Ultra HD is all the rage in the flat panel market but for projector users, progress has been a bit slower. I just received my first such DLP display for review today, BenQ’s HT9050.

It’s the successor to last year’s HT8050 which was the first consumer-level DLP sporting 3840×2160 resolution. This model replaces the UHP lamp with an advanced LED system from Philips called HLD ColorSpark. Besides offering a maintenance-free 20,000-hour service life, it enables a larger color gamut. The native spec is now DCI-P3 and my initial measurements confirm that it fully covers that standard. Additional color modes include support for Rec.709 along with ISF Day & Night and a Bright preset that pumps out over 88 foot-Lamberts.

BenQ HT9050 Ultra HD DLP Projector - Front View

The HT9050 is a pixel-shift design that utilizes a 2716×1528-pixel DMD chip with a refractor that creates full Ultra HD resolution. The technology comes from Texas Instruments and is called XPR. Thanks to the single-device design, there is no possibility of resolution-robbing convergence errors. Coupled with a premium 14-element lens, the image looks every bit as good as what I’ve seen from native Ultra HD displays like the JVC RS4500.

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Additional features include generous horizontal and vertical lens shift and a 1.5x zoom which offers a throw ratio of 1.36-2.03. That should make it suitable for just about any space. The 2200 lumens output and 300” max image size is appropriate for medium to large home theaters. Anamorphic lens support is built into the OSD with aspect modes for both constant-height and constant-width setups. You even get sled-mounting lugs on the chassis.

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I’m looking forward to putting the HT9050 through its paces and watching some Ultra HD Blu-rays in the upcoming weeks. Watch this space for my full review coming soon!

BenQ HT9050 Ultra HD DLP Projector, Angle View

See the complete review of the BenQ HT9050 Ultra HD DLP Projector