For the most accurate picture, I used the Cinema mode, along with the Normal color temperature mode. Pay in 3 is a form of credit, may not be suitable for everyone and use may affect your credit score. The BENQ TH685 original bulb inside includes a bulb from one of the OEM manufacturers (Osram P-VIP, Philips UHP, Ushio, Matsushita, Iwasaki HSCR) and has plastic housing from a generic manufacturer. The remote isn't backlit, but it's small and simple and has dedicated and color coded on and off buttons.

TAKES VIDEO GAMES TO THE BIG SCREEN: The short-throw projection produces a huge 100" images from just 2.

Be amazed by hyper-realistic HDR details on massive Full HD 1080p projected images that put big-screen TVs to shame.

And while being mated with a gaming console is the TH685i's bread and butter, BenQ includes an Android TV streaming stick for TV and movie streaming when the gaming sessions are over. It put out the same 2,705 ANSI lumens in our measurements after multiple readings, or 77% of the published spec, which BenQ says falls below any expected tolerance and might suggest an issue with our sample or lamp.Level up with hyper-realistic HDR details on a gigantic Full HD 1080p projected image that owns a flat screen TV. The brightness and color reproduction also stays the same, whereas the brightness of bulb projectors can slowly degrade over time. If you're watching a widescreen movie, for example, you can position the image up or down the screen since the back bars can be cropped out without losing any pertinent info. Please note that in respect of replacement lamps for Epson projectors, the Original Inside lamp consists of a bulb made by Philips and a generic housing.

But the TH685 is certainly more satisfying – if, inevitably, no replacement at all for a half-decent soundbar or external sound system – than most budget projector sound systems are. Guided setup goes through connecting to a wireless network, signing into a Google account, and installing from a list of popular apps. But for a gaming projector that can serve well for movie nights and holds up to ambient light during the day, the BenQ TH685i is solid. Its potential is undoubtedly hamstrung a bit by the projector only carrying a mono 5W speaker system, but nonetheless this beamer actually sounds much better than expected, throwing its audio a good distance clear of its enclosure, keeping dialogue clear and convincing, and delivering on the promise of lots of subtle audio detailing.

Our tests found little to complain about, and perks such as the good onboard audio sweeten the deal.