W4000i

The W4000i is BenQ's mid-range 4K projector built on a 0.65" DLP DMD with XPR pixel-shifting to native 4K. The light source is a 4-channel LED — 3,200 lumens, 200,000-hour rated lifespan, no lamp replacement, ever. It's the kind of spec that quietly changes the calculus of buying a projector vs a TV.

What you actually get on screen: legitimately punchy HDR with 100% DCI-P3 coverage, deep blacks for a DLP (native contrast around 600,000:1 with dynamic iris engaged), and the kind of colour accuracy that doesn't need much calibration to look right out of the box. BenQ's CinematicColor processing is restrained — it doesn't oversaturate the way some competing units do.

For gaming, input lag clocks at around 16ms in 4K/60 mode, dropping to about 4ms in 1080p/240. Properly competitive — not a TV, but better than most projectors at any price. ALLM works.

Trade-offs: this is a DLP, so it's pixel-shifted 4K, not native (the JVC NP5 above it gives you native 4K D-ILA at £5k). And it doesn't have a laser — LED gives you longevity but not quite the brightness ramp of a laser engine. For dark rooms it's fine; for any ambient light you'll want the lumens of an Epson LS650W instead.

The pick for a dedicated dark-room HT/gaming setup at the £2.5k price point.