BenQ’s new HT1070A home cinema projector marries performance and value

BenQ launches the HT1070A home cinema projector

By Nick Hastings Published September 28, 2017

BenQ HT1070A — Image used with permission by copyright holder

We can’t think of anything in the entire world more exciting than projectors (can you?). These incredible machines can transform any mundane viewing into a revelatory experience, replacing your meager television screen with a massive picture stretching from wall to wall. It’s like IMAX for your bedroom.

Taiwanese electronics manufacturer BenQ is known for its incredible XL monitor line (favored by many professional gamers), but its projectors are nothing to scoff at, either. Today, BenQ launched the HT1070A, a similar model to their super-popular HT1070 home cinema projector. It’s a mid-level projector in the HT series, also comparable to the entry-level MH530FHD. The HT1070A is at its best in darkened environments.

Recommended Videos

The HT1070A — available now — doesn’t mess around with an already-successful formula, instead bringing to the table a few minor improvements. BenQ designed the projector with a family-friendly budget in mind, but also managed to bake in some features you rarely see on projectors under $1,000.

Like the HT1070, the HT1070A projects in 1080p full HD resolution, with a Rec. 709 adherence ratio over 96 percent. Utilizing Digital Light Processing (DLP) alongside BenQ’s proprietary CinematicColor technology, the HT1070A boasts a 15,000:1 contrast ratio, up from 10,000:1 on the HT1070.

Additionally, the HT1070A produces 2,200 lumens of brightness — a 10 percent improvement over then HT1070’s 2,000 lumens. The projector has dual HDMI inputs for interfacing with a litany of devices like Blu-ray players, gaming consoles, and set-top boxes, and it features three dedicated picture modes (Sport, Vivid TV, and Cinema), each carefully calibrated to provide the clearest, brightest imaging possible for any media.

The HT1070A is a cinch to get up and running, coming equipped with an ultra-simple setup wizard along with vertical keystone adjustment, a 1.2 optical zoom lens, and adjustable feet. It features a 1.37-1.64 throw ratio (slightly larger than the HT1070’s), meaning you’ll get a 100-inch projection at a distance of nine feet or so (2.8 meters).

Not sure if you need a projector? Don’t sweat it — we’ve got you covered with a dedicated guide. If you’re waffling between buying a projector or a big-screen TV, we can help out with that as well. The HT1070A is available for $649 via BenQ’s website or via a number of online retailers, including Best Buy (some websites still have it listed as a pre-order item, though, so be careful).

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Nick is a Portland native and a graduate of Saint Mary's College of California with a Bachelor's of Communication. Nick's…

Audio / Video

These JBL noise-canceling headphones are on sale for only $80

A mean wearing the JBL Live 670NC wireless headphones.

For an affordable pair of noise-canceling headphones, you should consider going for the JBL Live 670NC. They're part of Best Buy's headphone deals with a $50 discount that pulls their price down even lower, from $130 to just $80. It would be a shame to miss out on the savings, but since we're not sure how much longer the offer will last, we highly recommend proceeding with the transaction as soon as you can to make sure that you get these headphones for less than $100.

Audio / Video

The powerful Xgimi Horizon smart projector is 30% off from Amazon

The Xgimi Horizon projector on a white background.

Families who are looking for projector deals that will transform their living room into their personal movie theater should look no further than Amazon's offer for the Xgimi Horizon. From its original price of $999, it's on sale for a more reasonable price of $700 following a 30% discount. There's no telling how much time is remaining on this bargain. So, if you don't want to miss out on the $299 in savings, the only way to make sure of that is to go ahead with your purchase for this projector right now.

Why you should buy the Xgimi Horizon projector
Xgimi is one of our most trusted brands for projectors with its multiple entries in our roundup of the best projectors, which include the Xgimi Horizon Ultra and the Xgimi Horizon Pro. The Xgimi Horizon is slightly less powerful than these two models, but it's still an incredible addition to any living room with its native Full HD resolution and support for up to 4K Ultra HD resolution at 60Hz. You won't even need to connect it to speakers for the full cinematic experience, as it comes with built-in dual 8W Harman Kardon speakers.

Audio / Video

Panasonic TVs are back in the U.S., and the W95A is still on sale for Cyber Week

Panasonic W95A

I honestly wasn't sure that it would ever happen, but Panasonic finally returned to the U.S. television market this fall and I was -- perhaps excessively -- excited. Even though Panasonic TVs have been available in Europe for a while (and selling very well), it's been more than 10 years since they've graced this side of the pond after the company ended production of its plasma TV line. For us videophiles who loved those Panasonic plasmas of old, it's been long time coming, but the company is back with both the Z95A OLED and the W95A mini-LED. And they're already on sale during Cyber Week for up to 33% off.

Panasonic has a long pedigree in the world of TVs. Not only did it produce the best plasmas the planet Earth has seen -- even better than the Pioneer Kuro, according to many of us -- but a string of excellent CRT displays before that. It stood alongside the likes of Sony Trinitron, Toshiba, and ProScan (a premium sub-brand of RCA). It's a lot to live up to, but so far it's delivered.