BenQ X500i vs Formovie Theater

95 facts in comparison

These products are from different categories (Projectors vs Home Theater), so direct comparison may not be meaningful.

Based on 1,113 Reddit opinions. Formovie Theater leads by 6 points.

1.1K opinions
Formovie Theater leads by 6pts
BenQ X500i
81%
B+
Based on
460 Redditors

BenQ X500i

~$1,499
156 opinions

tldr; 4LED short throw with built-in Chromecast and HDMI eARC - flexible placement but insufficient lumens for 150"+ screens.

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VS
Reddit's Pick
Formovie Theater
87%
A-
Based on
2,681 Redditors
Winner

Formovie Theater

~$1,899.99
957 opinions

tldr; Premium laser UST projector with triple-laser tech. 2800 lumens brightness, built-in Bowers & Wilkins sound. For ambient light rooms.

Check prices
Image QualityBrightnessGaming & Input LagThrow DistanceNoise & Heat
๐Ÿ–ผ๏ธIMA
โ˜€๏ธBRI
๐ŸŽฎGAM
โญTHR
๐Ÿ”‡NOI
58
Points
โ€”
Points

Score by Category

Image Quality
81%โ€”
Brightness
48%โ€”
Gaming & Input Lag
90%โ€”
Throw Distance
50%โ€”
Noise & Heat
9%โ€”

Why is Formovie Theater better than BenQ X500i?

  • Higher Reddit score (87% vs 81%)
  • ?? Triple-laser ALPD 4.0 tech
  • 2800 lumens brightness
Based on 3,141 Reddit opinions
Slight Edge

Reddit prefers the Formovie Theater

Winning by 6 points (87% vs 81%)

Triple-laser ALPD 4.0 tech
2800 lumens brightness
Built-in B&W speakers
High confidence (3,141 mentions)

๐Ÿ’ฌReddit Sentiment

Based on 3,141 Reddit mentions

Overall Rating

BenQ X500i
8.1/10
460 mentions
Formovie Theater
8.7/10
2,681 mentions
BRIGHTNESS
BenQ X500i4.8/10
Formovie TheaterN/A
IMAGE QUALITY
BenQ X500i8.1/10
Formovie TheaterN/A
INPUT LAG
BenQ X500i9.0/10
Formovie TheaterN/A
THROW DISTANCE
BenQ X500i5.0/10
Formovie TheaterN/A
VALUE
BenQ X500i6.7/10
Formovie TheaterN/A
NOISE
BenQ X500i0.9/10
Formovie TheaterN/A
โš”๏ธ

Head to Head

Head to Head

BenQ X500i: 6|Formovie Theater: 0
BrightnessBenQ X500i
BenQ X500i48%
Formovie TheaterN/A
Image QualityBenQ X500i
BenQ X500i81%
Formovie TheaterN/A
Input LagBenQ X500i
BenQ X500i90%
Formovie TheaterN/A
Throw DistanceBenQ X500i
BenQ X500i50%
Formovie TheaterN/A
ValueBenQ X500i
BenQ X500i67%
Formovie TheaterN/A
NoiseBenQ X500i
BenQ X500i9%
Formovie TheaterN/A
BenQ X500i81%
Formovie Theater87%
Formovie Theater wins by 6 points

Key Specs

SpecBenQ X500iFormovie Theater
Resolution
4K UHD (3840x2160)
โ€”
Brightness
2200 ANSI Lumens
1800 ISO Lumens
Contrast Ratio
600,000:1
3000:1 (FOFO)
Light Source
4LED
ALPD 4.0 RGB+ Triple Laser
Light Source Life
Up to 30,000 hours (Eco Mode)
โ€”

Key Highlights

BenQ X500i
โš–๏ธ 4LED light source - no rainbow effect
๐Ÿ“ Short throw capability for tight spaces
?? Built-in Chromecast and HDMI eARC
โš  Not bright enough for 150"+ screens
โš–๏ธ Good for 100-120" in controlled light
Formovie TheaterWinner
?? Triple-laser ALPD 4.0 tech
โ˜€๏ธ 2800 lumens brightness
?? Built-in B&W speakers
?? Ultra short throw design
?? Dolby Vision and Atmos

Topic Battles

BenQ X500i: 5|Tied: 0|Formovie Theater: 0
๐Ÿ–ผ๏ธImage Quality
BenQ X500i wins
BenQ X500i
81%
Formovie Theater
โ€”
โ˜€๏ธBrightness
BenQ X500i wins
BenQ X500i
48%
Formovie Theater
โ€”
๐ŸŽฎGaming & Input Lag
BenQ X500i wins
BenQ X500i
90%
Formovie Theater
โ€”
โญThrow Distance
BenQ X500i wins
BenQ X500i
50%
Formovie Theater
โ€”
๐Ÿ”‡Noise & Heat
BenQ X500i wins
BenQ X500i
9%
Formovie Theater
โ€”

Based on Reddit sentiment across 5 categories

๐Ÿ“ˆWhere They Rank

๐Ÿ’ฌWhat Redditors Actually Say

What Redditors Say

Best praise vs top criticism for BenQ X500i

Best Praise
+5 pts
โ€œIn that groupโ€” unless you need to compete with a lot of ambient light the X500i will have the best picture quality. It has one of the highest native contrast specs of any 4K projector and color is excellent. Itโ€™s also a true short throw. The TK700STi would be my second choice. Itโ€™s very bright so will do better on larger screens or rooms with some lights on. But itโ€™s lamp and the color wonโ€™t be as good. See my review here: https://www.avsforum.com/threads/benq-tk700sti-review-owners-thread-4k-hdr-low-lag-short-throw-gaming-projector.3198258/ Of those models the X300G would be my last pic. Itโ€™s a great projector for what it is: a small semi-portable with easy setup. It will have better picture quality that the 700 But its lumen output is limiting.โ€
r/projectors
View
Top Criticism
+2 pts
โ€œHere is the first problem I noticed. Between the BenQ TK700Sti and X500i, those are short throw projectors that will give you around 180"-200" with about the 10 feet of space you have. Unless you want to ceiling mount or place on a coffee table, but you have kids from what I recall, so wall mounting is best which will allow you to adjust the distance to a degree. As far as the X500i, I don't recommend it. It doesn't have enough brightness for gaming. Colors where frequently off. However, it does have great input lag. Out of the box it's a great projector, but after a week or so you'll notice the flaws. Biggest one being color accuracy. The TK700Sti, I owned it some years ago and thought it was great. Also a great gaming projector, but uses a bulb which you'll have to replace and can get dim overtime. I do like BenQs, but I feel there are better options. I've owned about 12 - 15 projectors and the one that gave me the most joy was the Dangbei Mars Pro. The picture is absolutely stunning!!! Great color accuracy and great picture that allows for lights on viewing due to its laser capabilities!!!! You don't need a projector screen at all, but if you do, I can recommend a gray screen that helps with lights on viewing even more for under $50. The Dangbei originally retailed for over $2,000, but with discounts from Amazon, I got mine for $1,200. The dangbei also has MEMC/Frame Interpolation Technology that gives you that extra clear and smooth video play. You're not going to get that from 90% of BenQ projectors. The Dangb Mars Pro also allows blows out any dust collected in the projector with a push of a button from the home screen. Something I've never seen before. Definitely go with the Dangbei Mars Pro and Amazon will give you a 30 day return window if you don't like it. Forgot to mention, the Dangbei is trash as a smart projector, so for the sound and smart capabilities, I have the Roku streambar pro hooked up to mine. Beautiful amazing sound and picture!!!โ€
r/hometheater
View
3 more quotes available below

๐Ÿ“ˆHistorical Price Data

BenQ X500i
Formovie Theater
$1500$2000$2500Apr '25May '25Jun '25Jul '25Aug '25Oct '25Nov '25Dec '25Jan '26Apr '26Low: $1492.3Low: $1899.99Current: $1493Current: $1899.99
BenQ X500i
All-time low: $1411.77(2024-04)
$39 below 90-day avg
Formovie Theater
All-time low!
$94 below 90-day avg

Which is Better?

Formovie Theater Wins
87%
Theater
vs
81%
X500i

Formovie Theater leads by 6 points based on 3,141 Reddit opinions.

Why Formovie TheaterWinner
  • ?? Triple-laser ALPD 4.0 tech
  • โ˜€๏ธ 2800 lumens brightness
  • ?? Built-in B&W speakers
  • More discussed (2,681 vs 460)
Why BenQ X500i
  • โš–๏ธ 4LED light source - no rainbow effect
  • ๐Ÿ“ Short throw capability for tight spaces

โค๏ธThe Love/Hate Breakdown

Sentiment Breakdown

31%Positive
Positive
31%
Neutral
65%
Negative
4%
Based on 2,681 Reddit opinions

Sentiment Breakdown

28%Positive
Positive
28%
Neutral
66%
Negative
6%
Based on 460 Reddit opinions

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, Formovie Theater or BenQ X500i?
Based on 3,141 Reddit comments, Formovie Theater is the preferred choice with 87% positive sentiment vs BenQ X500i's 81%. Formovie Theater leads by 6 percentage points.
Should I buy Formovie Theater or BenQ X500i?
If you want the safer choice based on community sentiment, Formovie Theater has stronger approval ratings (87% vs 81%). However, BenQ X500i may still be better depending on your specific needs, budget, or use case.
What do Redditors love about Formovie Theater?
Reddit users highlight: Triple-laser ALPD 4.0 tech. 2800 lumens brightness. Built-in B&W speakers. With 2,681 mentions and 87% approval, it's a well-regarded choice in the community.
What do Redditors say about BenQ X500i?
Reddit users highlight: 4LED light source - no rainbow effect. Short throw capability for tight spaces. Built-in Chromecast and HDMI eARC. With 460 mentions and 81% approval, it remains a popular alternative.
How many Reddit reviews were analyzed?
This comparison analyzed 3,141 Reddit comments: 2,681 about Formovie Theater and 460 about BenQ X500i. Data was sourced from Projectors community discussions.
How accurate are these ratings?
Our sentiment analysis is approximately 80-85% accurate compared to manual review. Well-discussed products with many mentions tend to have more reliable scores than niche items with fewer data points.
Why trust Reddit over professional reviews?
Reddit users bought products with their own money and have no incentive to mislead. You're seeing hundreds of real opinions across different use cases, not just one reviewer's take. This crowdsourced approach surfaces both common praise and recurring complaints.

1,113 Reddit opinions analyzed ยท Last updated 4/13/2026