BenQ HT2550 Review (4K DLP Projector)

BenQ HT2550 4K projectors might be getting better alongside their big-screen TV counterparts, although the latter was coming down in cost, the former continues to be slow to take a more consumer-friendly cost tag.

At least, that has been true up before this season when BenQ declared the HT2550 (Known as the BenQ HT2550 in the United Kingdom, Australia, and UAE). Needless to say, at $1,500 that the BenQ HT2550 is not exactly affordable. It is only more affordable.

Design Of BenQ HT2550

Everyone enjoys going to the pictures. Reflecting on memories of childhood trips to the theater reminds us of times full of candy, laughter, loved ones, and celluloid. Now we are grown-up (even when we do not behave like it all the time), the mere smell of buttered popcorn is sufficient to transfer our heads back to those summer days full of matinees, tacky chairs, and boxed candy.

That does not necessarily imply this is the ideal BenQ HT2550 projector for you, though. As is frequently true with home entertainment equipment, the ideal choice is dependent upon your particular requirements. In our review, we cover what it is like to live with the BenQ HT2550 projector as a key source of amusement that will assist you to determine whether it deserves a place in your house.

BenQ HT2550 also excels in certain exceptional HDR processing that assesses the picture to offer an optimum balance between color accuracy and comparison. The business touts not merely the BenQ HT2550 color precision, but also its color gamut policy, which can be reported to reach only over 96% of their Rec.709 color distance. That is not quite as striking a color spectrum as several luxury TV touting 99% of this broader DCI-P3 color distance, but it’s still incredibly impressive to get a projector under $3,000, let alone 1 half that cost.

Video Quality Of BenQ HT2550

This projector doesn’t, however, given any vertical or flat lens shifting, which means you are going to need to find the projector as based on the flat plane as you can, even though a small kickstand situated on the base of the projector will offer just a small assistance from the perpendicular plane. The BenQ HT2550 is comparatively self-installer friendly, except for the best results (and particularly when electrical work needs to be done in order to conduct power to the projector mounting place ) we suggest hiring an installer.

For people who intend to utilize the BenQ HT2550 for outside film sessions or alternative pop-up film occasions, we propose planning some excess time to have fun with BenQ HT2550 projector positioning to find the best image possible. Additionally, it is worth noting here that this projector is both light and compact, which makes it a perfect alternative for mobile use.

BenQ HT2550 excels in certain SmartEco technology that adjusts lamp brightness according to picture content to boost contrast in real time whilst at the same time preserving lamp life.

We are very happy to examine the BenQ HT2550 packs some notable speakers to get a projector, too. You won’t acquire cinematic sound impact from this particular unit — and the image really does deserve both impressive audios — but the audio quality far exceeded our expectations based on previous evaluations of BenQ HT2550 projectors with built-in speakers.

Performance Of BenQ HT2550

Ultimately, we have to mention the distance, which isn’t just exceptionally functional thanks to hot-keys that manage commonly-needed alterations but can also be quite brightly backlit — crucial in a darkened room. Having spent substantial time watching films and knowingly comparing the projector into BenQ HT2550 outstanding track, we would state BenQ HT2550 has conveniently earned its bragging rights.

We found the exact same to be accurate as The Martian firmly held our gaze to get the whole 2.5 hours. The omnipresent color of these planetary scenes has been absent the unpleasant and oversaturated tones of crimson we have seen with different projectors, as well as some TVs.

HDR detail and highlights were also amazingly good considering that the BenQ HT2550 available price point. Comparisons using our Ultra HD Blu-ray’s regular Blu-ray counterpart exposed the apparent differences created by HDR as we saw X-Men: Apocalypse. What has been a blown-out blur of brightness about the Blu-ray variant becomes a sea of amazing highlights together with all the 4K Ultra HD variation as processed from the BenQ HT2550 projector’s most exceptional tone mapping. What many people fail to see is that the progress of technology today makes it possible for us to experience the cinematic experience from the comfort of their own homes.

First Impressions

Before you plug from the HT2500, you will observe that this gadget is super slick and slim. We are going to enter the particular measurements a bit later on from the critique, BenQ HT2550 but the beauty and usefulness of this projector’s shape factor is a direct supply of eye candy. Yes, actually we do, dare say adorable!

Together with our initial impressions from the way, it is time to have a peek at a few of juicy technical information. Employing Authentic 4K UHD resolution technologies, this projector generates 8.3 million different pixels for every frame, which can be over four times the amount of pixels displayed in your average 1080p TV.

The further pixels made by this HT2500 considerably reduce pixel blur, which could occasionally plague lower definition screens once the brightness level is set too large. Let us put it this way — unless you’ve got a 4K screen, you’ve never really experienced the attractiveness of peering into Morgan Freeman’s skin follicles.

And still, the HT2500’s pixel density is just one small portion of this large picture. The projector’s 0.47″ only DMD DLP technology not only lowers the projector’s dimensions profile, however, but also BenQ HT2550 helps to prevent any possible alignment problems. The outcome is better color accuracy and enhanced image clarity. We believe we could speak for everyone once we state that we are tired and sick of Morgan Freeman’s pores being obscured by insufficient stability technologies. Are we correct, or are we correct?

Color Accuracy

BenQ HT2550 brand new BenQ HT2550 projector does not mess about when it comes to its dynamic selection. They have built a distinctive Automobile HDR Color Rendition feature and Cinema-Optimization which makes your house feel like a theatre, and much less like your mum’s basement (hey guy, look… we are not judging). The HT2500 also supplies aid for HDR10, so 4K-ready media generates an impressive assortment of contrast and enhanced brightness.

The HT2500’s CinematicColor technology unites Rec.709 HDTV color precision, high native ANSI contrast ratio along with RGBRGB color wheel technology to make an image that’s as tasteful as a 50-year-old whiskey and as sharp as a pot fried potato processor. Can we mention that pot-fried potato chips are a superb movie snack? That is right, folks; a home entertainment projector means no demand for ninja-ing your snacks to the cinema — and no longer being a servant to the theater’s concession choice. Take that Major Chocolate! We are looking in the Whoppers!

Let us take a better look at the BenQ HT2550 Cinematic Color feature since this is something that BenQ HT2550 completely pinpointed. The tech’s authentic Rec. Consider it this way; for the huge majority of theatrical background, the home movie adventure hasn’t been technologically innovative enough to show movies in the way the director imagined them. It is a great time to become a film buff.

The RGBRGB color wheel enables the projector to reach 96% Rec. 709 coverage, which ensures Delta-E less than three functionality. For all those who might not know of Delta-E, it’s a color management system that measures the distance between two colors. While we do not quite comprehend how they work out the amount (we all know is that it involves a whole of mathematics with symbols we do not know )we do understand that the level of Delta-E that’s squeezed from this HT2500 is very impressive.

Inputs Of BenQ HT2550

Among the issues that some projectors confront is the difficulty in showing flesh tones. The light of the projection ray can occasionally cause small skin discoloration, leading to a nearly surreal and deflecting viewing experience. BenQ HT2550 has taken this frequent issue into account together with the HT2500.

The BenQ HT2550 projector utilizes a color and pixel enhancer which not only utilizes an algorithm to build subtle color saturation, gradients colors, and colors but utilizes edge enhancement to make exact borders that show aggressively against any backdrop. This implies Morgan Freeman’s pores seem as curved and absolutely symmetrical because they do in actual life.

The evaluation unit delivered on brightness, despite being in the low end of the BenQ HT2550 says it takes for launch in the mill, and a little lower than that which it quantified before transport. The D. Cinema style’s 467-lumen brightness dimension following calibration is sufficient to light up a 110-inch, 1.3-gain display in a darkened room, whereas the Cinema style’s 785 lumens with default configurations may fill a 90-inch 1.3-gain screen in mild ambient lighting.

Even though the Epson revealed more shadow detail in the darkest levels, the tone mapping at the HT3550 gave it a little edge at what you could think about as middle-dark levels. That is pretty great to get a projector that costs half as far as the present iteration of this Epson version.

OS, Apps, and Features

The 1.3x zoom and small vertical lens shift around the HT3550 are welcome conveniences that make setup a bit simpler, as are details such as the home designed to block light from slipping over on a desk or ceiling, and also the considerably smaller dark frame around the picture than was conventional in projectors with before creation .47-inch DLP chips.

This adds up to the BenQ HT3550 having an outstanding value at its own $ 1,499 cost, and a worthy recipient of the Highly Recommended designation. Fans of projection technologies have been patiently awaiting 4K projectors to fall in cost since the creation of the thrilling resolution level. As a result of a new creation of remarkable technological advancements — like the recent launch of more economical and more potent DLP processors by Texas Instruments, 4K-enabled projectors are quickly decreasing in price.

While this technology has become more and more ubiquitous, we’ve noticed a steady pace of progress in the general quality of cheap 4K-rated projectors. Though a lot of those projector models drop around the $2,000 price range, a few pellets, like the BenQ HT2550, may currently be found for well under $1,500 in several reputable online retailers. As a projector fan, we’re certain these improvements have been equally as exciting to you as they’ve been for us.

Key Features

Since you’re probably someone who’s interested in creating this type of configuration, we’ve taken the opportunity to run comprehensive research on the BenQ HT2550 projector. As among the most inexpensive 4K-ready projectors available on the current market, this version represents a solid value that’s guaranteed to permit for a great customer experience — without costing too much or throwing your job off-budget.

Having just one 5W speaker mounted on the BenQ HT2550 projector, people who don’t need to buy a costly speaker set to enhance their projector will still have access to a trusted sound resource. Impressively, users have reported this little speaker performs much better than a lot of bigger speakers accessible on projector versions that cost tens of thousands of dollars more.

Although it’s doubtful that a projector’s sound is the driving force behind your buying decisions, we’re delighted to report that the sound present on this specific projector is more than sufficient to meet the requirements of mobile consumer instances — like a garden movie night or expert presentation.

In general, these lamp life evaluations are unlikely to cause substantial problems for the vast majority of readers. Unless you’re heavily using this projector (like 24/7 projection for a company or art setup ), the lamp life shouldn’t pose any difficulties. But should you intend on using this projector please be aware that a lamp replacement will probably run you around $150. Even though this isn’t a mad price, it might easily lead to additional and unforeseen costs over the life span of your projector.

Sound Quality Of BenQ HT2550

While movie quality is obviously the HT2500’s attention, BenQ HT2550 has comprised enough built-in sound capacity to keep us satisfied till we hook up a surround audio system. With incorporated CinemaMaster Audio+ two audio-enhancing technologies, the projector is capable of being used as the sole music source, but many people you buy a projector will need to hook that poor boy up to some cinema-grade audio system. You do not purchase a Porsche and pay it in bumper stickers.

BenQ HT2550 has employed a little engineering genius with the home of their audio system at a resonant sound room, allowing for the introduction of far more open and broad audio. EQ programs that are built into the box permit the projector to make a cinema-like encounter. Could you imagine watching horror films with no large, bass jump frighten sounds? That might be similar to listening to The Beatles with no Ringo. They will both seem pretty darn great about the HT2500.

The HT2500 simply weighs 9.26 lbs., which is almost half of the weight of its fierce contest, the Veritek HK2288. The couple added inches may not seem like much, but think of everything you could do with that extra table property. That is enough space to store an excess bite, or perhaps conspicuously exhibit a moisturizer in hopes that Morgan Freeman understands the hint.

Display Size

If you are concerned about the screen size being too big or too little, BenQ HT2550 has comprised a nifty 1.2X zoom feature that lets you make a bigger image when required. The zooming feature also enables you a flexible variety of mounting and positioning choices. There is no extra setup. And if that is a lot of work for you then you are outside our aid.

If you have ever possessed a projector previously, you know how frustrating it could be to ensure the system remains centered and flat. When a projector is slightly off-kilter it generates a picture using an annoyingly distracting trapezoid effect. I’d still advise keeping your projector on a level surface when possible. It is just better and safer for your device’s wellbeing.

 

One of our most important concerns when purchasing a brand new apparatus is gauging whether it’s safe for your environment. BenQ HT2550 has incorporated its SmartEco technology into the HT2500. The business claims their LampSave style permits the projector lamps to continue for 15,000 hours, and it is a disturbing quantity of time to be looking into the abyss of Morgan Freeman’s sweaty cheek holes, even if it’s in a somewhat fresher and eco-friendly atmosphere.

At the purchase price point of $1499, there is no other similarly priced projector available on the marketplace which measures around the BenQ HT2550. With its lightweight and sleek design, the BenQ HT2550 projector is super-portable and provides a tasteful, yet inconspicuously designed gadget in your rec room.

The only DMD DLP ensures that the image stays clear and stable, and HDR10 supports it. 709 quality makes it possible for us to view our favorite movies how the directors intended them to be viewed. As you may feel it necessary to update the built-in audio system using a higher-end surround audio apparatus, the projector’s inventory Audio+ 2 audio technologies is perfectly capable of becoming your standalone option.

The Competition

The Vivitek is heavier, lighter, and generates 200 fewer lumens, which may not look like much, but contributes to a 10% difference. The HT2500 isn’t merely a home entertainment device — it is a full-size home theater BenQ HT2550 projector system. If you are on the fence about leaping into the projector marketplace and have expendable income, then do not be terrified of this jump.

Key features for your HT3550 comprise its .47-inch DLP processor for complete 3840 x 2160 resolution together with help by four-phase pixel changing; a six-segment RGBRGB color wheel; 30,000:1 contrast ratio together with the Dynamic Iris on; along with a Broad Colour Gamut (WCG) setting.

However, the side-by-side contrast of both revealed the BenQ HT2550 managed to provide equal brightness in our area with ambient lighting, and more than sufficient electricity within our controlled home entertainment space. We certainly feel that the BenQ HT2550 is flexible enough to fight moderate ambient lighting, though we would not expect it do provide anything striking in an area with overhead lighting turned or sunlight blasting through the windows.

According to BenQ HT2550, the HT3550–and all the HT5550–is one of the very first responders to utilize a brand new generation .47-inch DLP XPR chip which reduces the dark frame around the picture. It is generally not visible on displays with a broad black light-absorbing bezel but may be noticed from the region surrounding the picture on a display using a narrow bezel. With the new processor, the dim frame measures somewhat less than 1-inch wide on every side to get a 44-inch high-resolution, or a little under 2% of the picture height, which can be more easily concealed.

The HT3550 provides 10 colour preset modes and one User style. Additionally, it supports ISF Day and Night modes with lockable configurations for people who pay for expert calibration, though that is less likely to get a BenQ HT2550 projector in the price point. For people who are especially bothered by sound, there is a Silence mode which we just first struck in the HT5550. It ends pixel changing for simpler operation but falls resolution in the pixel-shifted 2160p into the DLP chip’s native 1080p. It made no difference in sound level in our evaluation, but not much.

Features Of BenQ HT2550

As with most projectors, the cleverest preset color style has an obvious green prejudice and can be best avoided. The following brightest manner, Cinema, provides good color accuracy from the box. I measured it in 785 ANSI lumens, which makes it bright enough to light a 90-inch 1.3 gain screen in medium ambient lighting.

 

To get 1080p articles on the HT3550, BenQ HT2550 touts a very low color mistake right from the mill for both Cinema and D. Cinema manners, because of calibration of every BenQ HT2550 projector prior to transport. The business recommends utilizing D. Cinema style to get a darkened room and Cinema style in an area with ambient lighting, a recommendation I concur with.

My dimensions utilizing Calman Ultimate applications, an X-Rite i1Pro2, along with a Murideo Six-G signal generator revealed D. Cinema was nearest to D65 color temperature, and it did not take much to correct Gamma and RGB Gain configurations to deliver it into a near-flawless outcome. The measurements revealed a minor blue prejudice for Cinema style and minor green prejudice for D. Cinema, each of which I can see in a side-by-side contrast using the calibrated Epson HC BenQ HT2550 I use for reference. But neither was off with enough to notice with no dimension or using a reference picture to compare, making it a fair option to utilize the BenQ HT2550 projector with no alterations.

The Calman results also revealed that Cinema style’s Delta E mistakes (the dimension of how close every screen color is to the goal color) were a bit lower total with default settings compared to D. Cinema style mistakes. Some minor tweaking of the Color Management settings solved this, bringing all the Delta E mistakes for D. Cinema under 3, in which they eventually become essentially indistinguishable from a specific color match.

Predecessor

Be aware that D. Cinema gets the Broad Colour Gamut (WCG) style. The color volume was 89.7percent of Rec.709 with default configurations, and it jumped to 121.5percent with Vibrant Color off. After calibration, color volume climbed to 97.9percent of Rec.709 with Vibrant Color on and 131.4% off. But, turning off it also dropped brightness so much–about 30 percent –which I favored leaving it all on.

After all the alterations, including tweaking contrast and brightness, the grayscale and color precision was equally exceptional, particularly for a BenQ HT2550 projector at a very low cost. BenQ HT2550 Leaving the lamp at the Traditional power manner, I quantified D. Cinema style at 467 lumens, providing me a bit over 19 foot-Lamberts using a 90-inch angled picture in my 1.0-gain white display.

The HT3550 mechanically switched to its HDR10 manner in my evaluations whenever it watched HDR input signal. As shipped, the HDR10 style Includes Vibrant Color turned on and Broad Colour Gamut off. Toggling either you to the contrary setting will boost DCI-P3 policy at the price of reduced brightness. With Brilliant Colour on and WCG off, I quantified the color volume at just 59.2percent of DCI-P3. Turning on WCG brought up it to 76.4 percent. Turning Brilliant Shade off at precisely the exact same time brought it around 105.6%.

Getting connected

After quantifying brightness and color volume for every mix of Vibrant Color and Broad Color Gamut configurations, I depended on departing on as a great beginning point, which can be what BenQ HT2550 advocates. I then corrected RGB gain and offset to boost grayscale, and Color Management settings to increase color accuracy, together with Calman dimensions confirming the progress. But, they also revealed a reduction of color quantity.

Considering that the HT3550 includes two HDMI 2.0b interfaces, and altering settings for one does not impact another, I managed to change back and forth between the pre-and – post-calibration co5/configurations to perform an A-B contrast. Each had a few advantages. Along with some greater measured brightness.

the default option settings delivered BenQ HT2550 brighter-looking dark scenes using shadow detail and more saturated color in scenes that were mostly mid-tones. In brighter scenes, but the color was a little washed out as well as the article calibration settings. And although altering HDR brightness settings in the instances helped minimize those differences, it did not erase them.

My very slight taste was to get my calibrated variation, which I used to get my seeing evaluations. However, both are near enough that others may favor the out-of-box settings, based on what compromises they want to create. In general, BenQ HT2550 receives high marks for using a well-tuned out-of-box picture.

Scaling new heights

1080p/SDR Seeing. With 1080p SDR Kinect disks, the HT3550 also with the calibrated Epson Home Cinema 5040UB I use as a benchmark projector, however, after calibration I watched a few small color differences, such as slightly broader and darker sky from the opening photo of La La Land. The HT3550 also revealed the glowing yellow dress of one of those movie’s dancers in this scene for a bit darker and using a slightly different color, although again, this was not readily called out without immediate contrast.

In another case, since the camera ceases to demonstrate that the backlit and fairly dim inside of a vehicle, that the BenQ HT2550 image revealed exceptional comparison, with a great sense of depth and shadow detail which enabled me to clearly understand the ribbing in the passenger seat upholstery. It was just in a number of the harder nighttime scenes in the future in the picture which I could spot the HT3550’s comparison limits.

And, like with all the car seats, even only slightly brighter details than people from the forests were discernible. That combo of this HT3550’s dark black and decent comparison with marginally lighter tones gave this particular spectacle a fantastic sense of three-dimensionality.

Swapping from the 1080p La La Land disk for its UHD BenQ HT2550 Review HDR variant created an immediate powerful case for its HT3550’s 4K HDR capacities. The improvement in 4K HDR is not possible to overlook, thanks to clearly crisper pictures, as you’d expect; more vibrant color; and much better tackling of dark tones.

From the spectacle of the darkened inside of this backlit automobile, as an instance, the tone-mapping is that the ribbing on the passenger side obviously stands out with all the HDR Brightness control setting which generates the darkest complete brightness.

Motion Performance Of BenQ HT2550

Since the HDR Brightness, Brilliant Color, and Broad Color Gamut socialize with one another, you will want to experiment with several combinations to choose which one provides you the mixture of the total brightness, contrast, and color saturation that is most suitable for your taste and setup.

The lower preferences, in -1 and -2, tended to unite shadow detail into regions of solid black at the darker scenes. From the scene at La La Land in which Mia and Sebastian come from the Lighthouse Cafe during the night and walk in various directions, by way of instance, even some sections of the faces mixed with the dark background in the -1 setting, along with a dim reddish door appeared black.

Going to high levels, more information in addition to the doorway shade became obvious at every measure from 0 to +2. For my own taste, the ideal undermine overall has been a toss-up between the default 0 settings for improved contrast, and +1 to get a brighter picture. With this and many HDR articles, the HT3550 supplied enough range to discover a happy medium..

The HT3550’s Frame Interpolation feature, which includes three settings along with Off, adds less clear smoothing and not as obvious digital movie effect at every level compared to equivalent settings in many BenQ HT2550 Review projectors, but it looked a bit more obvious at every measure compared to Frame Interpolation work on the BenQ HT5550. In the low setting, it circulates movement just a small, while adding little to no electronic video result. In the greatest settings, it circulates movement considerably and adds a clear digital video result.

Final Thoughts

Using its first 1.0 firmware, the HT3550’s lively iris showed evident pumping (a flickering or close saltwater effect) when material changed between light and dark scenes. The device I tested contained a firmware update to address this issue.

Nevertheless, you may want to avert both the High and Middle configurations to your own dynamic iris. When I had been watching a scene involving two protagonists in dialog, one backlit with a bright window and another facing a darker wall, the dynamic iris kicked within a second to alter brightness with each button back and forth between both.

Even without pumping problems, this may quickly become annoying if the point of view changes every few moments. In the minimal setting–that BenQ HT2550 Review says describes the dynamic iris rate –that the dynamic iris frequently did not trigger whatsoever with repeated rapid cuts back and forth.

3D Seeing. Insert the BenQ HT2550 Review into the expanding record of 4K projectors that affirms 3D in 1080p using DLP-Link eyeglasses. The picture is not as bright as it’s with almost any 2D style, as is normal for 3D manners, but I discovered it bright enough for comfortable viewing from the dark using a 90-inch picture in my 1.0 gain screen, also watchable, if a small dim, even at moderate ambient light using an 80-inch inch 1.0 gain screen.

Inside my go-to black test clip for assessing rainbow artifacts, I watched more than I typically see current-day projectors, and I also watched them more frequently than is normal in different scenes. The HT3550 is intended to work best on a table just under the display or within a ceiling bracket over it. The mask in the front of the lens using a”4K HDR” emblem, along with being a design point, blocks stray light from spilling on a ceiling or tabletop but in no way blocks the picture –BenQ HT2550 Review easy remedy to an issue which cropped up at the BenQ HT2550.

When there’s a down-side to the BenQ HT2550 Review, it is that blacks aren’t as deep as we would like. You can plainly see light spilling into regions that need to be entirely black — letterbox bars would be the biggest culprits. For videophiles, this could be of some concern, however, for the great majority of people considering a projector at the sub-$2,000 class, we do not consider it a problem.