One of BenQ's latest and most interesting entries to their line of Immersive Gaming projectors is the portable X300G. A 4K UHD short-throw gaming projector with HDR, it utilizes a single 0.65-inch DLP chip and a 3LED solid-state light engine rated at 2,000 ANSI lumens. This purpose-built portable projector's main focus is to provide large scale immersive gaming anywhere a screen or wall is available. Given BenQ's pedigree with gaming, it's no surprise the X300G provides excellent performance, with input latency which can go as low as 4.2ms depending on the signal type. However, this performance is housed in an unusually compact package and with a more trimmed down feature set compared to its larger sibling, the BenQ X3100i flagship gaming projector reviewed by ProjectorCentral in November 2023.

The X300G carries an MSRP and street price of $1,799, though BenQ has at times discounted it to as low as $1,599. Like nearly all single-chip 4K DLP projectors, the X300G utilizes XPR pixel shifting to achieve its 3840x2160 UHD resolution on screen. As usual, this provided an extremely sharp image, actually some of the sharpest I've seen from a pixel shifting display, so the fact of it not being native 4K shouldn't be too much of an issue for users. The projector measured a 1700:1 native contrast ratio, though as noted in the Performance section, it's mediocre black level caused it to struggle at times with extracting shadow details from some content short of raising the overall image brightness.

The 3LED light source is capable of providing 20,000 to 30,000 hours of light source life depending on whether the unit is run in Normal or Eco mode, so no lamp replacements are ever needed. Also, I can report that during my time testing the X300G I did not really experience any rainbow artifacts, which is an effect seen in some DLP projectors, though I'm not particularly sensitive to seeing these the way some people are.

The X300G is listed as providing 2,000 ANSI lumens per BenQ's published specifications. Unfortunately, the X300G did not come close to meeting this claim in our measurements after accounting for a "boost mode" similar to what we've seen used on some other projectors to temporarily boost brightness measurements while providing no real benefit in day-to-day use. The projector in its highest output Bright picture mode, receiving the standard white, full-range video test signal (video level 255), resulted in a period of about 30 to 45 seconds during which the image had a heavy green cast and the menu turned a grayish color. After this brief period, there was a noticeable color shift and lower brightness as the projector stabilized, possibly to protect itself from overheating, which resulted in a usable measured brightness of 1,432 ANSI lumens, or 28.4% lower than the published spec and 8.4% lower than the allowed tolerance in the current ISO21118 standard. When the X300G is sent a test signal at video level 235, similar to what comes from most video source components, the behavior listed above does not occur and the performance is stable. However, in this state the X300G measures just 1,197 ANSI lumens, or just over 40% below the stated specification. This should be regarded as the projector's day-to-day usable brightness in most use cases.

The X300G is a short throw projector with a lens ratio of 0.69 to 0.83:1, which allows for throw distance between 3 feet for a 60-inch diagonal screen to 7.2 feet for a 120-inch diagonal screen, depending on zoom. I found the information in BenQ's placement chart to be accurate in my installation, where projecting a 100-inch diagonal screen required a distance of approximately 5 feet. The lens provides motorized focus and a 1.2x motorized zoom. The optical zoom range in the X300G actually goes from 1.2x to 1.0x. Once the zoom goes below 1.0x toward its lower limit at 0.8x it uses digital zoom, something that was apparent because the projection size remains constant while the actual active image shrinks, leaving a slightly lifted black background around the active image. The X300G also has a kickstand that allows for adjusting the angle of the projector, which would likely call of the use of the included 3D keystone either manually or set to its auto function. Four Corner adjust is also available to allow for screen alignment and placement, which will prove useful considering the projector's portability and the likelihood it may be used in a variety of locations. As always it is recommended to avoid using these digital tools to maintain the best image quality.

As mentioned, one of the X300G's most impressive features is its form factor, which is a compact cube with dimensions of 8.3 x 7.1 x 7.7 inches (WxHxD) and an easily transported weight of 6.6 pounds. It can be plopped down almost anywhere for a temporary gaming session, though it is capable of both front or rear projection with either a table-top or ceiling mount. For a permanent installation users will need to accommodate its external power brick. To aide with installation you can visit the ProjectorCentral BenQ X300G projection calculator.

BenQ's published specification lists the X300G as having 84% DCI-P3 gamut coverage and 95% Rec.709 gamut coverage. The X300G does in fact meet these claims as our measurements of the X300G came in at 95.5% Rec.709 coverage and 83.49% coverage in xy and 88.93% coverage in uv. Unfortunately, the X300G does not support a WCG filter to gain more gamut coverage but considering its light output a filter would cut too much light to make it viable.

The smart platform utilized in the X300G is provided by the included Android TV dongle (BenQ model QS02) which is running Android TV 11. It supports wireless projection via Airplay or GoogleCast. The QS02 is installed in a compartment in the rear of the X300G by removing a pop off cover and connecting to a HDMI mini connection and micro-USB for power. This HDMI connection is technically a second HDMI though it is a male connection. The Android TV platform provides access to apps such as an authorized Netflix app, Prime Video, and YouTube preinstalled as well as access to the Google Play Store to download apps such as Disney+, Peacock, and many others. Unfortunately, as we've previously seen with this dongle, it does not properly track the signal types for Rec.709 standard dynamic range (SDR) and BT.2020 HDR to utilize the correct color space for each type of content, and remains stuck in the BT.2020 HDR color space at all times. This results in over-saturated color for non-HDR content. If this is a concern, one can utilize an alternate streaming solution either from one's console or an external media player such as an Apple TV or Fire TV Stick.

The X300G's main focus is targeted towards gaming and the X300G delivers low input latency at various resolutions to provide an immersive gaming experience. BenQ's published specification for input latency ranges from 16.7ms in 1080p/60Hz and 4K/60Hz to 8.3ms at 1080p/120Hz, and 4.2ms at 1080p/240Hz (typically available only from PCs). Our measurements confirmed this with rounded readings of 17ms at 60Hz, 9ms at 120Hz and 5ms at 240Hz. BenQ also claims compatibility with 1440p (2560x1440) signals at 60Hz and 120Hz, which we did not confirm. Input latency this low is capable of providing the level of performance needed for casual, semi competitive and competitive play depending on the needs of the gamer. Those more familiar with BenQ gaming projectors may be curious about Fast Mode, which lowers the latency for gaming by disabling all processing. This feature is not present on the X300G as all picture modes operate as if Fast Mode was enabled. The X300G also allows for saving three customized Fast settings that save the picture and sound settings into a slot, which can be recalled and applied based on the user's desire.

Additional gaming features include an FPS Crosshair graphic that is superimposed on screen to allow for always having a sight on screen, as well as a Details Adjustment that allows for raising the detail in black within the image, though at the sacrifice of image accuracy and a raising of the overall picture level that results in a somewhat washed-out effect. However, it provides the means to expose enemies that may be hiding in the shadows.

The X300G also provides BenQ's genre-specific picture modes to allow tuning the image for enhancing the gameplay experience. The dedicated picture modes for genres are RPG (role playing games), FPS (first person shooter), and SPG (sports) for both HDR and SDR picture modes. Selecting any of these picture modes results in the orange LEDs on the unit to light up, something that can be seen from the rear and somewhat from the side of the X300G. Fortunately, these can be turned off in the projector's Systems menu if they are a distraction.

The I/O available on the X300G is fairly limited but versatile considering its compact size. Besides the hidden port for the HDMI streaming dongle, there is one additional HDMI 2.0b input with eARC support for Dolby Atmos, and a USB Type A input that can be used as a Media Reader or for firmware updates. Finally, a USB-C port is available that includes functionality as Display Port and can provide power delivery for devices at the following voltages and amps: 5V/2A, 9V/1.8A, 12V/1.3A, 15V/1.2A.

The X300G uses a stereo set of 8-watt, symmetrically placed speakers for left and right channels and a pair of passive radiators, one visible on the bottom of the X300G and one that is apparently hidden internally. The sound was surprisingly robust for the size of the unit and actually performed much better than built in sound solutions that are found on much larger models. The projector utilizes a Bongiovi DSP chip offering what BenQ calls CinematicSound technology (though it was still labeled in the menu under BenQ's long-standing TreVolo moniker). The system has four predefined sonic profiles for Cinema, Music, FPS, and SPG in addition to a User mode that allows for a five-band EQ. The sound is sufficient in a temporary setup where the X300G is likely to find common use, though for more permanent installations its recommended to utilize an external solution such as a soundbar or AV receiver.

The remote included with the unit controls both the X300G and included Android TV dongle. It functions primarily via IR (infrared), but provides limited Bluetooth functionality for controlling the Android TV dongle, restricted to calling up the menu of the Android TV but not fully controlling it. The remote is backlit and has all needed buttons readily accessible, including transport buttons for Play, Pause, FWD, REW.

Performance

Color Modes. The BenQ X300G has nine picture modes, five modes for SDR and four for HDR. The SDR modes are Bright, RPG, FPS, SPG, and Cinema. HDR picture modes consist of HDR10, HDR-RPG, HDR-FPS, and HDR-SPG. The picture modes are all fairly similar out of the box, with slight differences in basic settings such as Brightness, Contrast, Sharpness, Detail Adjust, Light Source Mode, Gamma or HDR Brightness. The only picture mode that isn't really viable for use is the Bright SDR picture mode, due to the heavy green bias to the image.

Out of the box (OOTB) any picture mode can ideally be used, as they all measure fairly close to an accurate 6500K color temperature. This is fortunate, since the X300G does not have a traditional color temperature control (i.e., with settings such as 6500K, 7500K, etc.) to help hone this in, and only provides limited ability to adjust the white point from inside its Color Management System (CMS). The picture modes are a little bit warmer than they should be for a dead-on D65 color temp, but they're fairly close. The ideal picture modes for best accuracy OOTB would be Cinema for SDR and HDR10 for HDR. These tracked well in terms of grayscale, though they did have a noticeable amount of oversaturation, which was visible by the eye within red and green. For HDR it was even more noticeable.

The X300G provides very basic controls for picture settings which include Brightness, Contrast, and Sharpness, while in the Advanced Color Settings you can set Gamma if you're in an SDR picture mode, within a range of 1.8 to 2.6, moving in 0.1 increments. These settings measure correctly in accordance with their menu name. As mentioned, also available is a CMS or color management system for tunig color gamut limits. Unfortunately, traditional global Color and Tint controls are not available picture control, but the CMS does provide a control for White, which can be used to help adjust the grayscale to a minimal degree. Within the HDR picture modes a five-position HDR brightness setting is available and can be changed from -2 to +2. I found in most cases that the 0 setting gave the best balance when watching content. As noted, any picture mode will ultimately work for OOTB viewing with exception of Bright, so a user can pick anything and get a relatively accurate picture.

I began calibration of the X300G using Calman Ultimate calibration software from Portrait Displays, a Colorimetry Research CR-250 Spectroradiometer, a Colorimetry Research CR-100 Colorimeter, and a Murideo 8K Seven Generator. The X300G was calibrated to 100-inch diagonal on a 1.3 gain Stewart Filmscreen, at approximately 5-feet in distance. Prior to beginning calibration, I ran various measurements to confirm what I saw in OOTB viewing.

The X300G measured well overall for Average and Max dE errors. The DeltaE is the metric used to determine visible errors. It has been determined that anything over a dE of 3 is visible, anything over 2.3 is a just noticeable difference for trained eyes and anything below 2.3 should ideally not be seen to the eye. Initial measurement results for the X300G for grayscale, color points, and a very large Color Checker (approximately 150+ swatches) were excellent.

OOTB the X300G grayscale had an average of 2.1dE with a max of 4.6dE in the Cinema picture mode. Color gamut points had an average of 1.7dE with a max of 3dE. The large Color Checker had an average of 1.3dE with a max of 4.3dE. This is very good accuracy when one factors in the price to performance ratio. Grayscale within HDR didn't fare as well and heavily under tracked EOTF which is to be expected.

Post calibration DeltaE errors were actually quite good. In SDR Cinema mode, grayscale average was 0.6dE with a max of 1.2dE, color gamut came in at 1.1dE average with a max of 2.1dE, and the Color Checker came in with 0.8dE average and 3dE max. Saturation sweeps in 10% steps also did well with an average error of 0.7dE and a max of 2dE. Luminance sweeps is where the X300G struggled the most, with large errors at 10% stimuli due to heavy desaturation, though the average dE came in at 1.3dE. HDR did okay with a relatively flat grayscale, but the lower end of the EOTF had a lot of over-tracking. The main issue with HDR was the oversaturation of red, which greatly impacted skin tones and couldn't really be fixed without causing issues elsewhere with the image.

The devices used for reviewing content post calibration were Apple TV 4K, Oppo UDP-203 Blu-ray player, Windows 11 gaming PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X.

4K/60hz Gaming. I started by playing Street Fighter 6 at 4K/60hz on the PlayStation 5. Overall, the experience was good, and I took just a little time to get used to the trails, partly because I hadn't played in a while and also because the latency was a little higher than I'm used to when I play fighting games. I felt it was fine for more casual play but gamers who are more competitive and choose to fight in ranked matches will likely want to stick with a lower latency display if you're locked into playing at 4K/60. The image looked good in both SDR and HDR and I didn't feel as though anything was missing. I did notice the slight oversaturation in red, but with the art style and effects in the game it didn't look bad. However, it will be noticeable if a player is used to a more accurate image.

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1080p/120Hz Gaming. The next game I selected was Halo Infinite on the Xbox Series X in 1080p/120hz. The game ran well on the X300G and with the input latency provided at this refresh rate it is suitable for semi-competitive ranked matches. Everything felt responsive and looked quite good during gameplay. Due to the on-screen play environment I was in, which was a more brightly lit outdoors environment encountered just after exiting the ship, HDR looked good. It was somewhat noticeable that greens were lacking in saturation but it didn't look bad. Overall, it was a good experience and one that many would likely enjoy if they had a chance to experience Halo Infinite in such an immersive way.

1080p/240Hz Gaming. As usual, my go-to game for testing 240Hz gameplay was Ori and the Will of the Wisps on PC, which I played in 1080p. Gameplay was tight and responsive, which is to be expected at 240Hz with 5ms of input latency. The platforming and traversal within the game felt fine and perfectly natural, just what I'm used to experiencing. I played this in both HDR and SDR. SDR provided a better overall experience in terms of visuals as the HDR lacked dynamic range and pop to the image, where SDR provided a more balanced overall presentation.

4K/HDR Viewing. For movie viewing, I first watched Avengers: Endgame on 4K HDR Blu-ray via the Oppo 203. Overall, the presentation was good, though there were a few things that stood out as inaccurate, most noticeably the skin tones, which were too red. Unfortunately, this wasn't something that could really be corrected. It was immediately noticeable when Clint (Hawkeye) was teaching his daughter to shoot arrows. Shadow detail was slightly off as well, which was also seen while viewing SDR. The image did have depth to it but the overall dynamic range was lacking overall. This could be seen in the space scenes such as when Captain Marvel rescued Tony and Nebula, or when the group went to The Garden to find Thanos; the highlights were very subdued in these scenes. Unfortunately, turning up HDR Brightness to bring out the highlights just lifted the entire image overall, so it didn't really add anything to the image outside of raising the overall APL and making it brighter in general. Brighter scenes looked fine, such as when they went back to New York during the attack or when the core Avengers were outside discussing Natasha's fate. It was a pleasant experience overall as I watched the entire film and enjoyed it, however as an HDR experience it did feel as though something was missing.

SDR Viewing. I watched The Last Kingdom, Season 5, Episode 1 for SDR viewing via Apple TV 4K. Everything looked great, with good, accurate skin tones and accurate color as seen in the clothing and the foliage. Shadow detail was a bit hit or miss in some of the darker scenes, which was especially noticeable in dark clothing during those scenes, as any detail that might normally be visible was obscured. A good example of this was when Sigtryggr's brother came and Utred's daughter Stiorra was discussing his arrival in the long house prior to him entering. Many of the darker costumes lacked detail. This could be somewhat helped by setting Dark Detail to Low, but that ultimately lifted the entire image too much and somewhat washed out various areas of the image. The best mitigation of this was having brightness set to 51 or 52. Once this was done the image was what I expected to see.

Conclusion

The BenQ X300G is a very focused, purpose-built gaming projector. It's performance excels in this area thanks in part to its low input latency and multiple picture modes that can be tuned to specific game types. It does come up a little short in lacking some of the most desirable features gamers want, things such as HDMI 2.1 (still a common missing among DLP gaming projectors), wider gamut coverage, more HDMI ports to accommodate multiple gaming devices, and an overall brighter HDR experience. Nonetheless, considering it's primarily a gaming projector, it does rather well for watching movies either in SDR or HDR.

Ultimately, what the X300G has going for it is that it's a serious gaming projector in an extremely small and portable package, with surprisingly good sound considering its stature. It's a good fit for those with limited space seeking a permanent installation, provided they have only one gaming device like a console or PC (unless they opt to use the USB-C display port for something like a Nintendo Switch). Similarly, the X300G would be great for someone who wants a gaming projector that is highly portable and is willing to sacrifice some color accuracy in HDR. For those that want a higher-performing and more feature-laden solution, I believe that BenQ's X3100i flagship gaming projector, priced currently at $2,199, would be a better, though much more expensive choice.

Measurements

Brightness. The BenQ X300G is rated for 2,000 ANSI lumens. The brightest picture mode is Bright, which had a green bias which is not really suitable for viewing. When sending the X300G a full range (255) RGB signal the X300G would measure at its brightest, however it was only capable of maintaining this output for approx. 30-45 seconds after which the screen would flash and a color shift would be seen. This behavior occurred until a signal value of 235 was sent to the X300G. In the boosted output the X300G measured 1,432 ANSI lumens which is 28.4% lower than the published specification of 2,000 ANSI lumens and 8.4% under the allowed 20% ISO 21118 specification. In a normal operating mode when receiving a 235 Full Range RGB signal the measured ANSI lumens was 1,197, which is listed below as the projector's usable maximum in our measurements table.

Selecting ECO for the Light Source Mode measured a 22% light decrease vs. Normal Light Source Mode.

BenQ X300G ANSI Lumens

SDR/HDR Modes	Normal/Dynamic	Eco
Bright	1,197	1,053
RPG	760	669
FPS	759	668
SPG	874	769
Cinema	761	670
HDR10	761	670
HDR-RPG	766	674
HDR-FPS	750	660
HDR-SPG	855	752

Zoom Lens Light Loss. The BenQ X300G's light loss when shifting from the widest zoom position to its longest telephoto position was 9.27%.

Brightness Uniformity. The BenQ X300G projecting a 100-inch diagonal image resulted in measured brightness uniformity of 58% while in wide angle zoom, and 58% in telephoto zoom. The brightest portion of the screen was the Middle Center sector, and the dimmest the Left Top sector. The difference in brightness on full white and solid color screens was noticeable and mildly noticeable in actual content depending on what was being viewed.

Fan Noise. BenQ reports the X300G's fan noise at 30dBA in Normal Light Source Mode and 28dBA in Eco Mode, using the industry-standard multi-point averaged measurement. Using Room EQ Wizard software and a Umik-1 microphone, with my theater room ambient noise floor reading 33.3 dBA, it measured as follows. All measurements were taken at a distance of approximately 3 feet away from each side of the unit with the unit in the brightest picture mode.

SDR/HDR (all picture modes):

Normal/Dynamic
Front: 35.9
Rear: 36.4
Left: 36.6
Right: 37.7

Eco
Front: 35.3
Rear: 36.1
Left: 36.1
Right: 37.1

Input Lag. Input lag measurements were done using the FPS Picture Mode, with Game Mode Auto enabled. The following supported resolutions and frame rates were tested: 1080p/60Hz = 17ms; 1080p/120Hz = 9ms; 1080p/240Hz = 5ms; 4K/60Hz = 17ms.

Connections

• HDMI 2.0b (x2; HDCP 2.2, eARC) (1 internal)
• USB 2.0 Type A (2.0, firmware, media reader, power delivery 5V/0.5A)
• USB Type C (Display Port w/ power delivery 5V/2A, 9V/1.8A, 12V/1.3A, 15V/1.2A)

Calibrated Settings

Calibrated image settings from any third-party do not account for the significant potential for sample-to-sample variation, nor the different screen sizes and materials, lighting, lamp usage, or other environmental factors that can affect image quality. Projectors should always be calibrated in the user's own space and tuned for the expected viewing conditions. However, the settings provided here may be a helpful starting point for some. Always record your current settings before making adjustments so you can return to them as desired. Refer to the Performance section for some context for each calibration.

These settings can be used in the Game picture mode as well by simply copying settings of the desired picture mode into Game.

Settings SDR

Picture Mode: Cinema
Details Adjustment: Off
Auto Game Mode: On
Brightness: 52
Contrast: 50
Sharpness: 6

Advanced Color Settings

Gamma Selection: 2.2

Color Management
R: 235 / 194 / 215
G: 264 / 211 / 168
B: 137 / 214 / 182
C: 243 / 224 / 190
M: 266 / 157 / 202
Y: 122 / 171 / 208
W: 200 / 186 / 208

Light Source Mode: Normal

Settings HDR10 User

Picture Mode: HDR10
Details Adjustment: Off
Auto Game Mode: On
Brightness: 51
Contrast: 50
Sharpness: 10

Advanced Color Settings

Gamma Selection: BenQ

Color Management
R: 196 / 200 / 200
G: 203 / 211 / 200
B: 196 / 205 / 200
C: 200 / 200 / 200
M: 195 / 204 / 200
Y: 212 / 217 / 200
W: 192 / 198 / 202

Light Source Mode: Dynamic

HDR Brightness: 0

Noise Reduction: 0

For more detailed specifications and connections, check out our BenQ X300G projector page.

To buy this projector, use Where to Buy online, or get a price quote by email direct from Projector Central authorized dealers using our E-Z Quote tool.

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