Projectors have been around for decades but their use cases have traditionally been limited. The most common issues users face are with the physical dimensions of the device, the slow response time, the requirement for a large space, and the lack of colour accuracy in comparison to TVs and monitors. As a result, projectors have mostly been used in dedicated home theatres for watching movies, or in classrooms, or boardrooms. All that said, BenQ seems to be on a mission to acquire a whole new audience through its new projector – X300G. This is a gaming-centric projector that could prove to be a game-changer, especially considering its price point and features. I have been using this projector for around two weeks now. While I used it primarily for gaming to test its strengths, I also tested out other video content to figure out whether it could be a value buy for someone who isn’t too much into gaming. Without further ado, let’s jump right into the detailed review.
Design and Hardware
The BenQ X300G is a portable short-throw portable projector. For the uninitiated, short-throw projectors are designed to project a large image from a short distance. This means that you can even use this projector in your room. While this might seem not a big deal at first, the convenience factor played a crucial role in my usage of this device. Instead of setting up the projector in my basement with a projector screen, I simply placed it in my room against one wall and started casting on the opposite wall. As I didn’t have to go to a separate room to switch from my laptop to this giant virtual screen, I ended up using the projector every single day.
As the projector weighs just 3kg, it can easily be moved around and even carried with you. Imagine this, it’s a weekend and you want to watch a movie or a cricket/football match together with your friends. You can simply carry the projector to your friend’s place in a bag and get a massive display in any room or on any wall/screen you want. The sheer convenience of this form factor and the fact that it can cast an image of up to 120 inches from just 3 meters makes it ideal for mass adoption and regular use.
This projector has been rated to last 30,000 hours, which is an impressive figure. Even if you use it instead of your regular TV, it will easily last you for a really long time.
Specifications and features
Before I dive deeper into my experience, let’s discuss the specifications on offer here. The X300G is a 3LED light source projector that offers 4K (3,840 x 2,160 pixels) resolution. It supports 95 percent Rec.709 colour gamut, which means it is capable of reproducing 95 percent of the colours defined within the Rec.709 standard. The projector comes with HDR 10 / HLG support to offer a high dynamic range. It features 2000 lumens of peak brightness, which is sufficient for some ambient light but if you use the projector in a well-lit room, you will have some issues with visibility. As far as projection size is concerned, the X300G offers a range of 60 inches to 120 inches in the clear focus mode and anywhere from 30 inches to 300 inches in maximum screen size mode.
The projector offers 1.2x optical motorised zoom, which provides an easy adjustment for the projector’s throw ratio for flexible screen placement. Since this is optical motorised zoom, the image quality is preserved, unlike the case of digital zoom. To help with screen placement further, the X300G comes with a 3D Keystone feature that automatically adjusts the image to ensure you get a square image even when the projector is placed at an angle.
As far as the connectivity options are concerned, the X300G offers an HDMI 2.0 port with support for Audio Return+ 7.1, a USB Type-C port, and a USB Type-A port. In case you don’t want to connect any other storage/device, the projector comes with built-in Android TV (11) that can be used to stream content through apps such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, JioCinema, and more. The projector also supports Airplay, Miracast, and Chromecast.
Gaming-centric features
The X300G comes with three preset game modes – RPG (for Role-Playing games), FPS (for First Person Shooting games), and SPG (for Sports games). With CinematicColor and CinematicSound, the projector automatically calibrates the visuals and sound according to the game mode that you’ve chosen.
RPG mode – Offers movie-like cinematic colour and surround sound.
FPS mode – Deeper black details and clear surround sound to make sure you hear footsteps.
SPG mode – Natural skin tones of players and realistic live-broadcast vocals.
The most notable aspect of this projector is that it offers low input lag. The X300G offers a latency of 8ms while casting 1080p resolution video at 120Hz refresh rate and 16ms latency while casting a 4K video at 60Hz.
Gameplay experience
I connected my PlayStation 5 to the X300G for testing its performance across game genres. I played titles such as EA FC 24, NBA 2K23, Need For Speed Payback, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, and more. Truth be told, I had conservative expectations. However, I was surprised by the actual response time offered by the projector. To give you a perspective, I was able to play competitively in online matches while playing FC 24 and Call of Duty. Those of you who have ever played these games would understand how much the response time matters while playing online. I would like to make it clear that the performance was nowhere close to matching that of a gaming monitor. However, if you just want to play casually, you will have a great time gaming on this projector.
If you are playing single-player games, the experience is a visual treat. Moving around in open-world games with the 120-inch display in front of you is a unique experience that you need to see in person to appreciate.
Visual experience
Apart from gaming, I also tested a lot of 4K content (through my laptop and streaming platforms) on this projector. The X300G supports HLG format, which codes HDR and SDR information into a single signal to enable the projector to display an enhanced image. In terms of showcasing details and colour reproduction, the projector performed well. Especially due to the motorised optical zoom, the projected image didn’t lose quality despite increasing in size. While streaming platforms do not offer the same fidelity as UHD discs (due to lower bitrate), I found the 4K content to be pretty decent across platforms.
One thing to note here is that the projector does not work quite as well in semi-lit rooms as the presence of ambient light impacts the colours severely. Even at maximum brightness, the projector struggles when it comes to dealing with ambient light.
However, if you are in a dark enough room, the image quality does shine through. Unless you’re planning to watch your content in a semi-lit room, you will find the visual quality on offer here to be exceptional at its price point.
Audio quality
The X300G features two 8W treVolo speakers. The audio performance is powered by the new Bongiovi DSP (Digital Signal Processor). The company says that Bongiovi DSP comes with patented algorithms with 120 calibration points that optimise any audio signal in realtime. This DSP adds depth, clarity, definition, and presence and enhances stereo field imaging for a more immersive cinematic audio experience.
While I did expect the two 8W treVolo speakers on the projector to do a reasonable job, these speakers exceeded my expectations. The surround sound experience was good enough for me to not think about connecting external speakers right away. The booming sound offered by these speakers is consistent and the bass quality is satisfactory.
Verdict
While testing the BenQ X300G, almost all of my relatives and friends who got to see it in action enquired about its pricing and availability. While they might not end up buying the product, this does show how impressively it delivers. Whether it is gaming or watching movies/TV series, this projector ticks quite a few boxes. With its picture quality, impressive sound, and portable form factor, it could be a serious alternative to a premium large-screen TV that you might be planning to buy. Currently, the X300G is retailing for Rs 1,52,490 on Amazon in India. At this price, you can also opt to go for a high-end TV, but can you change its display size at your will or carry it around in a bag? No.
Editor’s rating: 8.5 / 10
Pros
- Impressive picture quality
- Low response time and dedicated game modes
- Portable form factor
- Good sound quality
Cons
- Ambient light severely impacts the visuals
- Pricey
