The BenQ LH820ST is a pro-level simulation projector that delivers sharp, vibrant images.
It’s a native Full HD (1920 x 1080) short-throw DLP laser projector built mainly for the golf simulator market. With 3,600 ANSI lumens of brightness, a 3,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, and 90% Rec.709 color coverage, it’s designed for great black levels and accurate colors. It also has a fast 16.7 ms HDMI input, making it bright, colorful, and responsive. The LH820ST is available now for $1,899 at authorized BenQ resellers.
Golf simulation is a booming business — worth $1.3 billion in 2021, $1.6 billion in 2022, and projected to reach $3.4 billion by 2030, growing about 10% each year. BenQ has been in this market for over 10 years, producing bright, short-throw projectors like the LH820ST to meet the needs of both simulation setups and home entertainment.
| BenQ LH820ST Specs | |
|---|---|
| Price | $1,899 MSRP |
| Technology | DLP |
| Displayed Resolution | Full HD (1920 x 1080) |
| Brightness (Manufacturer Claim) | 3600 ANSI Lumens) |
| Light Source | Blue Laser |
| Contrast | 3,000,000:1 (Dynamic) |
| Zoom Lens Ratio | Fixed Lens |
| Sound System | Mono 5 watt |
| Dimensions | 15.9 x 10.6 x 6.15 inch |
| Weight | 12.3 lb (5.6 Kg) |
Overview
The LH820ST is the second BenQ short-throw golf simulation projector I’ve reviewed, following the larger 4K LK936ST model.
Like the 4K version, it has a native 16:9 aspect ratio but can also switch to 16:10 or 4:3. The 4:3 option is especially useful for golfers with narrower setups, as it fills the screen top-to-bottom without black bars, making the experience more immersive.
To help users get the best full-screen image, the LH820ST includes BenQ’s Screen Fill technology. This feature automatically adjusts resolution to match the screen’s aspect ratio, maximizing pixel usage and minimizing distortion. It’s controlled directly from the projector’s on-screen menu, so users don’t have to tinker with computer settings.
The projector is highly versatile — it can be ceiling-mounted or floor-mounted for spaces with height limitations. It offers digital shrink and shift tools for precise image adjustments, plus 2D keystone correction (±30° horizontal/vertical) and corner fit controls for perfect geometry.
Setup is quick and easy. It can project a 100”+ image from just over 5 feet away, reducing the chance of people or objects blocking the beam and breaking immersion.
For multi-projector setups, BenQ includes edge-blending tools to seamlessly merge images. Its white balance adjustment feature ensures overlapping areas match perfectly, so the projection looks smooth and natural — essential for a distraction-free simulation experience.
The BenQ LH820ST delivers rich, vibrant colors with just the right amount of saturation.
It uses a blue laser light source paired with dual color wheels, allowing it to cover 90% of the Rec.709 color gamut — the standard for accurate HD video and movie colors. BenQ even includes a special GOLF mode that makes blues (for the sky) and greens (for grass) pop. This BlueCore laser system produces pure RGBY colors for better saturation and image quality than traditional lamp projectors. The system works by using blue lasers to excite a yellow phosphor wheel, which combines with the remaining blue light to create white light. This white light then passes through the dual-segmented color wheels to form the final image. The laser light source also lasts up to 30,000 hours.
The LH820ST uses a 0.47” Texas Instruments DLP chip to display native Full HD without pixel shifting, ensuring sharp, detailed images with no downscaling or compression. This makes it ideal for golf simulation, watching HD movies, or gaming.
The BenQ LH820ST is bright, colorful, and perfect for rooms with lots of uncontrolled ambient light.
With a rated brightness of 3,600 ANSI lumens, it easily overcomes bright environments, making it ideal for simulation setups. While most high-brightness projectors struggle with deep blacks, the LH820ST delivers decent black levels that look like dark charcoal while still showing plenty of detail.
BenQ includes several home theater-style features, such as advanced color and image processing, professional color calibration controls, 3D support, and a 16.7 ms input lag. That’s not BenQ’s absolute fastest, but it’s quick enough for smooth console and PC gaming with almost no noticeable delay.
The projector also boasts a dynamic contrast ratio of 3,000,000:1, achieved by adjusting laser power on the fly. This helps boost contrast and gives the LH820ST better black-level performance than most projectors in its brightness class.
The BenQ LH820ST can be easily controlled and updated through a LAN (local area network) connection. This centralized management feature lets IT staff remotely operate and update multiple projectors at once. If there’s no LAN setup, the projector also supports RS-232 for reliable long-distance control of up to 15 meters.
It works seamlessly with popular control systems from Crestron, AMX, and PJLink, thanks to BenQ’s DMS (Device Management Solution). This allows IT teams to manage projectors in different rooms, floors, or even buildings from one place.
BenQ is known for offering great value in its projectors—from portable models to high-end business and professional units—and the LH820ST is no exception. With its focus on image quality, reliability, and user-friendly features, it delivers a premium visual experience for both personal and professional use.
Key Features:
$1,899 MSRP
Full HD (1920 × 1080p) resolution
Single-chip DLP imaging
Laser/phosphor light source: 20,000 hours (Normal) / 30,000 hours (Eco)
3,600 ANSI lumens brightness
3,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio
3D content support
Dual color wheels for up to 90% Rec.709 color gamut coverage
Sealed light engine
Fixed F/2.8 lens, f = 7.46mm
16.7 ms input lag (1080p@60Hz)
Advanced edge blending tools for multi-projector setups
LAN control (Extron, Crestron, AMX, PJLink)
Size: 15.9 × 10.6 × 6.15 in (410 × 272 × 157.7 mm)
Weight: 12.3 lb (5.6 kg)
3-year limited warranty
HARDWARE
CHASSIS
The BenQ LH820ST has a classic front projector design but still manages to look sleek and stylish. It’s lightweight, easy to handle, and simple to operate thanks to well-placed controls and connections. The off-white matte finish helps reduce light reflection in bright spaces.
The projector measures 15.9 × 10.6 × 6.15 inches (410 × 272 × 157.7 mm) and weighs 12.3 lbs (5.6 kg), making it compact and portable—great for both home theater and golf simulator setups.
On the front, you’ll find the lens with a manual focus ring, an IR sensor for the remote, and an air vent. The right side houses the hot air exhaust, while the left side has another air vent. All inputs and connectors are located on the back, and the control panel is conveniently placed on top.
The BenQ LH820ST’s input and connector panel is arranged in a single row. From left to right, it includes: a USB mini port, a LAN (RJ45) port, a monitor output, an RS232 port, two PC inputs, composite video in, S-video in, an HDMI port, and analog audio out.
There are also several 3.5 mm jacks for audio input, mic input, and audio output. Finally, it has a standard USB Type-A port.
On top of the projector is a push-button control panel. It includes a Power On/Off button, a D-pad with an “OK” button for easy navigation, an Eco Blank button to temporarily turn off the light source, plus buttons for Input, Menu, Mode, and Back.
The BenQ LH820ST remote control is backlit and well-organized.
The top section has power controls and quick setup buttons.
Below that are navigation buttons: Back, Menu, Auto, Mute, Light (to turn on the backlight), and Blank. There’s also a numeric pad (1–9, plus 0) for entering numbers in network settings or setting the remote-control ID. On either side of the 0 are the All button (left) and ID Set button (right).
The bottom section has six buttons: Zoom + and Zoom – (top/bottom), Page + and Page – (top/bottom), plus 3D and Freeze. The backlight makes the remote easy to use in dark rooms.
Lens
The LH820ST features a short-throw lens with a 1.1x zoom, allowing it to project huge images even in small spaces. It can be positioned above and behind the hitting area to avoid shadows and glare, helping you stay fully focused during practice.
The BenQ LH820ST’s 1.1x manual zoom lens can project a massive 220-inch (16:9) image from just under 8 feet away. It also offers a wide range of digital adjustments—image shifting, shrinking, and zooming—to work around obstacles. While we usually recommend using digital adjustments only when necessary, they can be especially useful for golf simulator setups.
The LH820ST includes horizontal and vertical keystone correction, Corner Fit control for adjusting each corner individually, and Digital Image Shrinking/Shift, which can reduce the image to 75% of its original size in 0.5% increments via the on-screen menu.
BenQ’s blanking feature removes unused pixels from oddly shaped projections, giving you a perfectly square image without losing detail or quality.
MENUS
BenQ’s menu system is a simple, text-based design they’ve used for years. It’s not full of icons but is easy to navigate and very familiar. I like this clear and straightforward menu for a professional projector.
The only downside is that the menu responds a bit slowly to button presses and could be faster.
PERFORMANCE
COLOR REPRODUCTION
The LH820ST delivers great color and contrast, making it perfect for simulation use, especially in bright rooms with lots of ambient light. Its strong brightness and rich colors are great for watching movies or videos in well-lit spaces. In darker rooms, colors might look a bit too bright, but you can easily adjust them using the projector’s many picture settings.
The images show the projector produces warm tones, with reds and yellows standing out. This sometimes makes skin tones look a bit too saturated. At Projector Reviews, we focus on how a projector looks right out of the box, and the LH820ST does well using just the preset modes. BenQ also offers a great color management system, letting you professionally calibrate or tweak the picture to your liking.
My favorite modes for movies and TV were sRGB and User mode. The projector also lets you adjust white balance, gamma, and color temperature for even better image quality.
A big challenge for golf simulator projectors is creating an immersive image on special screens that don’t break when hit by golf balls at high speed. These screens aren’t usually great for video quality. BenQ understands this and made the LH820ST to help improve the image on these screens.
The LH820ST has a GOLF mode that boosts blue and green colors, making the sky and grass look more vibrant without messing up the rest of the colors. It’s perfect for golf games but not ideal for watching movies. This mode is very handy and works really well.
The BenQ LH820ST shows rich colors, making it great for golf simulators and home entertainment too.
Here are the main picture modes:
BRIGHT mode: Makes the image extra bright for well-lit rooms.
PRESENTATION mode: Focuses on brightness for clear PC and notebook presentations.
GOLF mode: Optimizes blue skies and green grass for golf simulators.
sRGB mode: Shows true-to-life colors, best for photos and PC graphics like AutoCAD.
VIDEO mode: Best for colorful movies and videos in dark rooms.
3D mode: For watching 3D images and videos.
USER 1 & 2 modes: Save your own custom picture settings to recall later.
BRIGHTNESS
BenQ says the LH820ST has a brightness of 3,600 ANSI lumens. I tested this by setting the projector to its brightest picture mode, BRIGHT, and light mode to NORMAL, then took several readings from the center of the screen.
The LH820ST is very bright and works well in places where you can’t fully control the ambient light. It can shine through bright rooms while keeping good colors. For watching movies or videos, its warm and slightly oversaturated colors are great, especially in rooms with a lot of light or when the lights are on.
In dark rooms, the BRIGHT and PRESENTATION modes are too bright. The sRGB, VIDEO, and USER 1 & 2 modes worked well without any changes.
When I measured it, the LH820ST gave 3,639 ANSI lumens — a bit brighter than BenQ’s claim. I also checked the brightness of the other picture modes and made a chart showing the results.
BenQ LH820ST Brightness | ||
|---|---|---|
| Picture Modes | Brightness Measured (ANSI Lumens) | |
| BRIGHT | 3639 | |
| PRESENTATION | 3007 | |
| GOLF | 3026 | |
| sRGB | 1915 | |
| VIDEO | 1770 | |
| USER1 | 3075 | |
| USER2 | 3075 | |
BLACK LEVEL AND SHADOW DETAIL
BenQ says the LH820ST has a dynamic contrast ratio of 3,000,000:1, which sounds impressive. But like many business projectors, its blacks are more dark gray than deep black, similar to the BenQ LK936ST. You can see this in the pictures above, though it’s even clearer in person.
The projector can show deeper blacks if you lower the laser brightness a lot, but this loses shadow details. I don’t recommend doing that because the dark areas get crushed. For movies, I prefer the usual DLP dark gray blacks with more visible detail.
It really depends on how you use the projector. For golf simulators and gaming, deeper blacks and higher contrast are better than lighter blacks with more shadow detail.
Sound Quality
The LH820ST’s fan noise is a bit louder than other bright projectors I’ve tested — about 33 dB in NORMAL mode and 29 dB in ECO mode. In a home golf simulator, the 33 dB noise shouldn’t distract you. Even watching movies, the fan noise wasn’t a big issue for me.
The built-in 10-watt mono speaker is loud enough for golf sims and movies but doesn’t have stereo sound or rich audio like a home theater system. For movies, it’s best to use an external soundbar or audio system for better sound quality.
SUMMARY
The BenQ LH820ST is a Full HD (1920 x 1080) laser DLP projector with a bright output I measured at 3,639 ANSI lumens. It uses BenQ’s advanced blue laser light source, which can last up to 20,000 hours in NORMAL mode. This laser system helps the projector show sharp and accurate images. The projector features a Texas Instruments DLP chip with native Full HD resolution, so there’s no pixel shifting, which means clearer picture quality. DLP technology is popular because it offers great quality, speed, and performance.
The LH820ST is small and light, making it easy to move and install, with simple access to all its connections and controls.
I tested it on a 100-inch screen. The only time I noticed any resolution issues was when I looked closely at the projector’s menus from less than six feet away. Pictures looked good overall — not as sharp as 4K but still detailed. Upscaled 720p content looked great, and standard-definition content was better than average.
The BenQ LH820ST is light and very compact, making it easy to carry and set up.
Its bright light source is perfect for rooms with a lot of uncontrolled ambient light. In my tests, the projector’s brightness matched the official rating of 3,600 ANSI lumens, even measuring a bit higher at 3,639 lumens. This high brightness is great for places where there’s a lot of extra light.
The BenQ LH820ST works well for many different uses.
Its rich, warm colors come from a dual-color wheel system that covers 90% of the BT.709 color range, plus BenQ’s smart color science. This helps the LH820ST show great images even in tricky lighting.
A great example is BenQ’s special GOLF mode, which boosts greens and blues to make the grass and sky stand out. Besides GOLF mode, the projector’s colors look good right out of the box, with slightly strong reds, which is common for DLP projectors.
The BenQ LH820ST uses laser power control to reach a dynamic contrast ratio of 3,000,000:1. It can produce fairly dark blacks, but its high brightness makes deep blacks with fine shadow detail hard to achieve. Lowering brightness in ECO mode helps, but blacks can get crushed, losing detail. For movies and TV, it’s better to keep some shadow detail than push for deeper blacks.
This projector is made to give bright, colorful images better than most other high-brightness projectors in its price range. It’s not built for super deep blacks with lots of detail.
Though not the cheapest, the LH820ST is worth its $1,899 price tag and is a solid choice for golf simulators.
PROS
Full HD (1920 x 1080p) works well for most simulators; only an issue very close to the screen.
Sharp native Full HD single-chip DLP image without pixel-shifting.
Dustproof, sealed laser-phosphor system with 20,000-hour life and no filter needed.
Easy setup with 2D keystone and corner fit.
Bright 3,600 ANSI lumens for colorful images in bright rooms.
High 3,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio for immersive images.
Good dark area detail.
Supports 3D content.
Dual color wheels cover 90% of Rec.709 color gamut.
1.1x zoom.
Short throw with wide digital keystone correction (±30°).
Low input lag of 16.7 ms for gaming.
LAN connection supports major control systems (WiFi optional).
CONS
Black levels are average, more dark gray than true black.
No HDR support.
Manual focus only.
No optical zoom.
BENQ LH820ST – SPECIFICATIONS
| Full Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Projector Model | LH820ST |
| Price | $1,899.99 MSRP |
| Imager Type | DLP (0.47″ DMD) |
| Displayed Resolution | 1920 x 1080 pixels (1080p) |
| Native Resolution | 1920 x 1080 pixels (1080p) |
| Brightness | 3600 ANSI Lumens |
| Light Source Type | Blue Laser |
| Light Source Life | 20,000 hours |
| Contrast Ratio | 3,000,000:1 |
| Zoom Lens Ratio | Fixed |
| Power Zoom/Focus | No – Only Manual |
| Lens Shift | No |
| Interchangeable Lens | No |
| Ultra-Short Throw | No |
| Native Aspect Ratio | 16:9 |
| Built-in Rechargeable Battery | No |
| DVI or HDMI | HDMI |
| 3D | Yes |
| Blu-Ray 3D | Yes |
| Sound System | Single 10-watt speaker |
| Noise Level (-dB) | 29-33 dB |
| Low Lag Gaming | Yes 16.7 ms |
| Smart Functionality | No |
| Business | Yes |
| Classroom | Yes |
| Portable | Yes |
| Special Features | Designed for simulator market, short throw lens, Full HD native DLP DMD |
| Networking | Yes via built-in LAN port or optional WiFi dongle |
| Dimensions | 15.9 x 10.6 x 6.15 inch (410 x 272 x 157.7 mm) |
| Weight | 12.3 lb (5.6 Kg) |
| Warranty | Limited three (3) year warranty |