BenQ Brings On The Hi-Def

At 2,200 lumens, the BenQ MP730 is not the brightest projector to come through the Test Center lab, but in actual usage it rivals some of the brighter ones we've seen, and part of that is due to the use of Texas Instruments' Digital Light Processing (DLP) BrilliantColor technology. When reviewers first turned on the projector, it was distinctly noticeable that the blacks were very dark, making the vibrant colors stand out even more intensely.

The sleek black 10.8 x 5.1 x 12-inch case has a clean look, and at 7.7 pounds, is lighter than some of the portable projectors on the market. Above the lens, which has a smoke-tinted sliding cover, are recessed zoom and focus controls. This placement keeps them out of the way and prevents them from being accidentally readjusted.

When tested against 17 calibration patterns in the DisplayMate suite, the BenQ MP730 passed all of them straight out of the box. Video input connections include Analog RGB, Component and Composite Video, S-Video and HDMI, while a stereo mini-jack enables audio input to the internal 2-watt speaker.

Even though the BenQ MP730 is nearly as bright as projectors with more lumens, the lower rating helps keep down power consumption. During tests, our evaluation unit drew 251 watts when in use and 3 watts when off. Audible sound was well below the threshold of our meter, specified at 32 dB.

The well-designed case keeps heat to a minimum, too. Downward-angled vents on the side of the device direct the hot air away from those that may be sitting in its line of fire. In addition, most of the air is directed to the front of the projector through vents next to the lens. After more than an hour of use, we measured a maximum temperature of 81 degrees Fahrenheit on approximately 75 percent of the case. The small panel just above the lamp module reached 108 degrees, and the front vents climbed to 116 degrees.

The BenQ MP730 has a beautiful, vivid output that stayed sharp whether we were displaying an online document, animated presentation or high-definition video game. With an MSRP of $1,199, it is well worth consideration.