BenQ W5850 vs Epson EH-QB1000: which five-star 4K projector should you buy?

If you’re looking to take your home cinema experience to the next level, buying one of the best projectors is likely on your to-do list. And, chances are, offerings from both Epson and BenQ are on your radar.

With that in mind, we’re comparing the BenQ W5850 and Epson EH-QB1000. They've both earned five-star reviews following vigorous tests by our in-house experts, and they're positioned at broadly similar price points that put them in direct competition with each other – and with Sony's multiple Award-winning VPL-XW5000ES.

The question is, which of these two excellent projectors deserves your hard-earned cash? Let’s find out.

BenQ W5850 vs Epson EH-QB1000: price

The BenQ W5850 launched at £4599 / $4999 / AU$8499, positioning it as a premium home cinema projector that demands serious investment. That's roughly what the older W5800 launched for, though that model can now be picked up for a less while stocks remain.

The Epson EH-QB1000 costs £4799 / $7999 / AU$11,900 at launch. That represents a small premium over the BenQ in the UK, but the gap widens considerably when you look at US and Australian pricing – particularly in Australia, where the Epson costs a substantial AU$3400 more than the BenQ.

At the time of writing, the BenQ can be found for £100 cheaper than its launch price in the UK, but there’s little in it if you’re looking at investing over four grand in your purchase.

This pricing puts both projectors relatively close to Sony's VPL-XW5000ES, which costs £5999 / $5998 / AU$9990, though there’s still a substantial jump in price to consider for those tempted by the Sony camp.

** Winner: BenQ W5850 **

BenQ W5850 vs Epson EH-QB1000: build and design

The BenQ W5850 has a svelte, elegant appearance that's enhanced by the swoopy lines of its chassis. From a distance, the gold ring surrounding the lens cavity adds a classy touch.

What really sets the BenQ apart though, is its modular lens design. The projector arrives with the lens packaged separately – you line it up, insert it gently, and twist it into place with a satisfying click. It's a lovely tactile detail that makes the setup process feel more special, particularly if you're the type who appreciates well-engineered home cinema equipment.

The remote control continues the theme of thoughtful design. While it doesn't feel quite as premium as it looks and runs slightly large, the buttons are sensibly laid out with clear labelling and a nice soft feel. They're backlit too, which proves useful when the lights are down.

The Epson EH-QB1000, by contrast, makes no apologies for its substantial form. At 12.8kg, it's bigger and considerably heavier than most projectors at this level. The black finish of our review sample, combined with dramatic-looking venting on the front and side edges, announces that this is serious equipment designed for permanent installation rather than casual use.

That said, Epson has attempted to soften the industrial impression. The recessed lens features an opulent-looking gold metallic ring around its edge, and every corner and edge has been gently rounded off. The lens also features an automatic dust and damage-preventing shutter system that opens when the projector powers on and closes when it enters standby – a nice touch that adds a sense of occasion to your viewing sessions.

Both projectors run remarkably quietly during normal operation. The Epson's fan noise remains well-controlled despite the projector's substantial brightness output, making ceiling installation optional rather than essential. The BenQ is similarly unobtrusive during typical viewing.

The BenQ's modular design and elegant proportions give it the edge here, particularly for those who want their projector to look as good as it performs. The Epson is undeniably the more imposing presence, though its premium touches help justify its serious intent.

** Winner: BenQ W5850 **

BenQ W5850 vs Epson EH-QB1000: features

Both projectors use laser light sources to illuminate their respective optical systems, but they employ different technologies to create the 4K image.

The BenQ W5850 uses a single DLP chip with XPR (eXpanded Pixel Resolution) technology. This rapidly shifts the image to create an effective 4K resolution that's CTA-approved, though it's not the same as native 4K in the manner of Sony's SXRD projectors. BenQ claims the W5850 can reproduce 100 per cent of the DCI-P3 colour spectrum without needing a brightness-hampering colour filter.

The Epson EH-QB1000 employs a three-chip LCD system with pixel-shifting technology, overlaying images to create a resolution roughly equivalent to 4K. While some might view this as a compromise on paper, the reality is that both approaches deliver impressively sharp and detailed pictures that comfortably exceed what you'd expect from standard Full HD.

Brightness represents a clear split between these models. The BenQ peaks at 2700 lumens – a respectable figure for a dedicated home cinema projector in a properly darkened room. The Epson pushes substantially higher to 3300 lumens, making it one of the brightest projectors at this price level and allowing it to deliver more convincing HDR performance with greater impact in peak highlights.

Both projectors support HDR10, HLG, and HDR10+ with its scene-by-scene metadata for more accurate HDR reproduction. The Epson also includes built-in dynamic tone mapping to translate basic HDR10 sources to the full extent of its optical capabilities – a feature we've found invaluable in helping projectors handle HDR content effectively.

The unique selling point of the BenQ W5850 is its short-throw lens. Where the older W5800 had a 1.52–2.45 throw ratio, the W5850's new 16-element lens offers a much shorter 1.0–1.6 ratio. This means it can produce a 180-inch image from roughly 4 metres away, making it a better fit for smaller rooms where a large picture is still desired. Set-up remains straightforward thanks to motorised focus, zoom, and shift controls, with the zoom range offering a generous 2.1x adjustment.

The Epson counters with even more comprehensive motorised lens adjustment, featuring extensive optical image shifting both vertically and horizontally, plus a healthy 2.1x optical zoom. It also offers no fewer than 10 lens memory slots – particularly useful for owners of 2.35:1 aspect ratio screens who need to handle different source formats.

The EH-QB1000 also supports ISF calibration and Calman software compatibility for professional setup, though most users will find the factory presets more than capable.

Gaming capabilities differ between the two. The BenQ's two HDMI sockets don't support 4K/120Hz signals, and VRR and ALLM are absent. This makes it a much less appealing option for serious gamers than the Epson.

The Epson EH-QB1000 features two HDMI 2.1 ports capable of handling 4K/120Hz signals with HDR, making it extremely attractive to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, or high-end PC gamers. Input lag measures just 19ms at 60Hz, which is competitive for gaming use. The projector also supports ALLM to automatically switch to its Game mode when a console is detected.

The BenQ does, however, arrive with each unit individually calibrated at the factory, with the specific measurements provided in a gold-embossed envelope. This manual calibration by a BenQ technician should, in theory, ensure more accurate out-of-the-box colour performance.

Both projectors lack built-in smart platforms and speakers, which is entirely appropriate given their dedicated home cinema focus. The expectation is that you'll provide these via separate components for superior performance.

One area where the Epson falls short is its menu system, which uses unusual terminology and hides settings in obscure locations. This makes fine-tuning more confusing than it should be, particularly when you consider how much performance can be extracted with careful adjustment.

The Epson brings more brightness headroom, comprehensive gaming specifications, and extensive customisation options to the table. The BenQ counters with its short-throw lens for smaller rooms and factory calibration for more accurate colours straight out of the box. It really depends on your priorities – gaming and brightness favour the Epson, while room constraints and colour accuracy favour the BenQ.

** Winner: Draw **

BenQ W5850 vs Epson EH-QB1000: picture

Both projectors deliver picture quality that fully justifies their five-star ratings, but they achieve their excellence through different strengths.

Starting with the BenQ W5850, the Filmmaker Mode preset proves optimal for HDR content, delivering beautifully authentic, true-to-cinema pictures complete with those lovely factory-calibrated colours. Playing No Time To Die on 4K Blu-ray, the cliff-embedded city of Matera looks resplendent in the background as Bond makes his way to Vesper's resting place. The projector does an excellent job of defining the edges where the cluttered, squashed-together buildings meet the cliffside.

Colours are wonderfully judged, with the dusty ground and ornate tombs baked by the warm sun but never looking oversaturated. Bond's skin appears tanned and vibrant without veering into the slightly nuclear colour that less well-judged displays often produce, while his blue shirt stands out appropriately against his tan suit.

Detail levels are superb but never forced. Freckles, pores, and small scars are all visible, as are individual strands of hair, but there's no sense of over-sharpening. The texture in his suit is beautifully rendered, looking almost like very fine corduroy up close.

The BenQ's combination of crisp definition and punchy, three-dimensional depth creates images that feel properly cinematic. However, switching to Alien: Romulus exposes the projector's one notable weakness. The deep space opening reveals blacks that aren't quite as deep as they should be – they appear somewhat grey compared to the Sony VPL-XW5000ES. You can improve black depth by reducing the laser brightness, but doing so dulls the overall image more than is ideal.

Motion handling on the BenQ also requires compromise. There's undeniably more blur and judder visible during slow panning shots and the progress of the science vessel at the start of Alien: Romulus. Activating BenQ's motion processing tightens things up, but even the Low setting looks too processed, making everything appear unnaturally sharp and smooth. A more subtle option would be welcome.

Dropping down to The Nice Guys in HD and SDR requires some work to achieve a satisfying picture. The Bright Cinema preset provides the necessary cinematic warmth (both Filmmaker Mode and Cinema look peculiarly cool), but it runs too sharp and too bright. Dialling down Sharpness, Pixel Enhancer 4K, and Local Contrast Enhancer to 0 or Off, and changing Gamma Selection to 2.4, delivers a lovely result – warm but dynamic, colourful but natural, crisp but controlled.

Moving to the Epson EH-QB1000, that substantial brightness advantage makes an immediate impression with HDR content. The projector imbues HDR images with considerably more brightness than most competitors manage, selling the life-like benefits of high dynamic range more successfully than the vast majority of projectors at this level.

This brightness feeds into an exhilarating colour performance that maintains fantastic vibrancy and richness even when the projector runs right up to the edge of its light range. The desaturation effect that can occur when projectors lack the colour capability to keep up with their brightness extremes simply isn't an issue here. The QB1000 delivers its excellent colour potency without needing a brightness-dimming colour filter, allowing you to experience both the brightness and wide colour range aspects of a true HDR presentation simultaneously.

Black levels on the Epson, while not matching the best JVC D-ILA models, are noticeably deeper than the BenQ's. This is particularly impressive when you consider the additional brightness the Epson simultaneously delivers. There's excellent detail preserved in both dark shadows and bright highlights.

The Epson's dynamic contrast feature works brilliantly, with any adjustments to light output happening so instantaneously after cuts or being delivered so subtly within shots that you only feel aware of the beneficial end result rather than being distracted by the mechanics behind it. The high-speed setting for Dynamic Contrast delivers slightly better black levels without causing light instability during dark shots.

Despite not being a native 4K projector, the QB1000's pictures look extremely sharp and clean – substantially denser and smoother than regular HD at the screen sizes you'll be watching. The Low setting of Epson's motion processing proves unexpectedly useful for making judder with 24p sources less jarring, without leaving films looking like soap operas or generating significant processing side effects.

The Epson's picture presets, however, present their own challenges. The Cinema mode suffers from noticeable black crush where subtle details disappear into darkness, and it runs dimmer than ideal for HDR content. The Vivid mode delivers intense brightness and colour but can occasionally show slight colour striping noise in subtle HDR blends, and dark areas can look forced if they appear alongside very bright HDR objects.

Gaming on the QB1000 proves every bit as entertaining as hoped. The surprising responsiveness created by its 120Hz frame rate support and sub-20ms input lag combines with vibrant colours and appreciation for detail to bring game worlds to life on an epic scale.

The BenQ delivers beautifully warm, authentic colours with excellent detail and a proper cinematic feel, though it struggles somewhat with black depth and motion handling. The Epson counters with brighter, punchier HDR performance, deeper blacks, and superior motion processing, though it requires more careful preset selection to achieve optimal results. For pure HDR impact and gaming performance, the Epson takes the lead.

** Winner: Epson EH-QB1000 **

BenQ W5850 vs Epson EH-QB1000: verdict

Both of these premium laser projectors deliver excellent performance, which makes choosing between them largely dependent on your priorities and preferences.

The Epson EH-QB1000 makes a compelling case if HDR performance and gaming are your primary concerns. That substantial 3300-lumen brightness output transforms high dynamic range content, delivering peak highlights with an impact that most projectors at this level simply can't match.

Those deeper blacks add to the sense of dynamism, and when you get the settings configured properly, it produces some of the most straight-up enjoyable HDR pictures available without spending five figures.

The gaming credentials are equally impressive, with 4K/120Hz support making it a brilliant choice for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, or high-end PC gaming on a grand scale. The extensive customisation options mean enthusiasts can fine-tune the picture to their exact preferences, though the confusing menu system makes this more challenging than it should be.

The BenQ W5850 doesn't quite reach the same heights of HDR brilliance or gaming versatility, but it brings its own advantages. Those factory-calibrated colours deliver wonderfully warm, authentic pictures straight out of the box, with the individual calibration report providing reassurance that your specific unit has been properly set up.

The short-throw lens also makes it a more practical choice for smaller rooms where you still want a large screen, and the elegant design looks more at home in a living space than the industrial Epson.

The BenQ's Filmmaker Mode delivers a more effortlessly cinematic experience for films too, requiring less fiddling with presets than the Epson demands. While motion handling could be better and blacks aren't quite as deep as the Epson's, the W5850 still produces pictures that are easy to watch and delightful to live with. SDR content does require some adjustment work, but the end result rewards your effort.

If you're planning to use your projector heavily for gaming, or if HDR performance is your absolute priority and you're comfortable with the pricing in your region, the Epson EH-QB1000's extra brightness and comprehensive gaming features make it the more versatile choice. Its ability to produce 300-inch images also makes it more future-proof if you're planning to upgrade your screen size.

But if room size is a constraint, or if you prioritise warm, accurate colours and elegant design over ultimate HDR punch, or if you're simply looking for the most approachable cinematic experience, the BenQ W5850 emerges as the smarter purchase. It's also the more sensible choice for anyone who isn't planning to game extensively on their projector, as those gaming features won't provide any benefit for pure film viewing.

Both projectors sit in the shadow of Sony's Award-winning VPL-XW5000ES, which brings native 4K resolution and exceptional processing – though admittedly, for a larger investment. But if you can't stretch to the Sony, you won't be disappointed with either of these five-star performers.

** Overall winner: Epson EH-QB1000 **