BenQ V7050i 4K Laser TV Projector Review - Performance

COLOR REPRODUCTION

The V7050i's color reproduction is excellent out-of-the-box. The BenQ V7050i has a total of seven preset picture modes including two HDR modes. Based on my observations, USER mode settings were very similar to the projector's BRIGHT mode.

The most accurate out-of-the-box modes were FILMMAKER and DCI-P3. To achieve the best SDR picture, I choose the FILMMAKER picture preset. This Filmmaker Mode is designed to meet the standards set by UHD Alliance while preserving creative intent. While this mode delivered the most accurate colors, it was also the least bright.

The Bright Cinema 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 to be 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.

Like most BenQ projectors I have tested, the V7050i delivered an outstanding picture quality right out-of-the-box. Most of the picture modes were not too far off my calibrated white balance target of 6500K. Most Laser TV customers would be more than happy with the V7050i picture quality, especially in FILMMAKER mode.

While the color reproduction of the V7050i out-of-the-box is better than most Laser TV and DLP projectors, I still calibrated the USER Mode for SDR.

Since your room and screen material have a major impact on the overall picture, I don’t recommend using someone else's calibration adjustments. If your room is brighter/darker or your walls are a different color, copying someone else's results can cause more harm than good. However below are the before and after results in my room.

Pre-Calibration Color Sweep and Grayscale

Out-of-the-box, the color tracking of the X7050i was good and its grayscale (RGB Balance) was better than most Laser TVs I have tested. The grayscale had an emphasis on blue at higher brightness levels. When measured, the color temperature was just a few hundred degrees off my target of 6500K.

• Picture Mode: USER
• Color Temperature: 6856K
• Average Grayscale dE: 3.65
• Average Color dE: 7.4

Post-Calibration Color Sweep and Grayscale

We left the COLOR TEMP set to Cool and increased the RED GAIN slightly while dramatically reducing the BLUE GAIN to produce very good grayscale (RGB Balance).

To achieve my gamma target of 2.2 in my room, I set the GAMMA to 2.4. The V7050i offers CMS adjustments which we utilized to improve the projector's color tracking.

• Picture Mode: USER
• Color Temperature: 6531K
• Average Grayscale dE: 1.02
• Average Color dE: 1.61

Delta E, as a measure of grayscale/color accuracy, of 3 and under is considered ‘Excellent’ and imperceptible by the human eye. Even before calibration, the average grayscale dE for the USER and FILMMAKER modes was around 4 which is good.

After calibration, the V7050i had an average grayscale dE of 1.02 which is outstanding. Prior to calibration, the V7050i produced 234.7 cd/m2 (68.5 fL) on my 100" matte white screen which is very bright. After SDR calibration, the maximum on-screen brightness was reduced to 155.3 cd/m2 (45.3 fL) which is more than bright enough for use in a room with some ambient light.

The V7050i does have a Wide Color Gamut option which is engaged in DCI-P3 mode or can be selected when watching HDR. This feature increases the projector DCI-P3 color gamut from 75% up to 95% but it reduced the overall brightness by nearly 45%. When viewing HDR on a projector I believe brightness is more beneficial than a wider color gamut so I left this feature OFF.

For HDR viewing, we selected the FILMMAKER picture preset. Just like with SDR we have to reduce the Blue Gain and increase the Red Gain to achieve good HDR grayscale tracking.

BRIGHTNESS

BenQ lists the rated brightness of the V7050i as 2,500 ANSI lumens. So how close did the projector come to displaying that published specification? I set the projector's Picture Mode to BRIGHT mode, the brightest picture mode, and Light Mode to NORMAL. Then, I took 3-4 readings about 15-20% out from the center of the screen.

BenQ V7050i Brightness (Bright mode, Maximum Light Level): 2,541 lumens

The V7050i measured slightly higher than its brightness claim of 2,500 lumens. I also measured the brightness of the rest of the preset picture modes.

While in BRIGHT picture mode also measured the brightness of the V7050i projector's different Light Modes as well as its Silence mode which also affect the unit's laser light output.

CONTRAST / BLACK LEVEL

BenQ states the V7050i has a Dynamic contrast ratio of 2,000,000:1. The projector's blacks were visibly better than many other 0.47-inch DLP projectors but still closer to dark gray than deep black. This was obvious when watching darker night clips on my matte white screen.

There are home projectors at the price point of the V7050i that can provide better black level and shadow detail, but they are not nearly as bright nor are they ultra-short-throw laser units. Laser TVs like the V7050i are not designed to compete against $10,000 home theater projectors. The V7050i will probably be used in a room with a higher amount of ambient light, so the ability to reproduce ultra-deep blacks is not critical. In those environments, the extra brightness, with the improved color of the V7050i, will likely be more welcome.

That being said, when paired with my Screen Innovations Solo Pro 2 UST screen, the V7050i produced a beautiful picture in my test space even with ambient light. The UST screen material which has a gain of 0.6, did improve the black level when viewing content in ambient light and in a darker room, but it was at the expense of some screen brightness.

Many DLP projectors tend to crush detail in the darker areas of the screen to make the blacks look blacker. The V7050i did a great job preserving the shadow detail in the dark scenes.

VIDEO QUALITY

Below are images of a variety of videos and photos in 4K and HD resolution. Like all Projector Review photos, they remain unadjusted for color, so they do not look as good as the projector produced. All the HD and 4K images were taken from the V7050i.

TV shows and live broadcasts will continue to be produced in HD for many years, making good upscaling an essential feature. This projector's upscaling is excellent. Whether I was watching 720P sports or 1080p Blu-ray content, it all looked terrific on the V7050i.

While most Blu-ray UHD content is available in HDR10, a lot of 4K streaming material is still only 4K SDR. The V7050i had no problems delivering sharp, detailed 4K imagery.

The BenQ V7050i uses the Texas Instruments 0.47 DMD with pixel/mirror shifting to deliver 4K UHD resolution onscreen. It would be difficult to see the difference in resolution compared native 4K model from a normal viewing distance. Many 4K movies do not have enough fine detail to make the difference between watching 4K SDR and HD noticeable.

HDR (HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE)

Let me reiterate what I've written in multiple reviews; projectors typically struggle to reproduce HDR faithfully. BenQ HDR-Pro technology was engineered to maximize the playback of HDR content. This feature combines BenQ's tone mapping algorithm with their Dynamic Light Source Dimming and Dynamic Black technology.

I have to say that I liked how this feature performed, but there is a catch. Tone mapping, whether it is static or dynamic, can end up compromising the projected image. To maintain a lot of highlight detail, you usually have to sacrifice some onscreen brightness or flatten the contrast. The V7050i HDR-Pro mode does reduce overall scene brightness to preserve more highlight detail. At 2,500 ANSI lumens, the V7050i is a bright projector so the compromise in brightness was worth it.

For those who want to manually adjust HDR tone mapping, the V7050i has five different HDR BRIGHTNESS values to choose from. Users can also use the HDR BRIGHTNESS to change the brightness level based on their screen size.

The BenQ V7050i also supports HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma) which is the HDR standard developed for live broadcast so you are all set to enjoy sports and award shows when the networks start broadcasting in HDR.

Due to its' accurate color reproduction, good onscreen brightness, and good highlight detail, the BenQ V7050i produced one of the best HDR pictures I have seen from a Laser TV.

SOUND QUALITY

I was impressed with the V7050i's treVolo-tuned 5-watt x 2 audio system. The system produced room-filling sound with good tonal balance. The BenQ V7050i Laser TV is one of the better-sounding Laser TV that I have reviewed to date.

For customers looking for even better sound quality the V7050i is equipped with HDMI ARC (audio return channel) so it can send multi-channel audio from the projector's internal apps to a connected external sound system.

BenQ lists the audio noise on the V7050i as 34 dB in Normal mode and 29 dB in ECO mode, which falls toward the quieter end of the last five BenQ projectors we have reviewed. Also, BenQ does offer a Silence mode on this projector.

Does this noise disturb or disrupt my entertainment experience? No. Is it the quietest laser TV? No. The last UST that we reviewed from Optoma was quieter in its brighter lamp mode. However, when watching quiet scenes, the fan noise from the V7050i was never an issue.