V7050i

The V7050i is BenQ's premium UST laser projector and the direct successor to the V5010i. 4K UHD via DLP pixel-shift, single-laser engine, sub-25cm throw distance for a 100" image, and a built-in Android TV stick. The headline upgrade over the V5010i is colour and acoustics — wider DCI-P3 coverage, more accurate HDR mapping out of the box, and a notably quieter cooling system.

What it does well: image consistency across the full 20,000-hour laser life, instant on/off (no warm-up), and a colour engine that's calibrator-accurate before you touch it. Black levels are the perennial UST weakness — these can't match a long-throw Sony XW5000ES or JVC NP5 in a properly dark room — but in a typical living-room scenario with some ambient light, the laser brightness more than compensates.

Trade-offs are the standard UST trade-offs: image quality is screen-dependent. Pair with an ALR (ambient light rejecting) screen and the V7050i transforms; pair with a flat painted wall and you'll see washed-out blacks the moment any light hits. Throw geometry also demands a perfectly level surface.

For mixed-use living rooms where ceiling-mounted long-throw isn't an option and a 65" TV won't cut it, this is the most credible 4K UST under £3.5k.