Epson EH-LS9000 vs BenQ W4100i: which five-star 4K projector should you buy?

If you’re eying up some of the best projectors, you might have your eye on the Epson EH-LS9000 or BenQ W4100i.

Luckily for you, we’ve reviewed both projectors in our test room, to help make your decision that little bit easier.

Below, we’ve compared them both in detail, to help you decide which one is worthy of your home set-up. Without any further delay, let’s dive in.

Epson EH-LS9000 vs BenQ W4100i: price

The Epson EH-LS9000 cost £2999 / $3999 / AU$7299 at launch, while the BenQ W4100i landed with an asking price of £2999 / $2999 / AU$4999.

That's identical pricing in the UK, with the BenQ offering better value in the US and Australia.

At the time of writing, and following their initial launches, the Epson has now dropped in price to £2899 in the UK, with the BenQ undercutting it further at £2699.

They're priced above entry-level models, but below more premium offerings like our highly recommended £4499 Sony VPL-XW5000ES Award-winner.

** Winner: BenQ W4100i **

Epson EH-LS9000 vs BenQ W4100i: build and design

The Epson EH-LS9000 is a substantial unit, tipping the scales at 12.7kg. It's designed for permanent installation in a dedicated home cinema space, with beefy dimensions that announce its serious intentions.

Available in black or white finishes, it features a motorised lens cover that automatically opens and closes when you switch the projector on or off – a small touch that adds a satisfying sense of occasion to each viewing session. The matte black finish of our review sample effectively disappears in dark viewing conditions.

The BenQ W4100i takes a more compact approach. At just 6.1kg, it's considerably smaller and lighter, making it easier to mount or reposition if needed. The lower profile and rounded corners give it a sleeker, more contemporary appearance that wouldn't look out of place in any living room.

BenQ has finished the W4100i in matte black with what looks like design-conscious heat venting. However, the top panel feels slightly cluttered, accommodating a slide-back panel for the focus and zoom rings, plus separate horizontal and vertical image shifting wheels. There's also an ungainly bulge on the rear where the Android TV dongle slots in.

Both projectors come with full-sized remote controls. The Epson's is functional but fairly basic, though it does include a backlight activated by a button in the top-right corner. The BenQ's remote features a white fascia with spacious, backlit buttons, though the finish feels rather plasticky.

In terms of optical adjustments, the Epson offers straightforward controls, while the BenQ provides more extensive set-up options, including 1.3x optical zoom and comprehensive horizontal and vertical image shift wheels – features that should eliminate the need for image-distorting digital keystone correction in most installations.

The Epson's laser light source is rated for 20,000 hours of use (enough for a two-hour film every day for 27 years), while the BenQ's LED lighting promises between 20,000 and 30,000 hours depending on the mode selected.

The Epson's size and weight make it the more committed choice for fixed installation, while the BenQ's compact dimensions and more extensive optical adjustments offer greater flexibility. Both have their merits depending on your installation requirements, making this a draw.

** Winner: Draw **

Epson EH-LS9000 vs BenQ W4100i: features

Both projectors achieve 4K resolution through pixel shifting rather than native 4K. The Epson uses its established LCD pixel shifting technology, while the BenQ uses DLP XPR technology – methods that have both proved capable of delivering convincingly sharp and detailed images.

The brightness specs, meanwhile, reveal a significant difference. The Epson claims 2200 lumens maximum output, which is perfectly adequate for dark room viewing. The BenQ, however, pushes this to 3200 lumens – a level usually associated with living room projectors that need to punch through ambient light. This higher brightness also suggests that the BenQ may extract more from HDR content, on paper at least.

The Epson claims a contrast ratio of 2,500,000:1, while BenQ's factory calibration reports confirm coverage of 100 per cent of both the Rec 709 standard dynamic range and DCI-P3 high dynamic range colour gamuts. Each W4100i ships with calibration reports showing DeltaE colour errors of less than two, meaning colours so accurate the human eye can't detect deviations from mastering studio standards.

HDR support is comprehensive on both models, with HDR10+, HDR10 and HLG formats handled by each. The Epson offers 4K Frame Interpolation and Super Resolution features for motion smoothing and sharpening, while the BenQ counters with its HDR-Pro system, including Dynamic Tone Mapping, Dynamic Black technology, and HDR Brightness optimisation.

Gaming credentials are strong across the board. The Epson provides two HDMI ports capable of 4K/120Hz signals with 19ms input lag at 60Hz, while the BenQ goes further with three HDMI ports (including one 4K/120Hz connection), ALLM switching, and a slightly quicker 17.9ms input lag. Neither supports VRR, which might disappoint some console gamers.

The BenQ's extra HDMI includes Audio Return Channel support for passing Dolby Atmos to external audio systems, and the projector also features optical digital audio output, 3.5mm audio phono out, USB ports, and RS-232C plus 12V control ports for home automation integration.

Android TV smarts are exclusive to the BenQ via its included dongle, providing access to Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ and other major streaming services in native 4K HDR form. Unfortunately, UK terrestrial broadcaster catch-up services (BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4) are absent. The Epson lacks integrated streaming entirely, requiring an external media player.

The BenQ also includes a 5W integrated speaker – basic, but potentially useful as a backup. The Epson has no internal audio.

The BenQ's higher brightness, extensive connectivity, and Android TV smarts are impressive, but the Epson counters with two 4K/120Hz HDMI ports (versus the BenQ's one), quieter operation, and laser longevity.

** Winner: Draw **

Epson EH-LS9000 vs BenQ W4100i: picture

Both projectors deliver impressive images, but their different approaches result in different viewing experiences.

Starting with the Epson EH-LS9000, the Vivid preset (typically one to avoid on most displays) turns out to be optimal. It produces exceptionally vibrant, three-dimensional pictures without looking forced or straying from cinematic intent. Watching Thunderbolts on 4K Blu-ray immediately showcases the sharpness and detail, with awesome solidity and depth that's particularly striking at 100-inch screen sizes.

Colours are both vivid and natural on the Epson, with excellent shading evident in the desert sky's beautiful gradient from light to deep blue. Rocky cliffs display craggy detail and stand out brilliantly against the sky, while clouds appear crisp and textured. Blade Runner 2049 proves the projector handles tricky panning shots with naturalism, preserving the film's subdued palette without artificial boosting.

The Epson's weakness emerges in darker content. The final act of Civil War, shot during a night-time assault on Washington DC, exposes limited black depth. Areas that should be brilliant black or very dark grey instead appear as lighter grey, reducing impact. Shadow detail remains good, but the lack of true black undermines the solidity that's otherwise a core strength.

Switching to the BenQ W4100i, colour performance immediately impresses. It reaches saturation and volume levels with aggressive HDR 4K Blu-rays that exceed almost any other projector in this class. Crucially, it achieves this without brightness-reducing colour filters and without colours feeling overcooked or unbalanced.

Tonal subtlety remains intact even with vibrant HDR colours, ensuring pictures feel textured, nuanced and three-dimensional rather than flat or cartoonish. The brightest HDR peaks arrive with considerable intensity, taking full advantage of that 3200-lumen brightness claim – especially when dynamic tone mapping is switched off.

The BenQ's brightness proves substantial enough to work through moderate ambient light, making it viable for rooms that can't achieve complete blackout. However, while Dynamic Tone Mapping can slightly reduce peak brightness, it generally presents HDR images with greater solidity and contrast, creating more cinematic results. A Local Contrast Enhancer tool allows fine-tuning without upsetting the balance.

Native 4K sources look effortlessly crisp and textured on the BenQ, with sharpness holding up well during 24fps content. Judder over motion and panning shots is handled cleanly – impressive for such a bright projector.

Gaming performance is excellent on both. The Epson delivers smooth, responsive gameplay with its 4K/120Hz support, while Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart looks superb with vivid, three-dimensional alien worlds. The BenQ retains 4K/120Hz with HDR active and delivers fluid, responsive experiences with minimal input lag. Both recreate colourful gaming graphics with punch and clarity.

However, the BenQ suffers from noticeable issues. Rainbow effect (fleeting red, green and blue stripes) appears over bright highlights against dark backgrounds – fairly pronounced for a projector at this level. Black level handling also disappoints, with dark areas looking greyer than expected in blacked-out rooms, particularly when using the Filmmaker Mode preset.

The BenQ's noise reduction system performs terribly, causing severe lag, smearing and smudging during dark scenes. Thankfully, switching it off resolves this, though it's set to on by default with HDR10 mode.

BenQ's HDR AI Cinema mode works better than most AI picture presets, mildly enhancing colour and contrast without strain. However, the High Dynamic HDR setting causes brightness and colour instability. Switching to Low Dynamic calms this but flattens the HDR effect considerably.

For dark room home cinema enthusiasts, the Epson's consistent, natural presentation with exceptional sharpness and colour outweighs its black level limitations. The BenQ's superior brightness and remarkable colour range make it better suited to brighter rooms, but its rainbow effect, black level inconsistency, and preset issues prevent it from matching the Epson's overall picture cohesion in dedicated home theatre settings.

** Winner: Epson EH-LS9000 **

Epson EH-LS9000 vs BenQ W4100i: verdict

The Epson EH-LS9000 knows exactly what it wants to be – a dedicated home cinema projector optimised for dark rooms. The BenQ W4100i attempts something more ambitious, trying to satisfy both serious home theatre enthusiasts and those wanting flexibility for living room use.

The BenQ's 3200-lumen brightness, extensive colour gamut coverage, factory calibration, and Android TV smarts make it technically impressive and highly versatile. It can work in brighter conditions where the Epson would struggle, and its remarkable colour performance stands out even against considerably pricier rivals.

However, that quest for brightness and versatility brings compromises. The rainbow effect proves distracting, black levels lack consistency, and picture presets require more careful management than the Epson demands. The missing UK catch-up apps also frustrate, and the terrible default noise reduction settings need immediate attention.

The Epson EH-LS9000 takes a more focused approach. It accepts its 2200-lumen limitation and concentrates on delivering consistently excellent images for its intended dark room environment. The Vivid preset works brilliantly straight out of the box, colours are both vibrant and natural, and the three-dimensional, detailed presentation exceeds what most rivals manage at this price.

While the Epson's black depth falls short of the very best, for a dedicated home cinema use – which is what most buyers at this level are seeking – it delivers more cohesive, satisfying pictures with fewer picture quality compromises.

As a result, the Epson EH-LS9000 recently won a What Hi-Fi? Award, beating alternatives at its price point. If you need a projector that can work in brighter conditions, the BenQ's extra lumens justify consideration. But for dark room performance per pound, the Epson's more focused execution makes it the winner of this comparison.

** Overall winner: Epson EH-LS9000 **

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