Compare Projectors- BenQ W6000 vs. LG CF181D Home Projectors Compared 2

Posted on April 25, 2010 by Art Feierman

Picture Quality Comparing the Projectors Picture Quality

The thing I really like about the LG CF181D, is that it feels bright. Sunny days almost make you feel warm when watching it. By comparison, and also not a bad thing, I would describe the W6000 as being more intense! The W6000 does just fine on those sunny days, but really comes into its own in darker scenes. These two projector definitely have a different feel to them.

Black level performance

The BenQ W6000 is an ultra-high contrast projector by my standards. It's at the lower end of the performance range in terms of black levels, among those projectors, but is still a step up from a whole lot of other projectors, including some projectors costing a good bit more. The dynamic iris has been significantly improved since I first reviewed a pre-production unit, and is now not overly noticeable.

The LG CF181D is definitely a notch down in black level performance. It too uses a dynamic iris, but it just isn't in the same league in terms of blacks. Let me put it this way: When it comes to black level performance, the CF181D is respectable. On the other hand, the W6000 is downright real good.

Score a big win for the BenQ projector!

Unfortunately I do not have any side by sides of the two, nor even the same image on both, compared to another projector. They would be nice, but, as it turns out, not a problem. There are two pair below. In each pair, the BenQ is first. In the first pair, the sky is definitely darker with the W6000. If you look at the second pair, the same thing is true. We're not talking a huge difference, but one that will make a difference on the darker scenes.

Here's a third set, something completely different from space scenes. Again, the BenQ is first. On this scene below from The Dark Knight, both look pretty good. At this point, the difference seems to be slight. It's also a scene where the iris is not likely fully stopped down with either projector. As I said, it will be the really dark scenes where the difference is greatest.

W6000 DarkKnight city night large

LG CF181D DarkKnight city night large

In the Shadow Detail section, be sure to look at our Casino Royale night train scene that we use in all reviews. Here's a scene where the dynamic difference between the two projectors is rather significant, and it's primarily due to the blacker blacks.

Shadow detail

Almost a tie. I'll give the slightest advantage - an insignificant one, to the LG CF181D projector. You can compare the two projectors in the Casino Royale train images (W6000 first, of course.) You'll note that the blacks on the W6000 are at least as dark as the LG, but all the brighter areas of this very dark scene (badly overexposed), are much brighter than the LG - more dynamic range, thanks to the blacker blacks.