BenQ W2720i 4K projector review: Home cinema gets smarter

Everyone's been cramming "AI" into everything these days, whether it be phones or even TVs, so why should projectors be left out? BenQ's W2720i home cinema projector is exactly that—the first of its kind bringing artificial intelligence to the big screen experience, literally. What's the use of artificial intelligence, you may ask? BenQ says that the projector will intelligently adapt your viewing experience based on ambient light, content, and possibly your emotional state (okay, I made that last one up). But this smarts comes at a cost: a fairly high asking price of Rs 3,50,000.With impressive specs including 4K resolution, HDR10+ support, and a 30,000-hour LED light source, BenQ's latest offering certainly looks good on paper. However, given you could find short-throw projectors at this price, and it’s not that but rather so-so short. This is also the first AI projector available, and BenQ is making a big deal out of it. So, after spending weeks with this projector, I've got some thoughts about whether its intelligence is actually, well, intelligent. And perhaps most importantly, does this projector deserve a place in your home cinema? Let's dive into the bright spots and shadows of the BenQ W2720i.BenQ hasn't taken any revolutionary design leaps with the W2720i, sticking to their tried-and-tested projector aesthetics—a bulky rectangular unit with rounded edges that screams "serious home cinema equipment." At 6.4kg, this behemoth isn't something you'll be casually moving around the house, and with dimensions of 420×143×305mm, it's demanding a permanent spot in your setup. The design is very generic, though all-black chassis with part-matte finish-and-part-glossy finish gives the projector a rather premium look. The front fascia houses the centrally-positioned lens with manual zoom and focus rings that operate with satisfying precision. What sets the W2720i apart visually are the two distinct "eyes" flanking the lens—the Time of Flight sensor and AI camera that form the heart of its intelligent capabilities. These sensors constantly monitor your viewing environment, theoretically optimising the image in real-time.One design quirk worth noting: while the unit features vertical lens shift (±5%), there's no horizontal adjustment, which might complicate ceiling mounting for some setups.The top panel features a dedicated lens adjustment section, slide the door open and there you’ll see dials for zoom, focus, and vertical lens shift that are tactile and precise. A clever touch is how BenQ has integrated the Android TV dongle inside the projector's body itself—no unsightly sticks hanging from HDMI ports here. Pop open a discrete side panel, and you'll find the Google-certified dongle neatly tucked away, giving you access to streaming services without additional hardware cluttering your setup.The side features the usual physical controls, power and menu navigation, while the rear hosts an connectivity array including three HDMI ports (one with eARC support), two USB-A ports, and legacy RS232 and also an 12V trigger connections for the home automation enthusiasts. Ventilation grilles are placed on both the sides to keep the projector cool without creating a hurricane in your living room. The W2720i runs surprisingly quiet even after hours of operation.The included remote is backlit (thank goodness) with sensibly arranged buttons that don't require a PhD to understand, though the separate menu systems for Android TV and the projector's own settings can initially confuse.The W2720i's 4K image quality immediately impresses, delivering crisp, detailed visuals that make you question whether you've actually been watching proper 4K content all these years. But, before we go in deep there, let me touch upon a few quirks I couldn’t get past while setting up this speaker. I’m talking about Screen Fit. In theory, the auto Screen Fit should detect your projection screen boundaries and automatically adjust the image to fit perfectly—no manual tweaking required. However, this proved frustratingly inconsistent in practice. Multiple attempts often yielded error messages about "reflective surfaces" or "excessive ambient light" even in a completely darkened room with a standard matte white screen. I just couldn’t fix it, and even internet didn’t have much idea about how to get it working. So, I had to manually adjust the screen fit with the buttons on the remote.The much-vaunted AI Cinema Mode is BenQ's party trick, and it's more hit than gimmick, though not the revolution in projection technology the marketing might suggest. In practice, it subtly adjusts brightness, contrast, and colour temperature in response to ambient lighting conditions and on-screen content. It noticeably improved shadow detail in darker scenes when minimal ambient light was present, and dialled back the overall brightness during predominantly white scenes to prevent eye strain. While these adjustments might seem minor, they accumulate into a genuinely more comfortable viewing experience over a three-hour movie marathon. That said, the AI occasionally overcompensates for ambient light, resulting in slightly washed-out black levels that had me reaching for the remote to switch back to Filmmaker Mode.Speaking of black levels—this remains the W2720i's Achilles' heel, as with most DLP projectors in this price range. In a perfectly dark room, blacks appear more dark grey than true black, though BenQ's tone mapping does an admirable job maintaining shadow detail without crushing darker scenes into muddy oblivion. The contrast ratio, while respectable, can't match what you'd get from a premium OLED TV, so those expecting absolute blacks might be disappointed. HDR performance is impressive for the category, with HDR10+ content looking particularly striking thanks to dynamic metadata that prevents the blown-out highlights or crushed shadows common in projectors with less sophisticated HDR handling. Motion handling is excellent with 24fps film content, though some minor judder is noticeable during rapid camera pans in 60fps streaming shows—nothing deal-breaking, but videophiles will spot it.For a projector where visuals are clearly the priority, the W2720i's audio capabilities are surprisingly competent. The dual 5-watt speakers won't replace a proper home theatre system, but they deliver clear dialogue and reasonable bass response that outperforms the tinny sound typically associated with built-in projector speakers. At moderate volumes, there's minimal distortion even during explosive action sequences, though cranking it to maximum reveals the system's limitations with some high-frequency harshness.The sound stage is naturally constrained by the projector's physical dimensions, but BenQ's implementation of Dolby Audio processing adds welcome width and depth to the audio presentation. For casual viewing, you might not immediately feel compelled to connect external speakers, though for movie night, you'll want to take advantage of the eARC-enabled HDMI port to connect a soundbar at minimum.Gamers should note that while the W2720i isn't marketed as a gaming projector, it performs admirably with an input lag measuring around 18ms in its fastest mode—not competitive esports territory but perfectly acceptable for most single-player experiences. The HDMI 2.1 port supports 4K/60Hz but downscales to 1080p when handling 120Hz signals, a compromise that prioritises fluidity over resolution. PS5 games look particularly impressive, with the projector's excellent colour reproduction bringing the neon-drenched streets of Spider-Man 2 or the otherworldly landscapes of Horizon Forbidden West to life on a massive scale. The projector's cooling system remains whisper-quiet even during extended gaming sessions, though the unit does get noticeably warm after several hours—something to consider if you're planning to place it in a confined space.After several weeks with the BenQ W2720i, I'm left with mixed feelings about the world's first AI-powered projector. On pure image quality, it delivers gorgeously vibrant colours, impressive brightness, and sharp 4K detail that genuinely elevates your home viewing experience. The AI Cinema Mode, while not revolutionary, does make subtle but welcome adjustments that improve viewing comfort during extended sessions. For cinephiles who prioritise colour accuracy and overall picture fidelity, the W2720i delivers an experience that rivals commercial theatres, especially when paired with a decent sound system. The four-LED light source's 30,000-hour lifespan also means you won't be budgeting for replacement bulbs every couple of years—a hidden cost with traditional lamp-based projectors.The integration of Android TV is thoughtfully implemented, and the overall build quality feels premium and substantial. Gaming performance, while not class-leading, is more than adequate for all but the most competitive players. BenQ's attention to detail in the physical controls, comprehensive connectivity options, and surprisingly capable built-in audio system demonstrates their understanding of what home theatre enthusiasts actually need. The projector runs remarkably quiet—a blessing during quiet dialogue scenes—and the included remote is among the better ones I've used, with logical button layout and helpful backlighting.At Rs 3,50,000, however, the W2720i occupies an awkward middle ground in the market. It's significantly more expensive than entry-level 4K projectors while lacking some of the refinements (particularly in black level performance) that justify top-tier pricing. The AI features, while functional, don't quite deliver enough transformative benefits to justify the premium over BenQ's non-AI models with similar core performance. For many buyers, this leaves the W2720i as a 3.5/5 proposition—an excellent projector with genuine innovations that's neither an obvious bargain nor an absolute must-have. That said, if you're specifically looking for a maintenance-free LED projector with superior colour performance and don't mind paying extra for the extra features, the W2720i remains a strong contender that will reliably deliver beautiful images for many years to come.