BenQ W10000 1080p DLP Home Theater Projector Review: Summary, Pros, Cons

Posted on October 7, 2006 by Art Feierman

BenQ W10000 1080p DLP Home Theater Projector Review: Summary, Pros, Cons

If you haven't figured it out by now, I really am impressed with the W10000 home theater projector. So far, it's the best overall 1080p projector reviewed. Of course there are a couple more contenders that will be reviewed in the upcoming month or two, but, as they say... so far, so good.

While the W10000 doesn't have the best color out of the box, it does do a good job. Minor adjustments using a basic calibration disk that almost any non-technical person can probably handle in an hour's time, is all that is needed to improve performance. For the real hard core afficianado, the W10000 is ISF calibrated, so, if you are dropping the "big bucks" on not just a projector, but screen, room furnishings, etc, you should seriously consider spending the roughly $1000 for a professional calibration to take the W10000 to its ultimate performance level.

Click to enlarge.So Close.Sharpness is excellent, and that's going to be a real plus with those of us who like large screens and/or like to sit close. This combines with a pixel structure that is effectively invisible at any normal seating distance (including my very close seating - of 11 feet to a 128" screen).

Click Image to Enlarge

Placement flexibility is a mixed bag. Unfortunately the zoom lens had to be reduced to only a 1.15:1 zoom, from BenQ's PE-8720 which sported the same lens but with 1.35:1. On the other hand, this is the first 1080p DLP projector under $10,000 to offer full vertical lens shift.

Warranty, as noted is one of the best, if not the best in the industry, and that's more important, since is likely to be most people's "last projector" for the foreseeable future.

Before I start the usual list of Pros and Cons, here's a brief comparison against the BenQ W10000 home theater projector's major competitors:

Before I start, of the projectors compared below, only the Optoma and BenQ are DLP projectors. As a result, those are the only two that might lose a very small percentage of potential buyers due to the rainbow effect. Obviously, if you can see the rainbows, you will choose one of the other projectors that don't use color wheels.