BenQ focuses on colour accuracy with new ‘Cinematic Colour’ projectors

BenQ has become a go-to brand for big-screen entertainment on a budget – its W1080ST+ recently bagged a What Hi-Fi? Award at £1000, just as its W1400 model did last year.

Hoping to continue its success at this popular price bracket, BenQ is prioritising colour accuracy with its two pricier models. Under its new ‘Cinematic Colour’ umbrella, the W2000 and W3000 are calibrated to Rec. 709 colour space – an industry-wide, universally accepted standard for high-definition TV – for accurate colour reproduction ‘as the film director had intended’.

BenQ says that in order for every projector to meet the standard, the angle and coating of the colour wheel had to be considered, as well as software optimisation and quality control.

The W2000 is all curves and sports a lovely gold finish

The W2000 is all curves and sports a lovely gold finish

BenQ says the two Cinematic Colour projectors take the home cinema experience 'to another level'.

With short-throw under their belt, the trio of projectors can deliver a 100in image from 2.5m, with zoom and vertical lens shift onboard for flexible positioning. The W2000 and W3000 also offer side projection, while the big-daddy W3000 adds horizontal keystone adjustment alongside improved optics and picture processing for enhanced motion and colour performance.

While the fan noise of BenQ’s previous-gen W1070 was 30dB, newly enhanced airflow and fan design reduces that to 27dB on the W1100 and W2000.

The projectors can also connect to your HDMI sources – a Blu-ray player or Sky box – wirelessly via an optional add-on kit (£200).

Sound quality hasn't been left behind either. The W1100, W2000 and W3000 all feature built-in speakers with audio enhancement processing powered by MaxxAudio for a more immersive experience, as well as four preset sound modes and EQ adjustment.

We'll be taking a closer look - and listen - in our upcoming review.

While 4K projection isn't yet a reality for the brand, a spokesperson for BenQ hinted that it will unveil a high-end laser projector with an 8000 lumen output at ISE next February, coincidentally where Epson announced its first-ever laser projector earlier this year.

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Becky Roberts

Becky is the managing editor of What Hi-Fi? and, since her recent move to Melbourne, also the editor of Australian Hi-Fi magazine. During her 10 years in the hi-fi industry, she has been fortunate enough to travel the world to report on the biggest and most exciting brands in hi-fi and consumer tech (and has had the jetlag and hangovers to remember them by). In her spare time, Becky can often be found running, watching Liverpool FC and horror movies, and hunting for gluten-free cake.