BenQ W2000 still worth it?

Razor-BladE · 9 Apr 2019 at 21:41

Hi all,

I currently have a W1070, which I bought second-hand a short while ago, and whilst the quality is good, it developed a vertical white lines thing and having a quick look on the internet seems as though it's the DMD chip failing. It wasn't so bad when it first started, but now it's pretty much always there and it's a real eyesore.

I emailed BenQ and they said an out of warranty repair will be £42 to diagnose, and the cost will be around £200 (for a mainboard replacement) or around £300 (for a DMD chip replacement). And it will only have 3 months warranty. I'm thinking that's way too much to drop on a several year old projector which will have no guarantee that nothing else will go wrong.

I looked online and the W2000 is on sale for £670 at Richer Sounds. I phoned them up and they have a home demo unit (only been demoed at a potential customer's house for no more than 2 weeks) for £630, and it has a 6 year guarantee on it.

Looking at reviews, it seems like a good projector, and the 6 year guarantee gives me piece of mind. Is this a good buy, or is there something around the £600 that I should be looking at instead?

lucid · 10 Apr 2019 at 08:57

In my mind, Benq had always been the "Cheapest project with........" solution. Going back to when they were establishing themselves, the fill-the-dots bit could have been 1080p or 16:9 DLP or lens shift or some other feature. The point is that Ben was always the value proposition rather than best quality for a price. To someone with an experienced eye, picture performance was always a step or two behind the class leaders.

That changed somewhat with the W2000.

For the first time in their offers in to the budget projector market, the W2000 seen to put picture first. However, they had to sacrifice a previous ace-in-the-hole by dropping lens shift. Also, in common with some other lower cost home cinema DLPs, the contrast range and black level aren't that great.

If the Benq was still at its £1000+ RRP then I would suggest looking at Optoma. However, given the new lower price, and subject to living with the CR, lack of lens shift and a bit of fan noise, then I'd consider demoing the W2000. The manufacturers are going to push 4K in to entry level, and I think that's a shortsighted move given the problems that plague sub £1600 models. This might be a good time to buy then.

Razor-BladE · 10 Apr 2019 at 17:01

Thanks lucid. That reassures me, as I've just bought it!

It does have vertical lens shift though, not a big adjustment but it does help especially atm when I can't wall/ceiling mount it, so have to put it on a tripod.
I wanted something on the cheaper end as I've got a cheap screen so it will definitely do for the moment. Coming from the W1070, the CR will be ok, and I've not been distracted by the fan noise.
I also read that the cheap 4K projectors aren't worth it, and I have virtually nil 4K content so that's not a requirement for the near future.

Can't wait to try it tonight! (It's in the living room with terrible blinds so have to wait until the sun goes down

)

I did notice that there's tiny dust particles on the inside of the lens. I can't see it when it's off, only when the light is shining through. Is this normal?

lucid · 10 Apr 2019 at 17:16

Yeah, that's normal. I doubt they'll be in the same focal plane as the image, so there's very little chance of seeing them onscreen.

Razor-BladE · 10 Apr 2019 at 18:03

Ok brilliant, thanks. So excited!

rubberduck · 27 Jun 2019 at 17:13

How are you getting on with it?

Razor-BladE · 27 Jun 2019 at 21:54

Haven't put too many hours into it, but it's good! Great quality and better blacks than the W1070. Maybe a bit quieter but still a slightly noisy fan, which can't be heard during action scenes, but any silent scenes, it's noticeable.

Manilow112 · 29 Sep 2020 at 07:37

Razor-BladE said:
Haven't put too many hours into it, but it's good! Great quality and better blacks than the W1070. Maybe a bit quieter but still a slightly noisy fan, which can't be heard during action scenes, but any silent scenes, it's noticeable.

Hi I have benq w2000 I got it from richer sounds, I keep my projector on pro economy, its the same pic in light scenes, as normal, but gives better blacks as it dims for darker scenes, saves lamp life and fan is quieter

Manilow112 · 29 Sep 2020 at 07:49

Manilow112 said:
Hi I have benq w2000 I got it from richer sounds, I keep my projector on pro economy, its the same pic in light scenes, as normal, but gives better blacks as it dims for darker scenes, saves lamp life and fan is quieter

Also blueray discs is when it comes into its own, you only get rec709 on blueray, but it's a lovely lovely picture, everest is cracking, in 3D aswell. It's better than my mates 4kpicture by a bit, you have bought a cracker, only downside lamps are £220 original manufacture, but I got a Chinese one for £79 and its a year old, I honestly can't see what the differance was, you get 180 day warrenty, some OME lamps are 3 months, if you can afford £220 cool, these lamp sellers are top companies so they only source best lamps from china, no rubbish