The BenQLH730 is the business projector we have been waiting for. It's remarkably bright, runs on long-lasting LEDs, has beautiful color, and has a 30,000 hours lifespan. Users can run this projector through the remotes, it can be projected utilizing a Wi-Fi signal, or users can control the projector via BenQ DMS Local LAN control software or Creston, AMX, or PJ Link.
Whether you use it for business presentations in a conference room fitting 5, a lecture hall accommodating thousands, or anywhere in between, this projector can handle it.
Unboxing and First Impressions
After unboxing, this projector looks pretty straightforward. It's a sleek white casing with rounded edges, buttons on one side for control, and dials for manual zoom and focus control on the top (bottom if ceiling mounted). The setup for this projector took a matter of moments. I had my laptop on this projector in under three minutes.
While digging around in settings, I realized this projector is a great middle-ground for anyone to get into business projectors. While other brands are complex and frustrating, BenQ makes their projector use remarkably simple. The menu used to navigate is quick and easy to learn, focusing and zooming the lens is self-explanatory, and the ports on the back make connecting a breeze.
Design and Build Quality
Resolution: 1920 x 1080
Brightness: 400 ANSI lumens
Contrast Ratio: 500,000:1
Video Inputs: 1x Ethernet, 1x Audio out Jack, 1x USB-A for a wireless dongle connection, 2x HDMI, 1x Type-A for service, 1x RS-232 port, 1x IEC power port
Light Source Life: 20,000 Hours
Light Source: 4LED
For a projector of this caliber, I expected something a bit bulkier. However, I am okay with the small(ish) setup. For how good the image quality was, I expected something a bit harder to set up too, but in reality, I had this projector up and running in 5 minutes.
BenQ chose to recess the lens to help protect it from damage regardless of whether it the used while sitting on a desk or hanging from the ceiling using the ceiling mount.
Regarding this projector, it's important to note that it's intended for business use and can run almost continuously, if not constantly. Unlike consumer projectors that need downtime, this one can operate without any issues.
In Use
The port selection on this monitor is good as well. As projectors are usually mounted, any way to avoid climbing a ladder or getting a lift is well appreciated. There are two HDMI ports, a Wi-Fi Dongle port, a network line, and an RS232, all good options. What's important to remember is that these projectors are typically mounted and not messed with once set up, and the lines usually need to be fixed. Having two lines works well, but we see pretty standard: one or two lines coming down and then a switcher that is easily within reach.
Since none of my office spaces include several hundred to several thousand-person meeting rooms, I tested this projector in my home office and placed it on a standing desk to try different heights. BenQ has integrated keystone correction and a 1.2 optical zoom to help dial in the picture in a macro way, and then once I was able to get the macro levels set, I used the focus dial to clean things up a bit more to make the image as crisp as possible.
On the downside, this is no 4K projector. However, BenQ added three main viewing modes to help boost clarity even more. The first is the Infographic mode, the second is presentation mode, and the third is spreadsheet mode. These different modes focus on the estimated content that I will display, and it modifies the saturation slightly to boost content on a spreadsheet or graphic.
Final Verdict
The BenQ LH730 is a reliable, high-quality commercial business projector with an incredibly high-brightness and color accuracy level. In the realm of business projectors, BenQ has positioned itself perfectly between quality and price. Also, the LH730 has virtually zero maintenance with incredibly long-lasting LED lights, making this a fantastic choice for medium-sized conference rooms, lecture halls, lobbies, classrooms.
