BenQ MW526A vs Optoma HD131Xe review

BenQ MW526A vs Optoma HD131Xe — reliable home theater projectors

BenQ MW526A vs Optoma HD131Xe

BenQ MW526A – budget large screen

BenQ MW526AI have had a chance to compare BenQ MW526A vs Optoma HD131Xe to foster your choice of a projector. I reckon that BenQ MW526A passed a test but not with flying colors. It is pretty bright, but the sound isn’t satisfying at all.

BenQ MW526A PROS:
  • I am pleased with setup; I simply connected it to the adaptor via HDMI port that became my usual setup. I’m streaming videos from Netflix and Youtube.
  • 2 HDMI ports are super convenient because it is possible to connect iPad and Nintendo simultaneously.
  • I have been concerned about its throwing distance but at 8 feet it manages to make a 80-inch image.
BenQ MW526A CONS:
  • The speakers are weak, so I used an auxiliary cord and plugged my iPad into a portable stereo.
  • It lacks horizontal keystone correction; in case of spilt on the one side picture, I manually moved it to fit the image within the screen borders.
  • It quickly became dusty without a lens cap because it sucks it all in.

Optoma HD131Xe – descent picture with contrast colors

Optoma HD131XeThis device projected a beam forward and up, while I managed to set it directly in front of a screen, so I used the keystone adjustment to fix it and did it successfully. Also, there are black margins around the picture, but when I'm into something, I don't notice it.

Optoma HD131Xe PROS:
  • It’s silent in ECO Mode, so it doesn’t hinder us sitting beneath. Bright Mode is slightly louder but not much.
  • It focuses more on top and becomes blurry on the bottom. In 4:3 mode it’s definitely true because of a projection angle. When I switch it to 16:9 mode an issue with a picture is fixed easily.
  • It has drastic dark and bright color contrast that is provided by its 18000:1 (versus BenQ’s MW526A 13000:1) contrast ratio.
Optoma HD131Xe CONS:
  • 3D causes a noticeable brightness hit, so it demands additional room lightning adjustments.
  • After a working hour, it requires two minutes of rest in order to cool down.
  • I wish it had a picture size adjust in setup because I need to change projector’s position each time when we need to fit a picture’s size.

Optoma HD131Xe vs BenQ MW526A final thoughts

The strongest Optoma HD131Xe point is clear, analyzing Optoma HD131Xe vs BenQ MW526A speaker power comparison – 10W versus 2W. In contrast, it’s impossible to compare it to BenQ MW526A in brightness − 3300 vs 2500 lumens.

I wish BenQ’s MW526A Lens Shift could be adjusted via the remote control and Optoma HD131Xe didn’t get worm so quickly.

I hope my other projectors’ comparisons with my impressions from their testing will be more useful than that figures in a chart.

Before the purchasing, note an impressive image size of BenQMW526A, but be ready to do something with the sound because its speakers are unusable. Quite work of Optoma HD131Xe is worth attention.

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Common

Product

BenQ MW526A
Optoma HD131Xe

Model

MW526A
HD131Xe

Brand

BenQ
Optoma

Rating

4.1

Reviews

35

Translation properties

Projection system

DLP
DLP

Native resolution

1280 x 800
1920 x 1080

Aspect ratio

4:3
16:9

Pixel number

1024000

Brightness

3300 lumens
2500 lumens

Color reproduction

1.07 billion
1.07 billion

Contrast ratio

13000:1
18000:1

Throw ratio range

1.55 - 1.7
1.5 - 1.8

Lamp

Lamp type

190 W
195 W

Lamp life

Normal mode

4500
3500

Eco mode

6000
6000

Lens

F-number

2.56 - 2.68
2.55 - 2.86

Focal length

22 - 24.1 mm
22.37 - 26.73 mm

Lens shift

Vertical + 10%

Zoom ratio

1.0 - 1.1
1.0 - 1.2

Interface

HDMI

1
1

D-sub 15pin

2
1

Composite video (RCA)

1
1

Audio L/R (RCA)

1
1

Audio out (Mini Jack)

1
1

USB (Type A)

1
has not

USB (Type mini-B)

1
1

RS232 (DB-9pin)

1
1

Sound

Integrated speaker

Speaker power

2 W
10 W

Sound type

mono
mono

Resolution support

640 x 480

1024 x 768

1280 x 800

1400 x 1050

1920 x 1080

Video compatibility

NTSC

PAL

SECAM

3D

Settings

Keystone correction manual

Vertical +- 30 degrees
Vertical +- 40 degrees

Keystone correction auto

Operating distance

19 ft
19 ft

Security functions

Audible noise

Normal mode

33 dBA

Eco mode

28 dBA
26 dBA

Operating temperature

Min

5 C
5 C

Max

35 C
40 C

Features

Color

white
black

Wireless

Remote control

Mouse functions

Warranty

1 Year
1 Year

Dimensions

Product size

11.14 x 3.7 x 8.7 inches
12.7 x 9.2 x 3.8 inches

Product weight

6.7 pounds
6.4 pounds

BenQ MW526A overview

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