BENQ V7050i 4K DLP Laser TV Projector - In Living Color

Is there a projector maker that hasn’t yet come out with an ultra short throw (UST) model aimed at viewers who want a theater-size image in their living room, but without the usual ceiling-mount and dark room baggage that accompanies it? If you asked me that question one year ago, I would have replied “BenQ.” But now, with its V7050i 4K DLP Laser TV, BenQ has joined the UST projector fold, adding its name to the ranks of Sony, Epson, Optoma, Vava, Hisense, LG, Samsung, and others.

- By Al Griffin

BenQ’s specific take on the category is to deliver a model capable of the high light output needed for daylight sports viewing, but to add features that optimize picture quality for sources such as 4K movies on Ultra HD Blu-ray disc and streaming services. To that end, the V7050i offers a Filmmaker Mode for both standard dynamic range (SDR) and high-dynamic range (HDR) viewing. It has several HDR-specific features, including a wide color gamut filter to thoroughly convey the DCI-P3 color space used to master content in HDR (BenQ claims 98 percent coverage) and an HDR-Pro feature to dynamically enhance the look of 4K/HDR images.

Like other projectors from BenQ, the V7050i is a DLP model, one that uses XPR pixel-shifting tech to achieve true 4K display resolution. Light output is spec’d at 2,500 lumens, and the V7050i achieves that using a 6-Segment (RGBRGB) color wheel. (Many DLP projectors use a white segment in their color wheel to achieve high brightness, though at the expense of color intensity.) The projector’s fixed lens delivers images up to 120 inches diagonal depending on placement. A built-in 2 x 5-watt speaker system can be used for sound, though you’ll get better results by connecting a soundbar or external audio system using the V7050i’s HDMI ARC or optical digital connections.

The V7050i uses the Android TV interface, with the system software residing on a USB dongle that plugs into one of the projector’s HDMI ports. Streaming apps featured here include Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, Apple TV, Peacock, YouTube and YouTube TV, Disney+, Paramount+, ESPN, Starz, Showtime, Discovery+, and many others. A notable omission is Netflix, though you can get around that limitation by “casting” Netflix from a computer via the Google Chrome browser (Netflix casting over Wi-Fi via smartphones is not supported).