BenQ TH585 Review: Taking Gaming to the Big Screen
Whenever the subject of projectors is brought up, we always think about home movie theaters or lecture halls and presentations. Chances are that you’ve never considered gaming using a projector for visuals. But, this is all in the past. Needless to say, gamers have numerous options to choose from: TN and IPS panel monitors, HDR smart TVs, etc.
However, gaming monitors and screens have been criticized for having high input lag, higher costs per inch, limited sound systems, and so on. The BenQ TH585 projector is here to solve all of this. This is in no way meant to downplay the work that monitors do for us, but to reveal the best option for your visual gaming experience.
BenQ TH585 was designed as a home entertainment model. This means that you can watch TV programs, movies, etc., even with ambient light on it. The group poised to optimally benefit from this projector is gamers. It was built with gamers in mind. It was equipped with key features such as low input lag and bright illumination, making it suited for gaming (more on this later). But, if you’re looking for a projector for a movie theater or a large presentation hall, this is not the one for you because the sound set-up may not cover that much ground.
While it is common knowledge that projectors provide a better visual experience than their TV screen counterparts, you have to get one that suits your needs but still within your budget. So if intend to incorporate a projector’s high-definition visuals to your gaming experience at a budget, look no further than BenQ TH585 projector. Let’s look at the features that make this projector worthwhile.
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Features of BenQ TH585
As we had mentioned earlier, the BenQ TH585 is optimized for gaming. In this part we will get into detail about the features of this projector and how they will suit your gaming needs.
BenQ TH585 is highly portable
This is a lightweight projector weighing approximately 8.4 pounds (3.8 kg). You can basically lift it with one hand. Suppose you want to migrate your gaming station to another room, moving it won’t be a problem. As long as there’s a large wall, you can use this projector creatively; adjusting the height and image geometry via the height-adjustable legs and the digital lens shift respectively.
Image distortion adjustment at the top and bottom
This projector has a ± 30 degrees vertical keystone, so you won’t have to worry about image distortion at the top or bottom of the image when the projector is placed at an angle. However, you will need to center the projector to the intended image as there is no horizontal keystone.
The image is adjustable at various distances
With the BenQ TH585, the size of the room doesn’t matter. The distance at which you place the projector from the wall will determine the size of the image. It supports a 1.1x zoom for a 90 inch image from 9 feet away and a 150 inch image from 18 feet away. I would recommend between 100-120 inch images for optimum brightness and resolution.
Consequently, the projector’s flexibility permits you to game anywhere as long as there is a large wall.
High Definition Visuals at 1080p
As a gamer, the visuals are what draw you to a game. Visuals sit right at the top of gaming priorities alongside gameplay. BenQ TH585 ensures you have the best visuals at that price range. It is a DLP projector supporting 1080p (1920×1080) full HD resolution. DLP ensures that you have sharp images without any filters applied and this is guaranteed to enhance the visual experience for your games.
High light Output (lumen level)
The BenQ TH585 has an additional White-Yellow-Cyan to the classic RGB color wheel. The yellow fragment is responsible for the brighter yellow produced more in this projector than most DLP projectors.
The projector lamp has an unbelievably high light output of 3500 ANSI lumens. Part of this light output is significantly contributed by the light segment of the color wheel. This ensures that the image will be bright even in the presence of ambient light. While this high lumen level affects color accuracy, BenQ TH585 makes up for it with the unorthodox color optimization settings.
Imaginative color optimization settings
Depending on the content you want to visualize, you can adjust the color settings to your liking or select preset categories. This projector supports a 95% Rec 709 color gamut which configures the color settings to most preferences, but you can still adjust them to yours.
Suppose you don’t have a discrete screen for projecting your image; BenQ TH585 allows you to pick the color of the wall you’re using. It will then automatically adjust the color settings to fit the wall background. This is an elegant addition that adds to the flexibility of this product. In this way you will be able to adjust the color settings to make up for the reduction in accuracy caused by the high lumen levels.
Game Mode enabled
BenQ TH585 has a discrete gaming mode dedicated to optimizing gaming visuals; another feature added specifically for gamers. In this mode, the projector amplifies contrast to show a darker image with more detail. At the same time, it pulls down input lag to the industrial value (16ms) cutting down the time between when you press your controller and the game responds.
15,000 hours of lamp life
Just like other bulbs, projector lamps have a predicted operating time. Unlike common bulbs, which essentially go out after this period, projector lamps will start to dim. Most lamps do not make it past 5000 hours, but BenQ TH585’s lamp can last up to 15000 hours (that’s almost 2 years!).
We must mention that this is only possible when the projector is in SmartEco mode, but if you’re not using this mode, it will only last 4000 hours. Switch between different modes depending on the light in the room and you can always take other measures to extend this lamp’s life. Start by letting it cool down, without moving it, after each time you use it. There’s more information on this here.
Low input lag
This is a feature that was added specifically for gamers. If you’re a high-end gamer, you know that responsiveness is critical. You would prefer that your character, say in Fortnite, responds immediately you press your controller. This is only possible if your projector has a low input lag.
Generally, an input lag of less than 20ms is excellent. Most TV screen and monitor manufacturers are always reluctant to display input lag information. You have to search for reviews to get this information. Not with BenQ TH585. This projector has an input lag of 16ms which is excellent, considering an input lag of <20ms is deemed excellent. The manufacturers do not shy from displaying this information.
This low input lag will ensure your games respond as fast as possible when you press your controller.
Disclaimer: In gaming, input lag is often confused with response time. For both, the less the value, the better the experience, but input lag values are usually higher than response time values. You can read more on this here.
10-watt inbuilt speaker
For gaming, audio is equally as important as visuals. This doesn’t just mean loud; the sound should be clear and of high quality. In BenQ TH585 is an inbuilt 10-watt speaker that is powerful enough to provide quality audio for your games and movies. The speaker is not just noisy; it provides quality sound. However, if you intend to use it in a much larger room than a typical living room, you might need to connect some external speakers. It has an audio input/output port through which you can connect your home theater system.
Compatibility with gaming consoles
A projector could have all the desirable features you want, but it is utterly useless to you if it is not compatible with your gaming console. That’s not the case with BenQ TH585 as it is compatible with all popular gaming consoles. This includes Nintendo, PS5, and Xbox. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about migrating to another console.
HDMI support in this projector permits you to connect it to other devices such as laptops or desktops via an HDMI cable.
3D Capabilities for your movies
Although this projector was designed to suit gaming needs, movie enthusiasts were not forgotten. Being part of DLP projectors, BenQ TH585 comes with full 3D capabilities. Gamers won’t have much use for this feature, but for movies, it is exquisite. Of course, you’ll have to own a pair of 3D glasses to experience this feature. So if you’re looking to stream Netflix or Prime Video content, this is the projector for you.
Cost and Warranty
Considering the kind of features this projector offers, it has a very reasonable price. At an average of $600 – $620, you can purchase it from technology hardware vendors globally. If you intend to order it online, it is important that you add a couple of dollars on top for shipping, etc.
It has an industry-leading warranty of 3 years. Compared to its competitors’ one year warranties, you will have greater contentment as ample time for customer service is allowed, in case the device malfunctions.
Pros of the BenQ TH585
Up to this point we have been highlighting the pros such as compatibility with gaming consoles, low input lag, brightness, and color optimization, etc. Here we will highlight some more before moving on to the cons.
Great for online gaming
BenQ TH585 is equipped with all the tools to make your online gaming experience delightful. Online gaming demands the fastest responding screens. This might actually determine whether you’ll win a game or not. You also need a good screen size to visualize some mesmerizing details in triple-A games. This is especially important because new games are incorporating new graphics technologies such as ray tracing, which are great to experience.
Good refresh rate
This projectors refresh rate of 60Hz allows the images on your screen to quickly refresh to give you a wonderful gaming experience. This rate is moderate such that it is not too fast for the human eye; it is just fast enough.
Cons of the BenQ TH585
No product is perfect and BenQ TH585 is no exception. It contains some limitations that could cause you to look for alternatives. With that in mind, let’s have a look at them.
Low Audio
This is probably the most underwhelming thing about this projector. The 10-watt speaker is only capable of providing limited audio and in a smaller room. This is only useful for gaming or watching movies in a small room. Once you migrate to a larger room, you will barely hear anything. However, you can always connect an external audio device to compliment it.
Limited to 1080p display
The maximum resolution input for this projector does not go beyond 1080p. So if you were hoping for a 2160p resolution, you will not be in luck. Some games these days require a 2160p resolution to optimally enjoy the game; with this you won’t be able to do that. Additionally, it lacks HDR support.
Suppose these limitations have changed your mind about getting this projector; what other alternatives can you consider?
Alternatives
There are numerous alternatives for which you can opt for within the same price range including, but not limited to:
Optoma HD28HDR is a more potent alternative, offering less input lag (8.3ms) while emitting more light (3600 ANSI lumens). Contrary to BenQ TH585, it offers HDR support and is compatible with 4K. You will enjoy greater resolution, better image quality, etc., but at a higher price. BenQ TH685 offers similar features to Optoma HD28HDR (8.3ms input lag and HDR support) but with less ANSI lumens (3500). Both solution offer double the refresh rate of BenQ TH585 of 120Hz. For this reason, the images of your games will move faster on your screen, offering an overall better visual experience.
Conclusion
If you’re a high-end gamer with an enthusiasm for great visuals, you should definitely consider acquiring BenQ TH585. Considering the features offered, it is reasonably priced. Most of the added features are specifically meant for you. While it has limitations in audio output and the lack of HDR support, it makes up for it in pre-set amazing visuals in the game mode for which you can adjust to your liking.