BenQ is releasing a new gaming projector that should excite anyone with a PS5 or Xbox Series X, limited as it is. Dubbed the BenQ X1300i and announced late last year in the UK, BenQ's latest 4LED projector has a native 1080p resolution at 120Hz with 4K HDR support and a truly impressive 8.3ms latency. In terms of specs, BenQ says the X1300i puts out over 3000 lumens and has a 500000:1 contrast ratio. According to the company, this helps the X1300i cover 98% of the Rec709 color space. In the sound department, the X1300i uses two 5W speakers with three separate configurations, one for RPGs, one for first-person shooters, and one for sports games, all tuned by treVolo. The projector will soon be available for $1,299 (£1,249 if you're in the UK, or around AU$1,700 in Australia) at BenQ.com, Amazon, Best Buy, B&H Photo, and Adorama.
Gaming projectors vs monitors vs televisions: which one to choose?
While we've seen projectors with 120Hz refresh rates and low latency in the past, it's rare that we've seen them combined into a reasonably affordable package. Of course, it would have been better if it had native 4K support, and while the price is good for a gaming projector, it's not much lower than some of the native 4K 120Hz TVs like the LG BX OLED or Sony X900H LED-LCD. TV. That said, with the X1300i, you do get a lot more screen for your money. As for how it compares to gaming monitors, well, monitors generally tend to have even higher refresh rates (144Hz, 240Hz, 360Hz, etc.) and sometimes even cheaper boxes than 4K TVs. The downside is that, again, they are smaller. Whether you should go for the X1300i over a 4K TV or monitor all depends on the space you have and your budget. But, if you have a bare wall and a PS5 or Xbox Series X, the BenQ X1300i could be a solid alternative to a 4K/120Hz TV that you might consider.