BenQ W2000 Review

The W2000 from BenQ is a neat, compact projector finished in a gloss white with a champagne front bezel. All the usual controls are available on the top of the unit, for those times when you've accidentally misplaced the remote down the side of the couch. This projector comes with a few tricks up it's sleeve over the other projectors we've seen from BenQ. Most notable, however, it is its dedication to supporting the Rec. 709 HDTV standard, that should allow this to deliver a much better colour spectrum than other projectors.

Inputs comprise of two HDMI, composite and component video, a standard VGA in along with RCA and 3.5mm jacks for audio (with a pass through output). Lastly, there's an RS-232 port to allow for control.

There's a pair of USB ports on the back, which is for powering additional accessories for the W2000 or servicing. Sadly, they can't be used for media playback. But if you're looking for a projector that's just under a grand, then I'm sure you'll be able to find a relevant media player to go with.

The W2000 stylistically different from the previous BenQ projectors we’ve looked at, sporting a similar white gloss body, but this time with a swanky champagne coloured front panel. Not a colour I’d go for myself admittedly, but since the projector is usually behind you out of the way, it’s an easy one to overlook given how well the rest of the projectors specifications stand up. Function over fashion and all that.

The key feature here is the Rec. 709 HDTV standard support via the 6 segment (RGBRGB) colour wheel, that according to BenQ has “precision-tuned coating and color segments to replicate stunningly true colors and a superb viewing experience”. And it shows: there’s a real richness to the colours on display via the W2000, more so than other projectors we’ve had on the test bench before. Black levels can be somewhat amiss though, leaving darker scenes in particular feeling a little too ‘grey’. I also didn’t suffer from the “rainbow” effect as badly as I have with other units, only really noticing it when there was a large contrast between a light and dark area. There’s support for 3D with the W2000 (glasses are available separately) which means you can enjoy all of your 3D content with it too. There’s also some built in speakers, giving you 20W of audio, and utilising ‘MaxxAudio’ processing, to boost the perceived bass and treble range. It’s not going to win any awards in this department, but if you’re in a pinch and need them, they’re always at hand. Otherwise - you should really be hooking into an AV system for a better audio experience.

In closing, you’re going to be very hard pushed to find quite such a capable projector at a similar price point. Those that are at a similar price point aren’t going to have anywhere near the features of the W2000 which makes this an excellent contender for your home-theatre experience.