BenQ MW632ST Review - Review 2022

The BenQ MW632ST ($629) is a WXGA (1,280-past-800) projector that's bright enough for a midsize briefing room or classroom, low-cal enough to carry, and it's one of the few models that combines a curt-throw lens with an optical zoom. The brusk throw lets you evidence a big image from shut to the screen, while the 1.2x zoom lets you adjust the paradigm size without moving the projector—a significant convenience if you lot accept to ready information technology upwards virtually every time y'all utilize it, rather than install it permanently. The combination makes it a strong candidate, particularly for portable utilize.

Although the MW632ST ($579.00 at Amazon) doesn't offer quite plenty to replace the Acer S1385WHne as our Editors' Choice budget short-throw WXGA projector, it's nipping at the Acer model's heels. The ii projectors offer the aforementioned rated brightness, at 3,200 lumens, and both are built around single-chip DLP engines; as such, both offer typical DLP features similar 3D support.

The MW632ST'due south optical zoom is an reward over the Acer S1385WHne'south stock-still lens. Nonetheless, the Acer projector delivers a shorter throw, which makes for a larger image at the aforementioned distance from the screen. It as well weighs a few ounces less and comes with a soft carrying instance, and then you don't have to buy ane separately, giving it the edge for portability.

Portability, Connections, and Setup

At iv.five by xi.3 by 9.ii inches (HWD) and five pounds 11 ounces, the MW632ST is small and light enough to behave easily. But it's withal in a size and weight class that'southward suitable for permanent installation, for sitting on a cart, or for being stored abroad when y'all're not using it.

Setup is fairly typical, with the throw altitude on the long side for a short-throw lens. Fifty-fifty at the widest bending setting (maximum zoom), I measured a altitude of 59 inches from the screen for a 92-inch image (measured diagonally). The Acer S1385WHne gave me the same image size at only 39 inches from the screen.

The image inputs are all on the back panel and include ii HDMI ports, one VGA port for a computer or component video, and blended video and S-Video ports. Both HDMI ports are one.4a, which ways they support 3D signals from a video device, and one is MHL enabled. There's also a USB Blazon A port strictly for providing ability.

Brightness

Given that this is a unmarried-chip, DLP-based projector, any give-and-take of brightness is complicated by the fact that most DLP models have a lower color brightness than white brightness. This means that full-color images won't exist as bright every bit you would expect based strictly on the rating for white effulgence. It besides means that even if you assume that the 3,200-lumen ratings for white brightness for the Acer and BenQ models are precisely right for both, they may still take dissimilar levels of color effulgence, which means they aren't necessarily the same brightness for total-color images. (For more on color effulgence, see Color Brightness: What It Is, Why Information technology Matters.)

Strictly as a signal of reference and co-ordinate to recommendations from the Society of Motion Flick and Television Engineers (SMPTE), iii,200 lumens would be bright enough at the projector's native xvi:ten aspect ratio for a 215- to 292-inch epitome with a 1.0-gain screen in theater-dark lighting. Even with moderate ambient light, it would be bright plenty for a 140- to 160-inch image. For smaller screen sizes, you can use the projector's Economic way, one of its lower-brightness predefined modes, or both.

Data-Paradigm Quality

The MW632ST delivers near-excellent quality for information images, with our review unit doing a good job on our standard suite of DisplayMate images. Color balance was nifty in our tests, with suitably neutral grays across the unabridged range from black to white in all but one predefined mode. Color quality is also good overall, with colors nicely saturated. Yellow was a little dark in all modes in our tests, and near colors were notably dark in the brightest mode, but that'southward typical for projectors with a significantly lower color effulgence than white brightness. Keep in mind that issues with color in the brightest style are unsurprising with any projector, since most companies tweak the mode for maximum brightness without much concern for color quality.

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More than of import for almost data images is that the MW632ST does a good job holding detail. White text on blackness was easily readable at nine points in my tests, and black text on white was well-baked and readable at six.8 points. The image was also equally rock solid with an analog VGA connectedness every bit with a digital HDMI connexion, even with exam images that tend to crusade pixel jitter or dynamic moire with analog connections.

Video and Sound Quality
Image quality for total-motion video was skillful enough for short clips on my tests, with the MW632ST doing a good job in areas like colour quality and shadow item (details based on shading in nighttime areas). Unfortunately, information technology also showed rainbow artifacts (flashes of red, green, and blue) easily in my tests.

These artifacts are always a concern for single-chip DLP projectors. The good news is that the MW632ST did a proficient task of not showing them with data images in my testing. The merely fourth dimension I saw them in Windows or with DisplayMate images was with one exam screen designed to bring them out. Even with that screen, I had to movement my eyes rapidly back and along to run into whatever hint of them. In video testing, all the same, I saw them often enough that anyone who sees them easily is likely to find them abrasive for clips that final more than a infinitesimal or two.

The built-in 10-watt speaker delivered more-than-acceptable sound quality for a data projector on our tests at a high-enough volume to fill a small conference room or classroom. If you lot need more volume, college quality, or stereo, you can connect an external sound system to the stereo audio output.

Conclusion

Our preferred choice for mainstream, short-throw WXGA projectors, the Epson PowerLite 535W WXGA 3LCD Projector ($885.38 at Amazon) , is the best fit if yous need a model y'all can besides use for full-motion 720p video without worrying most rainbow artifacts. Don't demand the short throw? Then consider the Epson PowerLite 955WH WXGA 3LCD Projector ($892.00 at Amazon) , a top option for standard-throw WXGA projectors.

The BenQ MW632ST is a good choice if you merely demand to show brusk 1- or 2-minute video clips and you also demand a projector that supports 3D functionality. The MW632ST adds the convenience of an optical zoom, something that the Acer S1385WHne lacks, but the latter remains our Editors' Selection, given its lighter weight and shorter throw.

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Source: https://sea.pcmag.com/migrated-96514-projectors/9633/benq-mw632st-review

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