BenQ W1000+ review

Little PJ with big ideas This budget full HD projector has much to recommend it, says Martin Pipe

The W1000+ can be yours for roughly the same amount as you’d pay for a good 40in TV. And none can offer the same big- screen thrills. The machine is capable of casting a 300in image thanks to the high output of its optical engine.

The W1000+ is a single-chip DLP design with a redesigned colour wheel. This spins faster, which augurs well for minimisation of the dreaded ‘rainbow effect’ – while the coatings that colour its six segments have been revamped. The results of such tweakery are claimed to be an improved contrast ratio over the W1000 and colour fidelity.

The 1.2:1 zoom lens is not motorised, so you have to adjust it from the projector itself (a built-in, cross-hatch pattern is a boon here).

Inherited from the former W1000 is the comfortable backlit handset, 1080p24 compatibility and somewhat pointless 3W speaker. The superb menu system has a number of fixed presets, while another three sets of user-definable ones are also available. For these, the range of adjustable parameters is on a par with far more expensive units.

Fast spinner

The W1000+’s lamp can be switched from its ‘normal’ mode to ‘economic’. Doing so yields a moderate reduction in brightness and fan noise, which, despite the faster-spinning colour wheel, isn’t really that troublesome to begin with.

The W1000+ produces a top-notch picture for the price. It doesn’t represent the last word in black-level performance but dynamic range is unexpectedly good. With Legion (BD), I could can make out the clouds in a bright desert sky while simultaneously picking out dark features in the interior of a car.

Colour is also conveyed well, and the W1000+’s resolving power is excellent. Detail is far more evident than you have any right to expect at this price level. The rainbow effect was barely evident, either. It’s only some noticeable more motion judder that lets the side down. Overall, though, the W1000+ gets my vote.


HCC VERDICT

BenQ W1000+
Price:
£750 Approx

Highs: Performance transcends price point expectations; neat, compact design; calibration possibilities
Lows: Motion judder; who needs a 3W speaker?

Performance: 5/5
Design: 4/5
Features: 5/5
Overall: 5/5


Specifications

3D ready: no Full HD: yes 1080p24
Component video: yes one input
PC input yes 15-pin D-Sub
HDMI: yes 2 x HDMI v1.3 12V trigger: yes 1
Resolution: 1,920 x 1,080
Contrast ratio (claimed): 3,500:1
Brightness (claimed): 2,000 Lumens
Dimensions: 325(w) x 95(h) x 254(d)mm Weight: 3.4kg
Features: Single-chip DLP design, 5,000-hour lamp life, 26dB fan noise, 1.2:1 zoom lens, 24in-300in image size, 10-bit processing, 3W speaker, backlit remote control

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