TABLE OF CONTENTS
As a manufacturer of projectors, BenQ has a reputation for improving weaknesses, building on the strength, and listening to customers, which has enabled them to consistently produce better and better projectors release after release. Previous models in this range have been recognized by experts as excellent examples of what modern versatile projectors should be, and thus BenQ has become a very popular brand; but does the BenQ MH741 Review continue this upward trend? Will it be as well received by customers as other models? I decided to check this out and here is my BenQ MH741 Review.
Main Features of the BenQ MH741
The BenQ MH741 Review has 4000 lumens of brightness, with a contrast ratio of 10,000.1 and a resolution of 1920×1080. Video modes display resolutions of 720p, 1080p, 1080i, 576p, 576i, 480p and 480i and this projector is 3D ready. Digital Inputs are HDMI and MHL, while the voltage is 100v-240v with a wattage of 330. The lamp life is 2500 hours in ECO mode and 4500 hours in normal mode. Lens features are a 130.1 zoom with manual control option, and the digital keystone can be adjusted horizontally and vertically. Speakers are 10.0 W mono.
PROS
- The 4000 lumens of brightness is one of the highest in the industry excluding projectors costing many thousands, thus ensuring perfect image viewing even in bright light.
- Full HD projector, with lots of resolution options. The BenQ MH741 Review also has 3D capabilities so buyers won’t need to upgrade when 3D really takes off
- 3D picture is clean and does not have dark spots
- Very smooth display. No noticeable pixel gaps even at close inspection
- Horizontal and vertical adjustment. The previous model in the BenQ range only had vertical adjustments
- Easy set-up
- Great speakers. Sound has been a focus feature for BenQ and once again they excel in this area
- MHL connectivity for smartphone devices
CONS
- The lamp life is lower than other projectors on the market, but still at 4500 hours in ECO mode purchasers are unlikely to need replacement lamps for many years.
- You are supposed to be able to adjust each corner of the image to get complete clarity. My experience with this was unsuccessful. I’d advise users to simply adjust the keystone and the picture will be perfect.
Overall Impression
Size and Design
At measurements of 8.5 inches of length by 12.3 inches width and at a depth of 4.5 inches it’s not the smallest portable projector on the market, but it’s certainly not the largest. Although I very much doubt anyone will find this difficult to carry around as it can fit in a small bag or suitcase. 3.3kg or 7.3 pounds in weight will not prove a burden on anybody. The design is typical BenQ; a good-looking projector with excellent craftsmanship and a smooth finish.
Performance
So many people these days are using smart devices like phones and tablets for work and for entertainment purposes. The importance of connectivity to devices like these is such, that I felt compelled after turning the MH741 on, to check this out first. With MHL connectivity this projector enables the user not only to hook up these devices easily but to prepare an office presentation in advance the night before on their smartphone or tablet and charge either one while giving the presentation itself. So purchasers will not have to worry about not having enough power left, or even worse running out of power midway through the presentation. I created a presentation on the BenQ MH741 Review using text, bar charts, flow charts, and pie charts, and it passed the test with flying colors; absolute HD clarity.
Next, I wanted to check out the 4000 lumens of brightness. As many people are aware, lumens are measured differently depending on the company in question, but I was happy to find that in this case 4000 lumens really was 4000 performance lumens. This kind of brightness serves to further illuminate the HD images, creating a visible improvement on the HD many will be used to. Being a naturally experimental person, I decided to hook up a projector with 3200 lumens to my smartphone, and give my presentation again. The difference in image vitality and sharpness was noticeable; particularly in the text, the 4000 lumens of the BenQ MH741 Review was a stark improvement.
It wasn’t until I tested the 3D capabilities though, that the BenQ MH741 Review really showed off its qualities. It’s the 10,000.1 contrast ratio combined with 3D viewing technology that creates in this projector an almost out-of-this-world 3D experience. Very smooth, no dark spots that I’ve seen in other projectors. Replaying my presentation in 3D mode, I actually had to stop for a second and pause because I couldn’t believe it was the same presentation I’d already played twice already in this performance check. Surely the best 3D image clarity on the market at this point in time. For movies, games, and presentations alike, the MH741 provides amazing 3D picture clarity.
The only problem came from the corner adjustment. Corner adjustment is a new technology in modern projectors where users are urged to adjust each corner of the image to obtain optimum performance. Honestly, I’ve never found this to be true, so after playing around with this, I decided to use keystone adjustment. The MH741 has both horizontal and vertical adjustments to the keystone and works to produce a smooth, precise, perfect image.
Final Verdict
For this amount of lumens you’re usually looking to pay thousands, so many will be surprised that the BenQ MH741 does not cost that much. In fact, for this level of clarity particularly in 3D, you’d be expecting a far greater price too. What BenQ has done here is they’ve found a way to create a projector for office presentations, movies, games, and internet surfing, that actually does everything extremely well for a very good price. No small achievement.
