System of the month

BenQ's excellent new projector inspired us to build a home cinema set-up that dazzles with movies and games

- 

The system

• Projector

  BenQ W2720i ₤1999

• Blu-ray player

  Sony UBP-X700 £239

• Games console

  Sony PS5 £430

• AV amplifier

  Sony TA-AN1000 £799

• Speaker package

  Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 Home Cinema Pack £999

• Total price £4466 SO

We have been seeing a lot of projectors pass through the What Hi-Fi? home cinema test facilities in the past few months.

It seems the ever-increasing screen-acreage of the average television is not, in fact, resulting in the demise of the projector some might have anticipated. There's big and there's big, after all.

Yes, you can pick up an excellent 65in TV for less than £2000 - and, for most people, that is a fantastic screen size per pound option. Larger sets than that, though, start to cost amounts that are way more eyewatering even than the not-inconsiderable amount we reference here.

Which is why the projector remains a fantastic option for a “proper” home cinema, such as what we have here, with BenQ's new W2720i (reviewed on p10) taking pride of place.

MORE SERIOUS HOME CINEMA

Over the past year or two, we have been getting plenty of ultra short throw projectors to test.

These can take the place of a television, without getting in the way as much as an old-school unit - which has to be both placed a considerable distance from the screen, and carefully set up, and so really needs to remain a pretty permanent fixture in the room. There are also a good number of 'coffee table' projectors on the market. These can be put out for special occasions - the big match, or a movie night - and kept in the cupboard when not in use.

While each of those is a splendid option for big-screen fun, they aren't particularly intended as 'serious' home cinema. For that, traditionally, you need to be looking at investing considerably more.