BenQ X500i vs XGIMI Horizon 20 Max

87 facts in comparison

Based on 327 Reddit opinions. Close race—20 Max edges ahead.

327 opinions
20 Max leads by 5pts
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
XGIMI Horizon 20 Max
86%
A-
Based on
475 Redditors
Winner

XGIMI Horizon 20 Max

~$1,999
171 opinions

tldr; Reddit overwhelmingly recommends the XGIMI Horizon 20 Max. With 88% positive sentiment across 476 mentions, this is a clear community favorite.

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Image QualityBrightnessGaming & Input LagThrow DistanceNoise & Heat
🖼️IMA
☀️BRI
🎮GAM
THR
🔇NOI
58
Points
83
Points

Score by Category

Image Quality
81%84%
Brightness
48%94%
Gaming & Input Lag
90%89%
Throw Distance
50%0%
Noise & Heat
9%50%

Why is Horizon 20 Max better than BenQ X500i?

  • Higher Reddit score (86% vs 81%)
  • Better brightness (94% vs 48%)
  • Better value (100% vs 67%)
  • Better noise (50% vs 9%)
Based on 935 Reddit opinions
Slight Edge

Reddit prefers the 20 Max

Winning by 5 points (86% vs 81%)

Better brightness
Better value
Better noise
High confidence (935 mentions)

💬Reddit Sentiment

Based on 935 Reddit mentions

Overall Rating

BenQ X500i
8.1/10
460 mentions
20 Max
8.6/10
475 mentions
BRIGHTNESS
BenQ X500i4.8/10
20 Max9.4/10
IMAGE QUALITY
BenQ X500i8.1/10
20 Max8.4/10
INPUT LAG
BenQ X500i9.0/10
20 Max8.9/10
THROW DISTANCE
BenQ X500i5.0/10
20 Max0.0/10
VALUE
BenQ X500i6.7/10
20 Max10.0/10
NOISE
BenQ X500i0.9/10
20 Max5.0/10
⚔️

Head to Head

Head to Head

BenQ X500i: 1|20 Max: 4
Brightness20 Max
BenQ X500i48%
20 Max94%
Image Quality20 Max
BenQ X500i81%
20 Max84%
Input Lag
BenQ X500i90%
20 Max89%
Throw DistanceBenQ X500i
BenQ X500i50%
20 Max0%
Value20 Max
BenQ X500i67%
20 Max100%
Noise20 Max
BenQ X500i9%
20 Max50%
BenQ X500i81%
20 Max86%
20 Max wins by 5 points

Key Specs

SpecBenQ X500iXGIMI Horizon 20 Max
Resolution
4K UHD (3840x2160)
Brightness
2200 ANSI Lumens
Contrast Ratio
600,000:1
Light Source
4LED
Light Source Life
Up to 30,000 hours (Eco Mode)

Key Highlights

BenQ X500i
⚖️ 4LED light source - no rainbow effect
📐 Short throw capability for tight spaces
?? Built-in Chromecast and HDMI eARC
⚠ Not bright enough for 150"+ screens
⚖️ Good for 100-120" in controlled light
XGIMI Horizon 20 MaxWinner
Solid community reputation
Frequently recommended

Topic Battles

BenQ X500i: 1|Tied: 1|20 Max: 3
🖼️Image Quality
20 Max wins
BenQ X500i
81%
20 Max
84%
☀️Brightness
20 Max wins
BenQ X500i
48%
20 Max
94%
🎮Gaming & Input Lag
BenQ X500i
90%
20 Max
89%
Throw Distance
BenQ X500i wins
BenQ X500i
50%
20 Max
0%
🔇Noise & Heat
20 Max wins
BenQ X500i
9%
20 Max
50%

Based on Reddit sentiment across 5 categories

📈Where They Rank

💬What Redditors Actually Say

What Redditors Say

Best praise vs top criticism for XGIMI Horizon 20 Max

Best Praise
+7 pts
Valerion Visionmaster Pro 2 or Max, and Xgimi Horizon 20 Max are the hot items right now.
r/projectors
View
Top Criticism
+5 pts
Why people are so hype about xgimi 20 max When valerion and EVEN nexigo tri vision are superior. (Yes is the brigthess but not by a huge margin, his usable lumens dont surprass the 3K)
r/projectors
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3 more quotes available below

What Redditors Say

Best praise vs top criticism for BenQ X500i

Best Praise
+5 pts
In that group— 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. It’s also a true short throw. The TK700STi would be my second choice. It’s very bright so will do better on larger screens or rooms with some lights on. But it’s lamp and the color won’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. It’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.
r/projectors
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Top Criticism
+2 pts
Here 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!!!
r/hometheater
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3 more quotes available below

📈Historical Price Data

BenQ X500i
XGIMI Horizon 20 Max
$1600$2000$2400Apr '25Jul '25Sep '25Oct '25Nov '25Dec '25Dec '25Jan '26Feb '26Apr '26Low: $1492.3Low: $1749Current: $1493Current: $1999
BenQ X500i
All-time low: $1411.77(2024-04)
$39 below 90-day avg
XGIMI Horizon 20 Max
All-time low: $1749(2025-11)

Which is Better?

XGIMI Horizon 20 Max Wins
86%
Max
vs
81%
X500i

Close race, but XGIMI Horizon 20 Max edges ahead by 5 points based on 935 Reddit opinions.

Why 20 MaxWinner
  • Better Value for Money (100% vs 67%)
Why BenQ X500i
  • ⚖️ 4LED light source - no rainbow effect
  • 📐 Short throw capability for tight spaces

❤️The Love/Hate Breakdown

Sentiment Breakdown

32%Positive
Positive
32%
Neutral
64%
Negative
4%
Based on 475 Reddit opinions

Sentiment Breakdown

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, XGIMI Horizon 20 Max or BenQ X500i?
Based on 935 Reddit comments, XGIMI Horizon 20 Max has a slight edge with 86% positive sentiment vs BenQ X500i's 81%. The difference is small, so both are solid choices.
Should I buy XGIMI Horizon 20 Max or BenQ X500i?
Both have similar approval ratings (86% vs 81%), so focus on specific features, pricing, and what matters most to you.
What do Redditors love about XGIMI Horizon 20 Max?
XGIMI Horizon 20 Max has 475 mentions on Reddit with 86% positive sentiment. Users consistently recommend it based on real ownership experiences.
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 935 Reddit comments: 475 about XGIMI Horizon 20 Max 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.

327 Reddit opinions analyzed · Last updated 4/11/2026

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