro USB port. Google certified, it provides access to all the features offered by the operating system, including online video services such as Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV+ and YouTube, even in 4K HDR. Voice control is also included (Google Assistant), as well as wireless streaming from any smartphone, tablet or computer (Chromecast protocol).
The BenQ W4000i is equipped with two HDMI 2.0 inputs (4K 60Hz), one of which is eARC compatible, to transfer5.1, 7.1 and Dolby Atmos audio tracks to an AV receiver. It also features a UHD 4K HDR compatible USB input. Unfortunately, the media player doesn’t recognize DTS and Dolby Digital Plus (eAC3) audio tracks… An optical SPDIF audio output (5.1 channel audio) and a stereo mini-jack audio output are also present, as well as a trigger connected that allows you to trigger a motorized projection screen when the projector is switched on, for example.
Finally, the projector’s control interface is situated on the right-hand side of the device and lets you access the various settings. For the Android TV features, you have to use the remote control of the BenQ QS02 or the projector.
BenQ W4000i: key specifications
- Ultra HD 4K DLP
- Light source: 4LED (30,000 hours max.)
- HDR compatible, tone mapping, dynamic iris
- 2 x HDMI 2.0 (4K 60Hz max.)
- Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, YouTube
- eARC (5.1/7.1/Dolby Atmos)
BenQ W4000i: configuration
We first installed the BenQ W4000i in a living room to project onto a 100” (2.5m) Lumene Movie Palace UHD 4K Extra Bright screen. The projector was placed at a distance of 2.5m from the screen. We then tested it in a dedicated home theater room equipped with a Lumene Movie Palace UHD 4K Ultra Slim 300C screen. We connected the projector to a Pioneer UDP-LX500 4K Blu-ray player using an Audioquest Cinnamon HDMI cable. The BenQ QS02 module allowed us to access Netflix and Prime Video.
Installing the projector
The BenQ W4000i only takes a few minutes to set up. Once positioned within the required range to achieve the desired image size, the test pattern, which is accessed from the projector menu (Projector Menu button on the remote control then Installation/Test Pattern/Activate), is displayed.
The projector then projects a grid pattern that makes it easier to center the image inside the screen. Ideally, it is best to center the projector’s lens and place it horizontally level with the bottom of the screen. If you install the projector on the ceiling, it should be placed level with the top of the screen.
The zoom and lens shift of the BenQ W4000i then allow you to easily adjust the size and position of the image. A horizontal and vertical keystone correction is also available to fine-tune the geometry if you need to exceed the limits of the lens shift.
Image settings
It is possible to enjoy impressive image quality right out of the box with the Cinema and Filmmaker modes. They are ideally calibrated for projection in a dedicated home theater or in a dark room.
However, the BenQ W4000i also provides very comprehensive settings menus for those who wish to customize the picture, notably with two ISF modes (day/night), and all other modes are customizable.
Those who don’t have any calibration experience can call on a professional calibrator to adapt the image to their specific projection conditions. Those who want to do their own image calibration can use the Spears & Munsil 4K Blu-ray calibration disc that we use for all our tests.
Lastly, it is important to note that projecting in the dark will allow the projector to work silently in Eco mode (approximately 30 dB at 1m), while retaining a good level of contrast and without compromising on picture quality.
BenQ W4000i: our impressions
Projection in a light room
Because it is very bright, the BenQ W4000i allows you to watch a TV program or a movie during the day in a partially lit room. However, the colors lack vibrancy and the contrast isn’t optimal. By drawing the curtains to make the room darker, the picture becomes much more pleasant, with vivid colors and increased contrast.
However, it is in a dedicated home theater room that the BenQ W4000i truly shines. The contrast is far superior, making colors more intense and textures more realistic. Naturally, it isn’t possible to achieve the same abyssal blacks as those provided by Sony 4K SXRD laser projectors, such as the excellent Sony VPL-XW500, but the blacks projected by this BenQ model are still consistent and nuanced. If you keep in mind the fact that it is half the price of the Sony model, it is evident that you are in the presence of an exceptional 4K DLP projector.
The BenQ W4000i offered excellent image quality with a motorized screen in a living room (left), but it really shone when used in a home theater (right).
Android TV, 4K HDR streaming
The Android TV module included with the BenQ W4000i projector provides a smooth and simple user experience. It provides access to popular online video services such as Netflix, YouTube and Prime Video, even in 4K HDR if your subscription has this feature. It also allows wireless content sharing from a smartphone via the Chromecast protocol. In both cases, the projector was responsive and provided very satisfactory image quality, as long as the internet connection and network were reliable and fast.
With Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre streamed in 4K HDR on Prime Video, for example, the BenQ W4000i was very impressive. Despite the unavoidable compression caused by streaming, the projected image was rich and detailed. The projector handled HDR content efficiently, revealing a plethora of details in the brightest zones of the picture, as well as deep, detailed blacks.
On the How to Train Your Dragon 2 animated movie (4K HDR – Prime Video), we were able to fully enjoy Dreamworks studio’s work, with bright colors and very realistic textures. The racing and fighting scenes were also extremely smooth. We were completely immersed in the adventures of Hiccup and Toothless.
4K HDR Blu-ray
From the very first minutes of the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (4K HDR Blu-ray), we were impressed by the quality of the projected image. The combination of the 0.65” DLP chip and XPR pixel-shifting worked wonders with native 4K sources. The picture was bursting with details and the textures were extremely realistic: the pages of old books, the fabric of Sean Connery’s suit and hat, Indy’s leather jacket, the actors’ skin texture and hair. The images shot outdoors were magnificent, with natural hues and beautiful lighting. In comparison, those shot in a studio appeared dated, with sets that seemed very artificial.
The projection of the movie 1917 (4K HDR Blu-ray) was equally impressive. Right from the opening shot, we were struck by the precision of the image and the depth between the different scenes. The heavy atmosphere was palpable, with a leaden sky whose different shades of gray were particularly well reproduced. The projector did justice to the reconstruction of the costumes and sets. The ochre and brown tones of the soldiers’ outfits, and the dust deposited on their clothes after the collapse of the tunnel, were perfectly reproduced. We were easily immersed in this adventure, seized by the intensity and urgency of the situations experienced by the heroes of Sam Mendes’ film.
BenQ W4000i: compared to…
BenQ W5700
We loved the BenQ W5700 with its vivid and natural colors, very satisfactory contrast (dynamic iris) and effective HDR management, as well as the sharpness and details of the projected images. The BenQ W4000i pushes the boundaries of its predecessor with more brightness, better contrast, richer colors and improved HDR content handling.
Epson EH-TW9400
Equipped with motorized optics (zoom, focus and lens shift) with a more powerful zoom, the Epson EH-TW9400 is much easier to install. However, despite its 4K compatibility, it offers a lower definition (4 million interpolated pixels), is less convincing in HDR and does not reach the level of detail and accuracy of the BenQ W4000i. It is also not connected and therefore does not offer direct access to streaming services.
BenQ W4000i: who is it for?
The BenQ W4000i will appeal to anyone looking for a well-calibrated projector to enjoy 4K HDR UHD movies in excellent conditions. They’ll also appreciate the Android TV module, which provides an almost endless source of entertainment via streaming services.
BenQ W4000i: conclusion
The BenQ W4000i projector is ideal for enjoying beautiful 4K HDR images. Perfectly at home in a living room, it is also perfect in a home theater, where it will reveal the full extent of its qualities. HDR images are bright and nuanced, colors are lustrous, and 4K content reveals infinite details on the screen.
Priced at just €200 more than the W5700 at launch, the BenQ W4000i is the best consumer 4K HDR DLP projector on the market.
We liked
- How easy it was to install
The rich and natural colors
The high brightness
Access to all the Android TV features
How quiet it was in Eco mode
We would have liked
- Greater range for the zoom and lens shift
- Even deeper blacks
- Support for DTS and eAC3 via USB
So how is the 3D? Not even noted in this “review”.