It’s been a while since normal service has resumed at the cinemas but the home theatre is here to stay. We’ve had our sights on BenQ’s X3000i ever since it was first showcased at CES 2022 at the beginning of this year. This is the newest projector to join the BenQ’s 4K projector lineup in India and it’s making a serious pitch for gamers and movie buffs alike. BenQ has packed it with a premium feature set.  

Edgy design

The X3000i is designed to look good in your den or living room. We dig the cube-shaped design that is similar to what we first saw on the brand’s  X1300i projector. It’s quite compact but don’t let the footprint fool you, this one weighs about 6.4kg. It’s certainly not light enough to toss into a large backpack for a road trip. While the remote is intuitive, the controls on the projector are quite easy to find. You’re also covered with multiple ports. 

Android out of the box

While smart TVs have become the ‘old normal’, major projector brands are still adjusting to new market realities. Projectors have quickly gone from being mostly office equipment for the boardroom to a home entertainment device. A ‘smart’ Android-ready projector simplifies things without the need for another remote for your casting device. BenQ had pre-installed its Android stick in our review unit. The projector took a little while to sync up with the remote in the box that allowed me to set it up with my Android creds. It works really well and is as easy as setting up an Android TV. However, I found myself leaning more towards my Apple TV (connected via one of HDMI ports) in everyday usage.  

Gamers unite 

The X3000i projector boasts of a native 4K (3,840×2,160 pixels) picture quality at 60Hz refresh rate and 16ms response time, with support for HDR10 and HLG support, and a contrast ratio of 50,00,000:1. While colours are quite brilliant, it’s the lack of input lag that gamers will really appreciate. The projector supports a refresh rate of 240Hz at 1080p resolution with 4ms response time. Serious gamers can choose from three gaming modes for audio and video settings. This includes first person shooter, sports, and role-playing games. 

Movie night-proof

It’s tough to pick a hole in the colour output. Aside from the smooth gaming experience, I also checked out a range of Content including F1 and live cricket action. Another true test is how projectors handle black and white visuals. I watched about thirty minutes of Mank and the results were quite impressive. BenQ has packed the projector with in-built 10W BenQ treVolo speakers with Bongiovi Digital Power Station (DPS) algorithm for real-time sound optimisation. Sound quality is impressive for in-built speakers but I’d still recommend hooking this up with a soundbar for dialogue-driven dramas or action capers where the extra thump adds to your experience. 

The BenQ X3000i scores with its picture quality, gaming friendly features and its contemporary design. The other big win is Android out of the box but at an asking price of Rs 4 lakh, it certainly doesn’t come cheap. 

The BenQ X3000i costs Rs 4,00,000