BenQ TH690ST

The projector marque is once again targeting bigscreen gamers, this time with a Full HD model with handy short-throw lens and 120Hz playback. John Archer plugs in.

- John Archer

BENQ DESCRIBES ITS TH690ST as the 'world's first short-throw 4LED console gaming projector'. While this description sums up its core appeal well, it only scrapes the surface of everything the unit has going for it.

Not that the projector's talents are particularly obvious just by looking at it. It's attractive enough with its textured black fascia, orange trim around the lens window and glossy white main bodywork, but the shape and size are pretty 'normal' compared with the eye-catching cube shape of BenQ's EISA Award-winning X3000i model (HCC #332). Furthermore, some may be disappointed that the projector's native resolution is only Full HD rather than 4K.

But dig deeper and the TH690ST has plenty of gaming and home entertainment tricks up its compact sleeve, starting with the short-throw nature of its lens. This will create a 100in image from a distance of just 4.9ft, which is potentially a useful talent for a gaming projector as likely to be working in a study or bedroom as a main living room. A 1.2x optical zoom adds a degree of setup flexibility.

Its 4LED claims are intriguing for gaming. BenQ says that by using a quadruple light source as part of its DLP optical engine, it can increase both general and colour brightness, as well as extend the lamp lifespan (to a claimed 30,000 hours).

The projector's remote carries a Game Mode hot key, and its connections continue the gaming theme with two HDMIs capable of handling 120Hz signals from the PS5, Xbox Series X or high-end PCs. Playing at 120Hz in Game mode yields a minimal 8.4ms input lag, and there are a number of game-friendly options in its menus, including a feature that exaggerates subtle details in dark areas so you can more easily spot hiding enemies.

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