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BenQ GP520: One minute evaluation
The BenQ GP520 is a promising projector for these on a good price range. At $1,499, it supplies a less expensive various to the Hisense C2 Extremely and JGMO N1S Pro 4K. Whereas there are many different examples of the best projectors that may compete close to its worth, the BenQ GP520 has a strong edge the place brightness is anxious. An LED gentle supply lets it hit a excessive of two,600 ANSI Lumens, and that’s loads to supply a satisfying picture even when you don’t utterly black out your viewing house.
The GP520 beams a pointy and modestly colourful 4K image and helps HDR10+ high dynamic range. In the precise viewing situations, it will probably look downright nice for a projector at this worth, and even has strong movement dealing with.
BenQ rounds out the GP520 with a potent pair of audio system that may do the job if you don’t have time to type out a greater sound system, and it has built-in Google TV for streaming. The projector is small and straightforward to maneuver about, making it viable as a go-anywhere all-in-one theater system. Whereas there are many methods the GP520 may very well be higher, it’s an amazing choice for these on a price range.
BenQ GP520 evaluation: Value & launch date
- Launch date: October 2024
- Value:$1,499 / £1299 / AU$ 2,199
The BenQ GP520 is a current entry to the market and is available in at a modest worth. At $1,499, it’s a small discount subsequent to the BenQ W2720i, and is cheaper than the BenQ X300G and BenQ X3100i within the firm’s gaming projector lineup. It doesn’t have the gaming chops of these latter projectors, nevertheless it delivers a giant, brilliant 4K image for the cash.
BenQ GP520 evaluation: Design & options
- Compact, all-in-one design
- A number of tripod holes for mounting
- Google TV
Like many current mainstream residence projectors, the BenQ GP520 has a easy, boxy design. With a compact, grey case and a blue accent across the lens, it appears to be like lots much less like workplace gear than different BenQ projectors. Inside, it packs an LED DLP projection system, twin 12-watt audio system, and the Google TV streaming platform. It’s a compact projector that’s straightforward to maneuver and arrange in new positions.
Whereas some rivals have began together with gimbal stands for angling their projectors, the GP520 has easy rubber ft that may prolong to make small angle and tilt corrections. That stated, the GP520 is supplied with tripod holes on the highest, backside, and rear for adaptable setups. You’ll need a relatively sturdy tripod to safe this projector, although.
The GP520 will routinely configure its image for brand new setups, together with keystone and autofocus changes, and even framing and impediment avoidance. Apart from focus, these are all digital changes that cut back the decision of the 4K image.
The BenQ GP520 runs the Google TV good TV system, and whereas this supplies loads of performance for locating and streaming content material, the {hardware} operating it isn’t so succesful. After making a range or attempting to entry a menu, the OS will grasp up for one or a number of seconds. As an illustration, attempting to entry the image settings menu from the primary menu, the delay was lengthy sufficient for me to be satisfied the system had glitched (it didn’t).
Round again, the GP520 presents up a pair of HDMI 2.1 ports (one with eARC), a 3.5mm audio output, two USB-A ports (one for service solely), and a USB-C port. That final one is particular, because it not solely helps 20 watts of charging energy for a linked gadget but in addition serves as a DisplayPort enter.
The again of the projector additionally includes a small vent for exhausting warmth, and whereas loads of warmth comes out of the again, the followers usually are not very loud. On high, it has buttons for quantity, Bluetooth pairing, and energy. The perimeters of the projector are coated in giant grills that permit air to circulation in and sound to return out of the audio system. Whereas the GP520 is compact, BenQ makes use of a big and heavy exterior energy brick that would get in the way in which of a handy and tidy setup.
The distant included with the GP520 is primary and feels a bit low-cost, nevertheless it does the job. It has the everyday Google TV format with a round navigation dial, a microphone button for voice controls, and fast buttons for residence and again. Curiously, it features a zoom management to rapidly shrink the picture down and blow it again up, and likewise has a devoted button to routinely alter keystone and focus. Fortunately, the distant has a shortcut button to alter inputs, making it a lot faster to leap from the considerably gradual Google TV operating system to some other enter with out getting slowed down in unresponsive menus.
- Design & options rating: 3.5/5
BenQ GP520 evaluation: Image & sound high quality
- Crisp, brilliant 4K image
- Coloration is a bit missing
- No gaming options
The BenQ GP520 places on a superb present, beaming an image with 2,600 lumens of brightness. In a well-lit room, you’ll need to keep on with content material like cartoons and TV, however when you can draw the curtains and dim your house, the GP520 is sweet for films. Enemy of the State had nice visuals and strong distinction on my 100-inch display, even with gentle slipping by means of my blinds in the course of the day. Black ranges weren’t extremely deep, nevertheless it nonetheless seemed good.
Watched in these identical situations, a 4K Blu-ray of Dune seemed glorious within the GP520’s HDR10 image mode. The image had sharp element, and there was additionally element in darkish shadows, similar to materials and the Harkonnen armor. Often, the projector exhibited judder throughout panning and tilting photographs, nevertheless it was very delicate. There’s additionally an Auto HDR image mode, however this shifts to a cooler colour temperature and introduces the cleaning soap opera impact together with different odd movement artifacts.
Elevated black ranges seen on the GP520 generally is a little distracting when it shows letterboxed films or bigger areas of black, however distinction is nonetheless fairly good. The GP520 carried out effectively in Paul’s duel with Jamis towards the top of Dune. I’ve seen different projectors battle vastly with this pretty darkish scene, however the GP520 offered it clearly and introduced out loads of element, together with in Jamis’ face.
The GP520 falls a bit brief on colour, although, with its LED gentle supply solely overlaying 81% of the DCI-P3 colour house. That leaves loads of room for enchancment, however such enchancment will usually come from dearer triple laser projectors, just like the JMGO N1S Professional or Hisense C2 Extremely. This received’t maintain the GP520 again with some films, such because the aforementioned Enemy of the State, nevertheless it loses a bit punch with content material that advantages from particularly vibrant colour, like Cyberpunk Edgerunners.
The audio system on the GP520 pack a punch for a system of this measurement. The steadiness is a bit crisp, placing lots into the mids and rolling off the bass. Sub-bass is absent, so that you’ll miss some meat from films, TV, and video games.
Whereas the projector can run video games with a fairly low latency, it will probably’t change to 1080p show and bump up the body charge like a few of its rivals. No matter decision, the refresh charge is capped at 60Hz.
- Image and sound high quality rating: 3.5/5
BenQ GP520 evaluation: Worth
- Brighter than related choices
- Reasonably priced worth for a 4K projector
- All-in-one design enhances worth
The BenQ GP520 will not be the very best projector round, nevertheless it’s providing a wonderful worth. For one factor, it’s an entire bundle with built-in audio system and a streaming software program that allows you to energy it up and begin watching with none additional gear. It’s additionally providing strong efficiency for the cash, with an image that’s loads brilliant, crisp, and with HDR10+ assist. It may use a bit extra colour richness, a deeper black ground, and the choice to extend refresh charge at decrease resolutions, however for easy film and TV watching, it’s fairly good.
At $1,499, the BenQ GP520 sits in a correct place, steering away from a few of its extra colourful triple-laser competitors however providing higher brightness in comparison with equally priced projectors.
Ought to I purchase the BenQ GP520?
|
Attributes |
Notes |
Ranking |
|---|---|---|
|
Design and options |
The GP520’s small footprint manages to pack in a brilliant projection system, loud audio system, and Google TV whereas additionally working quietly. Optical changes and an built-in energy provide would have been good, although. |
3.5/5 |
|
Image and sound high quality |
A splendidly brilliant image that appears crisp even on the largest sizes it’s able to. It may have higher colour, although, and the excessive black degree generally is a little distracting when watching letterboxed films. |
3.5/5 |
|
Worth |
It will not be the final word projector, however the GP520 supplies appreciable worth at $1,499. On high of being an all-in-one 4K projector, its HDR10+ assist and glorious brightness make it successful at its worth. |
4.5/5 |
Purchase it if…
Do not buy it if…
Additionally take into account
| Header Cell – Column 0 |
BenQ GP520 |
JMGO N1S Professional 4K |
BenQ W2720i |
Xgimi Horizon Extremely |
Header Cell – Column 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Value: |
$1,499 |
$1,999 |
$1,999 |
$1,699 |
Row 0 – Cell 5 |
|
Display screen sizes supported: |
50 to 180 inches |
85-180 inches |
80 to 200 inches |
40 – 200 inches |
Row 1 – Cell 5 |
|
Brightness (specified): |
2,600 lumens |
2,400 ANSI lumens |
2,500 lumens |
2300 ISO Lumens |
Row 2 – Cell 5 |
|
HDR assist |
HDR10+, HLG |
HDR10, HLG |
HDR10+, HLG |
HDR10, HLG, Dolby Imaginative and prescient |
Row 3 – Cell 5 |
|
Optical expertise: |
LED DLP |
RGB laser DLP |
4LED DLP |
LED + Laser DLP |
Row 4 – Cell 5 |
|
Sensible TV: |
Google TV |
Google TV |
Android TV |
Android TV |
Row 5 – Cell 5 |
|
Connections: |
2x HDMI 2.1 (1 with eARC), 1x USB-C (PD Out, DP In, 2x USB-A 1x 3.5mm |
HDMI x2 (x1 eARC), USB-A (energy), 3.5mm |
2x HDMI 2.1 (1 with eARC), 2x HDMI 2.0 (inside) , 1x optical, 1x 3.5mm |
2 x HDMI (1 with eARC), USB x 2, 3.5mm, Optical |
Row 6 – Cell 5 |
How I examined the BenQ GP520
- Examined at residence in a number of, real-world viewing situations
- Offered the show with quite a lot of media and codecs
- I’ve examined quite a few projectors and shows over the past half-decade
I examined the BenQ GP520 at residence, in real-world situations. This noticed it confronted with ambient gentle coming in from quite a few home windows, in-room lighting, in addition to ambient noise that each the projector and speaker programs needed to overcome. The projector was examined each in opposition to a naked, white wall and an Akia Screens CineWhite screen. It was offered with streamed content material, HDR and non-HDR, and PC gameplay.
My testing evaluates the projector’s efficiency with respect to its worth and competitors from different fashions I and colleagues at TechRadar have examined.
I’ve been testing projectors since 2021 and shows for even longer.
For a extra detailed clarification of how we test TVs at TechRadar, try the hyperlink.