ET Review: BenQ W750

With 3D becoming more pervasive, it makes sense to opt for a 3D-ready display if you’re in the least bit interested. And sometimes, there’s no substitute for screen size — especially if you’re looking for a high-impact viewing experience. The problem is that large screen 3D TVs can cost more than an arm and a leg. That’s where the BenQ W750 comes in, with large screen (100-inch plus) 3D entertainment for your living room at an affordable price.

The projector itself is fairly small and lightweight — made primarily of plastic in a two-tone finish. It has a recessed, offset lens and a control panel on top while all the ports are around the back. Setting it up is fairly easy in most rooms though there’s not a lot of optical zoom to play with. This means that beyond a point, you have to increase the distance between the projector and the screen to get a larger image. For a screen size of roughly 100 inches diagonal, the W750 needs to be placed between at least 10 to 12 feet away. That distance extends to 15 to 17 feet for a screen size of 150 inches.

Right out of the box, the W750 delivers impressive results — natural skin tones, nice colours and a good amount of brightness. It’s rated at 2,500 lumens, which means that you can use it in a room with high ambient light, as long as you keep the screen size to 100 inches.

Further calibration can be done with the right tools and a bit of patience. We used 3D Blu-Ray movies and games on a PS3 — with actual 3D content, the projector delivers impressive results. The only area where its budget nature comes to the fore is with black levels, shadow detail & visible pixels from close range (because its 720p).

If you want a projector without 3D, you should go with a 1080p unit like ViewSonic’s Pro8200. Otherwise, the W750 is pretty hard to beat for the price.