BenQ is releasing a new gaming projector that should make anyone with a PS5 or Xbox Series X – as limited of a population as that may be – very excited.
Dubbed the BenQ X1300i and announced toward the end of last year in the UK, the latest 4LED beamer from BenQ has a native 1080p resolution at 120Hz with 4K HDR compatibility and a seriously impressive 8.3ms of latency.
In terms of specs, BenQ says the X1300i puts out over 3,000 lumens and has a 500,000:1 contrast ratio. That, the company says, helps the X1300i cover 98% of the Rec709 color space. In the sound department, the X1300i uses two 5W speakers that have three distinct settings – one for RPGs, one for first-person shooters and one for sports games – all tuned by treVolo.
The projector will be available soon for $1,299 (£1,249 if you're in the UK, or around AU$1,700 in Australia) on BenQ.com, Amazon, Best Buy, B&H Photo and Adorama.
Gaming projectors vs monitors vs TVs: which one should you pick?
While we’ve seen projectors with 120Hz refresh rates and low latency in the past, it’s rare that we’ve seen them combined in one reasonably affordable package.
Admittedly, it would've been better had it supported native 4K and while the price is good for a gaming projector, it’s not a whole lot lower than some of the native 4K 120Hz TVs out there like the LG BX OLED or Sony X900H LED-LCD TV.
That said, with the X1300i you get a heck of a lot more screen for your money.
As for how it fares against gaming monitors, well, monitors typically tend to have even higher refresh rates (144Hz, 240Hz, 360Hz, etc…) and cans sometimes even cheaper than 4K TVs. The downside is that, again, they’re smaller.
Whether you should opt for the X1300i instead of a 4K TV or a monitor all depends on how much space you have to fill and your budget. But, if you’ve got an empty wall and an PS5 or Xbox Series X, the BenQ X1300i could be a solid alternative to the 4K/120Hz TV you might’ve had your eye on.
- Looking for a TV that can keep up with your consoles? Don't miss our guide to the best gaming TVs for PS5, Xbox Series X and Nintendo Switch
