The BenQ W100 is a WVGA (480p – 854×480) resolution, entry level, DLP based, home cinema projector. It has a reasonably bright 1300 ANSI lumens lens for a home theater projector and a suitably high contrast ratio of 2500:1.

Features which stand out with the BenQ W100 projector are:

• the fast (4 speed), 7 segment color wheel which makes it far less susceptible to any rainbow effects. This is particularly advantageous if the projector is to be used for any gaming duties.
• the low <29dB sound level (25dB under eco mode) compared to similar duty projectors on the market.
• a lamp life of 4000 hours in eco mode and 3000 at full brightness. With the high cost of replacement bulbs this is something for the home theater purchaser to consider seriously

Setup flexibility is not a strong point with the BenQ W100. There is no lens shift or keystone correction so purchasers will need to be able to position the projector at the correct height in line with the screen. The lens zoom ratio is only some 15% so distance from screen flexibility is also limited.

The BenQ W100 has a 2 watt speaker and stereo mini-jack which makes one think that business presentations were considered. However, with limited brightness restricting the projector to lower ambient light environments and the 480p resolution also restricting projected image size, the most that should be attempted is Powerpoint presentations with reasonably large text.

BenQ provide a somewhat standard one year parts and labor warranty on their W100 home cinema projectors.

Other BenQ home cinema projectors are the W500 and the PE7700.

Resources

Projection Screen Selection

8 Tips to Extend Projector Lamp Life

Replacement Projector Lamps and Bulbs

User Reviews and Price Comparisons

BenQ W100 DLP Home Theater Projector

BenQ Projector Lamp for W100 MP620P

Projector-Gear Projector Ceiling Mount fits BENQ W100 Projector

BenQ 5J.J1S01.001 Replacement Lamp For BenQ MP620p/W100 Projectors

Specification BenQ W100 Home Cinema Projector