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BenQ V7050i Laser TV review: You can bring the cinema home

Is the BenQ V7050i Laser TV your ticket to bringing the cinema experience home? Here's what we think.

Rating: 4 out of 5
Rs. 5,49,000
BenQ, BenQ V7050i, BenQ V7050i review,Here's our full review of the BenQ V7050i Laser TV. (Image Source: The Indian Express/ Nandagopal Rajan)

I never thought there could be a theatre in home theatres too. Well, that is exactly what the BenQ V7050i Laser TV projector offers with its exciting sunroof design. But then you are buying this 4K HDR projector to set up an actual home theatre and not for the small theatre it can offer every time it switches on.

The BenQ V7050i Laser TV is in the latest genre of projectors that aim to replace televisions with a large screen and offers audio and video quality so good that consumers will be willing to forgo of a stunning display for splashing their wall with the next blockbuster being streamed home. Like Optoma Cinemax P2 I used for a few days earlier this year, the Benq V7050i  is also about the big screen. In other words, it is not really for small homes like mine. If the size is a limiting factor then you don’t need a projector. In fact, you opt for a projector like this when you want a TV that is larger than the largest TV around.

And the V7050i can be really large with capabilities to throw up to a 120-inch image on a wall. I stuck to around 80-inches given the smaller size of my home. Interestingly, as you switch on the projector, a sliding sun roof on the top of the projector moves back to reveal the laser lens that projects the image which is sharp and stunning at the same time, and this despite the cream colour of my wall. In fact, at the price, BenQ is now throwing in a projector screen to offer the best experience, but I chose against setting that giant screen up myself.

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BenQ, BenQ V7050i, BenQ V7050i review, The V7050i can be really large with capabilities to throw up to a 120-inch image on a wall. (Image Source: The Indian Express/ Nandagopal Rajan)

There are a few quirks with this projector that are hard to ignore. For one, there are two remotes. Yes, two remotes for one device. The larger one is to control the hardware part of the projector and there is a smaller one for the software part of if. Unlike the Optoma Cinemax, the BenQ V7050i does not run a skinned Android OS. Instead it offers a dongle that goes at the back and brings in proper Android TV capabilities. The smaller remote caters to that part of this device. It is good in a way as you can now download all the Android TV apps and not the limited ones you have offer when the native Android cannot be loaded inside the projector. Also the experience is exactly the same as any Android TV you use. I also used the projector with both Fire TV and Apple TV.

The audio quality overall is very good and you really don’t need external support thanks to the two front loaded treVolo speakers. However, if you are in a large home theatre set up it would be a shame not to invest more on amping up the audio to rise up to the scale of the video.

Festive offer BenQ, BenQ V7050i, BenQ V7050i review, The device automatically finds the source that is active and you don’t have to fish around to figure out which HDMI port is connected to what. (Image Source: The Indian Express/ Nandagopal Rajan)

The video quality is quite superior and the Cinematic Colour technology that BenQ is touting does remind one of the cinema experience which has become so alien to us now. Also, there is a Filmmaker Mode that really gives you the clarity, colours and range that takes the experience up many notches.

Interestingly, the projector adjusts the actual image inside the entire field of throw and this helps it get the keystone setting right. However, I did struggle a bit on this front, especially since I had a temporary set up and had not used the screen.

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There are some small features that make this such a good product. For instance, it automatically finds the source that is active and you don’t have to fish around to figure out which HDMI port is connected to what. Also, the main remote has a backlight which is really useful as you are invariably using the projector in the dark. Then there is an auto power off in case you leave the projector on and move somewhere — this helps save both power and the lamp.

At Rs 5,49,000, which includes the projector screen which costs around Rs 2,00,000, the BenQ V7050i Laser TV is the closest you can get to setting up a cinema at home. But then remember that not all of us have the homes to set up cinemas in and we should not aspire to do so. For those who can afford the space and money for such an endeavour, the BenQ V7050i Laser TV is certainly a great option.


 

Nandagopal Rajan writes on technology, gadgets and everything related. He has worked with the India Today Group and Hindustan Times. He is an alumnus of Calicut University and Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Dhenkanal. ... Read More

First uploaded on: 12-10-2021 at 16:00 IST
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