BenQ is releasing a new line of home theater projectors throughout 2023, and we are excited. With the promise of accurate colors, crisp details, and smart features, these projectors appear to be a step above the competition. One projector catching our eye is the HT4550i. It has a slim, sleek design that houses a ton of innovative technology. We can’t wait to see how the projector performs during our tests.
Ready to find out more about this home theater projector? Keep reading our BenQ HT4550i review and see if this is the projector you’ve been waiting for. Check the Latest Price on ProjectorScreen.com Now!
BenQ HT4550i Review of Specs:
| BenQ HT4550i | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Resolution | 3840x2160 |
| Dynamic Contrast | 3,000,000:1 |
| Brightness (Lumens) | 3,200 ANSI |
| Lens | 1.3x manual zoom & focus |
| Input lag | 8.7ms-21ms |
| Throw Ratio | 1.15:1 - 1.5:1 |
| Screen size | 30" - 300" |
| Speakers | 5.0 Watts Mono |
| Today's Best Price |
Image Quality
The image quality is impressive. During our BenQ HT4550i test, we found that the 4K home cinema projector produces an almost perfect picture using HDR-PRO technologies. It employs Local Contrast Enhancer and Tone Mapping technology to produce crisp details in bright and dark scenes. Details are never fuzzy or blurry, so you can fully immerse yourself in the onscreen images.
You get 100% Rec.709 and DCI-P3, thanks to support from CinematicColor. Colors are vibrant and accurate straight out of the box. It eliminates the need to spend time calibrating color tones. A dynamic 3,000,000:1 contrast ratio gives you rich, inky blacks. Whites are brilliant without an annoying yellow cast.
You can also take advantage of color temperature tuning. With 11 levels, you can find the ideal brightness for any content.
The LED lamp has a 3,200 lumens rating. It’s bright enough for use in most daytime settings, and HDR-PRO automatically adjusts each frame’s brightness to match the setting. However, we did find bright sunlight can still interfere with image clarity.
Gaming Quality
You can find home theater projects geared specifically for gamers. While our tests indicate lag times and refresh rates are a little slow, the HT4550i isn’t a bad option.
In 4K resolution, the input lag is around 17.9ms with a 60Hz refresh rate. It’s not fast enough for competitive gamers, but casual players shouldn’t have any complaints.
Dropping down to full HD (1080p), the latency speed drops to 8.7ms with a 240Hz refresh rate. Surprisingly, even in 1080p, image clarity is still stunning. Avid gamers can also enjoy the faster response times necessary to keep up with some games.
Audio Quality
The projector only comes with a single 5W mono speaker. It’s a step up from your smart TV, but not by much. The small speaker is fine, but most cinema buffs will want to connect external speakers. This way, you can match the audio to the image quality.
Connectivity
With built-in WiFi, onboard streaming apps, and three HDMI 2.0 ports, connecting external devices is a breeze. With wireless networking, you can even ditch some of your cords.
You also get three USB ports, and the projector supports Bluetooth.
Want to connect an external speaker or soundbar? No problem. You have an audio out port.
Ease of Set Up and Use
It’s a standard throw projector for 100” images, but you can cast a 30” picture in as little as 1.15’. If you have 25’ of space, get ready to immerse yourself in 300” images.
Horizontal and vertical keystone correction gives you some flexibility on the projector’s placement. To make it easier to align and focus images, the projector boasts horizontal and vertical lens shift. Manual focus and 1.3x manual zoom make it easy to fine-tune image placement on the screen. We didn’t run into any issues with setup during our BenQ HT4550i test.
It’s relatively lightweight at 14.6 lbs and allows for ceiling mounts. Its compact, 5.31″ x 16.54″ x 12.28″, size also makes it easy to place the projector on a shelf or table.
The Android operating system is easy to navigate, and Google Assistant makes operating the projector a breeze. You can also use the included remote.
Pros & Cons of the BenQ HT4550i 4K HDR Home Theater Projector
Pros
- Full 3D (with glasses)
- Multiple picture modes
- High dynamic contrast ratio
- Tone mapping
- CinematicColor support
Cons
- The input lag is too high for most avid gamers
- The internal speaker is small with only 5W of power
Consumer Impressions
Consumers may be initially put off by the price, but not after seeing the stunning visuals. They appreciate the long-lasting LED lamp and relatively low-noise motor. It’s 32 dB in regular mode, switch to eco mode and it drops down to 28 dB. The only downside consumers note is the input lag is slightly high for most action games.
Conclusion
Our tests show that the BenQ HT4550i delivers on image quality. Packed full of advanced cinematic visual technology, you get accurate colors and crisp details in every frame.
It has a flexible installation, including ceiling mounting, and a sleek appearance you won’t mind sitting out on a shelf or table. Wireless networking, onboard streaming apps, and plenty of HDMI 2.0 and USB ports ensure you can access all of your old and new content. Discover the Price on BHPhotoVideo.com
Hopefully, this review will help you decide if the HT4550i is the right projector for your home theater room.