When it comes to gaming projectors, there is a dearth of options available to meet the requirements for a AAA gaming experience that will allow gamers to fully immerse themselves in the action. BenQ is stepping up with the announcement of their newest model, the BenQ X3100i gaming projector.

A year ago BenQ introduced their "X" series line of projectors. These models were built with video game enthusiasts in mind. Each projector offered premium gaming features like low-latency 4K projection and advanced game modes. With the announcement of the new X3100i, BenQ is continuing the trend of video game focused projectors as the upgrade to the BenQ X3000i.

The BenQ X3100i is among the new projection category, lifestyle projectors. These all-in-one projectors offer a beautiful 4K image, built-in speakers, streaming apps, and a compact portable size.

This new BenQ was announced alongside two other LED projectors, the X500i and X300G. The flagship offering in this lineup is the BenQ X3100i, so that’s what we’ll focus on today.

Read our full BenQ 3100i review.

Beautiful 4K Image For Cinematic Viewing

The BenQ X3100i will give you a gorgeous high quality image regardless of if you’re watching movies and TV or playing video games.

Specwise, the BenQ X3100i isn't all that different from last year's X3000i model. It will still achieve the same 4K UHD resolution image with a 100% coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut. This still gives the unit a crisp and vibrant image on your projector screen.

However, the 4LED light source found on the X3100i offers 3300 lumens of brightness. 300 more than the previous version. This gives it enough brightness to enjoy content even in well lit rooms.

The BenQ X3100i will also offer a higher contrast than the older model. The previous X3000i was advertised at 500,000:1 FOFO while the new and improved X3100i will offer 600,000:1. While this isn’t on par with dedicated home theater projectors, it’s still plenty to fully enjoy most content.

As a nice bonus, the BenQ X3100i also is also a 3D projector and supports HDR10 and HLG.

Gaming Projector Built For Gamers

With enough brightness to enjoy your favorite content, you’re able to play video games with the lights on. The contrast is also more than enough for even the pickiest gamers.

Where the BenQ X3100i really shines is with its low latency. This video game projector offers an input lag that reaches 16ms in 4K 60Hz mode, and is blazing fast with 4ms at 1080p 240Hz.

One of the really cool features offered by the BenQ X3100i is that it offers different game modes for different genres. These modes optimize the picture and speakers for the various types of games. The modes include:

  • RPG Mode - Dive into cinematic realism with deep bass
  • Sports Mode - Amplified excitement with true colors and clear vocals
  • FPS Mode - Detect threats fast with enhanced dark detail and clear audio
  • Racing Mode - Realistic, fast motion with highlighted engine and road sounds

BenQ's Auto Game Mode also effortlessly identifies Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch gaming consoles and instantly recalls your previous game mode settings for a tailor-made experience.

It even has a precision first person shooter feature that projects a targeting crosshair onto the screen, allowing players to swiftly and accurately lock onto enemies.

A Smart Lifestyle Projector For Easy Placement And Portability

As a lifestyle projector the BenQ X3100i has a compact and lightweight cube shaped body. This makes the projector easily portable.

The BenQ X3100i projector features Google-certified Android TV that includes a built-in Netflix app and your other favorite streaming services.

When it comes to built-in speakers the BenQ X3100i has (x2), 5W Chamber speakers for a solid soundscape. BenQ’s CinematicSound technology along with the dedicated Bongiovi DPS enhances audio dynamically to craft a 3D audio realm filled with depth and distance.

With a throw ratio of 1.15-1.5 and manual 1.3x zoom, you’re able to effortlessly place the projector and create your desired image size from 30.29" - 300.15". This allows it to fit in just about any room.

Another change from the previous model is the addition of vertical lens shift. This allows the projector to physically shift the image up and down to better and more easily align with the screen without needing to move the projector or sacrificing image quality.

One thing it does lack compared to other lifestyle projectors like the JMGO N1 Ultra and Hisense C1 Cube is the lack of automatic keystone correction and focusing.

How Much Will The BenQ X3100i Cost And When Will It Be Available?

With the projector just being announced this week, we expect the projector to be available November 3rd 2023 with an official launch date in December. The BenQ X3100i is expected to sell for a very affordable $2,399. This is a very low price for a gaming projector with this level of performance.