BenQ LK936ST 4K Golf Simulation and Home Entertainment Projector Review

The BenQ LK936ST is a 4K HDR-capable short-throw laser projector with a manufacturer-rated 5,100 lumens of brightness and 3,000,000:1 dynamic contrast. This projector has the perfect features and performance for golf simulators and meets the needs of high-end home theater owners.

Indoor golf is one of the hottest trends in entertainment and sports, with the golf simulator market valued at $1.3 billion in 2021 and projected to reach $3.3 billion by 2030, according to Straits Research.

According to Custom Market Insights (CMI), the global golf simulation market size was estimated at USD 1.3 billion in 2021 and was expected to reach USD 1.6 billion in 2022, and is expected to hit around USD 3.4 billion by 2030. The market size is poised to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10% from 2022 to 2030.

While the pandemic initially slowed growth, the "Simulator as a Business" started experiencing an uptick due to the solitary nature of golf and golfing simulators. More curious is the many people who own home golf simulators and have never even been on an actual golf course. Put simply, the business is booming and is expected to grow significantly.

BenQ has been a part of the professional golf simulator market for over a decade, making projection products to meet the specific projection needs of this fast-growing industry. Short throw, bright, and recently higher resolution projectors as more professional golf simulators support 4K resolution.

A dual-use golf simulator and home entertainment projector all in one.

While the BenQ LK936ST is an excellent projector for professional golf simulation businesses, this projector is designed for the home golf simulator/home entertainment customer. With the BenQ LK936ST, the company has built a projector that can meet the specific needs of a very bright projector for golf simulation and the required performance for home theater projectors. BenQ calls this a sim-theater projector.

BenQ LK936ST Specs
Price	$4,899
Technology	DLP
Displayed Resolution	4K UHD 3,840 X 2,160
Brightness (Manufacturer Claim)	5,100 ANSI Lumens
Light Source	Laser Phospher
Contrast	3,000,000:1 Dynamic
Zoom Lens Ratio	1.1
Lens Shift	H: -23%~ +23%, V: -60%~ +60%
Light Source Life	20,000 Hours
Sound System	10-watt Mono
Weight	15 lbs (7 kg)
Warranty	Limited 3-Year

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OVERVIEW

The LK936ST is a 4K UHD 16:9 projector that can adjust to a 16:10 and 4:3 aspect ratio which is critical if the user's space is not incredibly deep and wants to use a 16:10 screen to maximize screen height. BenQ has also added a display port that allows users to display a 1,920 x 1,200—aspect, which is a must for the best home entertainment experience.

The BenQ LK936ST uses a Texas Instruments .047-inch Digital Light Processing (DLP) imager with laser/phosphor illumination. BenQ calls this laser light system BlueCore because some of the light produced comes from an array of blue lasers that excite a yellow phosphor wheel, whose light combines with the remaining blue laser light to create white light, which is then sent through dual-segmented color wheels to produce the onscreen image. If you want to learn more about DLP, click the link above.

BenQ says the laser light engine and dual color wheels on the LK936ST cover over 92% of the BT.709 color gamut.

The laser/phosphor light engine is sealed to prevent dust and moisture from interfering with the light engine's operation, achieving a dust-resistant rating of IP5X. Also, it's rated to last up to 20,000 hours in NORMAL output mode, so there's no need to change lamps every year or so. All in all, the BenQ LK936ST is virtually maintenance-free.

BenQ claims a staggering dynamic contrast ratio of 3,000,000:1 is achieved by the LK936ST dynamically modulating the laser power. I suspect the measured contrast ratio is far less than 3,000,000:1. However, dynamically modulating the laser creates a high contrast-ratio spec that should exhibit decent black-level performance for what BenQ has dubbed a dual-purpose golf simulator and home theater projector.

This BenQ projector has a very high manufacturer-rated 5,100 ANSI lumens brightness. High-brightness projectors are excellent when used in simulation environments where a projector must compensate for uncontrolled ambient light sources to display a visible image on the screen. Typically, this type of projector is not ideal for home entertainment because the high lumen output impacts the projector's ability to reproduce the required home theater black levels.

With such a high-lumen output, can the LK936ST produce the dark grays or even blacks found on equivalently priced competitive home theater projectors? BenQ has loaded the LK936ST with a laundry list of home theater technologies, including processing and displaying 4K HDR-encoded content, pro-level color calibration settings, 3D support, and a 33 ms input lag which, while not their fastest, is speedy enough for almost imperceptible lag when playing console or PC games.

BenQ has even added a dedicated GOLF mode that boosts the intensity of blue (for sky) and green (for grass) colors.

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HIGHLIGHTS

$4,899 MSRP
4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160) resolution
Single-chip DLP imaging
Laser/phosphor light source with up to a 20,000-hour lifespan
5,100 lumens light output
3,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio
3D content fully supported
Dual color wheels help reproduce up to 92% of the BT.709 color gamut
Sealed light engine
1.1x zoom ratio
Lens Shift Vertical -60%~ +60%
Lens Shift Horizontal -23%~ +23%
Input Lag 33.4 ms (1080p@60Hz)
HDMI Audio Return (ARC), 5.1 channel
Supports continuous 24/7 operation
LAN control (Extron, Crestron, AMX, and PJ-Link)
Dimensions: 16.37” x 6.5” x 13.8” (416mm x 166mm x 351 mm)
Net Weight: 15 lbs (7 kg)

HARDWARE

CHASSIS

The LK936ST delivers high brightness from compact package

The BenQ LK936ST is an attractive projector, but more importantly, the unit is easy to lift and maneuver for quick installation. The LK936ST measures 16.37 x 6.5 x 13.8 (HxWxD) and weighs in at 13.9 pounds, which is reasonably small and lightweight for a home theater projector and excellent for a simulator projector.

The front of this BenQ projector holds the lens, positioned on the far right, with its manual zoom and focus controls. Opposite the lens, there is an IR sensor for the remote control. The hot air exhaust vent is on the projector's left side, with the fantastic air intake vent, a simple control panel, and three indicator lights on the left. The input and connectors panel is on the back of the projector.

The BenQ LK936ST inputs and connectors panel is a single row on the back of the projector.

The BenQ LK936ST features two HDMI 2.0 inputs. The projector features a display port for high resolution and accurate color transmission. DisplayPort 1.2a can transmit audio and video signals simultaneously. Since the LK936ST can be used for various applications, including golf simulation and home entertainment, it includes many connections. The chart below lists the inputs and connectors found on the back of the LK936ST.

Inputs and Connections
HDMI 1 and 2	Supports 4K60P signals
HDBaseT	(Video, Audio, LAN (100BASE-TX), RS-232C)
SPDIF	Optical audio output
USB	TYPE-A for 2Ah power supply
IR Input and Ouput	3.5mm wired remote control input
DisplayPort	High bandwidth 1.2a connection for high refresh rates and color depth
3D VESA In and Out	For synchronizing 3D glasses via radio frequencies (RF)
RS-232C	2way control and status
LAN	RJ45, 10BASE-T / 100BASE-TX
Audio Output	3.5mm audio output
12 Volt Trigger	12V trigger for screen up and down

LENS

The BenQ LK936ST uses an innovative 0.8 short throw ratio and 1.1x zoom capability. The LK936ST can produce larger-than-life images in tight spaces. When installed 14 to 15 feet from the screen, it can project images nearly 10 feet tall. This allows the projector to be placed above and behind the hitting area without creating unsightly shadows and glare. No visual distractions mean your practice will be more productive than ever.

The 1.1 manual-zoom lens allows users to project a 200-inch diagonal image under 6 feet from the screen. The BenQ LK936ST provides a significant range of horizontal and vertical lens shifts so that installers spend less time and can more easily install the projector, even in some difficult places. The projector can be mounted off-center if the installation space has obstructions or obstacles. The projector's lens shift feature can properly align the image, shifting it up to 60% vertically and 23% horizontally relative to the screen size.

Although we at projector reviews only use it if necessary, using the extensive digital adjustments BenQ has provided may be inevitable, primarily if this projector is used as a golf simulator. Among the wide range of digital adjustments, the LK936ST provides a three-dimensional keystone correction range of up to ±40° on both the horizontal and vertical axes. Corner Fit control can adjust each corner respectively. Digital image shrinking and shift lets installers shrink the image to 75% of the original size in 0.5% increments via the OSD menu.

Throw Distance By Screen Size
60 inches	42 in - 46.5 in (1.07 m - 1.18 m)
80 inches	56 in - 62 in (1.43 m - 1.57 m)
100 inches	70 in - 77 in (1.79 m - 1.97 m)
120 inches	85 in - 93 in (2.15 m - 2.36 m)
150 inches	106 in - 116 in (2.69 m - 2.95 m)
200 inches	141 in - 155 in (3.58 m - 3.94m)

MENUS

BenQ's menu system is the standard uniform professional menu they have used for years. It is text-driven rather than icon-oriented. It's geared for adjustments, making it efficient. BenQ's layout is very familiar but easy to navigate. I prefer this straightforward menu on a pro projector.

My only complaint is the actual navigation speed which could be more consistent. To get the most accuracy, I was forced to move from item to item, pressing my button just under a second apart. Any faster, I would have moved past my intended option and had to move back.

PERFORMANCE

COLOR REPRODUCTION

Most BenQ projectors that we have reviewed in the past have delivered good color reproduction. The BenQ LK936ST offers the benefit of preserving color output at brightness levels that would typically not be possible for lower-grade projectors. While high brightness is important in golf simulation, it is nice to know that BenQ did not overlook the need for accurate colors.

The BenQ LK936ST's color reproduction out of the box was excellent. The BenQ LK936ST has seven preset picture modes, including the HDR mode. Based on my observations, the USER mode settings were similar to the projector's BRIGHT mode. The most accurate out-of-the-box modes were HDR10 for HDR content and sRGB to achieve the best SDR picture.

The BRIGHT and USER modes are good options when watching a movie or TV show in a room with the lights on. I found the color reproduction good in almost all the out-of-the-box modes. Even BRIGHT mode, which typically appears bluish/greenish on most DLP projectors, was decent on this projector.

However, not everything is lovely about this projector. Basic input switching can be slow. The projector has the annoying habit of losing the input connection and having to reacquire it when playing content inside several applications, including Disney+, HBO Max, and Apple TV Plus.

The projector is noisy, and I'm not just talking about the fan noise. Maybe it was my sample, but the projector had an audible squeak that my editor and I think was the color wheel spinning.

BRIGHTNESS

5,100 ANSI Lumens of Brightness especially useful when utilizing a large screen in a room with lots ambient light

The brightness of the LK936ST is excellent for use in a home simulator environment where users may not have total control over ambient light sources. The LK936ST is a powerhouse pushing through ambient light while maintaining decent color.

BenQ lists the LK936ST brightness rating as 5,100 ANSI lumens. How close did the projector come to displaying that specification? I set the projector's picture mode to BRIGHT, the LK936ST’s brightest, and the light mode to NORMAL. Then, I took 3-4 readings from the center of the screen.

The BenQ LK936ST measured 5,309 ANSI lumens which are 209 ANSI lumens above BenQ’s stated brightness claim. I also measured the brightness of the rest of the preset picture modes in the chart below.

BenQ LK936ST Brightness
Preset Mode	Brightness Measured (ANSI Lumens)
BRIGHT	5,309
PRESENTATION	4,777
sRGB	4,205
INFOGRAPHIC	4,781
DICOM-SIM	4,099
VIDEO	3,029
GOLF	4,197
3D	4,780
HDR10/HLG	4,780
USER1 and USER2	2,342

BLACK LEVEL AND SHADOW DETAIL

The BenQ LK936ST has a dynamic contrast claim of 3,000,000:1, and while this is an impressive number, the truth is that it is rare for a business projector to have deep black levels.

Like most DLP projectors, black levels on the LK936ST were pretty average, if not a little worse, because it is a high-brightness projector. The LK936ST will not produce inky deep blacks; instead, areas of the picture meant to be black are dark gray.

By sacrificing dark-level details and turning the laser light setting down significantly, I was able to get better blacks. As an experiment, this was interesting but not something I would choose or recommend to a user because it tended to crush the blacks. I would rather have typical DLP blacks (dark gray) with more visible detail in the dark areas of the image.

GOLF SIMULATION

The BenQ delivered accurate colors while producing high brightness

BenQ home entertainment projectors have been used in the golf simulation market for a few years, but the LK936ST is the first 4K projector the company has made specifically designed for dual use. The BenQ LK936ST provides rich colors, making it an obvious choice for home entertainment and golf simulator environments.

One of the biggest challenges for a home entertainment projector is getting the best out of a screen whose primary function is keeping a golf ball from damaging. These screens are not typically focused on something other than the needs of a home theater customer. BenQ knows this and has built a projector to compensate for an impact screen image quality issue.

The included GOLF mode on the BenQ LK936ST is an excellent example of the company's familiarity with the needs of people using the projector for golf simulation. The GOLF mode provides a noticeable boost of blue and green colors, helping to make the grass and sky pop without significantly over-driving the rest of the projector's color performance.

I would not use this mode to watch movies, but it looked great on the golfing games I played, which is what it is designed for. The GOLF mode is an incredibly convenient feature that works remarkably well.

SOUND QUALITY

The BENQ LK936ST has a single 10-watt built-in speaker on the projector's side. The projector is loud enough for use in an average-sized room. Still, I only recommend using the stand-alone speaker for your home golf simulator if you have no choice: this applies even more so if you use the projector as a home theater projector.

As with most built-in projector speakers, there is only a little bass, and the sound can become distorted if you turn the volume up too high. The sound quality is fine for voice, but dynamic entertainment content is out unless there is no choice. If higher quality audio is needed, the projector has mini jack audio outputs that can connect to an externally powered speaker system.

AUDIBLE NOISE

The fan noise produced by LK936ST is noticeable compared with other 5,000-plus-lumen professional projectors I've reviewed. The BENQ LK936ST produces 33 dB in ECO mode and a very distracting 40 dB in Normal lamp power. If I were using this projector in a home golf simulator, I wouldn't mind the 40 dB of noise, but I would find it intolerable in a home theater. The 33 dB of noise the projector produces in ECO mode is at the high end of what I find tolerable.

We don't measure sound output here at Projector Reviews since how it sounds to my ear is as much about the projector's performance as my testing room, which will likely have different acoustic properties than your space.

My opinion about the sound level of the LK936ST is that it is a very loud home entertainment projector, far louder than many home theater projectors I've reviewed. Does this matter in a golf simulator? No.

SUMMARY

The BenQ LK936ST is a 4K (1920 x1080 x4) DLP laser projector selling for an MSRP of $4,899. The LK936ST offers 5,100 lumens of brightness with a laser light source life of 20,000 hours in NORMAL mode. A Texas Instruments DLP chip powers the LK936ST, the most commonly used imagers on projectors today. The BenQ BlueCore laser light engine allows the LK936ST to reproduce over 92% of the BT.709 color gamut.

Physically, the BenQLK936ST is a moderately-sized projector, measuring 16.37 x 6.5 x 13.8 (WxHxD) and weighing approximately fifteen pounds. This projector is easy to move and lift into position.

Projectors are built from similar components and are primarily separated only by the capabilities of the engineers and programmers that produce them. As my editor, Phil Jones is fond of saying, "Manufacturers are like chefs. When given the same ingredients, skill, and experience determine how the final meal will taste."

BenQ engineers are excellent chefs, so it’s probably not a surprise that I think the LK936ST is a knock-out golf simulator projector. BenQ is marketing the LK936ST as a dual-use projector meant to be used as a home simulator/home entertainment or sim-theater projector. I also think that, with some exceptions like black levels, the BenQ LK936ST is a top-notch home theater projector.

The Benq LK936ST is bright and perfect for environments with uncontrolled ambient light. The LK936ST is rated at 5,100 ANSI lumens; however, my testing shows the projector measures 5,309 ANSI lumens of brightness. This number is 209 ANSI lumens higher than BenQ's rated brightness. This high brightness level allows the LK936ST to push past the large amounts of uncontrolled ambient light sources that might be found at pro shops and other venues offering simulator time. The projector's high lumens work just as well in a home environment where the projector can be installed in a living room or garage without complete control of the room's light sources.

The projector's dedicated golf mode boosts green and blue colors, making the sky and grass pop. Aside from the dedicated GOLF mode, the projector's out-of-the-box color quality is well-balanced and pleasantly neutral without the oversaturated red and green hues often found on DLP projectors. The projector's visibly balanced color performance is likely due to BenQ's use of a dual-color wheel system resulting in an impressive ability to cover 92% of the BT.709 color gamut and the company's excellent color science engineers.

By modulating the laser power, the BenQ LK936ST has a dynamic contrast ratio of 3,000,000:1. The BenQ LK936ST can produce darkish blacks but only so far. The LK936ST's high lumens output works against this projector's ability to deliver deep blacks with dark area detail. Turning the light source down by putting the projector in ECO mode and tweaking the brightness and contrast helps, but only so much. In my fully light-controlled space, I sacrificed dark area details and crushed the blacks to go darker. It was not worth the modest increase in black performance.

This projector is designed to provide a lot of light with better color than most high-brightness projectors at its price point. This projector is not intended to offer inky blacks with tons of detail.

Setup flexibility and ease of installation are other areas where the LK936ST excels. This projector offers a remarkable 0.8 short throw ratio and 1.1x zoom allowing the LK936ST to produce large images in extremely tight spaces. Users can display images almost ten feet high from as little as just under 15 feet from the screen. That is massive. The LK936ST can be placed close enough to the screen that the golfer's body does not interrupt the light from the lens and cast a shadow onto the projector screen.

The LK936ST provides a generous amount of lens shift allowing users to properly align the image, shifting it up to 60% vertically and 23% horizontally relative to the screen size.

The BenQ LK936ST offers a three-dimensional keystone correction range of up to ±40° on both the horizontal and vertical axes, and that can rotate the projected image clockwise or counterclockwise to compensate for the trapezoid effect that can occur when a projector is installed off-center. The LK936ST can be installed at almost any orientation because it offers 360° rotation.

The BenQ LK935ST includes various analog and digital tools designed to make the setup process fast and easy for the user. For example, the DIGITAL IMAGE SHRINKING mode and SHIFT allow users to shrink the image to 75% of the original size in 0.5% increments. The image can also be shifted, so installers do not have to physically reinstall or adjust the projector physically in case the image is not precisely aligned on the desired frame and space. QUICK CORNER, KEYSTONE, and WARPING adjustments allow the projector to be mounted off-axis while still being able to project a geometrically square image.

I've used the LK936ST for a couple of weeks for gaming and entertainment content as often as possible. If you need a projector for golf simulation, this projector delivers the goods and more. Images are detailed. The color is excellent. It has brightness to spare with installation and convenience features galore… and if your golf simulator is in the same room you watch movies in, you can kill two birds with one stone getting high-quality simulator use and an excellent home theater projector in one.

PROS

4K resolution (3,840 x 2,160) compared to WUXGA (1,920 x 1,200) from many competitors
Single-chip DLP imaging for proven quality and reliability
Sealed laser-phosphor light source with a 20,000-hour lifespan
Filter-free IPX5 dust proofing for low maintenance
3D keystone and corner fit provides for easy setup
5,100 lumens light output for bright, colorful images even in tough environments
3,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio
3D content fully supported
Dual color wheels help reproduce up to 92% of the BT.709 color gamut
1.1x zoom ratio
Short throw with generous horizontal -23%~ +23% and vertical -60%~ +60% lens shift capability
Input Lag 33.4 ms (1080p@60Hz) for high-quality gaming performance
HDMI Audio Return (ARC), 5.1 channel
5.1 passthrough vis S/PDIF connection
Supports continuous 24/7 operation
LAN control (Extron, Crestron, AMX, and PJ-Link) for control and management
Dimensions: 16.37 W x 6.5 H x 13.8 D (416 x 166 x 351 mm)
Net Weight: 15 lbs (7 kg)

CONS

The projector’s black level performance is average, looking darker gray
Only manual focus and zoom
No wireless networking
No built-in media player for playing content from a USB stick
The fan noise is noticeable and can be distracting when watching a movie

BenQ LK936ST - SPECIFICATIONS

Full Specifications
Projector Model	LK-936ST
Price	$4,899 MSRP
Imager Type	Laser DLP
Displayed Resolution	4K (3,840 x 2,160)
Native Resolution	Full HD (1,920 x 1,080)
Brightness (Manufacturer Claim)	5,100 ANSI lumens
Light Source Type	BenQ Laser
Light Source Life	20,000 hours
Contrast Ratio	3,000,000:1
Zoom Lens Ratio	1.1
Power Zoom/Focus	No
Lens Shift	H: -23%~ +23%, V: -60%~ +60%
Interchangeable Lens	No
Short Throw	Yes
Native Aspect Ratio	16:9
HDTV/4K	Yes
DVI or HDMI	Yes
3D	Yes
Blu-Ray 3D	Yes
Speakers	10 watt Mono
Noise Level (dB)	Standard 40 dB / Middle 33 dB
Low Lag Gaming	Yes
Smart Functionality	No
Business	Yes
Classroom	No
Portable	No
Special Features	Advanced Geomatry Correction, Gold Mode, Intellignt Settings
Networking	Yes
Dimensions (HxWxD)	16.37” x 6.5” x 13.8” (416mm x 166mm x 351 mm)
Weight	15 lb (7 kg)
Warranty	3 Year Warranty