Head to head
Epson QB1000 vs BenQ W4100i
Epson's 3LCD laser with a motorized glass lens and measured 5,833:1 contrast against BenQ's 4LED DLP with calibrated DCI-P3 color. The deciding factor is room size and mounting position versus color gamut and price.
Updated September 14, 2026
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This is the dedicated-room step-up question. The BenQ W4100i is the mid-tier long-throw to build a room around; the Epson QB1000 costs more and answers the problems the BenQ leaves open: a bigger screen, a mount that cannot go where you want, and a 2.35:1 screen that needs lens memory. The one question that decides it: is the screen 120 inches in a normal room, or 130 to 150 inches in a big one with an awkward projector position?
| Spec |  Epson QB1000 4K HDR 3LCD Laser Projector (Black) Large dedicated theaters, 130 to 150 inch screens, awkward mounting positions View on Amazon |  BenQ W4100i 4K 4LED Home Theater Projector Dedicated theater rooms, color-critical viewing View on Amazon |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Large dedicated theaters, 130 to 150 inch screens, awkward mounting positions | Dedicated theater rooms, color-critical viewing |
| Price tier | Flagship tier | Mid-range |
| Imaging | 3LCD, 4-way pixel-shift 4K | 0.65-inch DLP, pixel-shift 4K |
| Light source | Laser, 20,000 h | 4LED, up to 30,000 h |
| Brightness | 3,300 lumens rated, 3,383 measured | 3,200 lumens rated |
| Throw ratio | 1.35 to 2.84 (2.1x zoom) | 1.15 to 1.50 (1.3x zoom) |
| Lens shift | Motorized, vertical +/-96 percent, horizontal +/-47 percent, 10 lens memories | Vertical 0 to 60 percent, horizontal +/-15 percent |
| Native contrast | 5,833:1 measured | Not published (DLP-typical) |
| Input lag | 21 ms 4K60 and 4K120 | 17.9 ms 4K60, 13 ms 1080p120 |
| Color gamut | DCI-P3 below 90 percent | 100 percent DCI-P3, factory calibrated |
Pick the Epson QB1000 4K if
- The screen is 130 inches or larger, or the room is big enough that contrast and lumens both matter.
- The projector position is fixed and off-center; the motorized shift range solves it.
- You run a 2.35:1 screen and want lens memories to switch between aspect ratios without touching the mount.
Pick the BenQ W4100i 4K if
- The screen is around 100 to 120 inches and the mount can go near the ideal spot.
- You want the widest, most accurate HDR color out of the box.
- The budget difference buys a better screen or acoustic treatment for the room.
Verdict
Buy the BenQ W4100i for a typical dedicated room; Projector Reviews' Editors' Choice for its calibrated color and sub-18 ms lag is well earned, and it costs far less. Buy the Epson QB1000 when the room is large, the screen is 130 inches or more, or the mounting position forces a shift range only a motorized glass lens delivers, because its measured 5,833:1 contrast and 3,383 lumens are in a different class. The exception is a woven acoustically transparent screen, where the Epson's visible pixel grid can moire and the BenQ is the safer pairing.
Common questions
- Does the Epson support Dolby Vision?
- No. It supports HDR10+ with dynamic tone mapping but not Dolby Vision or 3D. The BenQ does not support Dolby Vision either.
- Which has the better contrast?
- The Epson, by a wide margin. ProjectorCentral measured 5,833:1 native contrast, while the BenQ's DLP contrast is typical for the chip and BenQ does not publish a native figure.
- Which is better for gaming?
- Both are fine. The Epson measured 21 ms at 4K60 and 4K120; the BenQ measured 17.9 ms at 4K60 and 13 ms at 1080p120.