BenQ has today announced a new gaming projector in its arsenal, the X3000i, which offers 4K HDR output and uses 4LED technology for increased brightness and a longer lifespan for the LEDs.
The projector is capable of ultra-low latency, measuring just 4ms when displaying in 1080p/240Hz, and capping out at 16ms with full 4K/60Hz, making it ideal for avoiding input lag when gaming.
The X3000i is capable of producing 3000-lumens of brightness (about 924 nits) with a 500,000:1 contrast ratio thanks to its Dynamic Black algorithm. 2D keystone scaling and up to 1.3x zoom allow for fine-tuning adjustments to suit your screen.
It features a pair of full-range 5W speakers capable of virtual 3D surround (via Bongiovi DPS technology), and for those with their own systems, allows for Dolby Atmos and 7.1 pass through via its eARC audio return.
As for connectivity, there's a pair of HDMI 2.0b ports (one of which features the aforementioned eARC return), a USB-A output with 2.5A power delivery, 3.5mm audio output and RS-282 port.
4LED vs 3LED
The company has a dedicated page explaining the advantages of 4LED and how it works, but at its core, this technology adds a fourth blue pump LED alongside the red, blue and green LEDs found in more typical projectors.
There are a few listed advantages to this, the first being an 8-12% increase in overall brightness compared with 3LED projectors with the same size LEDs.
In order for 3LED models to achieve the brightness produced by 4LED, they would need to increase the surface area of their LEDs, resulting in a larger overall projector and increased heat output, which in turn reduces their lifespan.
BenQ claims that its 4LED arrays can last up to 20,000 hours (more than five hours a day over 10 years) and that, as the LEDs do inevitably decay over time, the colouring will remain consistent due to the company's automatic colour calibration.
The BenQ X3000i will retail for £1699 / $1999 / AU$3299 and is expected to be available in Australia from late March with the US likely to have a similar launch window. Exact availability for the UK is yet to be announced.
